The 100 Greatest Songs of 1969 #1 Something (1 Viewer)

[timschochet]

58. The Guess Who “No Time” (from Canned Wheat) 

https://youtu.be/NPX48NpSRvo

This band had a few memorable songs from 1969, but this was the only one I had room for and it’s very deserving, just a great rocker. Burton Cummings had some of the best vocals of the era. 

 

[timschochet]

57. Sly and the Family Stone “Hot Fun in the Summertime” (released as a single) 

https://youtu.be/1tCc--3xw10

This group was so good, and so dominant in the charts, for a very brief period of time. But during that time they really had a huge impact on popular music. This song, which features amazing vocals from the entire ensemble, was released in the wake of their appearance at Woodstock. 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

57. Sly and the Family Stone “Hot Fun in the Summertime” (released as a single) 

https://youtu.be/1tCc--3xw10

This group was so good, and so dominant in the charts, for a very brief period of time. But during that time they really had a huge impact on popular music. This song, which features amazing vocals from the entire ensemble, was released in the wake of their appearance at Woodstock. 

I might have had this high, high, higher.

 

[timschochet]

I might have had this high, high, higher.

Gotta tell ya: 57 on THIS list, and particularly with the songs upcoming, is pretty damn high. 

 

[timschochet]

56. Cream “Badge” (from Goodbye) 

https://youtu.be/1LmvAUmvLA4

Written by Eric Clapton and George Harrison (with help from a drunken Ringo: the line about swans), this would be Cream’s last hit record. Harrison wrote the lyrics and they sound a lot like John Lennon’s “Glass Onion” from the year before. “I told you ‘bout...” The best part of the song is Clapton’s guitar solo that leads into the chorus. 

 

[FairWarning]

56. Cream “Badge” (from Goodbye) 

https://youtu.be/1LmvAUmvLA4

Written by Eric Clapton and George Harrison (with help from a drunken Ringo: the line about swans), this would be Cream’s last hit record. Harrison wrote the lyrics and they sound a lot like John Lennon’s “Glass Onion” from the year before. “I told you ‘bout...” The best part of the song is Clapton’s guitar solo that leads into the chorus. 

Not much of a Clapton fan, but could listen to this song all day.  

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Gotta tell ya: 57 on THIS list, and particularly with the songs upcoming, is pretty damn high. 

I know, I mostly said that for the pun.

 

[timschochet]

55. The Who “I’m Free” (from Tommy) 

https://youtu.be/uRD_gIoVOmY

Tommy was the first of the great rock operas and it is chalk full of great songs, many of which I had no room for on this list (including some of my favorite Who songs of all time: “1921”, “Sensation”, “Sally Simpson”.) 

“I’m Free “ takes place in the storyline after Tommy’s mirror is smashed and he can suddenly hear and see. It begins with a great classic guitar riff- just like so many other songs on this list. 

 

[timschochet]

54. Elvis Presley “Suspicious Minds” (released as a single) 

https://youtu.be/RxOBOhRECoo

In 1969, the two biggest stars in the history of American popular music each had huge comeback songs. The first of these was Elvis Presley. Late in the previous year, after a decade spent making awful films, The King rejuvenated his music career with a TV special. From that success came this cover of a tune written the year before with a great Nashville like guitar line (which appears, IMO, to be stolen from Charlie McCoy’s guitar on Bob Dylan’s “Desolation Row”.) The lyrics and singing are classic Elvis. 

 

[timschochet]

53. Jackie DeShannon “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” (released as a single) 

https://youtu.be/NTxxEdBIL6Y

For years I thought this was a Supremes song because it sounds so much like them. It’s got that same kind of catchiness. Years later, DeShannon would go on to write “Bette Davis Eyes” for Kim Carnes.

 

[timschochet]

52. The Rolling Stones “Let It Bleed” (from Let It Bleed) 

https://youtu.be/60ucKFdNv-I

Classic Stones anthem. The lyrics are crude and discuss sex and drugs, but what Mick is really singing about is his need for an emotional partner: it’s a love song. Ry Cooder makes a guest appearance on slide guitar. 

