3 Folk Songs From 1965 That Should Be Studied in Songwriting Classes

These folk songs from 1965 should be required listening for prospective songwriters. If you want to hone your skills, revisit these three iconic tracks. They will give you insight into what makes a song great.

[RELATED: 3 Rock Bands From the 1960s That Saw Multiple Members Go Solo]

“Like A Rolling Stone” — Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone” has been the fascination of folk artists and rock stars alike for decades. This folk rock song pushed Dylan into a new bracket, forever blending his genre and broadening his reach. If you want to know how to be bold as a songwriter, take cues from “Like A Rolling Stone”. “How does it feel, how does it feel? / To be without a home / Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone,” the iconic lyrics to this track read.

No one has to push for this song to be a must-listen. It has been permanently ingrained in our culture. But if you need a reminder of why this song is so important, revisit it above.

“The Sound Of Silence” — Simon & Garfunkel

Paul Simon expertly wrote “The Sound Of Silence” despite being a green songwriter. If you need a reminder that anyone can write a great folk song, this is it. Simon was nothing but a burgeoning young talent when this song came to fruition, proving that a generational track can come from anywhere.

But more than the sheer impressiveness of this song, the lyrics endure because they are timeless. “Said I, ‘You do not know / Silence like a cancer grows / Hear my words that I might teach you / Take my arms that I might reach you,’” the lyrics read. They poetically sum up the isolation that comes from loneliness in a way that anyone can relate to.

“Eve Of Destruction” — Barry McGuire

This folk rock song is as potent today as it was back in 1965. “But you tell me / Over and over and over again, my friend / How you don’t believe / We’re on the eve of destruction,” Barry McGuire sings in this protest, anti-war track.

Protest songs were rampant in the 1960s, but this is a particularly striking example. If you want to learn how to write about the current culture, take present and powerful songs like this one as a roadmap. Check out “Eve Of Destruction” above and let it remind you how moving songwriting can be when done right.

(Photo by Goedefroit Music/Getty Images)

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