You could make a case for an original cast musical album as being the most important of the 1960s as they were huge sellers- Sound of Music or West Side Story to mention two. How about a couple of live classics- Judy (Garland) At Carnegie Hall or James Brown Live at the Apollo. Some might argue for Jimi Hendrix’ debut album, Are You Experienced. Certainly Dylan was at his peak- his acoustic breakthrough, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan or his mid-’60s classics, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde.

            However, without a doubt, the most celebrated LP of the 1960s, perhaps of all-time, is the 1967 Beatles’ masterwork Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Yes, I know that its reputation has dipped a wee bit in recent years. Some would argue that Revolver or Abbey Road are actually better Beatle albums, but Sgt. Pepper, when it was released, and for decades thereafter, was seen and heard as the rock LP that finally broke through into highbrow culture, really the first time so-called pop music was treated seriously by the high art gatekeepers since the advent of rock & roll. Jazz had had a similar moment when Benny Goodman famously played Carnegie Hall in 1938.

            Sgt. Pepper’s cover, of course, is probably the most iconic in history with the mustachioed Beatles in their colorful band outfits surrounded by a collection of contemporary and past cultural giants, from Mae West to Fred Astaire, Edgar Allen Poe to Marilyn Monroe, Sonny Liston to wax-figure models of the Beatlemania-era Beatles. And the music? There’s a definite mishmash of styles, even genres- from the straight-ahead rockers like “Sgt. Pepper’s…” (intro and reprise) or “Getting Better”, to George’s Indian-style “Within You Without You” to Paul’s old English music hall piece, “When I’m Sixty-Four” to the lovely, haunting strings of “She’s Leaving Home.” Then there’s the closer, “A Day in the Life”, arguably their finest single creation. I still recall how momentous it sounded when first I heard it in ’67, beginning with that simple acoustic guitar strum, those pregnant piano chords, then John’s far-away voice and mysterious lyrics; and of course the powerful orchestra crescendos, with that final goes on forever chord. It’s still a powerful record. If it’s been awhile since you played it all the way through, give it another spin. It still brings chills.

            -Steve Williams (7/31/23) Greatest Recording Artists Blog Post #32

This is getting harder as this is the decade in which music became a dominant force in my life. First a few of the songs I considered, but chose not to include- Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” which set the tone for the dance-crazy early ’60s era of innocence; “The Sound of Silence”, Simon and Garfunkel’s mid ’60s social critique; the Doors’ blistering “Light My Fire”.  

         “I Want to Hold Your Hand” introduced us to the revolution that was the Beatles, and though many more classics from the Liverpool lads would follow, with its infectious, joyous rhythm and sparkling harmony, this was the one that hooked the nation.

         In the summer of ’65, “Like a Rolling Stone” came blasting through our radios. Who had ever heard a six-minute single, and one with that direct, accusatory tone, riding atop that swirling organ and jangling guitars? This Dylan song changed popular music and for years Rolling Stone Magazine acknowledged it as the greatest song of all-time.

         Also in 1965, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” with its instantly recognizable 8-note guitar riff and lyrical expression of all manner of frustration catapulted England’s the Rolling Stones into the stratosphere of recording giants and they’ve never really come down.

         In 2021 Rolling Stone Magazine redid their list of the 500 Greatest Songs and Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” had moved into the top spot. Her 1967 remake of an Otis Redding tune presents a strong, confident Aretha demanding from her man the respect she was due. Over the years the song has grown in stature, seen by many as an anthem for civil rights and women’s rights.

         In many ways the opposite of Aretha’s declaration, “Stand by Your Man”, by Tammy Wynette, is hated by feminists for what is seen as its submissive, the man can do no wrong, posture. There is no doubt, however, that Tammy’s stirring, wonderful recorded performance has touched many a nerve. It was voted the #1 country song of all-time by the CMT network and is included in the National Recording Registry. Interestingly, Wynette herself married five times, apparently choosing not to follow her own advice.

         -Steve Williams (7/27/23) Greatest Recording Artists Blog Post #31