3 British Invasion Songs From the 1960s That Still Sound Fresh, Despite Being 60+ Years Old

The British Invasion took the world (especially the United States) by storm in the 1960s, and so many hit tunes from that era still sound remarkably fresh and contemporary despite their age. Let’s look at a few examples, shall we?

“Paperback Writer” by The Beatles (1966)

This bassy, guitar-driven pop tune isn’t exactly underrated (can any Beatles song be underrated at this point?), but I do wish it got more love for being one of the Fab Four’s most well-aged hits. “Paperback Writer” has some elements of now-modern alternative rock. The Beatles were consistently ahead of their time, and this song is just one example of that skill.

“Paperback Writer” by The Beatles was a No. 1 hit across the board. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles charts, among others.

“A Well Respected Man” by The Kinks (1965)

The Kinks, like The Beatles, seemed to always be ahead of the curve musically. This sharp and pointed tune about living a respectable adult life has a delightful little rhythm, one that still gets listeners moving over 60 years later. According to songwriter Ray Davies, the song was based on an experience while at a resort in 1965 in which some yuppies tried to get him to join their circle.

“They tried to make me one of them saying, ‘Come on, play golf with me,’” said Davies. “I took an instant dislike to them because the establishment draws you in and makes you one of them and that’s as far as you can go. You can’t break out. People like [John] Lennon realized that.”

“A Well Respected Man” by The Kinks was a pretty noteworthy satirical hit for the rock band. It peaked at No. 13 on the Hot 100 and did fairly well in a number of European countries.

“Substitute” by The Who (1966)

The Who dropped this choppy, unique number in 1966. “Substitute” is one of those British Invasion songs from the 1960s that manages to still sound fresh and anthemic despite its age, and I’d be bold enough to say that this song is as proto-punk as it gets.

“Substitute” by The Who is a real power pop jam for the ages. And listeners at the time would definitely agree. This track reached No. 5 on the UK Singles chart, though it didn’t make it to the US charts.

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