Is there a year more iconic for music than 1967? This very year was the Summer of Love, a renaissance of sorts for psychedelia in all of its many aspects, especially in rock and pop music. I think the following rock songs from 1967 are even more enjoyable today through various remasters, though audiences back in the 60s certainly recognized their original brilliance. Let’s take a psychedelic journey down memory lane, shall we?
“White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane
This song still makes it to my rotation on a regular basis. It’s just that good. “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane was released in the summer of 1967 and became an immediate psychedelic rock classic. The song made it to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is still remembered today for Grace Slick’s legendary vocals, Alice In Wonderland-esque lyrics, and overall glittering instrumentation. Few acid rock outfits were doing it quite like Jefferson Airplane in the 60s.
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“Light My Fire” by The Doors
I had to toss a Doors song on here. I went with the psych-rock jazz-fusion hit “Light My Fire”, released in April 1967. This song, like many of The Doors’ singles, was a No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 chart that year. This tune was known for its almost taboo sexual lyrics. And that’s not surprising, considering there was a bit of a sexual revolution going on during the psychedelic movement of 1967. “Light My Fire” is an important part of music and cultural history, and it’s honestly still such a good song today.
“Happy Together” by The Turtles
Is there a song out there that sounds more like 1967 than this entry on our list of rock songs? “Happy Together” by The Turtles has all the elements of a classic psychedelic pop or rock song, complete with harmonized vocals, an upbeat tempo, and joyful lyricism. This hit came out in early 1967. It really set the mood for the year, and it quickly made it to No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart. “Happy Together” quickly became The Turtles’ signature song. And it led to a string of Top 40 hits that lasted well through the rest of the 60s.
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