The Top 100 Most Enjoyable Singles of The 60's

[M.Maestro]

Not the most played, the most popular, the most controversial, or the best written, but these (IMO) are the 100 singles of the 60's that are just wonderful to hear anytime, anywhere.

indicates a #1 single on the Pop, Adult Contemporary, Rhythm & Blues/Soul, or Country charts of Billboard magazine.


100. Snoopy vs. The Red Baron (1966/67) - The Royal Guardsmen
99. Everybody's Talkin' (1969) - Nillson
98. Shop Around (1961) - The Miracles
97. Classical Gas (1968) - Mason Williams 8-)AC (3)
96. When I Fall In Love (1962) - The Letterman 8-)AC
95. Flowers On The Wall (1965/66) - The Statler Brothers
94. Sweet Caroline (1969) - Neil Diamond
93. Java (1964) - Al Hirt 8-)AC (4)
92. This Is My Song (1967) - Petula Clark
91. Fingertips (1963) - Little Stevie Wonder 8-)Pop (3)
90. Everybody's Somebody's Fool (1960) - Connie Francis 8-)Pop (2)
89. The Sounds Of Silence (1965/66) - Simon & Garfunkel 8-)Pop (2)
88. Please Mr. Postman (1961) - The Marvelettes 8-)Pop
87. Where Did Our Love Go (1964) - The Supremes 8-)Pop (2)
86. Mother-In-Law (1961) - Ernie K. Doe 8-)Pop
85. Proud Mary (1969) - Creedence Clearwater Revival
84. Twistin' The Night Away (1962) - Sam Cooke 8-)R&B (3)
83. Ring Of Fire (1963) - Johnny Cash 8-)C&W (7)
82. That's Life (1966) - Frank Sinatra 8-)AC (3)
81. He'll Have To Go (1960) - Jim Reeves 8-)C&W (14)
80. Papa's Got A Brand New Bag (1965) - James Brown 8-)R&B (8)
79. Love Theme From "Romeo & Juliet" (1969) - Henry Mancini Pop(2) & AC(8)
78. Sherry (1962) - The Four Seasons Pop(5)
77. Sugar Shack (1963) - Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs Pop(5) - #1 Pop Single of '63
76. These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (1966) - Nancy Sinatra 8-)Pop
75. Something (1969) - The Beatles 8-)Pop
74. Return To Sender (1962) - Elvis Presley (5wks @#2 behind "Big Girls Don't Cry" )
73. Stop! In The Name Of Love (1965) - The Supremes (2) Pop
72. Walk--Don't Run (1960) - The Ventures - an updated version was released in '64 & hit #8
71. California Dreaming (1966) - The Mamas & The Papas
70. Downtown (1965) - Petula Clark (2) Pop
69. Get Back (1969) - The Beatles (5) Pop
68. Do You Know The Way To San Jose? (1968) - Dionne Warwick
67. By The Time I Get To Phoenix (1967) - Glen Campbell
66. Route 66 (1962) - Nelson Riddle (What else would have fit here, DUH! ;D)
65. Wooly Bully (1965) - Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
64. Dancing In The Street (1964) - Martha & The Vandellas
63. Surfin' U.S.A. (1963) - The Beach Boys
62. The Monster Mash (1962) - Bobby "Boris" Pickett (2) Pop - re-released in 1973 and hit #10 Pop
61. Portrait Of My Love (1961) - Steve Lawrence
60. Save The Last Dance For Me (1960) - The Drifters 8-)Pop (3) & 8-)R&B
59. Mrs. Robinson (1968) - Simon & Garfunkel 8-)Pop (3)
58. Blame It On The Bossa Nova (1963) - Eydie Gorme
57. California Girls (1965) - The Beach Boys
56. Cherish (1966) - The Association 8-)Pop (3)
55. I Can't Help Myself (1965) - The Four Tops 8-)Pop (2) & 8-)R&B (9)
54. Witchia Lineman (1968/69) - Glen Campbell 8-)AC (6) & 8-)C&W (2)
53. Blue Velvet (1963) - Bobby Vinton 8-)Pop (3) & 8-)AC (8)
52. I Fall To Pieces (1961) - Patsy Cline 8-)C&W (2)
51. MacArthur Park (1968) - Richard Harris (the 1st Top 40 Single with a running time of over seven minutes-7:20; reached #2 Pop)
50. Monday, Monday (1966) - The Mamas & The Papas 8-)Pop (3)
49. Sugar, Sugar (1969) - The Archies 8-)Pop (4)
48. Ramblin' Rose (1962) - Nat King Cole 8-)AC (5)
47. King Of The Road (1965) - Roger Miller 8-)AC (10) & 8-)C&W (5) (song/record won six Grammy Awards including Record of The Year)
46. Stand By Your Man (1968/69) - Tammy Wynette 8-)C&W (3)
45. I Left My Heart In San Francisco (1962) - Tony Bennett
44. Hello, Dolly! (1964) - Louis Armstrong 8-)Pop & 8-)AC (9) (oldest solo performer with a #1 Pop record in the Rock Era @ age 63)
43. Wonderland By Night (1960/61) - Bert Kaempfert 8-)Pop (3)
42. Reach Out-I'll Be There (1966) - The Four Tops 8-)Pop (2) & 8-)R&B (2)
41. Gentle On My Mind (1968) - Glen Campbell (originally charted in '67, but stalled @#62 Pop)
40. Good Vibrations (1966) - The Beach Boys : : 8-)Pop
39. Someday We'll Be Together (1969) - Diana Ross & The Supremes 8-)Pop & 8-)R&B (4) (their 12th & final #1 Pop record, more than any other vocal group not named The Beatles)
38. Ode To Billie Joe (1967) - Bobbie Gentry 8-)Pop (4)
37. Exodus (1960/61) - Ferrante & Teicher
36. (Sittin' On)The Dock Of The Bay (1968) - Otis Redding 8-)Pop (4) & 8-)R&B (3) (song recorded 12/7/67, three days before his passing in a plane crash)
35. El Paso (1959/60) - Marty Robbins 8-)Pop (2) & 8-)C&W (7)
34. Honky Tonk Women (1969) - The Rolling Stones 8-)Pop (4)
