1966: The Year In Music

1966 – Large-scale anti-Vietnam protests take place across the United States. Ronald Reagan is elected Governor of California. The Jimi Hendrix Experience play their first sets. Soviet Luna 9 makes the first soft landing on the moon. And some amazing songs were released!

I’ll be looking at the popular and highest-rated songs of the year, giving my opinions on their musicality and longevity as well as an overall verdict for the year as a whole.

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Billboard Top 10 (Popular) Singles

Source: Wikipedia

10 – The Ballad of the Green Berets (Sgt. Barry Sadler)

… Alright, 1966 is off to a weird start.

I appreciate the novelty of “The Ballad of the Green Berets”, but it’s not exactly the most scintillating song.

9 – Kicks (Paul Revere & the Raiders)

“Kicks” has a good central riff and some great key changes, so I’m not opposed to it.

8 – Strangers in the Night (Frank Sinatra)

I’m surprised we haven’t heard Ol’ Frankie Blue-Eyes on one of these lists yet!

His voice is as smooth as butter, and I always love the complex instrumentation on every Sinatra song.

7 – Cherish (The Association)

“Cherish” isn’t lauded as a 60’s classic, and I think that’s one of music’s biggest travesties.

The harmonies are gorgeous, the song structure keeps you on your toes, and that ending is mesmeric. A masterpiece from front to back.

6 – These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ (Nancy Sinatra)

I really like that opening guitar walk-down, and Nancy Sinatra brings a brilliant attitude to “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” that carries an otherwise standard song.

5 – Reach Out I’ll Be There (Four Tops)

The instrumentation is already intriguing straight out the gate, and the vocals on “Reach Out I’ll Be There” are some of the most powerful of the year.

4 – Last Train to Clarksville (The Monkees)

Another song with a catchy opening guitar riff. I think bands in the 60’s were starting to crack the code!

I love the bounciness of “Last Train to Clarksville”, and though it might not be the most famous Monkees song it’s still one of their best.

3 – What Becomes of the Brokenhearted (Jimmy Ruffin)

Jimmy Ruffin provided us with one of the greatest Motown exhibitions in “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted”.

The vocals are fantastic, and that key change leading to the chorus is euphoric.

2 – 96 Tears (? and the Mysterians)

Unlike the other guitar-centered openings of the other 1966 songs, “96 Tears” opens with a really fascinating electric organ sound that makes the song what it is.

The rest of the track is pretty good, but it’s that organ that steals the show.

1 – California Dreamin’ (The Mamas & The Papas)

What’s there left to be said about “California Dreamin'”?

It’s The Mamas & The Papas’ most famous song for good reason – the vocal harmonies are brilliant, the lyrics are immersive, and the chorus is one of the catchiest of the decade.

FAVOURITE – “Cherish” (The Association)

LEAST FAVOURITE – “The Ballad of the Green Berets” (Sgt. Barry Sadler)

I know it’s controversial to pick “Cherish” over “California Dreamin'”, but that’s just how I feel as I’m writing this list. I promise it was close!

Top-Rated Songs

Source: http://www.besteveralbums.com

10 – Visions Of Johanna (Bob Dylan)

That opening harmonica solo is full of Bluesy soul, and I love how layered Dylan’s songs are starting to become.

9 – I Want You (Bob Dylan)

“I Want You” is my favourite Dylan song of 1966. The chorus is catchy, and I really like the frantic piano and central guitar riff.

8 – Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again (Bob Dylan)

Dylan’s threatening to hijack the highest-rated songs list again … but this time, his run of tracks ends here.

I wouldn’t say “Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again” is the best of these three Dylan tracks, but it’s got a fun energy that I can get behind.

7 – I’m Only Sleeping (The Beatles)

I’ve always considered “I’m Only Sleeping” to be the most underrated song on “Revolver”, so I’m glad the voters on besteveralbums.com have given it some love.

Lennon’s ethereal vocals transport you to another realm, McCartney’s bass is underrated as hell, the song structure is inventive, and those reversed instrumentals are unlike anything from the era.

6 – California Dreamin’ (The Mamas & The Papas)

“California Dreamin'” is 1966’s critical and commercial darling. Not only is it catchy as hell, but the songwriting and storytelling are amazing.

5 – The Sound Of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel)

This is one of those weird cases where the single was released in 1964 but the album wasn’t released until 1966, so “The Sound Of Silence” has ended up making both years’ lists.

It’s disqualified from the “Best Song” award, for obvious reasons, but it’s worth repeating how incredible a listening experience this song is.

4 – Tomorrow Never Knows (The Beatles)

“Revolver” was already a ground-breaking album after its first thirteen tracks, but I don’t think the world was ready for what The Beatles cooked up in the closer.

“Tomorrow Never Knows” is musical experimentation at its very best, with an ethereal, other-worldly, psychedelic atmosphere that still feels exciting on the hundredth listen.

3 – Wouldn’t It Be Nice (The Beach Boys)

The Beach Boys were really starting to come into their own in 1966, and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” is one of their best hits.

It’s bubbly and joyous, with some of the most intelligent harmonies and uses of chords of the year.

2 – Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles)

The string arrangement of “Eleanor Rigby” instantly makes it iconic, but it’s McCartney’s sombre lyrics and vocals that take it up a level.

“All the lonely people, where do they all come from? All the lonely people, where do they all belong?” is one of those lyrical hooks that would define any other artist, but for The Beatles it’s just another day at the office.

1 – God Only Knows (The Beach Boys)

“God Only Knows” contains some of my favourite lyrics ever, and the production is easily one of the best of the decade.

What makes this song such a classic, though, is the final minute – the soft, overlapping vocals are heavenly, and I always feel like I’ve been transported to another plane of existence.

BEST SONG OF 1966 – “God Only Knows” (The Beach Boys)

Top-Rated Albums

Source: http://www.besteveralbums.com

5 – Wild Is The Wind (Nina Simone)

Nina Simone’s vocals always leave me stunned, and “Wild Is The Wind” contains some of her best work. The title track, “Lilac Wine” and “Black Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair” have some breath-taking singing and piano work.

4 – Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo [The Good, The Bad & The Ugly] (Ennio Morricone)

I do love it when a movie soundtrack breaks through on one of these lists!

“The Good, The Bad & The Ugly” is well-renowned as one of the best soundtracks of all time, and Morricone smashed the atmosphere and tone out of the park.

3 – Blonde On Blonde (Bob Dylan)

Whenever there’s discourse online about the “best Bob Dylan album”, I always see “Blonde On Blonde” near the top of people’s lists.

While it may not contain Dylan’s most famous work, the level of consistency across the board is staggering.

2 – Pet Sounds (The Beach Boys)

“Pet Sounds” was one of the most influential albums of all time – even The Beatles credit its inventiveness for inspiring some of their later works.

Songs like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, “God Only Knows” and “Sloop John B” are incredible listening experiences, but it’s the experimentation on other tracks that turned this album into The Beach Boys’ magnum opus.

1 – Revolver (The Beatles)

After “Rubber Soul” you’d think there’d be no earthly music left for The Beatles to write, and there wasn’t. They had to pull sounds from another planet to make “Revolver”.

The album bounces around from psychadelic masterpiece to baroque masterpiece to experimental masterpiece, and the entire listening experience is one that’ll stick with you until your dying breath.

BEST ALBUM OF 1966 – “Revolver” (The Beatles)

Final Thoughts

These were some of the best albums and songs yet! While I wasn’t always wowed, the highs of 1966 were absolutely outstanding.

Overall Grade: B+

Aaaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below: