Paul Revere & The Raiders - Kicks (1966)

Born Paul Revere Dick in Harvard, Nebraska on January 7th, 1938, this group’s namesake man made his start at life owning and managing multiple restaurants in the Caldwell, Idaho area in his early twenties. On the side, Revere had a band called The Downbeats. One day in 1958 while purchasing hamburger buns from a local bakery for his restaurants, Revere met one of the bakery’s employees, Mark Lindsay. Lindsay would eventually join Revere’s band as the group’s lead singer and, by 1960, the band had changed their name to Paul Revere & The Raiders (just before the release of their first single). A year later in 1961, the group had their first local hit with an instrumental song, “Like, Long Hair,” released in 1961. By April, the song had reached the national charts topping out at number thirty-eight and the group thought they were on their way. Unfortunately, it was around this time that Revere was drafted for military service. Claiming to be a conscientious objector, Revere managed to stay out of fatigues and worked as a cook in a mental institution for a year and a half. Initially, throughout the summer of 1961, Lindsay toured off of the success of their hit single with replacement band members, but then had to pump gas to make a living until the summer of ’62 when Revere was finally relieved of his duty. Rounding out their band, the group again thought they had struck gold when they recorded “Louie Louie” in 1963. What they didn’t know was that at the same time another band, known as The Kingsmen, had been recording the same song. As Mark Lindsay once summed it up, “they [The Kingsmen] got the huge hit single…but we got the career!”

Written by married couple Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, this song was inspired by the couple’s friend, Gerry Goffin, who had been ruining his marriage to fellow songwriting partner Carole King with excessive drug use. At a time when most songs were talking about using and abusing mind-altering substances, this song was firmly clear about taking a stand against drug us. Originally offered to The Animals, it was turned down by Eric Burdon and later given to this group in 1966. The release of the song garnered accusations that the band had “sold out” and had “become a part of the establishment,” while David Crosby of The Byrds had called it “a dumb anti-drug song.” Despite its unpopular anti-drug theme, the song still managed to reach number four in the United States and number three in Canada. It stills receives regular airplay on the radio to this day.



Paul Revere & The Raiders - Kicks (1966)

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Lyrics:

Girl, you thought you found the answer on that magic carpet ride last night
But when you wake up in the mornin’ the world still gets you uptight
Well, there's nothin' that you ain't tried to fill the emptiness inside
But when you come back down, girl, still ain't feelin' right

(And don't it seem like)
Kicks just keep gettin' harder to find
And all your kicks ain't bringin' you peace of mind
Before you find out it's too late, girl
You better get straight

No, but not with kicks
You just need help, girl

Well you think you're gonna find yourself a little piece of paradise
But it ain't happened yet, so girl, you better think twice
Don't you see? No matter what you do, you'll never run away from you
And if you keep on runnin', you'll have to pay the price

(And don't it seem like)
Kicks just keep gettin' harder to find
And all your kicks ain't bringin' you peace of mind
Before you find out it's too late, girl
You better get straight

No, you don't need kicks
To help you face the world each day
That road goes nowhere
I'm gonna help you find yourself another way

(Kicks just keep gettin' harder to find)
Oh, you don't need kicks, girl
(And all your kicks ain't bringin' you peace of mind)
You just need help, girl
Before you find out it's too late, girl
You better get straight

And don't it seem like
(Kicks just keep gettin' harder to find)
Oh, you don't need kicks, girl
(And all your kicks ain't bringin' you peace of mind)
Oh, you just need help, girl
Before you find out it's too late, girl
You better get straight…

The Byrds - Goin' Back (1967)

Originally known as The Jet Set, this band was eventually inspired to use an unconventional spelling for their finalized name by The Beatles. From their cover songs, such as Pete Seeger’s “Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There is a Season)” and Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man,” to the tracks they penned themselves, they put together some of the most memorable songs to come out of the 1960s. Becoming one of the top selling acts for a brief period, they also saw their individual members go on to continue great things after the end of the band. David Crosby, for instance, went on to co-create Crosby, Stills & Nash, while nearly all of the other members had successful solo careers. An attempt to summarize the intricate history of this band, their music, and its members in this small space would more than likely not be possible. Their work has inspired countless other artists and their music continues to help define the 1960s.

This is the song that split The Byrds apart. Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King in 1966, it was a bit slower and a slightly bit more country than what the band had normally been putting out. David Crosby didn’t like it at all. He disliked it even more after finding out that it was considered over “Triad,” a song he had written, for their upcoming album. With tensions getting high, Crosby was fired from the group and this song was released as a single (in 1967). It also later appeared on the band’s 1968 album The Notorious Byrd Brothers. The song has been recorded and released by man artists, including Dusty Springfield, Nils Lofgren, The Move, Diana Ross, Bon Jovi, Phil Collins, The Pretenders, and many others.



