Saying More With Less: 3 Minimalist Songs From the 1960s

In writing, there’s an old saying: I don’t have time to be brief. The idea, of course, is that trimming down is more difficult than adding on. The same goes for composing music. You can always go into the studio and add another violin or vocal harmony—but does that make the track better?

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Not always. Here below, we wanted to highlight three artists and three songs that went the other direction. These are tracks that took the “less is more” route. Indeed, these are three minimalist songs from the 1960s.

“Song To Woody” by Bob Dylan from ‘Bob Dylan’ (1962)

Sometimes people forget to count Bob Dylan’s 1962 self-titled album as part of his discography. But we don’t forget! The album boasted a number of acoustic-driven covers. But one of the original songs on the record was “Song To Woody”, an ode to the all-time folk singer by his heir apparent. With just a six-string and a few lyrics jotted on a pad, Dyan created a tune for the ages that also marked a key lineage. That’s minimalism at its best.

“Spanish Flea” by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass from ‘Going Places’ (1965)

While this song has a bit more going on than the other two on this list, we wanted to highlight it for a few reasons. The first is that it’s an instrumental, casting off the traditional need for lyrics and a singer to sing them. But the other reason is that the tune is about a little flea. That in and of itself is minimalist. As a result, the track just feels small (in the best of ways). It could fit in your pocket and walk around with you all afternoon.

“Stand By Me” by Ben E. King from ‘Don’t Play That Song!’ (1962)

If you just take the title of this song, you know you’re in for a masterclass of concision. Have any three words ever engendered more camaraderie or closeness besides “I love you?” No, stand by me just creates an immediate sense of closeness. And the song with that title does the same thing. It’s simple, but it’s true. It gets to the core of your soul via important lyrics, spare musicianship, and wonderment that seems essential to being a human being. We’re all in this together. We can’t forget that simple fact.

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