Soundtrack of the 60's? Is there even a movie called The 60's? Yes, there is. I just found it out, but nope, this is not about that. To tell the truth, I just made the title all up to suite my Superb Soundtracky. Whatever...I could just call this "Anthems of the 60's", but it won't make any difference, since it's the songs I will enlist that matter. So, are you ready for the greatests from the greatest era ever existed in music history?
This list of songs is actually Rolling Stones (RS) magazine's Top 10 Songs of the Sixties, which is made based on its readers pick. I knew this from their newsletter I got and after I visited RS official site and see what songs make it, I would say that most of them do deserve to be put in the list. Personally I'm kinda missed some songs in the list, like Hendrix's Little Wing or Jefferson Airplane's Somebody to Love. However, since it's a readers pick, I guess it's objective enough and maybe the songs I miss simply didn't have enough votes.
To go with the tracks, I 've picked some facts I could find regarding those songs. All the trivias and facts are copied from http://www.songfacts.com/, and all credits should be addressed to the site. it might be a good place for you if you want to learn something about your favorite songs.
Without further ado, here come the Soundtrack of the 60's!
10. Beach Boys - God Only Knows
This song is considered a Beach Boys classic, but it only managed to scrape the Top-40 in the United States. That's because it was released as a B-side, partly because of fear that radio stations would refuse to play a song with "God" in the title.
The Beatles' Here, There And Everywhere was inspired by this song.
According to The Guardian's 1000 Songs Everyone Must Hear, Brian Wilson and Tony Asher took only 15 minutes to compose this number.
This song is considered a Beach Boys classic, but it only managed to scrape the Top-40 in the United States. That's because it was released as a B-side, partly because of fear that radio stations would refuse to play a song with "God" in the title.
The Beatles' Here, There And Everywhere was inspired by this song.
According to The Guardian's 1000 Songs Everyone Must Hear, Brian Wilson and Tony Asher took only 15 minutes to compose this number.
9. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along The Watchtower
This was Jimi's only Top 40 hit in the US. He charted a few times in the UK, where he was popular before making a name for himself in America.
Hendrix: "All those people who don't like Bob Dylan's songs should read his lyrics. They are filled with the joys and sadness of life."
In a 2008 poll conducted by a panel of experts in the Total Guitar magazine, this was voted the best cover song of all time.
This was Jimi's only Top 40 hit in the US. He charted a few times in the UK, where he was popular before making a name for himself in America.
Hendrix: "All those people who don't like Bob Dylan's songs should read his lyrics. They are filled with the joys and sadness of life."
In a 2008 poll conducted by a panel of experts in the Total Guitar magazine, this was voted the best cover song of all time.
8. Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
This was Led Zeppelin's first US single, and their only US Top-10 hit. Some of their most popular songs, like Stairway To Heaven, were not released as singles.
Robert Plant did the vocal in one take.
This was used as the theme song to the BBC's Top of the Pops. The band never appeared on the program because manager Peter Grant discouraged TV appearances.
This was Led Zeppelin's first US single, and their only US Top-10 hit. Some of their most popular songs, like Stairway To Heaven, were not released as singles.
Robert Plant did the vocal in one take.
This was used as the theme song to the BBC's Top of the Pops. The band never appeared on the program because manager Peter Grant discouraged TV appearances.
7. The Beatles - Hey Jude
Paul McCartney wrote this as "Hey Jules," a song meant to comfort John Lennon's 5-year-old son Julian as his parents were getting a divorce. The change to "Jude" was inspired by the character "Jud" in the musical Oklahoma!. McCartney loves show tunes.
This was the Beatles longest single, running 7:11...It was the first long song to get a lot of airplay... When this became a hit, stations learned that listeners would stick around if they liked the song, which paved the way for long songs like American Pie and Layla.
Paul McCartney: "I was going through it for him and Yoko when I was living in London...when I got to the line 'The movement you need is on your shoulder' and I turned round to John and said: 'I'll fix that if you want.' And he said: 'You won't, you know, that's a great line, that's the best line in it.'"
