If you were around in the 1960s and had an audiophile’s spirit, you probably remember all of the boundary-breaking music that dropped during that decade. Let’s take a look at a few insanely fresh rock songs from the 1960s that just turned 60 years old (or close to it) but still sound way ahead of their time.
“I Can See For Miles” by The Who from ‘The Who Sell Out’ (1967)
The Who really did something different with this track that’s coming up on its 60th birthday next year. “I Can See For Miles” is a psychedelic hard rock classic with big, distorted sounds and an aggressive vibe that would have been suitable for a punk rock track 10 years later. And it still sounds so fresh, even in the 2020s.
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“I Can See For Miles” by The Who might have been a little too ahead of its time, unfortunately. The song peaked at No. 10 in the UK, which was their lowest chart placement since they debuted. Audiences in the US vibed with it though, and the song made it to No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which remains The Who’s highest placement there.
“I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)” by The Electric Prunes from ‘The Electric Prunes’ (1966)
This proto-punk jam from the band The Electric Prunes definitely has that punk rock energy but was recorded 60 years ago, before punk was really a thing. “I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)” was so ahead of its time, yet still had that psychedelic vibe that was very of its time.
“I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)” by The Electric Prunes made it all the way to No. 11 on the Hot 100 chart and No. 13 on the Canadian charts.
“7 And 7 Is” by Love from ‘Da Capo’ (1966)
This entry on our list of rock songs from the 1960s that still sound fresh comes from the band Love. And like the previous entry, it’s a proto-punk classic for the ages. “7 And 7 Is” has a touch of folkiness to it that makes it stand out, too.
“7 And 7 Is” by Love peaked at No. 33 on the Hot 100, and it remains the group’s most successful charting hit to this day.
Photo by Chris Morphet/Getty Images
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