The art of being a singer-songwriter will never die out, especially since there are so many excellent songs (from 1968, specifically) that continue to inspire modern-day vocalists and songwriters. The following three songs are just a few, and they’re just as memorable today as they were when they were released by world-famous singer-songwriters in 1968. Let’s dive in! You might just get inspired by a few of these.
“Suzanne” by Leonard Cohen
This poetic and vulnerable tune helped propel Leonard Cohen’s career in songwriting and music back in the late 1960s. “Suzanne” was his debut single as a recording artist. Before then, “Suzanne” was originally a poem that Leonard Cohen wrote ahead of his career as a musician, back in the days when he was a poet and novelist. It was first recorded by Judy Collins in 1966, and that version is lovely. But you just can’t beat Cohen’s vocals on his own version. It’s no surprise that we and a number of other publications have ranked this song as one of the best singer-songwriter tunes of all time.
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“Julia” by The Beatles
“Julia” is one of John Lennon’s most personal songs that he ever wrote while part of the Fab Four. He would go on to dish out similar vulnerable tunes as a solo artist and with his wife, Yoko Ono. However, “Julia” was one of the first tastes fans got of Lennon as a personal and affecting singer-songwriter. Released on the band’s self-titled 1968 record, “Julia” is a solo piece from Lennon about his mother, Julia, who passed away when he was very young. “Julia” remains the only song that Lennon performed and recorded unaccompanied on a Fab Four track. And the fact that he performed it alone is quite fitting for the subject matter.
“The Weight” by The Band
Technically recorded by The Band and not just one person, “The Weight” makes it to our list because it is one of Robbie Robertson’s finest songwriter-led works. You can’t beat the narrative drive of this tune. This entry on our list of 1968 singer-songwriter songs is still turning young, impressionable listeners into future songwriters. With a country rock flair and some excellent lyrical and literary connections to religion, “The Weight” is a song for the ages.
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