Lovesick Blues by Frank Ifield
Every New Zealand #1 single… Lovesick Blues by Frank Ifield Topped the NZ chart: 10 January 1963 for 1 week. 3 The early 1960s are notable for a power vacuum in rock and roll. Many stars of the 1950s saw…
Category 1960s
10 Best Laura Nyro Songs
Despite writing hit songs in the late 1960s and her induction into the rock and roll hall of fame, Laura Nyro is a niche figure compared to contemporaries like Joni Mitchell and Carole King. But the piano playing singer-songwriter from the Bronx made some…
Gloria by Them – Great B-Sides
Van Morrison’s enjoyed a long and prolific career. Like Neil Young, he’s continued to released a new studio album almost every year, even long past retirement age. Such is the breadth of Morrison’s discography, the two albums he made with…
10 Best Buffalo Springfield Songs
Californian folk-rock band Buffalo Springfield were short-lived but signicant. They recorded one of the defining protest songs of the 1960s, ‘For What It’s Worth’, and launched the careers of Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay of Poco, and Jim Messina of Loggins and…
12 Best Scott Walker Songs
The late Scott Walker was one of the most fascinating artists of the rock era, successful as both a crooner and as an avant-garde composer. Accordingly, this list of Walker favourites is scattershot, ranging from easy listening covers to his…
10 Best Jimi Hendrix Songs
James Marshall Hendrix was born in Seattle. After his discharge from the army he became a musician, spending years gigging with acts like Little Richard, Sam Cooke, and Ike & Tina Turner. Despite his immense talent, it wasn’t until he…
The Velvet Underground: Albums Ranked from Worst to Best
The Velvet Underground began as a collaboration between frustrated songwriter Lou Reed and classically trained John Cale. Cale had worked with experimental composers John Cage and LaMonte Young, and Reed’s interest in alternative guitar tunings and drone notes provided common ground. The…
The 10 Best Songs by The Seekers
With the recent passing of Judith Durham, it’s fitting to look back on the ten best songs from Australian folk band The Seekers. The Melbourne quartet sold more than 50 million records with 1960s hits like ‘I’ll Never Find Another…
10 Best Fairport Convention Songs
Bassist Ashley Hutchings and rhythm guitarist Simon Nicol formed Fairport Convention in 1967. They named the band after Nicol’s father’s medical practice, above which they rehearsed, on the same Muswell street as the Davies brothers of The Kinks grew up. Lead guitarist…
10 Best Songs by The Band
The Band started their career backing blues belter Ronnie Hawkins, where they were known as The Hawks. They then supported Bob Dylan on his controversial 1966 tour. Recording The Basement Tapes with Dylan at Woodstock, The Band started writing their…
10 Best Songs by The Zombies
Hertfordshire band The Zombies endured a somewhat erratic career in the 1960s. They enjoyed early hits with ‘She’s Not There’ and ‘Tell Her No’. It took, however, three years to record another album after 1965’s debut Begin Here. Discouraged by…
Crosby, Stills, Nash (and Young): Albums Ranked from Worst to Best
David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash were all members of famous 1960s bands before linking up as a trio. Crosby was a member of The Byrds, fired when his countercultural songs like ‘Triad’ were rejected by the group. Nash…
Goin’ Down by The Monkees – Great B-Sides
Famously, The Monkees started as a band created for a TV show – they were sometimes referred to as the Prefab Four. But as their career progressed, they asserted more influence over their career. On their third album, Headquarters, The…
10 Best Covers of Carole King Songs
Before she released her record-breaking solo album Tapestry in 1971, Carole King had already enjoyed a prolific musical career. She’d inspired Neil Sedaka’s ‘Oh! Carol’ and written a hit song for her daughters’ babysitter (Little Eva’s ‘Loco-motion’). The 1960s hits…
10 Best Moody Blues Songs
Birmingham band The Moody Blues have one of the most misleading names in popular music. It fit to start with – their early repertoire was based on American blues, and their cover of Bessie Banks’ ‘Go Now’ topped the UK…
Music Quiz: Opening Lyrics of The White Album
Congratulations to Rich “Taxman” Kamerman, who squeaked out the fastest time in last weeks 1960s quiz. There were lots of contestants who were very close on his tail. With apologies to younger readers, we’re staying in the 1960s for another…
Music Quiz: Complete the 1960s Song Title with a Picture
We had another tie last week with the quickfire Tic-Tac-Toe quiz. Tony and Geoff both solved the puzzle with 2:13 remaining. This week you need to complete the 1960s song title with a picture. It’s fun and creative. I…
10 Best Hit Songs of the 1960s
The 1960s were an exciting time for popular music, with new genres emerging and recording technology evolving constantly. I recently listed 10 awful 1960s songs, so it’s time to pick out some highlights. This list largely eschews the most acclaimed…
The 10 Worst Songs of the 1960s
The 1960s were a great time for popular music. The development of recording technology allowed new sounds, and the decade saw the rise of Motown, the British Invasion, and psychedelia. Major artists like Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and The Rolling…
10 Best Beach Boys Songs
The Beach Boys emerged from Hawthorne California, with Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, along with their cousin Mike Love. Their first top ten hit was ‘Surfin’ USA’, derived from Chuck Berry’s ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’, but the group’s ornate harmonies oozed…
Music Quiz: Follow That Lyric 1960s
Congratulations to Rich Kamerman, on the moon this week with a high score of 17/20 in the Today I Learned quiz. This week you need to follow the lyrics in iconic 1960s songs. It should be pretty easy for most…
Celebrate the News by The Beach Boys: Great B-Sides
The Beach Boys spent the first half of the 1960s becoming more sophisticated. Under the leadership of Brian Wilson, they grew from emulating Chuck Berry on ‘Surfin’ U.S.A.’ to creating masterpieces like Pet Sounds. When Brian Wilson’s mental health suffered…
10 Best Simon & Garfunkel Songs
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel met in 1953 when they appeared in their school’s production of Alice in Wonderland – Simon played the White Rabbit and Garfunkel the Cheshire Cat. Learning to harmonise together, they released their first single, ‘Hey…
Nuggets: Voices Green and Purple by The Bees
Before he became Patti Smith’s lead guitarist, Lenny Kaye compiled the 2 album set, Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era. Released in 1972, the two-LP set covered American garage rock and psychedelia from the years from 1965-1968, and…
