Tutorials $3.25ea (fingerpicking $5) or any 10 for $10 (use "Any10410" at checkout)
Best Deal - Any 50 for $25 Details here.
Paid request to learn your fav song $25 (comes with any 8 freebies - so 9 for $25)
*NEW* - Zoom Calls With Kirby @ $25/hr - Contact Me for a session
- Home
- +30 More Songs
Play Music From The 60s
On The Acoustic
Welcome to this play music from the 60s section. 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.
Jimi Hendrix - Joe South
Neil Sedaka - Peter Paul & Mary
Peter & Gordon - Ralph McTell
The Chad Mitchell Trio - The Youngbloods
The Young Rascals - The Zombies
Tom Paxton - Woody Guthrie
We Five - Zagar & Evans
Jump menu to quickly access the artists on this page.
Play Music From The 60s
Chords, Lyrics, Demos, Tutorials
1. A World Without Love - Peter & Gordon
A World Without Love was the very first single ever released by the British duo Peter And Gordon way back in 1964. Paul McCartney actually wrote this song.
The song was a #1 in the UK and the US.
McCartney was dating Peter's sister at the time and moved in with her when he was 16. Paul didn't think the song was good enough for his new band The Beatles so he gave the song to Peter Asher who had just landed a recording contract with his duo partner Gordon Waller.
The song is found on their album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up down down up and repeat
- Picking: some riffs within the rhythm
- Chords: E, G#, Dbm, Am, Gbm, B7, C
Jump To Top
2. Angel - Jimi Hendrix
Angel was first recorded back in 1967 but was not released to the public at that time. Hendrix wrote the song and had planned on putting it on his 4th album "The Cry Of Love".
The song did end up on the album in 1971 just after his death in Sept of 1970. The song was released as a single A side in the UK where it reached #59.
He mentioned in an interview that the song was about his mom he had in a dream as a child.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking = No just a few riffs
- Chords = E, Bmaj7 sus4 (9)/G, Asus2, Bsus4, Gb, Db, Abm, B, D, Bsus, C, A, D#
Jump To Top
3. Ballad Of The Greenland Whalers
The Ballad Of The Greenland Whalers was never released as a single.
The song can be found on "The Chad Mitchell Trio Collection" album.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, D, C, Am
4. Baltimore To Washington - Woody Guthrie
Baltimore To Washington was never released as a single.
It can be found on The Asch Recordings which covers a series of numbers recorded by Woody Guthrie between 1944 and 1949.
Jump To Top
5. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do - Neil Sedaka
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do is a song from 1962 and again in 1975 with the former original release being his most successful reaching #1 on the pop charts.
Lenny Welch had success with a much slower arrangement of the song in 1970 and then Sedaka did a similar version in 1976 and hit #1 on the Easy Listening chart. The Partridge Family had a #3 hit in Australia and the UK with1972 release.
The song is found on his "Neil Sedaka Sings His Greatest Hits" album.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down down up down down up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = G, Em, C, D, D7, B7, A7, Gm, Fmaj7, Fm, A#, D#
Jump To Top Of Play Music From The 60s
6. Calendar Girl - Neil Sedaka
Calendar Girl was co-written by Sedaka and Howard Greenfield who wrote the lyrics and Sedaka wrote the music.
The song was released in Dec of 1960 and was a #1 in Canada and Japan and a #3 in Australia and a #4 in the US. It took 26 takes over a three hr period to get the final product.
The song did not appear on any album in 1961 but did appear on the "Oh Carol" album from 1970.
- Drop D Tuning = Yes
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down up down up with some walking bass blended into the rhythm
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = D, Bm, G, A7, Ddim, B7
Jump To Top
7. Don't It Make You Wanna Go Home - Joe South
Don't It Make You Want To Go Home made it onto three separate charts when it was released back in 1969 including Pop, Country and Adult Contemporary.
Joe South recorded this with his brother Tommy and sister-in-law Barbara as backup musicians know as The Believers. The song was a top 30 in the US and a top 15 in Canada and Australia.
Brook Benton, Bobby Bare and Glen Campbell are just a few artist who have covered the song through the years. The song can be found on the album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root up down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = G, Am, D7, C
Jump To Top
8. From Clare To Here - Ralph McTell
From Clare To Here was written by Ralph McTell in the 1970's and appeared on his 1976 album "Right Side Up".
Working with an Irishman in London in the mid 60s, he responded to a question from McTell by saying "yes it's a long way from Clare to here".
