When they first ventured out of their family garages and ended up in real studios, the intention of the original garage rockers was just to be loud snotty, and have as much fun as they could. It was never on their mind that they would influence kids who wanted to do absolutely the same to this day.
And they hit it right the first time around, as listening to some of the original garage rock artifacts brings on the same rush and excitement as it did then, some six decades on.
So, to bring on some summer excitement (even in winter) and rock the whole neighborhood, you can play that ultimate Nuggets compilation album, or you can pick up solely these twelve original garage rock singles from the sixties that will surely do the trick.
1960s garage rock songs that are still worth listening to
The Kingsmen - “Louie, Louie” (1963)
This one has been played so many times, but it never gets overplayed. This is probably the song’s best-known version, even though it is not the original one (Richard Berry wrote it in 1955, recorded it in 1956, and released it in 1957). And still, to this day, it is the song that proves that old rule - when done the way they should be, simple things are the best.
Bobby Fuller Four - “I Fought The Law” (1963)
Another one that has its roots in the fifties (original by the Crickets), is one of the two best-known versions of the song (the other is by the mighty Clash), and it took it full three years to reach the charts. Yet, whenever it is re-released, it hits them charts every single time, and all for the right reasons.
The Kinks - “All Day And All of The Night” (1964)
It could have been a loft or a cellar instead of a garage where Ray Davies and The Kinks conceived this one, but even in their early days, before they went all over the place (into all the right places), the Kinks showed that they were destined for greatness, coming up with a garage rock classic out of thin air.
Standells - “Dirty Water” (1965)
Even early on, garage rock songs would come up with a strong statement that went beyond just having fun, and this one from this Boston band could be one of the first environmental pollution statements around. Still, at the same time, it has that sound and attitude that qualifies it as one of the all-time garage rock classics.
The Seeds - “Pushing Too Hard” (1965)
This might have been an early one from late Sky Saxon, songwriter and vocalist for the Seeds, but it turned into becoming not only the band’s signature song, but one of the signature tunes for sixties garage rock (and on), starting from its truly apt title and incessant beat.
? And The Mysterians - “96 Tears” (1966)
Question Mark was one Rudy Martinez, who wrote this song as far back as 1962, for it to reach the top of the charts in 1966. It seems that the original title was supposed to be "69 Tears," but Martinez changed it for fear that it might not be played by sixties radio stations. Probably the right decision, having in mind the influence the song had on other garage rockers.
The Count Five - “Psychotic Reaction” (1966)
This is where garage and psychedelic rock started to collide, with the connecting factor being that great fuzz box sound this L.A. band worked on for six months, before they added their, for those times, strange mental health lyrics. And it worked miracles, as it turned out to become one of the best examples of how to use a fuzz box the right way.
The Troggs - “Wild Thing” (1966)
Texas songwriter Chip Taylor who wrote this song is fortunately still around charming audiences with his inimitable vocals and songwriting. His original version from 1965 never saw the sight of charts. On the other hand, late singer Reg Presley and his British garage rockers the Troggs hit it big with it, turning it into one of the all-time garage rock classics, and deservedly so.
Rocky Ericson and his 13th Floor Elevators came up with yet another perfect cross between garage and psychedelic rock, adding some crazy touches of folk here (electric kazoo, anyone?), and it was even the band’s first single. And yet it is still remains as the proof that sometimes your first move is the right (and sometimes the best) move, although Erickson with and without the band proved that he was not a one-trick pony.
The Electric Prunes - “I Had Too Much To Dream” (1967)
This song (along with a few others mentioned here) was included on Lenny Kaye’s brilliant Nuggets compilation, actually opening the proceedings, with yet another perfect cross between garage rock and psychedelia, even though the band didn’t write the song themselves (the authors were the professional songwriters Annette Tucker and Nancie Mantz).
The Stooges - “I Wanna Be Your Dog” (1969)
At some point by the late sixties garage rock started to turn into original punk, and Iggy Pop and his crew were probably among the initiators (if not the ones) that did it. Another debut single, this time turning a three-cord song into garage and punk iconography, with Iggy’s usual snotty attitude that was able to destroy everything in front of it.
MC5 - “Kick Out The Jams” (1969)
It is not a long way from Ann Arbor (The Stooges) to Detroit, where the legendary MC5 was from, and where this song (and the album it came from) was originally recorded live. It showed (and still does) why garage rock was (and still is) one of the best sub-genres to be heard and experienced live, but we probably wouldn’t have minded the studio version of this one either.