33. Georgia On My Mind (1960) - Ray Charles 8-)Pop (song 1st introduced in 1931 by Frankie Trumbauer, hitting #10)
32. My Way (1969) - Frank Sinatra (written by Paul Anka)
31. Will You Love Me Tomorrow (1960/61) - The Shirelles 8-)Pop (2)
30. Everybody Loves Somebody (1964) - Dean Martin 8-)Pop & 8-)AC (8)
29. Tossin And Turnin'(1961) - Bobby Lewis 8-)Pop (7) & 8-)R&B(10)
28. I'm A Believer (1966/67) - The Monkees 8-)Pop (7) (written by Neil Diamond)
27. Are You Lonesome Tonight? (1960) - Elvis Presley 8-)Pop (6) (song was a #4 hit for Vaughn Deleath in 1927)
26. Somewhere, My Love (1966) - Ray Conniff & His Singers 8-)AC (4) (from the motion picture "Doctor Zhivago", also known as "Lara's Theme")
25. Oh, Pretty Woman (1964) - Roy Orbison 8-)Pop (3)
24. To Sir With Love (1967) - Lulu 8-)Pop (5)
23. My Girl (1965) - The Temptations 8-)Pop & 8-)R&B (6)
22. I'ts Now Or Never (1960) - Elvis Presley 8-)Pop (5) (adapted from the Italian song "O' Sole Mio" of 1899)
21. I Want To Hold Your Hand (1964) - The Beatles 8-)Pop (7) (the 1st of 20 #1 Pop Singles for the Fab Four, more than any group or solo artist in the Rock Era to date)
20. Something Stupid (1967) - Frank & Nancy Sinatra 8-)Pop (4) & 8-)AC (9)
19. Like A Rolling Stone (1965) - Bob Dylan (the first Top 10 Pop Single with a running time of more than six minutes --peaked @#2)
18. Suspicious Minds (1969) - Elvis Presley 8-)Pop (his 18th & final #1 Pop Single, still more than any other solo artist in the Rock Era)
17. Light My Fire (1967) - The Doors 8-)Pop (3)
16. Strangers In The Night (1966) - Frank Sinatra 8-)Pop & 8-)AC (7) (won 1966 Record Of The Year at the Grammys)
15. Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (1969) - The Fifth Dimension 8-)Pop (6) & 8-)AC (2)
14. Respect (1967) - Aretha Franklin 8-)Pop (2) & 8-)R&B (8) (written by Otis Redding)
13. Unchained Melody (1965) - The Righteous Brothers (in 1955, several versions of this song charted at the same time, the most popular being Les Baxter's #2 version. This recording hit #4 Pop in '65, & charted all over again in '90 when it was featured in the motion picture "Ghost", hitting #12 Pop & #1 AC)
12. Moon River (1961) - Henry Mancini & His Chorus (from the motion picture "Breakfast At Tiffany's)
11. Yesterday (1965) - The Beatles 8-)Pop (4) (one of the most played/recorded songs of the Rock Era)
10. I Heard It Through The Grapevine (1968/69) - Marvin Gaye 8-)Pop (7) & 8-)R&B (7) (Gladys Knight & The Pips hit #2 Pop/#1 R&B with this song one year earlier in '67, but Marvin's version of this Pop/R&B classic has evolved into the definitive version of this song, & until "Endless Love" [D. Ross/L. Richie] in 1981, was the biggest selling single in Motown's legendary history.
09. Can't Help Falling In Love (1961/62) - Elvis Presley 8-)AC (6) (From the motion picture "Blue Hawaii", this song is among The King's finest recordings of his career.)
08. Love Is Blue (1968) - Paul Mauriat 8-)Pop (5) & 8-)AC (11) (widely regarded as the #2 most popular instrumental single of the Rock Era)
07. I Can't Stop Loving You (1962) - Ray Charles 8-)Pop (5), 8-)R&B (10) & 8-)AC (5) (This Don Gibson penned classic cemented Ray's status as an across-the-board superstar, featured on his classic album "Modern Sounds In Country & Western Music")
06. Crazy (1961) - Patsy Cline (written by a young Willie Nelson, this record is regarded by many as the most popular C&W crossover single of all-time, given the fact it never hit #1 C&W or Pop)
05. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling (1965) - The Righteous Brothers 8-)Pop (2) (a classic Phil Spector "wall of sound" production that has become one of the 5 most played/recorded songs of the Rock N' Roll Era)
04. Theme From "A Summer Place" (1960) - Percy Faith & His Orchestra 8-)Pop (9) (the #1 instrumental single of the Rock Era, & the #3 charted Pop Single of the 60's)
03. The Twist (1960; 1961/62) - Chubby Checker (3)(the only record during the Rock N' Era that hit #1 Pop on TWO different chart runs: September 1960 - 1 week; then after an appearence on American Bandstand by Chubby, the single was re-released during November 1961 & hit #1 again in January 1962 for 2 more weeks! A total of 25 weeks were spent in the Top 10, & 33 weeks total charted, easily making it the #1 charted Pop Single Of The 60's!)
02. Hey Jude (1968) - The Beatles 8-)Pop (9) (the #1 Pop Single of '68, the #2 charting single of the 60's, & the most popular of their 20 #1 pop singles.
01. (I Can't Get No)Satisfaction (1965) - The Rolling Stones 8-)Pop (4) (This was the #1 Pop Single of '65, arguably the best Rock N' Roll single of all-time, & lyrics that almost anyone can relate to.)

