Pop Love Songs of the Late 1960s

The late 1960s (1967-1969) evoke words like cool, groovy and psychedelic, and the music reflected the times well. With 1967 dubbed “the Summer of Love”, the last three years of the decade offered up one epic love song after another.

The ten songs on this list are good love, and as the 1960s came to a close, the music of 1967, 1968 and 1969 would set the tone for a new decade and a whole new style of love song.

So press play below, and listen to the love songs of the late 1960s.

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“Happy Together” by The Turtles

Perhaps one of the most epically epic love songs, this 1967 hit bumped The Beatles “Penny Lane” from the #1 spot on the Pop Top 40. It would be the only chart topper from the California group The Turtles, but would live on as a classic.

“The Look Of Love” by Dusty Springfield

Burt Bacharach’s Dusty Springfield version of “The Look Of Love” is 1960s soundtrack worthy (Guess… was it in an Austin Powers or a Pink Panther soundtrack?). This sexy sultry love smoker was 1967s version of a torch song.

“Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” by Frankie Valli

When Frankie Valli went solo, he still pumped out hits, and although this 1967 classic wasn’t his biggest solo hit, it is certainly his most iconic. Perhaps made even more famous from its being sung at a wedding reception in the 1978 film The Deer Hunter, it remains a classic wedding favorite.

“Never My Love” by The Association

In 1967, The Association won its second consecutive Muzak Award with this #2 Pop chart hit (see “Cherish” by The Association (1966)). Kidding aside, “Never My Love” is a softer sided Folk Rock hit that says “I love you” as only a 1960s tune could.

“Love Is All Around” by The Troggs

This was to be the Troggs second highest charting hit, reaching #7 in March of 1968. One of the late British Invasion bands, The Troggs more well known hit was “Wild Thing” from 1966, arguably also a love song.

“Sunshine Of Your Love” by Cream

I had to go over the lyrics of this Psychedelic 1968 hit a few times just to be sure, but alas, it is truly a true love song. The 60s Super group Cream (Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker) took this original to #5 on the Pop Top 40.

“Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies

There are no Archies in real life, just a comic strip and a #1 hit song from 1969 that is perhaps the all-time epitome of Pop songs and love songs. Rumor has it that this tune was first offered to the Pop group The Monkees, but sources have yet proved unreliable and this fact is still under investigation.

“More Today Then Yesterday” by Spiral Staircase

One hit wonder “More Today Than Yesterday” was a #12 hit for the California based band Spiral Staircase. The lyrics suggest exponential love, claiming “I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow”. Simply put, I’ll love you a lot more next year.

“Something” by The Beatles

The song Frank Sinatra described as “the greatest love song ever written”, this George Harrison penned tune reached #3 on the U.S. Pop charts in 1969, and borrows its opening lyric from the James Taylor tune “Something In The Way She Moves”.  The best part about the title of this song is, if you request a DJ to “play Something by The Beatles”, you never know what you’re going to get.

“You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” by Blood, Sweat and Tears

Co-written by Motown’s own Berry Gordy, this was originally released on that label but did not fare well. In 1969, the Jazz-Rock band Blood, Sweat and Tears amped it up a bit and took it to #2. A powerful horn arrangement makes this a powerful rock song, while still remaining a tender love ballad.

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As filled with love as these songs may be, the 1970s would prove to have greater love song output, with higher charting love songs and many more of them.

Love the love…

-Craig

Sources: The Billboard Book of Top 40 [Pop] Hits and The Billboard Book of Top 40 R&B Hits by Joel Whitburn and Billboard’s Hottest Hot 100 Hits by Fred Bronson.