3 Nostalgic Songs From the 1960s That Influenced the Person You Became

So many nostalgic songs from the 1960s are loved, and for many different reasons. Maybe you’re attached to a particular song as a 60s kid because it reminds you of a different era, of your family, or it just resonated with you on a musical level. And some songs, I believe, can shape us into who we are. Let’s look at a few nostalgic songs from the 1960s that might have influenced the kind of person you became as an adult.

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“Hey Jude” by The Beatles (1968)

This heartwarming tune really defined a generation, and not just because it sounded good. This beautiful little pop-rock ballad was written by Paul McCartney to comfort a young Julian Lennon after his father, John Lennon, divorced his mother. It’s a sympathetic and encouraging song to a young boy that McCartney treated as his own, and one that was meant to encourage him to seek love at every turn. If you heard this song and learned its backstory back in the day, it might have shaped you into a more sympathetic person.

“Like A Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan (1965)

This jam is one of Bob Dylan’s most beloved songs of his career, and it’s usually the one people think of when they think of the Bard himself. Not only did this song likely contribute to your love of folk and rock, but it also likely turned you on to protest anthems and the use of music for the greater good. This song, which is about the downfall of a wealthy individual, likely resonated with you if you grew up in poverty or struggled to get by.

“The Sound Of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel (1966)

This is by far folk duo Simon & Garfunkel’s most famous song, and it’s a beautifully written piece of work that has stood the test of time. “The Sound Of Silence” is one nostalgic songs of the 1960s, and its message is particularly of interest. This song, written by Paul Simon, is about the difficulties people tend to have when communicating with each other, and the shallow culture that keeps us separated from one another. It’s full of empathy, and it might have opened more than a few eyes back in the day. Maybe it opened your own.

Photo by Chris Walter