3 Rock Songs From the 1960s That Will Actually Make You Smarter

The 1960s were all about change. Everywhere you looked, someone was trying to expand their mind, experience something new, or turn the world upside down. And that’s just what we wanted to highlight below. We wanted to explore three songs from back in the day that not only sounded great, but that also taught listeners a lesson. Indeed, these are three rock songs from the 1960s that will actually make you smarter.

“You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones from ‘Let It Bleed’ (1969)

The lesson this song provides is all in the title. Perhaps the idea seems obvious—but you’d be surprised. Even in today’s world of “swipe right” and grocery delivery apps, there are still limits on what we can get and when. But of course, only children pout when something doesn’t go their way. Indeed, as we get older, all of us adults need to realize and remember—just as The Rolling Stones explained—you can’t always get what you want. But in the end, we might just get what we need.

“Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles from ‘Revolver’ (1966)

In the 1960s, there was no band bigger than The Beatles. But you might be surprised to realize that one of the group’s most popular songs from the decade was one about loneliness. Today, loneliness is everywhere. Even though we’re as “connected” as ever thanks to the internet, oftentimes it feels as if society has never been more separated. That’s just what Paul McCartney was singing about on this tune way back when—social loneliness. But the quicker we investigate the topic, the smarter and better off we’ll be.

“Like A Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan from ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ (1965)

Speaking of smart songs, this tune from Bob Dylan may just open your eyes to a whole new world. In modern society, we’re told to follow the rules. Grow up, get a degree, marry, have kids, and then everything will turn out fine. But this tune from Dylan describes something different. Dylan shows what life can be like when you remove the wool from your eyes. Almost like Morpheus in The Matrix offering the red pill—do you want to see what you’ve been missing? That’s the brilliant question this tune asks its audience.

Photo by Fiona Adams/Redferns