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = Fmaj7, Am, D, F, C, Em
Jump To Top
9. Games People Play - Joe South
Games People Play was a huge hit for Joe South in 1968, picking up two Grammy Awards. The song was a top in the UK and a #12 in the US. It reached #1 in South Africa.
The song hails from Joe's debut album "Introspect".
- Drop D Tuning = Yes
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down down up down up down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = G, D, C
Jump To Top
10. Good Lovin - The Young Rascals
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".
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down up down up down up
- Picking: a little and a few riffs
- Chords: D, G, A, E
Jump To Top
11. Happy Birthday Sweet 16 - Neil Sedaka
Happy Birthday Sweet 16 was released while Neil Sedaka and Carole King were good friends and went to high school together and in 1961..
It was pretty close to two songs King had penned which were Take Good Care Of My Baby by Bobby Vee and One Fine Day by The Chiffons. The song reached #6 in the US and #3 in the UK.
The song is found on the "Neil Sedaka Sings His Greatest Hits" album.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = G, Em, Am, D7, B7, G7, Edim, E7, C, E7
Jump To Top Of Play Music From The 60s
12. I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound - Tom Paxton
I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound was a single from 1964 released off of Paxton's "Ramblin Boy" album.
Many consider this his debut album because it was with a major label (Elektra Records).
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 2nd fret
- Rhythm = root down root up down up and repeat
- Picking = No but a few riffs in the rhythm
- Chords = Dm, G, C, G6, Am, Am/G, F
Jump To Top
13. I Go To Pieces - Peter & Gordon
I Go To Pieces is a song written by Del Shannon and was a hit for Peter And Gordon back in Feb 1965. These guys were touring with Del Shannon in the fall of 1964 in Australia. Del sang the song to
The Searchers in their dressing as they were touring also, but they passed. But Peter And Gordon heard the song from another dressing room and asked Del if they might record the song, which he agreed.
The track is on the album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up down up root up down up
- Picking: No
- Chords: E, Abm, A, B7, Dbm, Am, Gb
Jump To Top
14. If I Had A Hammer - Peter Paul & Mary
If I Had A Hammer was a song written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays back in 1949 as a progressive protest song.
It was first recorded by The Weavers. In 1962 Peter Paul and Mary released their version which reached #2. Trini Lopez took it to #3 in 1963.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 2nd fret
- Rhythm = a steady down up down up shuffle
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = G, Bm, C, D, Em
Jump To Top
15. I'm The Man That Built The Bridges - Tom Paxton
I'm The Man That Built The Bridges was Tom Paxtons first album back in 1962 and this song was from that album.
There is no indication however if the song was ever released as a single or not.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 4th fret
- Rhythm = root down bass up down up root down bass up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = C, C7, F, G
Jump To Top Of Play Music From The 60s
16. In The Year 2525 - Zagar & Evans
In The Year 2525 was released by Zager and Evans, who were a duo in the 1960's.
This #1 song in 1969 in both the US and the UK. It was released five years earlier but didn't do much on the charts until the duo got on the RCA label.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = shuffle in the beginning then down down down down up and repeat
- Picking = No
- Chords = Abm, Gb, E, D#, Am, G, F, A#m
Jump To Top Of Play Music From The 60s
17. Lady Godiva - Peter & Gordon
Lady Godiva was released as a single in 1966 and reached #16 in the UK and #6 in the US and hit #1 in Australia and Canada.
The song can be found on their album of the same name released in 1967.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 1st fret
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: D, A, G, Em, A7, B7, D7
Jump To Top
18. Laughter In The Rain - Neil Sedaka
Laughter In The Rain had already been released by singer Lea Roberts on the radio when Neil Sedaka phoned Elton John and asked that his label, Rocket Records, put a rush on the Neil version, as they were sure the song was going to be big.
So they did and the song was a #1 hit in the US in 1974.
Songwriter Phil Cody smoked a joint, fell asleep under a tree and awoke to write the lyrics to this song in about five minutes.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 3rd Fret
- Rhythm = root down up down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = D, Gmaj7, A7sus, A7, Bm, Esus, E, Gm, C, Fmaj7, Dm, A#, Dmaj7
Chords & Lyrics
Jump To Top
19. Lizzie Borden - The Chad Mitchell Trio
Lizzie Borden was a B-side single to the song Mighty Day which was released in 1961. Lizzie Borden charted at #44 whereas the other song did not chart.
The rack can be found on the album "Mighty Day On Campus".
