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Written as a follow-up to "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"

The Rolling Stones emerged from London's blues and R&B scene in 1962. Their early singles drew on American performers such as Chuck Berry before Mick Jagger and Keith Richards developed the band's original...

Roger McGuinn's interest in physics and metaphysics

Wilson Pickett brought a gospel-trained, forceful voice into 1960s soul. After singing in the Violinaires and the Falcons in Detroit, he developed an Atlantic solo career through sessions at Stax in Memphis and at...

Written by Rudy Martinez (Question Mark) about a failed relationship

Written by Toni Wine and Carole Bayer Sager, inspired by a Muzak version of the Rondo movement of Sonatina in G major by Clementi

Ray Davies' satirical take on the British upper class

A declaration of honesty in a relationship

The determination to win someone's love

Written by Norman Whitfield and Eddie Holland about pleading for love

Theme song for the film "Alfie," questioning the meaning of life

David Houston performed on the Louisiana Hayride during the 1950s and had already made a series of records, mainly for RCA, by 1959. His later work for Epic established a substantial country repertoire, including...

The Association developed from the Los Angeles folk scene into an ensemble whose members combined instrumental playing with elaborate vocal harmony. Early members included Terry Kirkman, Jules Alexander and Jim...

Carla Thomas grew up around Memphis's Beale Street entertainment world and sang with WDIA's Teen Town Singers. Early recordings with her father Rufus helped establish the label that became Stax. Her own repertoire...

Harpo's blend of blues and R&B styles

The behind-the-scenes life of a performer

Written by Sonny Bono, inspired by spaghetti westerns

A cover of a 1961 song by The Regents

A New Orleans dance craze

The idea that true beauty comes from within

The pain of lost love and depression

The sorrow and isolation of heartbreak

A controversial take on gender roles in the 1960s

Theme song for the film "Born Free" about Elsa the Lioness

Roger Williams was the American pianist born Louis Weertz, whose records joined popular melodies with jazz and classical piano training. Dave Kapp signed him and introduced the recording name Roger Williams. His...

The Hollies grew from Allan Clarke and Graham Nash's musical partnership in Manchester. Their early beat-group recordings combined harmonies with guitar-led arrangements, moving from R&B covers into original songs....

John and Michelle Phillips' longing for California while in New York during winter

Written by Terry Kirkman about unrequited love

Diamond's early experiences as a songwriter in New York

A confident declaration of romantic interest

A dance craze popular in Detroit at the time

Written by Buck Owens about the pain of a breakup

Written by Ray Davies of The Kinks about a womanizer

John Sebastian's lazy summer day in New York City

A medley of two classic R&B songs

The dilemma of choosing between multiple romantic interests

Producer Ed Cobb's unpleasant experiences in Boston

Written by Smokey Robinson about a tough guy named Bill

The gentle parting of ways in a relationship

Primarily written by Paul McCartney, the song centers on loneliness and overlooked lives rather than a conventional romance. George Martin's arrangement uses a double string quartet. These documented subject and...

Lind's poetic musings on the nature of love and hope

The idea that humor can mask inner pain

The Vogues developed from a group of school friends in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania: Bill Burkette, Don Miller, Hugh Geyer and Chuck Blasko. Originally called the Val-Aires, they recorded for Co & Ce before moving to...

The anticipation of the weekend for working-class people

Written quickly by Steve Winwood, his brother Muff, and Spencer Davis

A cover of Them's garage rock classic

A cover of an R&B song by The Olympics

Brian Wilson's fascination with vibrations and his desire to create a "pocket symphony"

Gary Lewis & the Playboys developed an audience through performances at Disneyland, with Lewis initially working behind the drums. Producer Snuff Garrett brought the group into recording, working with arranger Leon...

A Cuban patriotic song based on a poem by José Martí

A cover of a 1963 song by The Raindrops

Paul Simon's homesickness while touring in England

A fictional character named Hazel

Written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil about desire and ambition

The challenges and communication issues in marriage

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, and first recorded together as Tom & Jerry. Their Columbia partnership developed around Simon's songwriting and their closely arranged voices, with...

Originally written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets

An affair between Denny Doherty and Michelle Phillips

The desire for independence and self-expression

Dylan's complex feelings about desire and relationships

Written by Neil Diamond, inspired by his own experiences with love and belief

A cover of Hank Williams' 1949 country classic

Written by Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham about being manipulated in a relationship

Bobby Darin developed in New York as a songwriter and singer before his recordings moved between rock and roll, swing and folk-oriented material. Splish Splash and Dream Lover established his early pop repertoire....

Adapted from a traditional prison work song

The universal experience of jealousy in relationships

Written as an anti-drug song by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil

The legend of Lady Godiva's naked ride through Coventry

A cover of Chris Kenner's song about popular dances

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, loosely inspired by The Beatles' "Paperback Writer"

A playful take on the classic fairy tale

Written by Christie and Twyla Herbert about the temptations of infidelity

The frustration of unrequited love

The idea that every person has a story behind their facade

Lou Rawls's singing developed through Chicago gospel groups before moving into jazz, blues, soul and popular song. His early Capitol album Stormy Monday paired him with the Les McCann Trio, and later work included...

