It’s time to sit back, relax and let the music flow with these tracks.
The 1960s were infamous for being heavily influenced in their culture and music by psychedelic substances, but it sure did inspire artists to create tracks that are mind blowing to a whole new level. The sub-genre of this music style spread like wildfire and we readily gave into the hype (minus the drugs of course). So go back and relive the discovery period of these favourite tunes:
1. The End – The Doors
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this song. Everything from the lyrics, the vibe and Jim Morrison’s voice is the perfect marriage of psychedelic rock beauty.
2. White Rabbit – Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane’s sales went skyrocketing with the release of this track way back in 1976 with their album, Surrealist Pillow. Based on ‘Alice In The Wonderland’, the track is a classic rock song that’s regarded as some of Grace Slick’s best work and we agree.
3.Β Purple Haze – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
This track is hypnotizing from the moment the first strum of the guitar hits your ears. Jimi Hendrix not only masterfully performs a great guitar solo but manages to capture the overall vibe of psychedelic rock from the get go. Well done sir!
4.Β Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd
This track is self explanatory when it comes to psychedelic tunes. Love, love, love!
5.Β Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds – The Beatles
The Fab Four created this fan favourite after being inspired by Lennon’s son Julian’s drawing despite a million rumours about a possible LSD connection and its resemblance to C.S Lewis’ Alice In Wonderland. But we’re still glad it did!
6.Β Sunshine of Your Love – Cream
The Eric Clapton lead Cream’s most popular song and is still performed by Clapton from time to time at his concerts and has also been covered by Jimi Hendrix but with a faster tune than the original. Thank you Jack Bruce for having this beat stuck in your head long enough to make a song out of it.
7.Β In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – Iron Butterfly
The track was originally named ‘In The Garden Of Eden’ but lead singer Doug Ingle’s slurred voice transformed it into one of the bands best songs. Despite its simple lyrics, the tune is a blend of complicated instruments and tempos to make it sound elevated AF.
8.Β Baba O’Riley – The Who
One of the most influential Rock bands still keep it as fresh as ever, even after 50 years in the music industry. This video shows the band rocking the track out loud in 2015 and it never fails to impress.
9.Β The Red Telephone – Love
Love’s album ‘Forever Changes’ did not achieveΒ success when it was first released in 1967, but it has been termedΒ as one of the finest albums to be produced after the Summer of Love phenomenon in 1967 aka the hippie era. But we’re so glad that this tune did not go to waste.
10.Β Venus In Furs – The Velvet Underground
Velvet UndergroundΒ collaborated with German singer Nico to create this track written by Lou Reed for Andy Warhol’sΒ Exploding Plastic InevitableΒ tour, which gained attention for its experimental performance sensibilities and controversial topics including drug abuse, prostitution, sadomasochism and sexual deviancy. Risky but pays off so well.