Author: Bryan Tunick (5 Articles)

Now now, I was born in 1987. I don’t claim to know what it was like to live through the sixties, or anything like that. For anyone who finds it necessary to hop onto the discussion and fight me on this, citing however much music I’ve ignored, feel free, but please read the fine print first. I may not have lived through the sixties, but I’ve seen a lot of movies on the subject, and, I assure you, these are some songs that define that generation (for people who didn’t live through it):

5.  “Magic Carpet Ride” – Steppenwolf

In the eyes of those who didn’t live through the 60’s, like myself, there’s no getting around acid rock and drugs. Well, acid rock and drugs sent a representative to this list and that representative is “Magic Carpet Ride”. This song brings up images of people in circular, red lensed glasses, girls waving peace signs past their eyes, and slow moving disco balls. I never had the pleasure of attending a trippy party where this song played, but I do know a few guys who wish the pickup line “close your eyes girl, look inside girl, let the sound take you away,” still worked.

4.  “For What It’s Worth” – Buffalo Springfield

Okay, according to The Wonder Years, we had our neighbors coming home in boxes, angry teenagers who didn’t know whether to run or fight, school walkouts, and hippie older sisters who got married and moved to Alaska. What song comes to mind when all of these images present themselves? For me, and probably a lot of pop culture junkies my age, it’s “For What It’s Worth”.  People were getting involved, educated or uneducated about the issues. People were singing songs and carrying signs and, for what it’s worth, I can’t imagine this list without this song.

3.  “Wouldn’t It Be Nice?” – The Beach Boys

What is this list without some California beach music? Nothing! Plus, I know if I leave it out, someone will ream me out in the comments. I’m trying to cover all my bases here. The melodious sounds of the Beach Boys play in our heads when we hit the sand today, but when we think of the west coast, that “happening” place of the sixth decade of the 1900’s, they aren’t optional. I covered the drug infested party above, it’s time to cover the constant party of California here. Three words: sand, ocean, harmony.

2.  “Fortunate Son” – Creedence Clearwater Revival

Alright, here’s a confession: If I’m in traffic and there’s a helicopter overhead, the twangy lead guitar of this song comes to mind (hence the picture of helicopters rather than John Fogerty). I could drudge up a lot of imagery of commandos walking with rifles and VC popping out of underground tunnels, but I’ll spare you. Let me break it down, this song defines a generation and the war that defined that generation (for those who didn’t live through it).

1.  “Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There is a Season)” - The Byrds

I’ve tried my best to limit myself to one song from the Forrest Gump soundtrack, but who am I kidding. If you lived through this generation, please note: this is the song we hear in our heads when we imagine our parents smoking pot and doing all of the things they’ve tried to raise us not to do. Whenever I hear a story about the 60’s, or read a book from the era, or stumble upon some old clip of LBJ talking about Viet Nam on the History Channel, those clean electric three-strums at the beginning come to mind. I immediately think of pictures of daisies in the barrels of machine guns when it plays on the radio. I have no idea how popular it was back then, but let me tell you: it defines the generation (for those who didn’t live through it).

Okay, so I tried to not use a lot of songs from the Forrest Gump soundtrack, but I ended up with 60% (I checked). I’m starting to think that warrants another list…