 

[timschochet]

51. Chicago “Beginnings” (from Chicago Transit Authority) 

https://youtu.be/lI-BMDnti4c

I’m not the biggest early Chicago fan but I recognize greatness when I hear it. The opening guitar in this song is simply sublime. 

 

[FairWarning]

52. The Rolling Stones “Let It Bleed” (from Let It Bleed) 

https://youtu.be/60ucKFdNv-I

Classic Stones anthem. The lyrics are crude and discuss sex and drugs, but what Mick is really singing about is his need for an emotional partner: it’s a love song. Ry Cooder makes a guest appearance on slide guitar. 

A top 10 song for me from a loaded year for music.  

 

[DocHolliday]

54. Elvis Presley “Suspicious Minds” (released as a single) 

https://youtu.be/RxOBOhRECoo

In 1969, the two biggest stars in the history of American popular music each had huge comeback songs. The first of these was Elvis Presley. Late in the previous year, after a decade spent making awful films, The King rejuvenated his music career with a TV special. From that success came this cover of a tune written the year before with a great Nashville like guitar line (which appears, IMO, to be stolen from Charlie McCoy’s guitar on Bob Dylan’s “Desolation Row”.) The lyrics and singing are classic Elvis. 

Favorite song by the King. 

 

[timschochet]

50. The Velvet Underground “What Goes On” (from The Velvet Underground.)

https://youtu.be/kym3xgrEISA

This could be Lou Reed’s best kick ### rock song. Explodes with greatness. And it demands you play it LOUD. 

 

[timschochet]

49. The Beatles “The Ballad of John and Yoko” (released as a single) 

https://youtu.be/v-1OgNqBkVE

Actually it’s only two Beatles: John and Paul. They played all the instruments (Paul actually played drums.) Excellent rock song though the lyrics are a bit whiny and self-indulgent. 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Trying to pick the 100 best songs from such a loaded year could certainly elicit this reaction:

Christ, you know it ain't easy
You know how hard it can be
The way things are going
They're gonna crucify me

&

 

[wikkidpissah]

49. The Beatles “The Ballad of John and Yoko” (released as a single) 

https://youtu.be/v-1OgNqBkVE

Actually it’s only two Beatles: John and Paul. They played all the instruments (Paul actually played drums.) Excellent rock song though the lyrics are a bit whiny and self-indulgent. 

i'll never forget this song. i've told the story before - the lady who sponsored my mother's family over to America left a trust in her will providing for me to go to Dun Laoghaire (their hometown, Dublin's secondary port) each summer of my minority. in '69, my closest Irish cousin, Tom, got out of school. Irish kids finished school after sophomore year then and went into apprenticeships, the workforce or college prep. since this would be the last free summer for most of em, parents generally made a big fuss and allowed em all the freedoms they could, so we had a ball.

Tom's graduation gift was a miracle of modern technology - a music box which accepted 7", 45rpm records like they were cassettes and you could play singles on the go. everyone marveled over it so Tom brought it everywhere. impressing chicks with it on the beach was the best use of it so we brought it there a lot. but Irish beaches arent like American beaches. they made no special fuss over going and did not lay out. no blanket turf or anything like that, just townsfolk walking back and forth among the swimmers.

Tom & i were parading the strand with his player and had Ballad of John & Yoko, the hottest (radio-banned) single of the summer, playing constantly for maximum effect. max indeed for we walked by a colony of penguins (nuns were everywhere in those days and had more authority than the Garda) just as the song hit the line "Christ, you know it aint easy". This sacrilege could not go unpunished and the penguins fished their ebony beads from their sashes and righteously thrashed poor Tom to within a centimeter of salvation. he was literally bruised about the gob for days. I could have got the player from my cousin in str8up exchange for backing up his story of getting his marks from a proper donnybrook, but he'd suffered enough.

 

[timschochet]

48. Joni Mitchell "Chelsea Morning" (from Clouds)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXe95iTtci0

Joni burst through like a ray of folky sunshine on her second album. Hillary Clinton loved this song so much that she named her daughter after it! (True story.)