The Byrds - Goin' Back (1967)

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Lyrics:

I think I'm goin' back
To the things I learned so well in my youth
I think I'm returning to
Those days when I was young enough to know the truth
Now there are no games
To only pass the time
No more electric trains
No more trees to climb
But thinking young and growing older is no sin
And I can play the game of life to win

I can recall a time
When I wasn't ashamed to reach out to a friend
Now I think I've got
A lot more than just my toys to lend
Now there's more to do
Than watch my sailboat glide
But every day can be
A magic carpet ride
A little bit of courage is all we lack
So catch me if you can
I'm goin' back

Now there's more to do
Than watch my sailboat glide
But every day can be
A magic carpet ride
A little bit of courage is all we lack
So catch me if you can
I'm goin' back

The Lemon Pipers - I Was Not Born to Follow (1968)

This group came together in 1966, being composed of local Oxford, Ohio college students who had previously been playing in other, separate bands. Robert “Reg” Nave, the band’s keyboardist, had been playing with The Wombats; Dale “Ivan” Browne, their singer, played with Ivan and the Sabres; and both William Bartlett, their guitarist, and Ron “Dude” Dudek, their original bassist, played with Tony and the Bandits. In 1967 they managed to release a single and place second in a Battle of the Bands competition, losing to the James Gang. Two records and some international success later, the group was frustrated with what they wanted to play versus what their label wanted them to play and they split up before the end of 1969.

Although the group desired to be a rock ‘n’ roll band, their first release failed to chart. Because of this, their record company, Buddah Records, made the group record a bubblegum pop song, "Green Tambourine," that had been written by Buddah songwriter Paul Leka and his writing partner, Shelley Pinz. The song was released in late 1967 and rose to the top of the charts by February 1968. It's considered the first bubblegum pop song to ever reach number one. Because of its success, the group was pressured into recording even more bubblegum pop, such as the song heard below, and they complied, knowing that if they didn’t, they would have probably been dropped by the label. This song was written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin.



The Lemon Pipers - I Was Not Born to Follow (1968)

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Lyrics:

No, I'd rather go and journey
Where the diamond crescents glowing
And run across the valley
Beneath the sacred mountain
And wander through the forest
Where the trees have leaves of prisms
That break the light up into colors
That no one know the names of

And when it's time, I'll go and wait
Beside the legendary fountain
‘til I see her form reflected
In its clear and jeweled waters
And if you think I'm ready
You may lead me to the chasm
Where the rivers of our visions
Flow into one another

And I'll stay awhile and wonder
At the mist that they created
And lose myself within it
Cleanse my mind and body
And I know at that moment
As I stand in that cathedral
I will want to dive
Beneath the white cascading water

She may beg and she may plead
And she may argue with her logic
Mention all the things I'll lose
That really have no value
Though I doubt that she will ever
Come to understand my meaning
In the end she'll surely know
I was not born to follow

Cheech & Chong - Basketball Jones (1973)

Composed of Richard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong, this duo is one of the earliest comedy acts to be classified under “stoner” comedy. Throughout their numerous albums and films, they targeted the hippie population with their marijuana-centered comedy. Their routines eventually earned them a Grammy Award. Currently reuniting, the duo has a feature film scheduled for release later this year.

This comedy song comes from the duo’s third album, Los Cochinos (translated “The Pigs”). The song features the following musicians: George Harrison on guitar; Klaus Voormann on bass; Nicky Hopkins on piano; Carole King on electric piano; Billy Preston on organ; Michelle Phillips (of The Mamas and The Papas) as a backup singing "cheerleader"; and many other notable musicians/acts of the era. The track reached number thirty-six in Canada, and would later be covered by Barry White and Chris Rock for the 1996 film Space Jam.



Cheech & Chong - Basketball Jones (1973)

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Lyrics:

Basketball jones, I got a basketball jones
Got a basketball jones, oh baby, ooh

Yes, I am the victim of a basketball jones. Ever since I was a little baby, I always be dribblin'. In fact, I was the baddest dribbler in the whole neighborhood. Then, one day, my mama bought me a basketball. And I loved that basketball. I took that basketball with me everywhere I went. That basketball was like a basketball to me.

