3 Folk Rock Gems From 1969 That Have Been Lost To Time

The late 1960s were a solid era for folk rock, and plenty of folk rock bands hit the top of the charts, including the mainstream ones. Others, though, slipped through the cracks. Some were never even released as singles to begin with, though they should have been. Let’s take a look at a few folk rock deep cuts from 1969 that have been somewhat lost to time but are seriously worth remembering.

“Darkness, Darkness” by The Youngbloods from ‘Elephant Mountain’

The Youngbloods earned a bit of infamy in the 1960s with the Top 40 hit “Get Together”, re-released in 1969. They’re considered something of a one-hit wonder, and the band as a whole was pretty short-lived, lasting from 1965 to 1972 with a reunion year in the 80s. 

Shortly before that single dropped, the band released the single “Darkness, Darkness” that same year. To my surprise, this song only made it to No. 124 in the US. This is a great example of how some of the best psychedelic rock and folk rock outfits stayed criminally under the radar in the 60s. “Darkness, Darkness” is an echoing, enchanting song that still sounds ahead of its time to me. That guitar tone? Stank face-worthy.

“These Things Too” by Pearls Before Swine from ‘These Things Too’

Remember Pearls Before Swine? Unless you were a diehard folk and psych-rock fan, you might have missed them back in the 60s. One of their finest (if not a little controversial to critics) works is the record These Things Too. The title track of that album was released as a single. But, shockingly, “These Things Too” didn’t crack the charts. The album as a whole is an obscure delight that sounds like the soundtrack to a dream, but that title track is the one I remember most.

“Autopsy” by Fairport Convention from ‘Unhalfbricking’

Fairport Convention is probably the most recognizable name on this list. But even they had some songs worthy of our list of folk rock songs from 1969 that have been lost to time. The whole of the British folk rock album Unhalfbricking is a fantastic piece of work. However, the song “Autopsy” has always stood out the most to me. This Sandy Denny-penned track features Richard Thompson on the dulcimer and lead guitar, and the whole song leans toward jazz and blues in a really addictive way.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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