3 Rock Songs From the 1960s Your Parents Didn’t Know Were About Romance, but They Loved Them Anyway

Sometimes a song has to be subversive. Sometimes it needs to hide its true meaning because of modern times. Culture fluctuates. Sometimes one thing is style, and then it’s not. But people always need to make music, and they always need to write about the human spirit. Here below, we wanted to highlight three songs from back in the day that were able to hide their true colors thanks to some clever lyrics. Indeed, these are three rock songs your parents didn’t know were about romance, but they loved them anyway.

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“Ticket To Ride” by The Beatles from ‘Help!’ (1965)

When it comes to the rock music of the 1960s—especially the early part of the decade—there were so many euphemisms for lovebirds spending time together that it would make your coconut spin. Take, for example, the 1965 tune by The Beatles. The squeaky-clean band from Liverpool was known for writing songs about holding hands. Well, given that, they couldn’t be particularly explicit about lust in any other way. Enter: “Ticket To Ride”, which is a song about spending time together. Except that the singer’s driving partner has chosen another. Boo-hoo! What a world! Guess she revoked his license!

“Son Of A Preacher Man” by Dusty Springfield from ‘Dusty In Memphis’ (1968)

While it’s clear something is going on in this song, it’s never explicitly said. On the face of it, this tune seems simple and innocent enough. Two youngsters met one another at a church gathering. How quaint! The way Dusty Springfield sings it, she emphasizes the tameness of it all. But when you read the lyrics, when you get deeper into it, you can see there is more happening. What is this son of a preacher man exactly teaching the singer? How is he reaching her? But beyond even that, we wonder what happened to this couple later in life. Are they adults now? Did their relationship continue?

“Angel Of The Morning” by Merrilee Rush & The Turnabouts from ‘Angel Of The Morning’ (1968)

The term (and song title) “Angel Of The Morning” is a lovely one. It almost seems religious, chaste. But the reality of this tune from Merrilee Rush & The Turnabouts is that it’s all about sexual empowerment. The song is sung from the perspective of a woman who isn’t concerned about the encounter she just had. If she’s “sinned”, well, it was her choice. She says, “It was what I wanted now.” Indeed, the singer is in control, unbothered. She is no shrinking violet. She also sings, “I’m old enough to face the dawn.” Don’t worry about this baddie! Did 1960s music fans understand all that was happening here? Did your parents? Who can be sure!

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