Popular 60s Rock Ballads You Can Play on Guitar

With their heartfelt lyrics, rich harmonies, and memorable melodies, these songs captured the highs and lows of love, longing, and life itself.

This collection of popular 60s rock ballads includes timeless classics by Blind Faith, The Mamas & The Papas, The Raspberries, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, and more.

Whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned player, these acoustic guitar lessons will help you bring the warmth and emotion of these iconic tracks to life.

Can't Find My Way Home was written by Steve Winwood back in 1969 and released by his group Blind Faith, which Eric Clapton was also a part of that band. Over the years the song has been covered by many artists.

It can be found on the album of the same name.

Lady Willpower was a single released from this groups 1968 album which consisted of songs written by the band. Their two previous albums contained several cover songs by other artists. Lady Willpower went to #2 on the Hot Billboard 100 in the summer of 1968.

Woman Woman was a single released back in 1967 from the bands debut album of the same name. Session musicians from the wrecking crew recorded the music and the song reached #1 in Canada and #7 in Australia. With a re-release in 1974 the song reached #6 in the UK.

The Lettermen, Jim Glaser (the writer) and Glen Campbell all covered this one.

Young Girl was released in March of 1968, 6 months after Woman Woman and also was a huge song for the group, reaching #2 on Billboard and making it to #1 in the UK. This one hails from the album "Young Girl".

The wrecking crew session musicians were also used on this track and on the re-release of the song 6 years later in 1974, it re-entered the UK chart reaching #6.

California Dreaming an iconic song released in 1965, has become synonymous with The Mamas and The Papas' signature sound. It was featured on their album "If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears," released the same year. T

he song achieved remarkable success on the music charts, reaching the 4th position on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and the 23rd position on the UK singles chart.

Over the years, "California Dreamin'" has been covered by a multitude of artists and bands, attesting to its timeless appeal. Notable covers include renditions by Barry McGuire, Bobby Womack, José Feliciano, and even the Beach Boys.

Creeque Alley released in 1967 as part of their album "Deliver," is a distinctive song in The Mamas and The Papas' repertoire. Unlike their chart-topping singles, "Creeque Alley" wasn't released as a single and didn't chart separately. However, it played a crucial role on their "Deliver" album, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, showcasing the album's commercial success.

Written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips, two integral members of the band, "Creeque Alley" is an autobiographical narrative that offers a candid glimpse into the formation and early experiences of The Mamas and The Papas.

Monday Monday was released in 1966 and is one of The Mamas and The Papas' most iconic songs. It was featured on their album "If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears." The song achieved remarkable success on the music charts, making it a memorable part of their musical legacy.

In the United States, it soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, securing the No. 1 position, while also reaching No. 3 on the UK singles chart. Written by John Phillips, the song captures the universal feeling of the start of the workweek, making it relatable to audiences worldwide.

Go All The Way  came out in 1972 on their first album, also called "Raspberries." It was their biggest hit, reaching number 5 on the US charts. The song is about wanting to be with someone and has a catchy vibe that many people loved.

Let's Pretend was on their second album, "Fresh," released in 1972. This song didn't do as well on the charts, but it still reached number 35 in the US.

It's a softer love song that shows off the band's skill with melodies. The song helped make The Raspberries famous for their power pop sound, which mixed rock energy with pop catchiness. This song are still played on radio stations today and are remembered as classic examples of 1970s power pop music.

Should I Wait is actually not a 60s song but a 1973 song from the bands album "Side 3".

The song was never released as a single.

Be My Baby was one of five singles from the only album ever recorded by The Ronettes. Three of the five singles were top 10s and this track made it to #2 in the US and was a top 10 in several countries.

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.