 

[timschochet]

47. Neil Young with Crazy Horse “Cowgirl In the Sand” (from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere) 

https://youtu.be/V6GyzspbuPU

A ten minute masterpiece. One of two long epic songs from this album (the other is coming up later.) 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

47. Neil Young with Crazy Horse “Cowgirl In the Sand” (from Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere) 

https://youtu.be/V6GyzspbuPU

A ten minute masterpiece. One of two long epic songs from this album (the other is coming up later.) 

WANNA TAKE YOU HIGHER!
(HIGHER!)

 

[krista4]

WANNA TAKE YOU HIGHER!
(HIGHER!)

(binky lower)

 

[timschochet]

46. Crosby, Stills & Nash “Helplessly Hoping” (from Crosby, Stills & Nash) 

https://youtu.be/kyquqw6GeXk

Acoustic heaven. Three part harmony doesn’t get much better than this, simply a sublime listening experience. Stills’ writing was at its peak here as well.

 

[timschochet]

45. Blind Faith “Can’t Find My Way Home” (from Blind Faith) 

https://youtu.be/6jlLBs6YawM

More acoustic goodness from that great acoustic year of 1969, this time courtesy of Steve Winwood, with a little help from Clapton and Ginger Baker. The lyrics are timeless. 

 

[DocHolliday]

45. Blind Faith “Can’t Find My Way Home” (from Blind Faith) 

https://youtu.be/6jlLBs6YawM

More acoustic goodness from that great acoustic year of 1969, this time courtesy of Steve Winwood, with a little help from Clapton and Ginger Baker. The lyrics are timeless. 

Damn fine song.   

 

[wikkidpissah]

45. Blind Faith “Can’t Find My Way Home” (from Blind Faith) 

https://youtu.be/6jlLBs6YawM

More acoustic goodness from that great acoustic year of 1969, this time courtesy of Steve Winwood, with a little help from Clapton and Ginger Baker. The lyrics are timeless. 

best cover of one of the greatest ballads ever

 

[Brunell4MVP]

45. Blind Faith “Can’t Find My Way Home” (from Blind Faith) 

https://youtu.be/6jlLBs6YawM

More acoustic goodness from that great acoustic year of 1969, this time courtesy of Steve Winwood, with a little help from Clapton and Ginger Baker. The lyrics are timeless. 

Wow.  Expected to see this MUCH later in this thread.  I rarely listen to Clapton anymore, but between this and Badge a few songs ago... damn , reminded me how awesome he could play.  And yes, I know Winwood played much of this song.

 

[timschochet]

44. Bob Dylan “Lay Lady Lay” (from Nashville Skyline)

https://youtu.be/LhzEsb2tNbI

One of Dylan’s more lovely ballads. It was apparently revealed this year that he wrote it about Barbara Streisand (which is kind of bizarre and, if true, ruins it for me.) 

 

[Binky The Doormat]

(binky lower)

reaction

 

[timschochet]

43. Santana “Evil Ways” (from Santana)

https://youtu.be/_tKIPuLfeKg

Most of that first Santana album was instrumental music, but it also managed to include this classic tune, which remains endlessly playable. 

 

[timschochet]

42. MC5 “Kick Out the Jams” (from Kick Out the Jams!) 

https://youtu.be/yvJGQ_piwI0

Right now, right now I’m getting ready to...KICK OUT THE JAMS MOTHER####ER!!

Punk rock wasn’t created by the Sex Pistols or the Ramones or the New York Dolls. It was created in Detroit in 1969 with this album and song. 

 

[FairWarning]

42. MC5 “Kick Out the Jams” (from Kick Out the Jams!) 

https://youtu.be/yvJGQ_piwI0

Right now, right now I’m getting ready to...KICK OUT THE JAMS MOTHER####ER!!

Punk rock wasn’t created by the Sex Pistols or the Ramones or the New York Dolls. It was created in Detroit in 1969 with this album and song. 

Heck yeah.  Blue Oyster Cult used to cover this song in concert.  