Paul McCartney wrote this as "Hey Jules," a song meant to comfort John Lennon's 5-year-old son Julian as his parents were getting a divorce. The change to "Jude" was inspired by the character "Jud" in the musical Oklahoma!. McCartney loves show tunes.
This was the Beatles longest single, running 7:11...It was the first long song to get a lot of airplay... When this became a hit, stations learned that listeners would stick around if they liked the song, which paved the way for long songs like American Pie and Layla.
Paul McCartney: "I was going through it for him and Yoko when I was living in London...when I got to the line 'The movement you need is on your shoulder' and I turned round to John and said: 'I'll fix that if you want.' And he said: 'You won't, you know, that's a great line, that's the best line in it.'"
6. The Doors - Light My Fire
This became The Doors' signature song... The Doors were an underground band popular in the Los Angeles area, but this got the attention of a mass audience.
The Doors' record company thought this was too long to get radio play, so the guitar solos were edited down for the single to make it considerably shorter. Many stations played the 6:50 album version anyway.
Jim Morrison indicated in his notebooks that he disliked this song and hated performing it.
The producers of The Ed Sullivan Show asked the band to change the line "Girl we couldn't get much higher" for their appearance in 1967. Morrison said he would, but sung it anyway... The Doors were never invited back.
This became The Doors' signature song... The Doors were an underground band popular in the Los Angeles area, but this got the attention of a mass audience.
The Doors' record company thought this was too long to get radio play, so the guitar solos were edited down for the single to make it considerably shorter. Many stations played the 6:50 album version anyway.
Jim Morrison indicated in his notebooks that he disliked this song and hated performing it.
The producers of The Ed Sullivan Show asked the band to change the line "Girl we couldn't get much higher" for their appearance in 1967. Morrison said he would, but sung it anyway... The Doors were never invited back.
5. The Who - My Generation
Roger Daltrey sang the lead vocals with a stutter... manager Kit Lambert suggested to Daltrey that he stutter to sound like a British kid on speed.
Townshend wrote this for rebellious British youths known as "Mods." It expressed their feeling that older people just don't get it.
The BBC refused to play this at first because they did not want to offend people with stutters. When it became a huge hit, they played it.
Roger Daltrey sang the lead vocals with a stutter... manager Kit Lambert suggested to Daltrey that he stutter to sound like a British kid on speed.
Townshend wrote this for rebellious British youths known as "Mods." It expressed their feeling that older people just don't get it.
The BBC refused to play this at first because they did not want to offend people with stutters. When it became a huge hit, they played it.
4. The Rolling Stones - 'Gimme Shelter'
This is about the political and social unrest at the time. There was the war in Vietnam, race riots, and Charles Manson. Mick Jagger sings of needing shelter from this "Storm."
The Stones recorded this using old, worn out Triumph amplifiers to get a distinctive sound.
Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese has used this song in 3 of his films: Goodfellas, Casino and The Departed.
This is about the political and social unrest at the time. There was the war in Vietnam, race riots, and Charles Manson. Mick Jagger sings of needing shelter from this "Storm."
The Stones recorded this using old, worn out Triumph amplifiers to get a distinctive sound.
Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese has used this song in 3 of his films: Goodfellas, Casino and The Departed.
3. The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
On June 5, 1965, The Rolling Stones played to about 3,000 people at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater... about 200 young fans got in an altercation with a line of police officers at the show, and The Stones made it through just 4 songs as chaos ensued. That night, Keith Richards woke up in his hotel room with the guitar riff and lyric "Can't get no satisfaction" in his head. He recorded it on a portable tape deck, went back to sleep, and brought it to the studio that week. The tape contained his guitar riff followed by the sounds of him snoring.
Mick Jagger: "It sounded like a Folk song when we first started working on it and Keith didn't like it much...I think Keith thought it was a bit basic. I don't think he really listened to it properly."
The Stones performed this on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1966. The line "Trying to make some girl" was bleeped out by censors.