I even put that basketball underneath my pillow. Maybe that's why I can't sleep at night. I need help, ladies and gentlemens. I need someone to stand beside me. I need- I need someone to set a pick for me at the free-throw line of life. Someone I can pass to; someone to hit the open man on the give-and-go and not end up in the popcorn machine. So cheerleaders, help me out!

(Basketball jones, I got a basketball jones)
(I got a basketball jones, oh baby, ooh)

Oh, that sounds so sweet. Sing it out. C'mon Coach Booty, Red Blazer, sing along with me. That be bad, honky, yeah. I want everybody in the whole stadium to stand up and sing with us. Oh yeah, sing it out like you're proud. All right, everybody watchin' coast-to-coast, sing along with us. Bill Russell, sing along with us. Chick Hearn, sing along with us. Chris Schenkel, don't sing nothin'.

(Basketball jones, I got a basketball jones)
(I got a basketball jones, oh baby, ooh)

Oh, it feels so good. Gimme the ball. I'll go one-on-one against the world, left-handed. I could stuff it from center court with my toes. I could jump on top of the backboard, take off a quarter, leave fifteen cents change. I could- I could dribble behind my back. I got more moves than ex-lax. I'm bad. I could dribble with my tongue. Here I go down court, try to stop me. You can't stop me 'cause I got a basketball jones. Here I come. That's my hook shot with my eyebrow. Yeah, I could dunk it with my nose. I'm- I'm bad as King Kong- gimme the ball. I'm hot- I'm hot as- I'm hot as- I'm hot as- uh, uh, uh, uh, uh…

(Basketball jones, I got a basketball jones)
(I got a basketball jones, oh baby, ooh)
(Basketball jones, I got a basketball jones)
(I got a basketball jones, oh baby, ooh)…

The Monkees - Porpoise Song (1968)

Originally put together by television producers who wanted to create an American version of The Beatles, this group got their start on their self-titled television show which aired from 1966 to 1968. Being creatively held back, the group eventually fought for their right to be autonomous and broke away from their television series. Though they were often cited as Beatles knock-offs in their years, they managed to sell over sixty-five million copies and gained the respectable reputation they deserved.

Released six months after the last episode of their television show, this song started as a single that was soon released on their 1968 album, Head. It was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and the lyrics play on the drummer’s, Micky Dolenz’s, youth, starring on the television program, Circus Boy, as a child.



The Monkees - Porpoise Song (1968)

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Lyrics:

My, my
The clock in the sky
Is pounding away
And there's so much to say
A face, a voice
An overdub has no choice
An image cannot rejoice

Wanting to be
To hear and to see
Crying to the sky
But the porpoise is laughing
Goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

Clicks, clacks
Ridin’ the backs
Of giraffes for laughs
‘s alright for a while
The eagle sings of castles
And kings and things
That go with a life of style

Wanting to feel
To know what is real
Living is a- is a lie
The porpoise is waiting
Goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye

The Animals - Don't Bring Me Down (1966)

Primarily remembered for their signature cover of “The House of the Rising Sun,” this group was one of the top acts during the British Invasion. They mixed a hard blues rock noise with the rough vocals of lead singer Eric Burdon to put together one of the top rock acts of its time. A later incarnation of the group rooted itself in California and had a more psychedelic sound than its predecessor.

This song, originally composed by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, was the last hit for the group while still in their original incarnation. Within six months, the members of the band would shift yet again and a new band would emerge: Eric Burdon & The Animals (sometimes called Eric Burdon & The New Animals).



The Animals - Don't Bring Me Down (1966)

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Lyrics:

When you complain and criticize
I feel I’m nothing in your eyes
It makes me feel like giving up
Because my best just ain’t good enough

Girl, I want to provide for you
And do all the things that you want me to, but

Oh- oh no, don’t bring me down
I’m beggin’ you darlin’
Oh- oh no, don’t bring me down

Sacrifices I will make
I’m ready to give as well as take
One thing I need is your respect
One thing I can’t take is your neglect

More than anything, I need your love
Then troubles are easy to rise above

Oh- oh no
Don’t bring me down
Oh no, no, no, no, no
Oh- oh no
Don’t bring me down

You complain and criticize
I feel I’m nothin’ in your eyes
It makes me feel like giving up
Because my best just ain’t good enough

Girl, I want to provide for you
And do all the things that you want me to, but

Oh- oh no, don’t bring me down
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
I’m beggin’ you
Oh no, don’t bring me down
Oh, no no
Baby, please

Please, baby, don’t bring me down
(Don’t bring me down)
You know I need you
Ah, woman
You can’t do that to me
Look, I love you
Don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me
Please, I need you…