27 Best Songs From 1966

“Working In The Coal Mine” by Lee Dorsey

 Allen Toussant wrote “Working In The Coal Mine” after he returned from Vietnam. Following the war, he started a record company in New Orleans. “Working In The Coal Mine,” as sung by Lee Dorsey was one of the first songs Toussant wrote and produced.

Its refrain, tackling the unsustainability of undervaluing and paying workers to do the incredibly demanding job, struck a chord in listeners. Although neither Toussant nor Dorsey knew the first thing about mining, the song resonated and became one of the best songs of 1966.

“River Deep, Mountain High” by Ike and Tina Turner

“River Deep, Mountain High” is another example of good music from 1966. Written by Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich, the composers actively sought out Turner to sing the song.

But Ike Turner also wanted attribution. Eventually, the deal Spector struck released the singers from their existing contract and freed them to work with Spector.

The song was immediately popular. Famously, it captivated Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys on his first listen.

“Shapes of Things” by The Yardbirds

Like many sixties-era songs, “Shapes of Things” embraces pro-environment and anti-war themes in its lyrics.

It’s also distinctive for its sound. The use of a feedback-looped guitar contributes to its idiomatically Eastern tonality. To produce this experimental sound, guitarist Jeff Becks bent his guitar strings and focused on the resonant points of the instrument.

Its unlikely success contributed significantly to the later work of

• Paul McCartney
•  Jimmy Hendrix

“A Well-Respected Man” by The Kinks

Not only is “A Well-Respected Man” a stand-out example of good music in 1966, but it’s also one of The Kinks’ best-known songs.

The title is unwittingly clever. What would otherwise be a complimentary phrase becomes, in The Kinks’ hands,