Rock Bands From The 60s
On The Acoustic
Welcome to this rock bands from the 60s section. This is just one of several sections containing great 60s songs for the acoustic.
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Rock Bands From The 60s
Chords, Lyrics, Demos, Tutorials
1. The Grass Roots
I'd Wait A Million Years was one of three singles from the bands 1969 album "Leaving It All Behind". The album version is a bit slower than the single
and longer by about one minute. It reached #15 in the US and #12 in Canada.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 2nd fret
- Rhythm = down down down down up down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking = a riff
- Chords = Am, G, F, E7
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Midnight Confessions was released in 1968 and reached #5 in the US and #4 in Canada. The band used studio musicians The Wrecking Crew for this track.
The song never appeared on any studio albums but was part of the compilation album called "Golden Grass".
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = mainly downstrokes
- Picking = just a riff
- Chords = G, D, E, Gbm, Abm, Dbm, B, A, Db
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Sooner Or Later came out in 1971 and reached #9 in the US ad #13 in Canada and was the bands last top 10 hit in the US.
The song was put on the album "Their 16 Greatest Hits".
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down up down up down up down and repeat .. and some steady down up down up
- Picking = No
- Chords = C, Em, F, G, G7, Dm, Am/Ab, Am/G, Am/Gb, Ab, C#, Fm, Gb
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2. The Hollies
Bus Stop writer was Graham Gouldman, who also wrote For Your Love for The Yardbirds and No Milk Today for Hermans Hermits. The Hollies released this one as a single from their 1966 album of the same name.
The song reached #5 in both the UK and the US. The song was a #2 in Australia and a #1 in Canada.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root down up down up root up down up with a quick shuffle
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = Am, G, C, F, Em, B7
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He Ain't Heavy was first recorded by Kelly Gordon in 1969 but when The Hollies released their version later in 1969, it was a monster hit worldwide.
Neil Diamond had success with his release also in 1970.
Elton John played on The Hollies track of 1969.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down down down up down up and repeat will work
- Picking = No
- Chords =
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Long Cool Woman was released in 1971 as a single and did reach #1 in Canada and South Africa and #1 on the Cash Box US chart.
The song first appeared on their "Distant Light" album.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down down down down up and repeat
- Picking = no just a riff
- Chords = Em, G, D/Gb, A, E, B
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Look Through Any Window was a single in 1965 and peaked at #4 in the UK, #3 in Canada and their first top 40 in the US reaching #32.
A few groups have covered this song including Gary Lewis And The Playboys.
It eventually ended up on their greatest hits album.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 2nd fret
- Rhythm = down up stop up down up stop up and repeat
- Picking = No just a few riffs
- Chords = G, F, C, Am, D7
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The Air That I Breath was released as a single in 1974, this was a huge hit, hitting the top 5 in several countries and reachIng #1 in NZ, #2 in the UK and #6 in the US. The song was written by Albert Hammond who also released his version a few years earlier in 1972.
You'll find this one on the album "Hollies".
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 3rd fret for my range
- Rhythm = down down up - up down down up down - and repeat
- Picking = a bit of picking
- Chords = C, A#, E7, F, Fm, Em, G, Gm
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3. The Kingston Trio
Chilly Winds can be found on the trio's Live album which was released back in Feb 1962.
There was no single release of this song to my knowledge.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = 4th fret
- Rhythm = root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking = No
- Chords = G, Am, D7, C
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Scotch And Soda can be found on the bands very first album released back in 1958 simply titles "The Kingston Trio".
Two singles were released from this album but this song was not one of them. They did release it as a single in the US only later in 1962 and to the B-Side of "One Too Many Mornings" in 1969.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking = Yes
- Chords = – Cmaj7, Fm, F, Ddim7, A7sus, A7, D7, Amaug5, G7, A+, C, Gm7, G, D7, Cm, Emsus, C#dim7, Ebaug5
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4. The Mama's And The Papa's
California Dreaming written by both members of The Mama's and The Papa's Michelle and John Phillips. Barry McGuire recorded the song first but the group decided to record it and released it in 1965.
This song is on the album "If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears". The song was played by a Boston DJ and picked up steam, eventually peaking at #4 in 1966.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 3rd fret
- Rhythm: down down up down up down up will work but that's not exactly what I'm playing here as I'm using up stroke to accent the song
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: Am, Esus, G, F, E, C, E7
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Monday Monday is also a song from the same album "If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears", but this track went to #1 in the US and was a huge top 10 in several other countries, reaching #2 in several countries.
This was the first song of a mixed gender of male and female, to reach #1 in the US. The song also won a Grammy Award. John Phillips said he wrote the song in 20 minutes.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up down down up down up and repeat will work
- Picking: No
- Chords: G, C, F, A#, D7, Gadd11, A
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5. The Righteous Brothers
Unchained Melody was a song in a 1955 film of the same name. The Righteous Brothers recorded their version in 1965. Of course these two lads were not actually brothers at all. Bobby Hatfield won a coin toss with his duet partner Bill Medley and took the lead vocals on this song as both wanted to sing the lead.
Phil Spector put this "throw away" song on a B-side assuming it would not get played but the DJ's proved him wrong and the song went to #4. It can be found on the album "Just One In My life.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down down up down up down down and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: G, Em, C, D, Bm, G7, A#, Cm
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6. The Monkees
Daydream Believer was written by John Stewart from The Kingston Trio and got plenty of airplay in 1967 when The Monkee's released their version.
With Davy Jones singing lead the song went to #1 in the US and #5 in the UK. This was The Monkee's last #1 hit in the US.
John Stewart did record a version in 1971 and Anne Murray had a #3 hit on the US Country chart in 1979 with her cover. The song can be found on their "The Birds, The Bees, And The Monkee's" album.
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = mainly downstrokes in the beginning ... then a steady down up down up and repeat and some shuffle drum roll rhythm
- Picking = No
- Chords = G, C, Am7, G6, Em, D, D7, Bm, A7
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I'm A Believer was another Neil Diamond creation which The Monkees recorded in 1966 with drummer Mickey Dolenz singing the lead. The song topped the US Billboard Chart in Dec of 1966 and was the biggest selling single of that year. It also hit #1 in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Less that 40 singles have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and this song was in that category.
Neil Diamond did record the song as did The Fifth Estate. The song is on the "More Of The Monkees" album.
- Drop D Tuning = Yes
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = down up down up with a riffs
- Picking = Yes and a few riffs
- Chords = D7, G, D, C, G/F, F
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Last Train To Clarksville appeared the most during the TV Series of The Monkees and for good reason. It reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart in Nov 1966.
The song was written by the duo Boyce & Hart and was sung by drummer Mickey Dolenz. You'll find it on their debut album "The Monkees".
- Drop D Tuning = No
- Capo = No
- Rhythm = root down root up down up and repeat with a built in riff
- Picking = just a few riffs in the rhythm
- Chords = G, D7, C7, F
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