3 Rock Songs From the 1960s You Won’t Forget No Matter When You Hear Them

There are a handful of decades from the 20th century that boast incredible rock music. But there was only one that produced songs with such an edge that it made history for it. And that’s just what we wanted to highlight below.

We wanted to explore three rock songs from the 1960s we revisit often thanks to their psychedelic prowess or protest track appeal. Indeed, these are three rock songs from the 1960s you won’t forget no matter when you hear them.

“All Along The Watchtower” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience from ‘Electric Ladyland’ (1968)

Written by Bob Dylan earlier in the decade, Jimi Hendrix turned this song into a masterpiece when he re-recorded it for his 1968 LP, Electric Ladyland. Indeed, Hendrix’s popular version became an anthem for anti-war protest. Since its release, it’s been used in films like Forrest Gump and others to indicate times of strife and difficulty. There is such a worried urgency embedded in Hendrix’s rendition. It feels almost like a war zone is going on, well, all around you.

“White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane from ‘Surrealistic Pillow’ (1967)

This song is memorable both for its performance and its subject matter. Singer Grace Slick is an explosion of vocal prowess on the psychedelic offering. And she sings about some familiar characters, including those from the famous novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In the 1960s, drug experimentation was often synonymous with the rock scene. Jefferson Airplane brought that dynamic to the forefront on “White Rabbit”. Slick sings about details from the famed Lewis Carroll-penned work, including pills that could make you larger and smaller.

“Light My Fire” by The Doors from ‘The Doors’ (1967)

But Jefferson Airplane wasn’t the only act in the 1960s that liked to blend rock music with mind-bending psychedelia. Jim Morrison and his group The Doors also liked to take you down a weird, strange, and winding path. The rock band’s songs often sounded like incantations. For an example of this, look no further than the trippy “Light My Fire” from the band’s 1967 self-titled album. When the song is over, you have to make sure you didn’t get a contact high from your record player!

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