Elder baby boomers got to witness the evolution of rock and roll into classic rock, and plenty of songs from the year 1960, specifically, might bring back a ton of memories. Let’s revisit some classic rock tunes from the year 1960 that many baby boomer listeners still know by heart!
“Only The Lonely (Know The Way I Feel)” by Roy Orbison from ‘Lonely And Blue’
Roy Orbison was an important figure in the above-mentioned evolution of rock and roll into classic rock. One of his early 60s hits, “Only The Lonely (Know The Way I Feel)”, was a staple on rock radio back in the day. This rockabilly-leaning pop tune boasts Orbison’s signature dramatic vocal style, something that would come to inspire rock artists later on in the decade.
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“Only The Lonely (Know The Way I Feel)” by Roy Orbison was a Top 10 hit across the board. It peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US and topped countless UK charts.
“Lonely Teenager” by Dion from ‘Alone With Dion’
This rock and roll hit from Dion is a little bit of a deep cut, considering I don’t hear it much on classic rock radio nowadays. But if you’re a baby boomer who had radio access in 1960, this classic rock tune is definitely swimming around somewhere in your brain.
“Lonely Teenager” by Dion made it all the way to No. 12 on the Hot 100 chart back in 1960.
“Walk, Don’t Run” by The Ventures from ‘Walk, Don’t Run’
This instrumental surf rock song is one of the earlier and most influential songs of the subgenre. Guitar-oriented classic rock would eventually come around later in the 1960s. However, before that, bands like The Ventures were ahead of their time.
“Walk, Don’t Run” by The Ventures is actually a cover of a Johnny Smith song from 1954. The original tune was more of a jazz number. The Ventures’ version became the most popular, peaking at No. 2 on the Hot 100 chart. The song could have made it all the way to the top but was blocked by the insanely popular “It’s Now Or Never” by Elvis Presley.
(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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