Best 60s Guitar Songs You Can Learn to Play Today

On this page, you’ll find easy-to-learn guitar songs from some of the decade’s most iconic artists — including Dion, Donovan, Gene Pitney, Norman Greenbaum, and Scott McKenzie.

Whether you're drawn to folk-rock, pop ballads, or the counterculture anthems of the late '60s, these songs capture the spirit of a transformative era in music.

Each lesson includes chords, strumming patterns, rhythm tips, and a video demo to help you play along. If you’re looking for the best 60s guitar songs to add to your setlist, this is a great place to start.

Blues Coming On appears on Dion’s 2020 album Blues With Friends, a collaborative project featuring legendary guitarists.

Although not released as a traditional charting single, it gained attention thanks to Joe Bonamassa’s fiery guitar work and heavy rotation on blues radio. The track blends Dion’s classic vocal phrasing with a modern blues-rock edge, proving his longevity decades after his 1960s hits.

While no official music video was produced, a popular studio-session video circulated online to promote the album. The album itself earned strong critical praise and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. Dion recorded the vocals in his home studio at age 80, calling the track “one of the most natural sessions of my life.

In The Still Of The Night was released as a single by Dion And The Belmonts back in 1960 and reached #38 in the US. This is a remake of an old Cole Porter song originally released in 1937. There is another song with the same name but a totally different song.

This version features Dion's distinctive vocals and the group's signature harmonies, and it has become a classic example of doo-wop music. The song's nostalgic lyrics and slow tempo are perfectly suited to the group's style, and their recording remains a beloved example of the doo-wop genre.

The song can be found on the album "Wish Upon A Star with Dion And The Belmonts. 

Ruby Baby is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and originally recorded by The Drifters in 1956. However, it was Dion who had a major hit with the song in 1963 when he recorded his own version, titled "Ruby Baby".

"Ruby Baby" became a top 5 hit for Dion, reaching #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and helped solidify his status as one of the top artists of the early 1960s.

Del Shannon, Bobby Darin and The Beach Boys are just a few artists who have covered this one.

Runaround Sue is one of Dion DiMucci's most famous and lasting hits. It was released in 1961 and became a #1 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as a top 20 hit in several other countries. Dion co-wrote this one and was a hit after he went solo from The Belmonts.

The song's catchy melody and upbeat tempo, coupled with Dion's distinctive voice and style, made it an instant classic. The lyrics tell the story of a woman named Sue who is known for being unfaithful and playing with men's hearts, earning her the nickname "runaround Sue".

The song can be found on the album of the same name.

The Wanderer was also a song released from the "Runaround Sue" album and written by long time friend Ernie Maresca. Dion used the same backup singers known as the Del-Satins for this track as he did with Runaround Sue. 

"The Wanderer" is another classic hit by Dion DiMucci. It was released in 1961 and became a top 5 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as a hit in several other countries.

"The Wanderer" has been covered by numerous artists over the years and has appeared in numerous movies and TV shows, cementing its place in pop culture history.

Catch The Wind was recorded in early 1965 and first released as a single by Donovan in the UK on 28 February 1965 (B-side: “Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do?”)  It later appeared on his debut album What's Bin Did and What's Bin Hid (retitled Catch the Wind in the U.S.).

The single reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 23 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

No official music video accompanied the 1965 release (music videos were rare in the mid-’60s). Over the years the song has been covered by many artists — from Johnny Rivers and Cher in the mid-1960s to Rickie Lee Jones in 2012 and Bonnie Tyler in 2021.The song was Donovan’s first single, he wrote “Catch the Wind” before ever meeting the woman who inspired it — a muse he later married.

Mellow Yellow was released by Donovan in 1966 as a single and later included on his album "Mellow Yellow". The song became a hit in both the United States and the United Kingdom, reaching number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number eight on the UK Singles Chart.

Rumour had it that Paul McCartney was the one whispering "Mellow Yellow" but this turned out not to be true. The whispering was done by Donovan himself. 

