Every Baby Boomer Alive Remembers These 4 Must-Hear Classic Rock Ballads From 1967

These classic rock ballads from the golden year of 1967 all have a little touch of psychedelia, and a whole lot of nostalgia for baby boomer fans who enjoyed them when they first dropped. Let’s take a look at a few tender ballads that might bring a tear to your eye, shall we?

“Ruby Tuesday” by The Rolling Stones from ‘Between The Buttons’

The Rolling Stones showed their tender side with this ballad from 1967. “Ruby Tuesday” was yet another No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the band. And it only furthered American interest in the hard rock group. What’s interesting about this song, though, is that it has a baroque pop flavor to it that complements the band’s 60s-era classic rock sensibilities. Keith Richards said that the song was written about Linda Keith, a fashion model and Richards’ former girlfriend.

“A Whiter Shade Of Pale” by Procol Harum

No one who heard this song when it was first released during the Summer of Love could forget it. “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” by Procol Harum is another baroque-leaning, soulful rock song on our list of ballads. And it’s considered one of the most commercially successful songs in history. This era-defining ballad reached No. 1 in quite a few countries, including the UK, Canada, and much of Europe and parts of Asia. In the US, “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” peaked at No. 5.

“Nights In White Satin” by The Moody Blues from ‘Days Of Future Passed’

Remember this symphonic rock delight? “Nights In White Satin” by The Moody Blues is a non-traditional ballad, and it’s also considered an early example of prog-rock before the genre really came to be. “Nights In White Satin” wasn’t really a big hit in the US, but it did make it all the way to No. 19 on the UK Singles chart.

“Little Wing” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience from ‘Axis: Bold As Love’

Jimi Hendrix could shred, but he could also handle a more tender-sounding ballad on occasion. This entry on our list of ballads that baby boomer rock fans remember from 1967 is a special cut from Axis: Bold As Love. Despite not originally being released as a single, “Little Wing” is still a favorite among fans today.

Photo by Ivan Keeman/Redferns