3 Classic Singles From 1967 That Still Have a Fresh Sound Decades Later

The following classic singles from the super psychedelic year of 1967 still have very fresh qualities decades later. That’s songwriting talent in my book!

“Penny Lane” by The Beatles

This little single from The Beatles was one half of the double A-side release of “Strawberry Fields Forever”, and I can’t help but feel as though “Penny Lane” would have done well as a singular A-side all on its own. This bright, vibrant pop track has some unique instrumentation going on, and the way it was produced sounds super clean for the time.

Like its A-side counterpart, “Penny Lane” was a hefty hit across the board. The song reached the Top 5 across the globe and peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

“Somebody To Love” by Jefferson Airplane from ‘Surrealistic Pillow’

This psychedelic classic is still a fiery experience after all these years, thanks to Grace Slick’s authoritative, powerful vocals.

“Somebody To Love” was originally released by The Great!! Society!! a year prior. However, Jefferson Airplane’s version became a smash hit, thanks to Slick taking the song from The Great!! Society!! with her when she left the band to join Jefferson Airplane. The trippy track peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100 chart and topped the charts in Canada in 1967.

“People Are Strange” by The Doors from ‘Strange Days’

Well, the notion still rings true after all these years. People are pretty strange. And The Doors, likewise, still sound amazing after all these years, too. “People Are Strange” makes it to our list of classic singles from 1967 that still sound fresh because it still has that unique, spooky, psychedelic vibe that borders on cabaret. There wasn’t a song quite like it in 1967.

“People Are Strange” ended up being one of the biggest songs on Strange Days. It peaked at No. 12 on the Hot 100 chart and No. 1 in Canada.

“Yeah, I feel really good about this one. It just came to me all of a sudden … in a flash – as I was sitting up there on the ridge looking out over the city,” Jim Morrison said of how the song came to be, according to Doors drummer John Densmore. “I scribbled it down as fast as I could. It felt great to be writing again.”

(Photo by Paul Ryan/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)