Which British song sums up the 1960s for you?

Mungo Jerry - in the summer time

Stoker48

I’m doing a presentation on the 1960s and thought I’d start it off with a typical piece of music.
As the talk is of life in England - our experiences and recollections, I’d like to be a British group or singer.
Thank you

If you want just one song from the 60s, which is sadly relevant to today, I think it should be "Streets of London" by Ralph McTell. If you want something a bit more light-hearted, I agree with some others and think it should be something by the Kinks, whose songs seem to sum up the uniqueness of "life" in the 60s better than the Beatles (IMO).

twaddle

Grannmarie

I love Cream,
Badge
White Room
Sunshine of your love

So do I!

I almost swooned when I bumped into Jack Bruce in a village shop.

Were either of you at the Cream reunion gigs in 2005 at the RAH? Incredible nights.

NotAGran55

twaddle

Grannmarie

I love Cream,
Badge
White Room
Sunshine of your love

So do I!

I almost swooned when I bumped into Jack Bruce in a village shop.

Were either of you at the Cream reunion gigs in 2005 at the RAH? Incredible nights.

No, but I did see Clapton in "Slowhand at 70" in 2015 at the RAH. Amazing and totally unforgettable.

I think The Kinks, have the most historical stories of the time in their work, probably more than the Beatles or Stones.

The Carnival is over..The Seekers
Groovy Kinda Love
not many from the 60's that I didn't like, I was a fabulous time.

The Tremeloes.

Whole lotta love - Led Zeppelin.

What lovely reminders of the fab music we were listening to then!
I agree with almost everyone, most particularly Cream and The Kinks.

The Kinks A Dedicated Follower of Fashion.
Bob Dylan. Mr Tambourine Man

No, but I saw Eric Clapton in Glasgow in the early 90s. Amazing! He had a cigarette in his hand throughout the show.

Oops, that was for Notagran, 07.12. I don't know what happened to the quote?🤣

Visgir1

I think The Kinks, have the most historical stories of the time in their work, probably more than the Beatles or Stones.

Indeed! You could play "Lola" if you're feeling very brave .

tanith

Marvin Gaye "Heard it through the Grapevine"
Beatles "Hey Jude"
BeachBoys "Good Vibrations"
Animals "House of the Rising Sun"
Otis Redding " Dock of the Bay"

Too many to mention it was truly a wonderful era for outstanding music.

Yes I love all these too Tanith.
The proprietor of our local Italian streams music from the 60's and 70's in his restaurant (quietly!) which we find very soothing. I think he's only in his 40's or so, but he shares our taste. It's amazing how many of these tracks you can instantly recognise from the first few notes.

Tommy James and the Shondells “ Mony Mony “

So many brilliant songs at that time . We were young and free .
with not a care in the world . We,, I was !

Quite a number of people on here seem to have completely missed the 'British' in the thread title...

Ahh.Sandie Shaw singing puppet on a string bare-footed on top of the pops !

Stoker48 please let us know what song(s) you settle on won’t you?

Granmarie and twaddle I daren’t tell you how many times I have seen EC in my lifetime 😳, but I saw him twice in Guildford last month and will be seeing him again in August.
When you both mentioned Cream I thought I might have ‘met’ another mad fan.

Wow!
Thank you, everyone.
I’ve had a busy weekend so only just checked the thread.
Do appreciate all your suggestions.
My head was like a juke box playing a snippet of each one as I read through.
I had to keep pulling myself back and be reminded that it was not the song I liked best but the song that would enhance the talk and set the scene.
Bizarrely, as I was driving this morning I found myself singing “Fings ain’t what they used to be” by Max Bygraves and, even though it’s a song that would never have been on my radar, I think it would lend itself very well to the talk.
When I checked it out on YouTube, I found there was a film of that name with Marty Wild and Joe Brown etc.
There’s a great trailer for the film which only lasts a couple of minutes.
Check it out.
I will use this short YouTube trailer at the start of the talk.
P0sy, you made a very good suggestion re starting with a 1960 song and “Things Ain’t.. “is just that.
You also suggested finishing with a 1969 song. Brilliant idea so now I’ve finally made a decision, I’m still back to
square one looking for another one!!!
Thanks again, everyone.
I’m glad you enjoyed reminiscing.

'Kites' by Simon Dupree & Big Sound

Apologies
Just discovered that this song is from What a Crazy World musical.

keepingquiet

I'd go with Waterloo Sunset too- sums up so much of swinging London but has also passed the test of time.

So many others, but this really resonates more for me.

I do agree. KQ. Waterloo Sunset immediately makes me think of swinging London. So evocative. “Terry meets Julie “. Every Friday night. 🎵. Love it

Those were the days Mary Hopkins

The two songs from the sixties that I loved the most were See Emily Play by Pink Floyd when they still had Syd and For Your Love by the Yardbirds. I bought the former even though I didn’t have a record player and I listened to the radio all the time in the hope of hearing the latter. I can still remember the first time I heard Fairport’s Meet on the Ledge and Good Vibrations ( there was such excitement about the release of that one but it was too complicated for me). Listening to some of those songs really make me feel emotional. Then there was the second music phase from the time when I was always driving my kids around when they were teenagers and they make me feel emotional too. The Nirvana, Faithless years.