Season Of The Witch, recorded in 1966, first appeared on Donovan’s album Sunshine Superman and was later released as a single in several markets. Though it didn’t become a major chart hit, the song found cult status through its eerie, psychedelic groove.

Over the years it has been covered by dozens of artists — including Al Kooper & Stephen Stills (1968), Vanilla Fudge (1968), and Luna (1996). No official music video accompanied the original release, but the track became a staple in films such as Donnie Darko and Once Upon a Time in America, helping renew its popularity.

Many fans mistakenly assume Jimmy Page played guitar on the track, but Donovan confirmed he did not — the session guitarist was actually Bobby Ray.

Sunny Goodge Street hails from Donovan's 1965 album "Fairytale". The song is named after a street in the Soho district of London, known for its bohemian and counterculture scene during the 1960s.

While "Sunny Goodge Street" was not released as a single, it remains a popular and influential song from the 1960s, and has been covered by several artists over the years.

The song is often seen as a tribute to the bohemian lifestyle of the time, and a reflection of the social and cultural changes that were taking place during the 1960s.

Guitarist Shawn Phillips played on this album with Donovan. Judy Collins and Vince Guaraldi both covered this song in the late 1960's.

Sunshine Superman was released in 1966 as a single and later included on his album of the same name. The song is considered one of Donovan's signature songs and is often cited as an early example of psychedelic rock.

The song was a commercial success, reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number two on the UK Singles Chart. Rockers from Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones played on this track.

This Guys In Love With You ... info soon.

If I Only Had Time is a beautifully orchestrated ballad made famous by John Rowles, a singer from New Zealand, and released in 1968.

The song appeared on his debut album If I Only Had Time, which helped launch his international career. It was originally a French tune titled “Je n’aurai pas le temps”, composed by Michel Fugain, with English lyrics later penned by Jack Fishman. Rowles’ passionate vocal delivery combined with lush string arrangements turned the track into a standout hit.

It reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart and also charted in several other countries, becoming his signature song. The heartfelt lyrics express the desire to fully experience love and life, but lament the lack of time to do it all — a universal theme that resonated with audiences then and continues to evoke emotion today.

Do What You Gotta Do is a bold, emotionally driven track released in 1968, showcasing the New Zealand band's distinctive blend of pop, rock, and soul influences.

The song was released as a single and is among the last recordings the band produced before the departure of lead vocalist Larry Morris, who left the group to pursue a solo career. While it didn’t chart internationally, it was a hit in New Zealand and remains a cult favorite among fans of 1960s garage and psychedelic rock.

The track itself is a cover of a song written by Jimmy Webb, originally made famous by Johnny Rivers and later performed by artists like Nina Simone and Roberta Flack. Larry’s Rebels put their own spin on the piece, delivering it with powerful vocals, dramatic instrumentation, and an emotional urgency that reflected the band's maturation at the time. 

Spirit In The Sky came out in late 1969 and appeared on Norman Greenbaum’s album of the same name. Released as a single in early 1970, it became a massive hit, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping charts in the UK, Australia, and several European countries.

The fuzz-guitar riff and gospel-style backing vocals helped define Greenbaum’s sound, even though he was not religious — he later said he wrote it after watching several Westerns in a row.

The song has been covered widely, including memorable versions by Doctor and the Medics (1986) and Gareth Gates & The Kumars (2003), both of which went to No. 1 in the UK. It remains one of the most licensed songs in movie history.

San Francisco was released as a single in May 1967 and later included on Scott McKenzie’s album The Voice of Scott McKenzie. Written by John Phillips of The Mamas & The Papas, the song became an anthem of the Summer of Love, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and hitting No. 1 in the UK and much of Europe.

A promotional film clip (a precursor to modern music videos) was produced showing McKenzie performing in flower-power settings. The song has been covered by artists ranging from The Ventures (1967) to Babyface (1996).

Surprisingly, McKenzie almost didn’t record it — Phillips originally wrote the track to promote the Monterey Pop Festival, and McKenzie was chosen mainly because he had the “right gentle voice” for the message.