4 Unforgettable Albums Released During the Summer of Love

You could make the case that the Summer of Love was a state of mind that lasted far longer than three months. But if we’re going to get technical about it and use the astronomical calendar, it only existed from June 21 to September 23, 1967.

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So which albums came out during the stretch that best reflected the tenor of the times? These four albums did the Summer of Love proud.

‘Flowers’ by The Rolling Stones

Time and again, American record labels cut and pasted the catalogs of British Invasion artists to create Frankenstein monster LPs. But every once in a while, they stumbled into something great. The title Flowers should tell you that the folks at London Records were trying to cash in on the times. But they ended up delivering a stellar cross-section of the Stones during their baroque pop period. There are hits galore. You’ll find the infinite catchiness of “Let’s Spend The Night Together”, the stinging social commentary of “Mother’s Little Helper”, and the aching tenderness of “Ruby Tuesday”. Flowers also focuses on the Stones’ softer side, uniting beauties like “Lady Jane”, “Backstreet Girl”, and “Sittin’ On A Fence”.

‘The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn’ by Pink Floyd

You can go read all the stories of how Syd Barrett’s mental deterioration forced his ouster from the band that he founded. But you won’t get a sense of the musical brilliance that was lost when that occurred until you listen to The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. The other Floyd members (Roger Waters, Rick Wright, and Nick Mason) essentially serve as Barrett’s sidemen, as he dominates the proceedings with his guitar, vocals, and songwriting. You can hear the chemistry of the band in psychedelic freakouts like “Astronomy Domine” and “Interstellar Overdrive”. But most of the record is devoted to exploring the fantastical world created by Barrett, one populated by adventurous gnomes, unexplainable cats, and mice named Gerald.

‘Procol Harum’ by Procol Harum

Interestingly, this UK band released the US version of their debut three months before they got around to doing so in their home country. And because it wasn’t common for standalone hit singles to appear on British LPs, only the American track listing features the era-defining single “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”. The remainder of the Procol Harum album follows along the lines of that brilliant tone-setter. You get Gary Brooker’s seesaw melodies, which he sings with wounded soulfulness, Keith Reid’s opaque yet evocative lyrics, and Matthew Fisher’s classical-inspired organ lines. From this formula, unforgettable tracks like “Conquistador” and “She Wandered Through The Garden Gate” emerge.

‘Something Else’ by The Kinks

The Kinks moved on to theme albums in the late 60s. Something Else is an album of standalone songs, something they wouldn’t really try again for nearly a decade. It starts with the hard-charging “David Watts” and ends with the eloquently elegiac “Waterloo Sunset”. And there’s not a song in between that doesn’t feel special in its own way. Dave Davies delivers two of his finest efforts as a songwriter with “Death Of A Clown” and “Love Me Till The Sun Shines”. The band consistently conjures a groovy swagger in the uptempo numbers. And Ray Davies reaches an early peak here with tracks like “Two Sisters” and “Situation Vacant” that create rich, bittersweet worlds in three minutes or so.

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