4 1960s and ‘70s Folk Songs That Sound Like They Could Have Been Recorded Today

Despite music’s generally timeless nature, there are some 1960s and ‘70s folk songs that sound exactly like the decade from whence they came. From the slight tape distortion on vocal lines to jangly guitars to clattering drums, some tracks just scream a certain time period. However, we’d argue these four folk songs do the opposite.

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These songs were written, recorded, and released in the 1960s and ‘70s. But these folk tracks still feel fresh, relevant, and just plain good, defying time altogether with their enduring sound.

“One of These Things First” by Nick Drake

Folk icon Nick Drake’s stark, solitary sound lent itself nicely to evading the sonic definition of a specific decade. By keeping his arrangements simple and straightforward, Drake’s music didn’t boast many of the decade-specific production techniques and instrumental tones that other, more complex recordings from the 1960s and ‘70s did. Drake’s second studio album, Bryter Later, is certainly no exception. Drake went on to influence R.E.M., the Cure, and Kate Bush. This musical lineage only strengthens the connection between Drake’s 1970s music and now.

“How Sad, How Lovely” by Connie Converse

Although Connie Converse technically recorded her music in the late 1950s, we’ll include her in this list of 1960s and ’70s folk songs due to when her music first gained significant traction. Converse virtually fell off the face of the earth in 1974 when she left her family to pursue a new life in New York City. Her family attempted to locate her through a private investigator. But they eventually gave up their search, allowing her to seek the independence and freedom she was after. Before she disappeared, Converse recorded several folk songs that became popular decades later. One such track is “How Sad, How Lovely,” the title track of a 2009 compilation of Converse’s late 1950s recordings.

“Out on the Weekend” by Neil Young

Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young dominated the folk scene of the 1960s and 1970s, and that includes his 1972 record, Harvest. The opening track, “Out on the Weekend,” is quintessentially Neil Young with a simple drum beat, harmonica solos, and wistful, wayward lyricism. The no-frills arrangement, although challenging to get used to for the studio musicians who recorded the album with him, creates a timeless sound that feels just as captivating and modern in the 2020s as it did in the 1970s.

“California Shake” by Margo Guyran

Margo Guyran first began cutting her teeth in the late 1950s and early 1960s, landing a record deal with Bell Records by 1968. However, Guyran’s unwillingness to fall in line with the demands of her record company led to the label dropping her and Guyran’s subsequent fading into obscurity until her music was rediscovered in the late 1990s. One of the demos that came out of this resurgence in celebrity was “California Shake” from 27 Demos. With its laidback groove and memorable melody, this song still sounds fresh and fun today.

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