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 1st fret
- Rhythm: root down root down and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: D, E7, A7, Bm, G, D/Gb, Em, B7
20. Next Door To An Angel - Neil Sedaka
Next Door To An Angel was a 319 hit for Neil Sedaka in 1962.
It appeared on his album Neil Sedaka Sings His Greatest Hits released in 1963.
Chords & Lyrics
Jump To Top
|
|
 Click Image For Songbook |
21. She's Not There - The Zombies
She's Not There was written by keyboardist Rod Argent and was the bands debut single back in 1964. It reached #12 in the UK and #2 in both Canada and the US.
The track can be found on the album Begin Here.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: Am7, A, Am, D, Dm, E7, C
Jump To Top
22. Streets Of London - Ralph McTell
Streets Of London appears on McTells 1969 album entitled "Spiral Staircase" but was not released as a single in the UK until 1974. There have been over 200 covers of the song.
Roger Whittaker had a successful cover in 1971 as well. The song peaked at #2 in the UK. There is a third verse which McTell wrote in Mar 2020.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 2nd fret
- Rhythm = down down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = D, A, Bm, Gbm, G, A7, A/Db, Bm/A, E7
Jump To Top
23. Tell Her No - The Zombies
Tell Her No was from the bands debut album from 1965 called "The Zombies.
The song peaked at #6 in the US.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up up down up - down down up up down up and repeat .. a few chops
- Picking: No
- Chords: Em7/A, Dmaj7, E7, A6, Bm, D, Em, G6
Jump To Top
24. The John Birch Society - The Chad Mitchell Trio
The John Birch Society song was released in 1962 and charted at #99.
The song hails from the album "The Chad Mitchell Trio At The Bitter End".
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 3rd fret
- Rhythm: rot down root up down and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: G, D, A, E7, A7, Gb, Bm
Jump To Top
25. The Last Thing On My Mind - Tom Paxton
The Last Thing On My Mind hails from Paxton's debut album "Ramblin Boy" and by far became his most successful song, but to my knowledge was never released as a single by Paxton.
It was a duet by Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner in 1967 which brought the song to the masses on commercial radio with their single peaking at #7 in the US.
Over the many years dozens of people have recorded this song including John Denver, Hank Snow, Liam Clancy and many others.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = G, C, D
Jump To Top Of Play Music From The 60s
26. The Wine Song - The Youngbloods
The Wine Song was never released as a single by the group.
It can be found on their 1967 album "Earth Music".
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down root up down up and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: G7, G, C, C7, F, E7, A7, D7, B7
Jump To Top Of Play Music From The 60s
27. This Land Is Your Land - Woody Guthie
This Land Is Your Land was written by Woody Guthrie in 1940 after getting tired of hearing Kate Smith sing God Bless America. The melody is from a Carter family number called "When The World's On Fire".
After he wrote the song, he forgot about it for 4 years until 1944 when he first recorded the song on The Asch Recordings Vol 1 album. Moses Asch was the person who recorded these songs by Woody over a 5 year period.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root down up root up down up
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = G, C, D, D7
Jump To Top Of Play Music From The 60s
28. Time Of The Season - The Zombies
Time Of The Season was a 1968 release from the Odessey and Oracle album. It took over a year of airplay before this song made any traction.
But traction it did by reaching # 3 on Billboard and #1 on the US Cashbox chart.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up down down up down up will work - this one has a riff with a quick shuffle
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: Em, C, G, G6, Am7
Jump To Top Of Play Music From The 60s
29. Waterfall - Jimi Hendrix
Waterfall is also known as "May This Be Love" and hails from his 1967 debut album entitled "Are You Experienced".
This song was not released as a single as the album only produced one single release and that was a song called "Foxy Lady".
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down down up down up down up will work
- Picking = Yes a little
- Chords = E, A, Esus, D, B, Gbm
Jump To Top
Jump To Top Of Play Music From The 60s
30. You Were On My Mind - We Five
You Were On My Mind was a folk song originally by Canadian artists Ian and Sylvia Tyson. We Five turned it into a pop hit in 1965, scoring a #1 on the US charts.
The track can be found on the album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd Fret
- Rhythm: all down strokes
- Picking: No
- Chords: D, G, A, Em, Gbm, Gb, B7, E, Abm, Gbm, Ab
Jump To Top Of Play Music From The 60s
Thank you for visiting my play music from the 60s page and I hope you found some useful and helpful info here.
If you liked this 60s page, you might also like ... (click images)