[oldmandowntheroad]

Did I misread this? As far as a controversial song as well as a good one. How about" 2+2 is on my mind"? Bob Seger & the Seger System. Another great song IMO is "Devil with a Blue Dress" By Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels. " Ball of Confusion"?
The Temptations.( Although that may have been early 70's I'll have to check that) Other than than those it's a great list.

[peridot44]

Sooo difficult - so many good records in that decade. Many of the records on the list did nothing for me then and certainly won't now. Generally I liked melody over loudness.

I heard Hey Jude so often while I was in college, in 1968, that I wouldn't mind if I never heard it again (didn't like it much in the first place - The Beatles were getting a bit silly by then and broke up not much after that. Bit of a relief really.

So -
Dancing in the Street
Walk Don't Run
Wichita Lineman (and Vincent who was and is my favourite painter)
Good Vibrations
I'm A Believer
Something Stupid
Theme from A Summer Place
Save the Last Dance For Me
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
The Sound of Silence
Can't Get No Satisfaction (just about, and the only Rolling Stones record I liked)

And my own choices -
House of the Rising Sun (The Animals)
My Guy (The Shangri-Las)
Red River Rock (Johnny & the Hurricanes)
Hello Marylou, Goodbye Heart (Ricky Nelson)
Weekend (Eddy Cochran)
Moon River (Danny Williams)
You're Sixteen, You're Beautiful and You're Mine (Johnny Burnette)
Please Please Me (The Beatles) The first of the Beatles records that I really noticed.

These are not in any particular order and there are others that meant a lot to me. I was steeped in the music of the 40s and 50s (noticable in some of my list) in my early years and this must naturally colour my favourites in the 60s, as will my enjoyment of jazz.

I have posted before on this subject and my likes and dislikes will hardly have changed, as I am so long in the tooth. I had turned away from pop before the end of the 60s because I had discovered serious music, which filled my listening time for the following 30 years and made my knowledge of pop practically zero. The little I do know is due to my college years when I couldn't escape it. Back in my digs I was listening to concerti and symphonies.

[socal]

Arguably the greatest decade of music of all time - Motown, The British Invasion, the girl groups, country crossovers, all good stuff!

[carol]

This is one of the best lists so far, I think. Many of my favourite songs are in it.