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!

#449 Someday Never Comes- Creedence Clearwater Revival

You better learn it fast; you better learn it young/
‘Cause, “Someday” Never Comes.”

Creedence was only around for five years but they had so many hits, and this is one of their best. “Someday Never Comes” is a “Carpe Diem” message passed on from father to the author and then from the author to his son. It is a simple message but such a powerful way to present it. Fogerty sings the song with urgency for his song and “all mother’s sons”, as life is short. Creedence’s songs tended to be simple, but they always sounded unique due to Fogerty’s vocals.

Someday Never Comes Meaning
CCR

There is another theme in this song, about spending time with your kids now because eventually they will be grown up and you will have time for them but they won’t have time for you because they will be older now. Harry Chapin expressed similar thoughts in “Cat’s in the Cradle”. “Someday Never Comes” is one of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s finest songs.

Someday Never Comes Lyrics

First thing I remember,
Was asking Papa, “Why?”
For there were many things I didn’t know.
And Daddy always smiled,
Took me by the hand,
Saying, “Someday you’ll understand”.

Well, I’m here to tell you now each and every mother’s son,
You better learn it fast, you better learn it young,
‘Cause someday never comes.

The time and tears went by,
And I collected dust,
For there were many things I didn’t know.
When Daddy went away,
He said, “Try to be a man,
And someday you’ll understand.”

But I’m here to tell you now each and every mother’s son,
You better learn it fast, you better learn it young,
‘Cause someday never comes.

And then one day in April,
I wasn’t even there,
For there were many things I didn’t know.
A son was born to me,
Mama held his hand,
Saying, “Someday you’ll understand.”

Well, I’m here to tell you now each and every mother’s son,
You better learn it fast, you better learn it young,
‘Cause someday never comes.
Ooh, someday never comes.

Think it was September,
The year I went away,
For there were many things I didn’t know.
And I still see him standin’,
Tryin’ to be a man,
I said, “Someday you’ll understand.”

But I’m here to tell you now each and every mother’s son,
You better learn it fast, you better learn it young.
‘Cause someday never comes,
Ooh, someday never comes.

Songwriters: J. C. Fogerty

#442 San Francisco- Scott McKenzie

For those who come to San Francisco/
Summertime will be a love-in there.

San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) is a beautifully sung song by Scott McKenzie and would be his only hit. This was another song from the summer of 1967. “San Francisco” was written by John Phillips, of the Mamas and the Papas, who would have a huge career.

Papa John was a bit of a Utopian, and he saw a lot of hope in California and the hippy movement of the 1960s. He explored this theme in many of his songs, including two others in the top 500. Come to San Francisco, you’ll find love and acceptance and gentle people. Those were his ideals.

San Francisco Greatest Songs Meaning
Scott McKenzie

The Mamas & Papas are one of the greatest bands of all times, and it is a shame they never recorded this song. It is not clear why Papa John gave this song to McKenzie. McKenzie was not completely a one hit wonder, he did co-write The Beach Boys hit “Kokomo”.

San Francisco Meaning
are Papa John

San Francisco Lyrics

If you’re going to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you’re going to San Francisco
You’re gonna meet some gentle people there

For those who come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
In the streets of San Francisco
Gentle people with flowers in their hair

All across the nation
Such a strange vibration
People in motion
There’s a whole generation
With a new explanation
People in motion
People in motion

For those who come to San Francisco
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
If you come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there

Songwriters: John Edmund Andrew Phillips

#438 When a Man Loves a Woman- Percy Sledge

He’d give up all his comforts/
And sleep out in the rain.
If she said that’s the way/
It ought to be.

Everyone thinks “When a Man Loves a Woman” is a love song. It’s not! It’s a song about all the foolish decisions a man makes when he loves a woman. He spends all his money, he can’t see her cheating, he ditches his friends, he’ll sleep out in the rain if she tells him to. It sounds like someone got burned. Love can make us into a fool.

When a Man Loves a Woman Meaning
Percy Sledge

What is interesting is that this song is sung at weddings. It is in the camp of songs that should be retired from weddings because they are really not happy love songs. Songs like “Every Breath You Take” and Dido’s “Don’t Leave Home” come to mind.

Listening back, the organ does sound a bit ominous. Like a funeral march. The horns sound kind of depressing too. This is more of a “chicks suck” song than a love song. Remarkably, the song does hold up well musically for being a song from the 50s. A lot of songs from that time period have not aged well. This still sounds relatively contemporary. (Compared to something like Tuiti Fruiti).

When a Man Loves a Woman Lyrics

When a man loves a woman
Can’t keep his mind on nothin’ else
He’d trade the world
For a good thing he’s found
If she is bad, he can’t see it
She can do no wrong
Turn his back on his best friend
If he puts her down

When a man loves a woman
Spend his very last dime
Trying to hold on to what he needs
He’d give up all his comforts
And sleep out in the rain
If she said that’s the way
It ought to be

When a man loves a woman
I give you everything I’ve got (yeah)
Trying to hold on
To your precious love
Baby please don’t treat me bad

When a man loves a woman
Deep down in his soul
She can bring him such misery
If she is playing him for a fool
He’s the last one to know
Loving eyes can never see

Yes when a man loves a woman
I now exactly how he feels
‘Cause baby, baby, baby
I am a man
When a man loves a woman

Songwriters: Calvin Houston Lewis / Andrew James Wright