The 1960s had some great music for fans to dive into. In particular, rock music largely ruled the day. But that doesn’t mean every song from the era is remembered clearly now, some six decades later. Sadly, some tracks just slipped through the cracks. That’s why we need to go back and remember what came before us. And that’s just what we wanted to do below. Indeed, these are three forgotten rock hits even 60s kids don’t remember.
“Green Onions” by Booker T. & The M.G.’s from ‘Green Onions’ (1962)
It can be more difficult to commit an instrumental song to memory than one with catchy lyrics, so perhaps that’s why this song isn’t always playing on the classic rock stations of today around the country. But that doesn’t mean this music is any less valuable in the long run. Quite the opposite. While you may hear this song on the occasional movie soundtrack when the main characters head into the muggy swamps, this should be a tune that’s even more mainstream today. People from the 1960s—bring it back into today’s culture!
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“Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)” by The 5th Dimension from ‘The Age Of Aquarius’ (1969)
This is another lush tune from the 1960s that we need to hear more often. In fact, this song is like a handful of songs all pushed together. And yet it works! The listener sticks with the switches and changes in mood and tone. Why? Because of something you can’t quite put your finger on. Maybe it’s because the song feels like a gathering, a congregation. Maybe it’s because the performances are just that good. Who knows? But this is certainly a track we need to hear more of moving forward.
“It Ain’t Me Babe” by The Turtles from ‘It Ain’t Me Babe’ (1965)
In the 1960s, bands like The Turtles covered other artists all the time. And the Turtles particularly liked to cover the folk-rock stuff written by Bob Dylan. Case in point: this track from 1965. It’s a cover of Dylan’s 1964 offering from his LP, Another Side of Bob Dylan. But while Dylan is known for his unique, often strange voice, The Turtles put a beautiful, slick harmony to Dylan’s lyrics. If you ever wanted to hear his songs sung as if angels were performing, this is your recording.
Photo by Ivan Keeman/Redferns