27 Best Songs From 1969

“Proud Mary” by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Song Year: 1969

Creedence Clearwater Revival is well-known as a band specializing in Southern swamp rock heavily influenced by blues and soul rock. However, many people are surprised to find out the band’s roots aren’t in Alabama or Louisiana but in sunny California instead.

Origins aside, the band perfectly displays the “swamp rock” genre in its 1969 hit “Proud Mary.” A couple of years later, the single would see just as much success as a cover by Ike and Tina Turner.

“Honky Tonk Women” by The Rolling Stones

Song Year: 1969

As one of the most famous rock bands of all time, it’s no surprise The Rolling Stones have at least one song on this list. “Honky Tonk Women” was released as a single with the famous hit song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” on its B-Side.

While the latter song fits well with the band’s classic British rock roots, “Honky Tonk Women” stood out as a song showcasing the blues and country influence of classic rock.

“It’s Your Thing” by The Isley Brothers

Song Year: 1969

The psychedelic funk hit “It’s Your Thing” from The Isley Brothers is more than a smooth tune with funky beats. The track served to call out the band’s previous record label, Motown Records. The Isley Brothers left the label after feeling consistently overlooked by the company’s management.

The song’s chorus was a testament to the group’s independence as they thrived outside of their previous management. The funk chords and psychedelic influence combine for an excellent melody.

“Fancy” by Bobbie Gentry

Song Year: 1969

Although country music was popular in the 1960s, rock, blues, and soul were more likely to find their way into the popular music charts. The previous decade was full of country legends, so country music seemed a bit dated for many young people. However, Bobbie Gentry combined classic country rhythm with the progressive women’s liberation movement in “Fancy.”

Notably, Reba McEntire’s 1990s cover of the song “Fancy” became even more popular than the original.

“My Way” by Frank Sinatra

Song Year: 1969

Although the song “My Way” is now inseparable from Frank Sinatra, the song started as a wholly different tune. The original song was French, with lyrics telling the story of a couple growing apart. The song was performed by Claude François in 1967.

A few years later, famous singer-songwriter Paul Anka got a hold of the tune, wrote English lyrics unrelated to the original, and enlisted Frank Sinatra to sing it. The song is well-known as a popular karaoke song.

“These Eyes” by The Guess Who

Song Year: 1969

The Guess Who are one of the most underrated rock bands to come out of the 1960s. The band branched out into garage rock, swamp rock, psychedelic rock, and blues rock. Their hit song “These Eyes” clearly shows the influence of early psychedelic and blues rock.

In addition to psychedelia and blues, the vocals show influence from some of the prominent soul and rhythm and blues artists at the time.

“I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” by Dionne Warwick

Song Year: 1969

Although the song “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” was written for the musical “Promises, Promises,” which debuted in 1968, the song is now synonymous with Dionne Warwick as an artist. Warwick’s version of the song is the most popular and quickly climbed the Billboard Hot 100 to number 6 in 1969.

Warwick released the song as a single in 1969, but the track appeared on an album with the same title in 1970.

Top Songs From 1969, Final Thoughts

The 1960s are one of the most iconic decades thanks to the unique fashion, progressive social movements, and historical moments. The decade was jam-packed with noteworthy events, trends, and music, from the space race to the civil rights movement to Beatlemania.

The music we’ve selected are some of the absolute best songs from 1969.