 

[timschochet]

41. Sly and the Family Stone “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” (released as a single)

https://youtu.be/NOa5UOHdwnc

Funk starts here. Just listen to that guitar. 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Funk starts here. 

James Brown begs to differ. 

 

[timschochet]

James Brown begs to differ. 

OK you have a point. Close enough though. 

 

[timschochet]

40. Led Zeppelin “Heartbreaker” (from Led Zeppelin II)

https://youtu.be/S_CYdTmj7lA

The song begins with one of the all time great guitar riffs. Then, if that’s not enough, it contains one of the all time great guitar solos, which several people have cited as the most influential for their careers, including Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai. 
But beyond all that it’s just a great tune. 

 

[Bracie Smathers]

40. Led Zeppelin “Heartbreaker” (from Led Zeppelin II)

https://youtu.be/S_CYdTmj7lA

The song begins with one of the all time great guitar riffs. Then, if that’s not enough, it contains one of the all time great guitar solos, which several people have cited as the most influential for their careers, including Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai. 
But beyond all that it’s just a great tune. 

Yeah, that guitar solo is epic.  Its like they just stopped and said Jimmy you get the stage.  Nothing but him.  Like a jazz solo where they exchange floors but no one came in, its just him.

Then they go right back into the tune.  

I can't recall any other major rock tune that had done this before so I completely get how influential this was.

Even though I haven't compiled a list yet and I know you have some other heavy hitting tunes coming up, I'll do the Next 100 from 69 because late 60s is where I started to become aware of music, mostly pop but I'm sure their will be a few choice tunes left.

 

[timschochet]

Yeah, that guitar solo is epic.  Its like they just stopped and said Jimmy you get the stage.  Nothing but him.  Like a jazz solo where they exchange floors but no one came in, its just him.

Then they go right back into the tune.  

I can't recall any other major rock tune that had done this before so I completely get how influential this was.

Even though I haven't compiled a list yet and I know you have some other heavy hitting tunes coming up, I'll do the Next 100 from 69 because late 60s is where I started to become aware of music, mostly pop but I'm sure their will be a few choice tunes left.

It’s the strongest year I’ve encountered by far. You could do 300 easily perhaps more. 

 

[timschochet]

39. The Rolling Stones “Monkey Man” (from Let It Bleed) 

https://youtu.be/4Zbnvh6I4k4

Such a great great track. Featuring one of @krista4’s favorites, Nicky Hopkins, on piano. (Just about anytime you hear a great Stones keyboard, it’s Nicky.) 

 

[DocHolliday]

40. Led Zeppelin “Heartbreaker” (from Led Zeppelin II)

https://youtu.be/S_CYdTmj7lA

The song begins with one of the all time great guitar riffs. Then, if that’s not enough, it contains one of the all time great guitar solos, which several people have cited as the most influential for their careers, including Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai. 
But beyond all that it’s just a great tune. 

One of the greatest rock songs of all time of all years.  

 

[krista4]

39. The Rolling Stones “Monkey Man” (from Let It Bleed) 

https://youtu.be/4Zbnvh6I4k4

Such a great great track. Featuring one of @krista4’s favorites, Nicky Hopkins, on piano. (Just about anytime you hear a great Stones keyboard, it’s Nicky.) 

Yes, he was just genius. 

 

[Bracie Smathers]

39. The Rolling Stones “Monkey Man” (from Let It Bleed) 

https://youtu.be/4Zbnvh6I4k4

Such a great great track. Featuring one of @krista4’s favorites, Nicky Hopkins, on piano. (Just about anytime you hear a great Stones keyboard, it’s Nicky.) 

That soft tinkling of the keys opening...  

 

[wikkidpissah]

That soft tinkling of the keys opening...  

you just sent half this aged forum to the can again...

 

[timschochet]

38. The Velvet Underground “Pale Blue Eyes” (from The Velvet Underground) 

https://youtu.be/KisHhIRihMY

One of Lou Reed’s prettiest ballads. Hard to find a more gorgeous lyric than “Linger on, your pale blue eyes”. Dude had some major poetic skills. 

