Category Archives: 1960s songs

The top 500 best music and songs from the 1960s. Song meanings, lyrics and interpretations from your favorite artists. The Beatles, Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Dylan. See who rates the highest!

1960s songs, relationship problems

#383 You Keep Me Hangin On- The Supremes

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Get out, get out of my life
And let me sleep at night.

“You Keep Me Hangin On” is another Motown classic from the Supremes. They really were a machine in the late 60s. This is a song about getting free from a relationship that might not be that healthy. The Supremes ask to “set me free, cause you keep hanging on”. It sounds like a compelling reason to not come around to me! It is a great breakup song that a lot of women and men can get enjoyment from. If is in that tradition of women empowerment songs that came out of Motown (e.g. Respect).

You Keep Me Hanging On Meaning
The Supremes

Diana Ross and her vocals sound accessible and the rest of The Supremes sound great singing backup. The harmonies sound nice. The band also delivers a tight sound driven by the drums and bass. There is that muted electric guitar sound that is so prevalent in Motown sound and would also be featured in disco 10 years later.

You Keep Me Hanging On Lyrics

The love bug done bit me
Didn’t mean for him to get me
Woo, get up in the morning
And I’m filled with desire
No, no, I can’t stop the fire
Love is real live wire
Oh, it’s a burning sensation
Far beyond imagination

Love is like an itching in my heart, tearing it all apart
Just an itching in my heart
And, baby, I can’t scratch it

Keeps me sighing, oh
Keeps me yearning
No mama can’t help me
No daddy can’t help me
I’ve been bitten by the love bug
And I need some information
To help me out of this situation
Now, when you’re ill you take a pill
When you’re thirsty, drink your fill
What you gonna do, oh yeah
When love gets a hold, a hold on you
Love is like an itching in my heart
And, baby, I can’t scratch it

Love is a nagging irritation
Causing my heart complication
Love is a growing infection
And I don’t know the correction
Got me rocking and a-reeling
And I can’t shake the feeling

Love is like an itching in my heart, tearing it all apart
Just an itching in my heart
Baby, I can’t scratch it

Keeps me sighing, oo
Keeps me yearning
Keeps me burning
Keeps me tossing
Keeps me turning
Keeps me yearning
I’ve been bitten by the love bug
And I need some information
To help me out of this situation
Love is a nagging irritation
Causing my heart complication
I’ve been bitten by the love bug

Songwriters: Jr. / Brian Holland / Edward Holland / Edward / Jr. Holland / Lamont Dozier / Lamont Herbert Dozi

1960s songs, breakup songs

#373 The Warmth of the Sun- The Beach Boys

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I cried when she said
“I don’t feel the same way”.

The Beach Boys’ “The Warmth of the Sun” is actually really sad. It is about losing the love of your life and being able to take comfort in the fact that at least you will be able to feel good about dreaming about holding her while you dream at night.

At least at night—while you are dreaming—you’ll be able to feel the warmth of the sun. This is tragic. Sometimes the beauty of The Beach Boys vocals hides the seriousness of their lyrics. And their vocals are the best in rock—specifically their harmonies. There are so many layers. No band does it better. Period.

The Warmth of the Sun Meaning
The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys sometimes don’t get put into the same category as The Beatles and The Stones and that is wrong. I think there are two reasons. One, is that their surf and car-song days were slightly longer than the love-song days of The Beatles and The Stones.

Perhaps some people are not able to think of them as more than a surf band, when really, their best work came later. Also, their Full House appearances didn’t do much to help their reputation. It made a generation think of them as shtick rather than the legends they are.

Lyrics The Warmth of the Sun

What good is the dawn
That grows into day
The sunset at night
Or living this way

For I have the warmth of the sun
(Warmth of the sun)
Within me at night
(Within me at night)

The love of my life
She left me one day
I cried when she said
“I don’t feel the same way”

Still I have the warmth of the sun
(Warmth of the sun)
Within me tonight
(Within me tonight)

I’ll dreams of her arms
And though they’re not real
Just like she’s still there
The way that I feel

My love’s like the warmth of the sun
(Warmth of the sun)
It won’t ever die
(It won’t ever die)

Songwriters: Michael Love / Brian Wilson

1960s songs, couples songs

#365 Love Minus Zero/No Limits- Bob Dylan

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She knows there’s no success like failure/
And that failure’s no success at all.

I would argue that “Love Minus Zero” is the one of the two true love songs that Dylan ever wrote. He wrote many songs about love, but none of them contained as overtly a positive message as this one. (Sad Eyed Lady and Sara are pretty close…interestingly all of these songs are written for the same woman. He ended up marrying her.).

Love Minus Zero/ No Limits Meaning
Bob Dylan

Dylan praises a woman differently than anyone else would, and that is what makes him the best song writer.  He says, “my love doesn’t have to say she’s faithful, but she’s true like ice like fire.”  And people try to charm her by the hour but valentine’s can’t buy her. She also does not judge and she speaks softly…he is very specific, and I’d imagine this would have to be intoxicating for a woman to hear. The way he describes her makes her sound amazing.

The melody of the song is solid and Dylan is in good voice. Like many of his songs it has a harmonica solo—which I like. The song is simple. There is no bridge or chorus, so it is unique and not exactly catchy, but it is a different type of song for Dylan. Combined with his beautiful lyrics it makes for an excellent love song worthy of the top 500.

Lyrics Love Minus Zero/No Limits

My love she speaks like silence
Without ideals or violence
She doesn’t have to say she’s faithful
Yet she’s true, like ice, like fire
People carry roses
And make promises by the hours
My love she laughs like the flowers
Valentines can’t buy her

In the dime stores and bus stations
People talk of situations
Read books, repeat quotations
Draw conclusions on the wall
Some speak of the future
My love she speaks softly
She knows there’s no success like failure
And that failure’s no success at all

The cloak and dagger dangles
Madams light the candles
In ceremonies of the horsemen
Even the pawn must hold a grudge
Statues made of matchsticks
Crumble into one another
My love winks, she does not bother
She knows too much to argue or to judge

The bridge at midnight trembles
The country doctor rambles
Bankers’ nieces seek perfection
Expecting all the gifts that wise men bring
The wind howls like a hammer
The night blows rainy
My love she’s like some raven
At my window with a broken wing

Songwriters: Bob Dylan