Four ‘60s Songs for Four Moods
The purpose of this brief playlist is to provide you with delicious ‘60s songs to fill particular moments within your life. The decade of the ‘60s offered great variety for music. Furthermore, I believe this decade’s music is especially skilled at evoking certain emotions. From Civil Rights to the Vietnam War, this decade saw a clash between the ways things had been and lasting change, both musically and societally. Music both challenged and incorporated tradition in various ways. With that, here are four songs from the ‘60s for four specific moments:
1 - For a soft smile on a rainy day: Simon and Garfunkel, “Kathy’s Song”
Obviously, this song starts with “I hear the drizzle of the rain”. But Paul Simon’s lyrical expertise weaves the simple folksong into a textile of comfort. The mood of this song shifts from gentle observation to everyday struggles, perfectly mirroring a natural stream of consciousness. This song continuously bends between deeper intellectual thought, expressions of affection, and scattered everyday concerns. This song’s realistic qualities provide comfort in knowing that everyone searches through such thoughts. I cannot think of a more perfect song as I hear rain tap on my window.
2 - For sweet tears: “God Only Knows”
This classic ‘60s tune has been covered plenty of times. But if you want a gentle smile and a tear in your eye, find the version with John Legend and Cynthia Erivo. This song showcases the power a simple love song can have, if well written. Multiple lines in this song strike to the core of what it means to be human. Anyone who has ever experienced love understands the underlying thoughts and feelings behind this song. Though my entire review of this song is no more than fluff and does not delve into the detailed musical workings of the song, to finally examine every melodic relationship of every word would defeat the beauty of the song entirely.
3 - Stepping out of the shower: “Moon River”
Stepping out of the shower is one of the best parts of any day. Before the world has picked you up and put you down, covering you in a layer of grime, you get to start with a fresh, new feeling. The crisp, refreshing melody of Moon River turns to a soothing and drowsy one. My favorite rendition of this song is that of Vince Guaraldi, for he captures the dichotomy of moods incorporated in this piece. If you want to feel both awake and relaxed, flip on this tune while throwing on some fresh clothing after a hot and steamy shower.
4 - Flipping through old photographs: The Beatles, “In My Life”
Alright, so I know it’s unoriginal. However, if you ever need a song in the background of a slideshow (that isn’t Forever Young), this would be the one. This basic ‘60s pop song is exceptional background music. That is not to say that the song itself is bland and not worthwhile. Rather, with just the right amount of redundancies and lyrical themes, a listener can pick up the precisely intended attitude while turning their attention to other matters. If you read into the lyrics closely, your thoughts of this song will likely change, for the speaker claims his current love is better than all his older memories. But the thought of flipping through memories like a Rolodex makes it precisely the right song to flip through old photos to.
