Top Songs Of The 60s
On The Acoustic

Anyone Who Had A Heart was first recorded by Dionne Warwick in the fall of 1963 where she managed a #2 in the US and a #1 in New Zealand.

Cilla Black recorded her version in 1964 and eventually took the song to #1 in the UK.

The song was written by Burt Bacharach and can be found on The Best Of Cilla Black album.

You can play this one with two rhythm patterns either all down strokes or a down down up down up and repeat. A few picking melody riffs in here in standard tuning using the chords Abm, Gb, E, A, D, G, G6, C, B7, D7, E7 and a Cmaj7.

If I Had A Hammer was a song written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays back in 1949 as a progressive protest song.

It was first recorded by The Weavers. In 1962 Peter Paul and Mary released their version which reached #2. Trini Lopez took it to #3 in 1963.

Peter Paul And Mary played this with a capo on the 2nd fret with a steady down up down up rhythm pattern and in standard tuning. I've added a short picking break here in my version with the chords G, Bm, C,  D and an Em.

In The Year 2525 was released by Zager and Evans,  who were a duo in the 1960's.

This #1 song in 1969 in both the US and the UK. It was released five years earlier but didn't do much on the charts until the duo got on the RCA label.

This song does half steps climbs so you'll start with the chords Abm, Gb, E, Eb and then change key to include the chords Am, G, F, E, A#m, G#, Gb and an F. You can play a down down up down down up pattern and repeat in standard tuning and some shuffle strumming near the end.

Reach Out Of The Darkness is a song released back in 1960 and was a one hit wonder for the duo, reaching #10 on Billboard. Joe South produced the song and Ray Stevens played keyboard on the track.

The song hails from their only album of the same name.

You have a shuffle chop sort of a pattern going on here, along with a root down root up down up pattern as well as a down down up down down up rhythm pattern. Standard tuning and no lead as you play through the chords Am, D, Am7, A7, F, G and C.

San Francisco was a #4 in the US but hit #1 in Germany, New Zealand and the UK when it hit the airwaves in 1967.

The song hails from the album "The Voice Of Scott McKenzie".

I have a capo on the 4th here for my vocals only in standard tuning. The rhythm here is a root down up root up down up pattern as well as some down strokes. This song does a two fret key change near the end so you'll need the chords G, Em, C, D, F, Bm, Gbm, D, A, Dbm and an E.There is a lead break in this one.

Spirit In The Sky was written by Greenbaum and released late in 1969. It was #3 in the US and hit #1 in Canada, the UK and Australia. The song is the 2nd most requested song at funerals, behind Danny Boy and is the most famous one hit wonder songs.

Found on the album "Spirit In The Sky".

This one I play with a muted palm and a simple down up down up rhythm pattern in Drop D Tuning. The chords needed are A, D, C, E and a G and a few riffs and improvised lead near the end.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight is a song from the band The Tokens. They were an American doo-wop group that gained fame in the 1960s. They are best known for their hit single "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1961.

The song is a reworking of a South African Zulu song titled "Mbube" by Solomon Linda.

This one has a capoed 2nd fret with Drop D Tuning but only three chords which are D, G and A. There are a few riffs in this one while playing the rhythm down up down up and some muted shuffles.

Woman Woman was a single released back in 1967 from the bands debut album of the same name. Session musicians from the wrecking crew recorded the music and the song reached #1 in Canada and #7 in Australia. With a re-release in 1974 the song reached #6 in the UK.

The Lettermen, Jim Glaser (the writer) and Glen Campbell all covered this one.

For the rhythm pattern here you can play a root down up root up down up or a quick shuffle with a root down up down up root up down up. You'll also play a few down stroke chops as well. No lead in this one but a key change so the chords needed in standard tuning are A7, D, Gbm, G, Em, Gm, B7, E, Abm, A, Dbm and an Am.

Young Girl was released in March of 1968, 6 months after Woman Woman and also was a huge song for the group, reaching #2 on Billboard and making it to #1 in the UK. This one hails from the album "Young Girl".

The wrecking crew session musicians were also used on this track and on the re-release of the song 6 years later in 1974, it re-entered the UK chart reaching #6.

I play this one with a capo 2nd because of vocal issues and the song being too high vocally. The rhythm pattern here is a down down up down up down up and repeat in standard tuning. The chords you'll need here are Dmaj7, G, Gbm, E7, A, C, A# and a Gb.

You're My World is actually an old Italian song which was re-written in English by Carl Sigman.

Cillia Black released her version in 1964 and it became her last #1 hit in the UK.The song did well in many countries reaching the top ten in several.

The song was produced by Beatles producer George Martin.

The rhythm here should be a down down up down up down up and repeat and a capo where it needs to be to fit your vocals. A bit of melody picking here in standard tuning using the chords Em, Am, D, G, B7, C, E7, Cm, Dbm, Gbm, B and an A.