While the year-by-year rankings are not in a specific, numerical order, I decided to do the decade summary differently. Taking all songs rated “awesome” or “great” in the year-by-year, I then put them in order of the ones I enjoy the most. Naturally, how I feel right now at a desk in the office is a lot different from how I feel lying in a hammock on the deck drinking a beer – I’m sure the order of songs would be quite different. But generally speaking, here are 100 great songs from the 1960s.
(1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969)
First up are five songs that juuust missed the cut, but couldn’t be ignored…
Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers (1965)
19th Nervous Breakdown – The Rolling Stones (1966)
A Hard Day’s Night – The Beatles (1964)
Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar) – The Doors (1967)
Yesterday – The Beatles (1965)
And now – my Top 100 songs from the 1960s
100. All Along the Watchtower – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1968)
99. The Pusher – Steppenwolf (1968)
98. Dazed and Confused – Led Zeppelin (1969)
97. Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf (1968)
96. Proud Mary – Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)
95. Bend Me, Shape Me – The American Breed (1967)
94. Do Wah Diddy Diddy – Manfred Mann (1964)
93. Louie Louie – The Kingsmen (1964)
92. Time Is On My Side – The Rolling Stones (1964)
91. Helter Skelter – The Beatles (1968)
90. Homeward Bound – Simon & Garfunkel (1966)
89. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles (1967)
88. Purple Haze – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)
87. Going Up the Country – Canned Heat (1968)
86. I Want You – Bob Dylan (1966)
85. Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)
84. What Is and What Should Never Be – Led Zeppelin (1969)
83. Ticket to Ride – The Beatles (1965)
82. You Really Got Me – The Kinks (1964)
81. Mr. Tambourine Man – The Byrds (1965)
80. California Girls – The Beach Boys (1965)
79. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones (1965)
78. Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison (1967)
77. Get Together – The Youngbloods (1967)
76. Penny Lane – The Beatles (1967)
75. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da – The Beatles (1968)
74. We Can Work It Out – The Beatles (1966)
73. Spanish Caravan – The Doors (1968)
72. Get Off of My Cloud – The Rolling Stones (1965)
71. Hush – Deep Purple (1968)
70. On the Road Again – Canned Heat (1968)
69. Sunshine Superman – Donovan (1966)
68. Touch Me – The Doors (1969)
67. Mrs. Robinson – Simon & Garfunkel (1968)
66. Give Peace a Chance – Plastic Ono Band (1969)
65. Yellow Submarine – The Beatles (1966)
64. Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond (1969)
63. Your Time Is Gonna Come – Led Zeppelin (1969)
62. Twist and Shout – The Beatles (1963)
61. I Want To Hold Your Hand – The Beatles (1963)
60. Surfin’ Bird – The Trashmen (1963)
59. Blowin’ In The Wind – Bob Dylan (1963)
58. Love Is All Around – The Troggs (1966)
57. Waiting For The Sun – The Doors (1968)
56. Happy Jack – The Who (1966)
55. I’m a Believer – The Monkees (1966)
54. Suzie Q – Creedence Clearwater Revival (1968)
53. Magic Bus – The Who (1968)
52. Love Street – The Doors (1968)
51. Monday, Monday – The Mamas & the Papas (1966)
Dobber's Take 