3 Rock Songs From the 1960s That Sound Like They’re From a Different Decade

When we think of rock ‘n’ roll from the 1960s, some keywords that come to mind often include “jangly,” “psychedelic,” “tinny,” and “campy.” Rock hadn’t quite evolved into the heavy metal bravado that it would develop in the subsequent decades. And by and large, there was still a ribbon of conservatism running through 1960s society that kept rock fairly tame, especially by today’s standards.

However, there were some notable exceptions in the rock world of the 1960s—songs that sound like they could have come from the late 1970s or 80s or even 90s. Indeed, these pioneering tracks, all of which came out pre-1970, were far ahead of their time.

“Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf

Steppenwolf was already tapping into the sounds that would come to define rock ‘n’ roll in the 1970s and 80s when they released their late 1960s hit, “Born To Be Wild”. The track came out in 1968 and was heavily featured in the film Easy Rider the following year, giving it a strong cultural footprint in this decade. Yet, this track sounds like something that should have come out in later decades.

From the instrumental backing arrangement of heavy, driving rock ‘n’ roll to the lyrical content that sings about “heavy metal thunder,” Steppenwolf was paving the way for future heavy metal, whether or not the band realized it at the time. Even today, it’s shocking to think about this song coming out as early as 1968.

“All I Wanna Do” by The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys technically released “All I Wanna Do” in 1970, but they were writing and recording it in the late 1960s. Considering just how fresh and modern this track sounded compared to other music coming out around this same time, it’s a wonder that it had such an early release date. Of course, “All I Wanna Do” was just one of many late 1960s rock tracks by The Beach Boys that would go on to define the genre (and popular music as a whole).

Interestingly, Brian Wilson later shrugged the song off as boring. Despite his qualms, the rest of the world didn’t seem to agree. This track, along with the rest of the album it’s featured on, Sunflower, laid the foundation for shoegaze and dream pop.

“Summertime” by Big Brother & The Holding Company

Perhaps the reason why “Summertime” by Big Brother & The Holding Company seems so modern is its intense grit. The song itself is far older, first appearing in George Gershwin’s opera Porgy & Bess. In that way, there is a certain antiquity baked into the song. However, the way that Janis Joplin and the rest of the band interpreted it is what gives it such a modern, innovative feel.

Joplin’s raspy wails and whispers give the song an eerie quality, which is a far cry from how it first appears in Porgy & Bess. The uninhibited vocal delivery seems like something that would have appeared, say, in the 1980s, when wailing power ballads were all the rage. Yet, this viciously tender rock song sat squarely in the 1960s, having come out in mid-August 1968.

Photo by Michael Webb/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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