Best Psychedelic 60s Bands
Guitar Songs You Can Learn

This page showcases nine influential bands who helped shape the era’s trippy, soul-searching soundscapes—blending garage rock, folk, pop, and experimentation into a musical movement that defined a generation.

From the harmonies of Buffalo Springfield to the raw power of Deep Purple and the electric passion of Jefferson Airplane, you’ll find the chords, rhythm, and strumming patterns to bring these songs to life.

Whether you're revisiting these classics or discovering them for the first time, each lesson is designed for acoustic players looking to dive deep into the spirit of the 1960s.

For What It's Worth was recorded Buffalo Springfield and written by the group's guitarist and vocalist Stephen Stills. The song was released in January 1967 as a single and later included on their self-titled debut album.

The recording features Stills on lead vocals and guitar, with fellow band members Neil Young on guitar and Richie Furay on backing vocals. The song is notable for its distinctive guitar riff and the use of tremolo and reverb effects.

The song was not initially a commercial success, only reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but it has since become one of the most enduring and iconic songs of the 1960s.

Kind Woman from Buffalo Springfield, was written by the group's bassist and vocalist Richie Furay. The song was included on their third and final album, "Last Time Around," which was released in 1968.

The recording features Furay on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, with Stills on lead guitar, Neil Young on piano, and Jim Messina on bass. The song's arrangement is notable for its use of harmonies and counterpoint, particularly in the instrumental break.

"Kind Woman" was not released as a single and did not receive significant airplay, but it has since become a fan favorite and has been covered by several artists.

Mr. Soul is a song by Buffalo Springfield, written by the group's guitarist and vocalist Neil Young. The song was included on their second album, "Buffalo Springfield Again," which was released in 1967.

The recording features Young on lead vocals and guitar, with Stephen Stills on backing vocals and lead guitar, and Richie Furay on rhythm guitar. The song's arrangement is notable for its use of distortion and feedback, which was relatively uncommon in mainstream rock music at the time.

"Mr. Soul" was released as a single in the United States and Canada, but did not chart. However, the song has since become a classic of the psychedelic rock era and has been covered by several artists.

On the Way Home was written by the group's guitarist and vocalist Neil Young. The song was included on their third and final album, "Last Time Around," which was released in 1968.

The recording features Young on lead vocals and guitar, with Richie Furay on backing vocals and rhythm guitar, Stephen Stills on backing vocals and bass guitar, and Jim Messina on lead guitar.

"On the Way Home" was not released as a single and did not receive significant airplay, but it has since become a fan favorite and has been covered by several artists. The song is considered one of the highlights of "Last Time Around," which marked the end of Buffalo Springfield's brief but influential career.

Rock and Roll Woman is a song by Buffalo Springfield, written by the group's bassist and vocalist Bruce Palmer. The song was included on their second album, "Buffalo Springfield Again," which was released in 1967.

"Rock and Roll Woman" was released as a single in the United States, but did not chart. However, the song has since become a classic of the rock genre and has been covered by several artists. The song's upbeat energy and catchy melody have made it a favorite of many Buffalo Springfield fans.

Hush was written by Joe South and first recorded by Billy Joe Royal in 1967. Deep Purple covered the song a year later and had a #5 hit with their version.

The song can be found on their "Shades Of Deep Purple" album from 1968.

Somebody To Love was first recorded by a San Francisco group called The Great Society in 1965 but never had much impact. The writer, Darby Slick, has a sister-in-law in that group known as Grace Slick.

When these cats disbanded only after one year, Grace took this song with her to Jefferson Airplane. The song went on to reach #1 in Canada and #5 in the US and has become a 60s classic.

Black Is Black was released in 1966 by the Spanish group Los Bravos. They were the first Spanish rock band to have an International single with a #1 in Canada, #2 in the UK and a #4 in the USA.

The song is from the album of the same name.

Indian Reservation was released by Paul Revere And The Raiders as a single back in 1971. It was a huge #1 selling several million copies. It was their biggest hit song and hails from the album Indian Reservation.

The song was first recorded in 1959 that never charted and then again in 1968 by Don Fardon who has a top 20 hit in the US and a #3 in the UK.

Kicks by Paul Revere & The Raiders was included on their studio album titled "Midnight Ride." Released in 1966, "Midnight Ride" was the band's fifth studio album. It featured a collection of songs, including their hit single "Kicks."

"Midnight Ride" further solidified Paul Revere & The Raiders' popularity and showcased their energetic rock sound. The album received positive reviews and reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200 chart, becoming one of their most successful studio releases.

Don't Talk to Strangers is a notable song by The Beau Brummels, featured on their album "The Beau Brummels, Volume 2," released in 1965. The song, like many of their works, captures the essence of folk-rock and pop that defined the band.

In terms of chart success, "Don't Talk to Strangers" didn't chart as highly as some of their other hits. Nevertheless, it resonated with fans and showcased The Beau Brummels' ability to craft melodic, harmonious tunes.

Laugh Laugh is one of the standout tracks by The Beau Brummels, featured on their 1965 debut album, "Introducing... The Beau Brummels." This song played a pivotal role in launching the band's career and capturing the essence of the mid-60s pop and folk-rock sound.

"Laugh, Laugh" was a massive success for the band, reaching No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

A notable piece of trivia about the song is that it was the first hit single for The Beau Brummels. It helped pave the way for their future success and established them as one of the prominent bands of the mid-60s.

Turn Around is a significant song by The Beau Brummels, featured on their 1968 album, "Bradley's Barn." This track represented a departure from their earlier folk-rock sound, reflecting the evolving musical landscape of the late 60s.

"Turn Around" didn't chart as highly as some of their earlier hits, but it showcased the band's willingness to experiment with new styles.

An interesting piece of trivia about the song is that it was written by Ron Elliott, one of the band's core members.Some Nashville musicians performed on this track including Jerry Reed. The Everly Brothers also covered the song in 1968.

Time Won't Let Me is from 1966 by The Outsiders, a band based out of Cleveland Ohio.

They managed a #5 hit in the USA and Canada. This song is from the album of the same name.

The Wine Song was never released as a single by the group.

It can be found on their 1967 album "Earth Music".

Good Lovin was a single release by The Young Rascals in 1966. The song had been recorded twice before the Rascals did their version. 

The song hit #1 in the US in the spring of 1966 and can be found on their album "The Young Rascals".