27 Best Songs From 1966

“Homeward Bound” by Simon and Garfunkel

Paul Simon wrote “Homeward Bound” while waiting for a train at Liverpool Station. At the time, Simon lived in Essex, England.

For him, the song title was twofold. He wanted to return to Essex, but he was also keen to return to New York.

Simon subsequently felt frustrated by the title, which he claimed was unoriginal. But fans loved it. And the simplicity meant “Homeward Bound” stuck in people’s minds. Years later, Peter Carlin repurposed the song title for his biography of Paul Simon.

“Michelle” by Bud Shank

One of the unlikely hits of 1966 was jazz artist Bud Shank’s cover of “Michelle.”

The Beatles wrote “Michelle” in 1965. Earlier in sixty-six, Shank collaborated with The Mamas and The Papas on the alto flute solo for “California Dreamin’,” making his leap from jazz to Beatles riffs more logical than it might seem.

Played with verve and harmonic prowess, Shank’s jazzy rendition of “Michelle” was enormously popular and remains worth listening to today.

“Guantanamera” by The Sandpipers

The lyrics of “Guantanamera” are from a poem by José Martí. In 1929, a Cuban musician, Joseíto Fernandez put the poem to music.

Subsequently, folk artist Pete Seeger found and recorded the song, and their version was what popularized Fernandez’s composition for many North Americans.

Its themes of peace and beauty resonated with Americans. The song was so popular that in 1966, already exhausted by the Vietnam War, The Sandpipers did a version. It was a runaway success and became one of the best songs of 1966.

“Strangers in the Night” by Frank Sinatra

“Strangers in the Night” first appeared as part of the film A Man Could Get Killed. It had the much less compelling title “Beddy Bye” and was supposed to be sung by Melina Mercouri.

At the eleven