On June 5, 1965, The Rolling Stones played to about 3,000 people at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater... about 200 young fans got in an altercation with a line of police officers at the show, and The Stones made it through just 4 songs as chaos ensued. That night, Keith Richards woke up in his hotel room with the guitar riff and lyric "Can't get no satisfaction" in his head. He recorded it on a portable tape deck, went back to sleep, and brought it to the studio that week. The tape contained his guitar riff followed by the sounds of him snoring.
Mick Jagger: "It sounded like a Folk song when we first started working on it and Keith didn't like it much...I think Keith thought it was a bit basic. I don't think he really listened to it properly."
The Stones performed this on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1966. The line "Trying to make some girl" was bleeped out by censors.
2. The Beatles - A Day In The Life
A 41 piece orchestra played on this song. The musicians were told to attend the session dressed formally... The orchestra was conducted by Paul McCartney, who told them to start with the lowest note of their instruments and gradually play to the highest.
The beginning of this song was based on 2 stories John Lennon read in the Daily Mail newspaper: Guinness heir Tara Browne dying when he smashed his lotus into a parked van, and an article in the UK Daily Express in early 1967 which told of how the Blackburn Roads Surveyor had counted 4000 holes in the roads of Blackburn.
McCartney contributed the line "I'd love to turn you on." This was a drug reference, but the BBC banned it for the line about having a smoke and going into a dream, which they thought was about marijuana. The ban was finally lifted when author David Storey picked it as one of his Desert Island Discs.
This being the last song on the album, The Beatles found an interesting way to close it out. After the final note, Lennon had producer George Martin dub in a high pitched tone, which most humans can't hear, but drives dogs crazy.
A 41 piece orchestra played on this song. The musicians were told to attend the session dressed formally... The orchestra was conducted by Paul McCartney, who told them to start with the lowest note of their instruments and gradually play to the highest.
The beginning of this song was based on 2 stories John Lennon read in the Daily Mail newspaper: Guinness heir Tara Browne dying when he smashed his lotus into a parked van, and an article in the UK Daily Express in early 1967 which told of how the Blackburn Roads Surveyor had counted 4000 holes in the roads of Blackburn.
McCartney contributed the line "I'd love to turn you on." This was a drug reference, but the BBC banned it for the line about having a smoke and going into a dream, which they thought was about marijuana. The ban was finally lifted when author David Storey picked it as one of his Desert Island Discs.
This being the last song on the album, The Beatles found an interesting way to close it out. After the final note, Lennon had producer George Martin dub in a high pitched tone, which most humans can't hear, but drives dogs crazy.
1. Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone
The title is not a reference to The Rolling Stones... Dylan got the idea from the Hank Williams song Lost Highway, which contains the line, "I'm a rolling stone, I'm alone and lost."
Dylan based the lyrics on a short story he had written about a debutante who becomes a loner when she falls out of high society.
This runs 6:13. It was a big breakthrough when this got radio play and became a hit, since many stations refused to play songs much longer than 3 minutes.
This made Bob Dylan an unlikely inspiration for Jimi Hendrix, who before hearing this considered himself only a guitarist and not a singer. After hearing this, he saw that it didn't take a conventional voice to sing Rock and Roll.
In the November 2004 issue, Rolling Stone Magazine named this #1 on their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The title is not a reference to The Rolling Stones... Dylan got the idea from the Hank Williams song Lost Highway, which contains the line, "I'm a rolling stone, I'm alone and lost."
Dylan based the lyrics on a short story he had written about a debutante who becomes a loner when she falls out of high society.
This runs 6:13. It was a big breakthrough when this got radio play and became a hit, since many stations refused to play songs much longer than 3 minutes.
This made Bob Dylan an unlikely inspiration for Jimi Hendrix, who before hearing this considered himself only a guitarist and not a singer. After hearing this, he saw that it didn't take a conventional voice to sing Rock and Roll.
In the November 2004 issue, Rolling Stone Magazine named this #1 on their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
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