60s Pop Rock And Soul
On The Acoustic
Welcome to this 60s pop rock and soul section where you'll find 15 great tunes for the acoustic from Lobo, The Animals and others. This is just one of several sections containing great 60s songs for the acoustic.
You'll find free demos, chord sheets, rhythm tips and more. If you require a full instructional video tutorial you can get one for a small fee. See prices in the right menu.
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60s Pop Rock And Soul
Chords, Lyrics, Demos, Tutorials
1. Hermans Hermits
Baby Baby Can't You Hear My Heartbeat was recorded by Hermans Hermits in 1965 and was a #2 hit for them on the Hot Billboard 100 charts.
In the UK, Silhouettes was the A-side and this song was the B-side.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = use a down up stop up down up stop up pattern with a few drum roll shuffles
- Picking = No
- Chords = A, D, E
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I'm Into Something Good was co-written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and was released in 1964.
The song reached #1 in the UK for Hermans Hermits and it was their debut single. A great way to break into the music business.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 4th fret
- Rhythm = down up down up down up down up with a few bass runs blended in
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = G, C, G7, D, A7
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There's A Kind Of Hush was released in 1967 and reached #4 in the US, #7 in the UK and #2 in Canada.
Hermans Hermits and The New Vaudville Band both released this song around the same time, but the Hermits version was more successful.
The Carpenters also covered the song in 1976. This is still one of the most popular Hermans Hermits songs on the radio.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root up down up root up down up - then you can use a rake pattern in places as you'll see and a a root down up down up shuffle
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = G, C, E7, Am, F, Dm, Fmaj7
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2. Lobo
Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend, depending on which chart you look at, from Lobo, was a #8 on Billboard but a #1 on the Easy Listening charts in 1972.
This album was a monster for Lobo is it produced four #1 hits for the Easy Listening charts. Try doing that today.
The song can be found on the album "Of A Simple Man".
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = use a down up down up with some arpeggio bass notes and some hammer-ons blended in
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = D, Em, A7sus, A7, G, A, A/Db, Bm, Bm/A, D/Gb
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I'd Love You To Want Me was Lobo's highest charting song globally reaching #1 in several countries. On it's initial release it failed to chart in the UK, but two years later the song was re-released and it peaked at #5.
Liza Minnelli covered the song as did several international artists.
The song is off of his 1972 album "Of A Simple Man" which was his 2nd album.
- Drop D Tuning = Yes
- Capo = 3rd fret
- Rhythm = down down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = G, Am, C, D
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3. The Animals
Boom Boom was a song by blues artist John Lee Hooker and was first released by him in 1961.
Later in 1965 The Animals released their version from their debut album which peaked at #43 in the US and #14 in Canada.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 3rd fret
- Rhythm = riff with some down strokes - and then use a down up down up as you move thru the song
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = D, F, G, A#, C, A
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Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood was recorded in a slower version by Nina Simone. A year later The Animals took it up a notch with a pop rock rendition.
They scored a #3 hit in the UK, a #15 in the US and a #4 in Canada. Santa Esmeralda also covered the song in 1977 and it appeared in the movie Kill Bill Vol I.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 2nd fret
- Rhythm = you'll use a shuffle pattern while playing a riff, some down strokes in the verse and a down up stop up pattern as you move thru the chorus
- Picking = just the main riff
- Chords = Am, Dm, G, F, E7, C
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4. The Beach Boys
Help Me Rhonda hails from the 1965 album "The Beach Boys Today".
This song had two versions but the second version was the single release and hit #1 in the US. Roy Orbison and Johnny Rivers both covered this one.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 1st = original key
- Rhythm: down up down up with a riff and picking blended in
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: C, Dm7, Am, F, D7, G
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Surfin USA was a re-write with the permission of Chuck Berry of his song Sweet Little 16. So if those two songs sound similar, now you know why. The track is from the 1963 album Surfin USA.
The re-written song managed to reach #3 on the US Billboard and Cash Box charts.
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down up down up down up and use a rock and roll riff
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, A, G
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5. The Byrds
I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better was written by Gene Clark, who was a founding member of this LA based band. It was recorded for their debut 1965 album "Mr Tambourine Man".
The song was a B-side to Bob Dylans All I Really Want To Do which reached #40 on Billboard with I'll Feel A Whole lot Better reaching #103.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 2nd fret
- Rhythm = arpeggio
- Picking = No
- Chords = C, G6, Am, Am/G, Am/Gb, Am/F, D/Gb
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Mr. Tambourine Man was written by Bob Dylan and has more lyrics to it then what The Byrds recorded in their version. Dylan released his version in Mach 1965 and The Byrds a month later, which went to #1 in both the US and UK and was the title of their debut album. This song actually introduced a new phrase in music called "Folk Rock".
As a side note, The Byrds band name was created in 1964 after Michael Clarke and Chris Hillman joined over Thanksgiving 1964. The full Mr Tambourine Man Byrds lesson is available at the link below.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root up down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes just the intro/outtro
- Chords = D, A, G
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Turn Turn Turn was written by Pete Seeger took most of these lyrics from the Bible and added only a few words to create this song ,which he first recorded in the late 1950's.
The Limeliters released a version in 1962 and called it "To Everything There Is A Season".
The Byrds released their version back in 1965 and scored a #1 hit in the US on the Billboard Hot 100.. This song holds the title of the oldest lyrics (10th century it is believed) to reach a #1 hit song and can be found the groups Turn Turn Turn album.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root down up root up down up and the use of a rake pattern using a root down up root up down up in the ch sections
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = D, G, D/Gb, A7, Em
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6. The Who
Behind Blue Eyes was released as a single from the "Who's Next" album in 1971.
The single release did peak at at #24 on the US Cashbox chart and #34 on Billboard.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = use arpeggio to get started and then combine it with some dow up down up strumming
- Picking = No
- Chords = Em, G, D, C, A, Bm, E, B
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Pinball Wizard was released in 1969 from their rock opera album "Tommy". As a single, the song reached #4 in the UK and #19 in the US. The single was sped up slightly from the album version. Pete Townsend said this song was one of his most clumsy pieces he's ever written.
Years later in 1976, Elton John covered the song and had a #7 hit in the UK and a #9 hit in the US.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = some arpeggio and quick shuffle strumming and then downstrokes
- Picking = No
- Chords = Am, Asus, A, Gsus, G, Fsus, F, Esus, E, C, D, A+, F, A+sus, C, Csus, A+, G+sus, G+, Ab, Absus
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Squeeze Box hails from the 1975 album "The Who By Numbers". The song has a bit of a country feel to it and became the groups only International hit, reaching #1 in Canada and peaking at #10 in the UK and #16 in the US.
Pete Townsend purchased and accordion and learned to play it a bit in an afternoon, from which spawned this pretty simple song. Townsend was surprised the song even got recorded and more surprised when the song charted and became a hit.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down down up and repeat or you could play all downstrokes
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = G, D, C
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