The universal power of love

A romantic ballad about devotion

Rumored to be about smoking banana peels, but Donovan claimed it was about being cool

A cover of Dean Martin's 1955 hit about cherished memories

Originally recorded as "Message to Martha" by Jerry Butler

John Phillips wrote it quickly one Sunday night, despite initially doubting its potential

Petula Clark began as a child radio and concert performer during the Second World War, then worked in British films and television. Her recording career expanded across English, French, German and Italian songs. The...

The Supremes developed from the Primettes and signed with Motown in 1961. The trio of Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard became closely associated with songs written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland,...

The American T-Bones began as an instrumental studio project using Los Angeles session musicians. Producers Dave Pell and Joe Saraceno developed the recorded catalog before a performing band was assembled. No Matter...

John Lennon's feelings of isolation and identity crisis

The Shades of Blue developed from the Domingos, a vocal group formed by school friends in Livonia, near Detroit. Influenced by local R&B and Motown records, they performed at dances and talent shows before working...

A plea for emotional vulnerability in love

A cover of a Bobby Day song about persistent love

Influenced by Indian music and the sitar, which was played by Brian Jones

Paul McCartney's aunt asking him to write a song that wasn't about love

The allure of charismatic leaders, referencing the Pied Piper of Hamelin

A humorous look at life in a small, rural town

Poor Side of Town marked Johnny Rivers' move toward an orchestrated ballad sound. Rivers recalled recording his vocal with Larry Knechtel, Joe Osborn and Hal Blaine before Marty Paich's strings were added. The song...

The band's attempt to describe a bad LSD trip

Dylan's playful wordplay and Biblical references

The museum highlights the song as a statement of support and solidarity, delivered through Levi Stubbs' powerful lead. That is an interpretation of the song's message, not a claim about a private relationship.

Co-written by Paul Simon about moving on after a breakup

A dramatic story of teenage love and consequences

Phil Spector's desire to create the ultimate pop record

Secret Agent Man developed from the theme used for the American presentation of the television series Danger Man. Johnny Rivers recalled that P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri first supplied a shorter theme. Additional...

A remake of a 1959 song about summer romance

The band's experimentation with psychedelic rock

Written by Gary Lewis and Leon Russell about an ideal girlfriend

A traditional West Indies folk song, arranged by Brian Wilson

The Peanuts comic strip character Snoopy's fantasy battles

A cover of The Shirelles' 1962 hit

Diamond's reflections on his early experiences with love and independence

Written by Paul Simon during his time in England

A cover of the song from "West Side Story" about hope for a better future

The Ray Conniff Singers was the vocal ensemble associated with arranger and conductor Ray Conniff. His Columbia arrangements often blended voices with instrumental sections; the chorus also developed a separately...

Written as a follow-up to "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"

Title song for Presley's movie of the same name

Originally composed as an instrumental theme for the film "A Man Could Get Killed"

The experiences of city life during hot summer days and nights

Written as a response to the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the death of Hebb's brother

Ray Davies' commentary on the high tax rates in Britain

Donovan's feelings for Linda Lawrence, who later became his wife

A cover of Don Gibson's country song about lost love

Tommy Roe combined singing with songwriting, writing much of the repertoire that established his early recording career. Songs such as Sheila, Dizzy, Everybody and Sweet Pea reached audiences during the 1960s, when...

The experience of being charmed by a smooth-talking man

The importance of honesty in relationships

Sadler's experiences as a Green Beret medic in Vietnam

A cover of a 1945 song about growing attraction

The desire to escape from daily routines

The allure of charismatic leaders, referencing the Pied Piper of Hamelin

Paul Simon's reflection on the lack of communication between people

Originally recorded by Frankie Valli, about heartbreak and loneliness

Written by Lee Hazlewood, inspired by a conversation with a friend about his cheating wife

Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland about enduring love

The fleeting nature of time and opportunities

The frustration of waiting for someone to return your love

An affirmation of sincere love

Motown identifies this as the 1965 hit that helped establish Wonder beyond his child-performer image and as a growing songwriter.

Michael Brown's unrequited love for Renée Fladen

A soulful expression of deep, comforting love

Paul McCartney's relationship struggles with Jane Asher

The dilemma of staying in an unsatisfying relationship

The universal experience of heartbreak and lost love

Sledge's personal experience with heartbreak and love

Written by Chip Taylor, originally recorded by The Wild Ones in 1965

A nostalgic tribute to 1920s British dance bands

Peter and Gordon was the British folk-pop duo of Peter Asher and Gordon Waller. The two met at Westminster School and began performing together before finding international success during the 1960s. Their repertoire...

The hard life of coal miners, written by Allen Toussaint

The Beach Boys formed in Hawthorne, California in 1961 around brothers Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine. They signed with Capitol and released Surfin' Safari in 1962. The...

Ringo Starr sings the lead on this Lennon-McCartney recording. It appeared on Revolver in 1966 and shared a single with Eleanor Rigby before becoming the title song of the 1968 animated film. The official song notes...

Written by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri about young love

Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, based on a gospel song "You Can't Hurry God"

English lyrics were added to an Italian song "Io che non vivo (senza te)"

Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, about a persistent ex-lover

Theme from the 1964 film "Zorba the Greek"