 

[brun]

58. The Guess Who “No Time” (from Canned Wheat) 

https://youtu.be/NPX48NpSRvo

This band had a few memorable songs from 1969, but this was the only one I had room for and it’s very deserving, just a great rocker. Burton Cummings had some of the best vocals of the era. 

My dad was teaching at Valley Forge Military Academy. During the summer I got to work a few hours at a place called the Boodle Shop which was basically a cafeteria with a small counter that sold some convenience items. There was a juke box and for a while I think No Time probably got played a couple times an hour.

 

[Binky The Doormat]

39. The Rolling Stones “Monkey Man” (from Let It Bleed) 

https://youtu.be/4Zbnvh6I4k4

Such a great great track. Featuring one of @krista4’s favorites, Nicky Hopkins, on piano. (Just about anytime you hear a great Stones keyboard, it’s Nicky.) 

I don't love the Stones, I've always been much more a Beatles person ...but I sure as hell respect them - and this is one of my favorites.  

 

[timschochet]

37. Frank Sinatra “My Way” (released as a single) 

https://youtu.be/qQzdAsjWGPg

He had just divorced his third wife, Mia Farrow. He was tired of coming home to his Hollywood mansion and finding her smoking dope in the living room with her hippie friends; he would hide upstairs and drink his scotch whisky, drowning out the awful rock music with Ella Fitzgerald. He was pissed off that his producers tried to get him to sing rock music, and even more pissed off at the bestselling novel The Godfather and the Johnny Fontaine character based on him. He swore that if he ever ran into Mario Puzo he’d give him a black eye. 
Frank rejected dozens of songs presented to him (including Randy Newman’s “Lonely at the Top”) before settling on Paul Anka’s tune. Even then he thought it was silly and over the top. He recorded it in one night at the Sands Hotel, unusual for Frank who was known to be a perfectionist in the studio. To his chagrin, it became his all time biggest hit and signature song. For the rest of his life Frank hated that people loved this song because he thought it made fun of him. 

 

[Leroy Hoard]

37. Frank Sinatra “My Way” (released as a single) 

https://youtu.be/qQzdAsjWGPg

He had just divorced his third wife, Mia Farrow. He was tired of coming home to his Hollywood mansion and finding her smoking dope in the living room with her hippie friends; he would hide upstairs and drink his scotch whisky, drowning out the awful rock music with Ella Fitzgerald. He was pissed off that his producers tried to get him to sing rock music, and even more pissed off at the bestselling novel The Godfather and the Johnny Fontaine character based on him. He swore that if he ever ran into Mario Puzo he’d give him a black eye. 
Frank rejected dozens of songs presented to him (including Randy Newman’s “Lonely at the Top”) before settling on Paul Anka’s tune. Even then he thought it was silly and over the top. He recorded it in one night at the Sands Hotel, unusual for Frank who was known to be a perfectionist in the studio. To his chagrin, it became his all time biggest hit and signature song. For the rest of his life Frank hated that people loved this song because he thought it made fun of him. 

I prefer the Sid Vicious version myself.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

39. The Rolling Stones “Monkey Man” (from Let It Bleed) 

https://youtu.be/4Zbnvh6I4k4

Such a great great track. Featuring one of @krista4’s favorites, Nicky Hopkins, on piano. (Just about anytime you hear a great Stones keyboard, it’s Nicky.) 

They’ve had a lot of great session piano/keyboard players: Ian Stewart, Jack Nietzche, Bill Preston, Chuck Leavall, Leon Russell and Ian McLagen.

 

[timschochet]

36. Creedence Clearwater Revival “Fortunate Son” (from Willie and the Poor Boys)

https://youtu.be/40JmEj0_aVM

Not CCR’s greatest song (that’s coming up) but arguably their most important: a protest song that rivals Buffalo Springfield’s “For What Its Worth” as the greatest of the late 60s. The lyrics remain pertinent and will so long as our wars are fought mostly by poor people (though it was even MORE pertinent when there was a military draft.)