Popular 1960s Hit Songs for Weddings
Updated on January 6, 2022 | Written by Matthew Campbell
When you think of classic rock & roll, classic R&B, and classic folk, you have to be thinking of the 1960s. When you play songs from the sixties at your wedding, you’re unlikely to get complaints. From songs for the candle ceremony, first dance, and grooving out with your best family and friends, the 1960s has your back.
Why Was the 1960s So Special For Music?
What makes the 1960s such a special decade for music? Some of it has to do with the natural cycle of style. Other influences include improvements in technology. And still, there is a “je ne sais quoi” — a mystery — something you can’t quite put your finger on.
As the 1960s began, the pop charts gave us R&B, Soul, DooWop. At the same time, the 1960s gave us instrumental beach music — surf rock. And we can’t forget the impact of musical artists from England coming to the USA — the British Invasion. Popular British music groups included the Beatles, the Byrds, and the Turtles.
Table of Contents:
- Top 5 1960s Songs
- 1960s Wedding Songs
- R&B 1960s Wedding Songs
- Soul 1960s Wedding Songs
- Rock 1960s Wedding Songs
- Pop 1960s Wedding Songs
- Country 1960s Wedding Songs
- 1960s Wedding Songs Spotify Playlist
- Questions about 1960s Songs
Top 5 1960s Songs
- “My Girl” by The Temptations
- “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond
- “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra
- “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
- “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley
100 Groovy 1960s Songs for Your Wedding
Without further ado, we list the very best songs of the 1960s for your wedding. Did we leave out your favorite? Let us know which one in the comments as well as the one you would replace.
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1960s R&B Wedding Songs
I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
1968, R&B
Ooo I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine
Ooo I heard it through the grapevine
And I’m just about to loss my mind
You’re All I Need To Get By – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
1968, R&B
You’re all, all the joys under the sun wrapped up into one
You’re all, you’re all I need, you’re all I need, you’re all I need to get by
(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay – Otis Redding
1968, R&B
Two thousand miles, I roam
Just to make this dock my home
Now I’m just gon’ sit, at the dock of the bay
Chain Of Fools – Aretha Franklin
1967, R&B
For five long years
I thought you were my man
But I found out
I’m just a link in your chain
Respect – Aretha Franklin
1967, R&B
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take care, TCB, oh
You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman – Aretha Franklin
1967, R&B
‘Cause you make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman
When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge
1966, R&B
When a man loves a woman
Spend his very last dime
And trying to hold on to what he needs
Good Lovin’ – The Young Rascals
1966, R&B
(Good love) Now come on and gimme that lovin’
(Good love) All I
need is love
(Good love) Good lovin’, baby
Mustang Sally – Wilson Pickett
1966, R&B
Mustang Sally now baby, oh Lord
Guess you better slow your mustang down, huh, oh yeah
I Got You (I Feel Good) – James Brown
1965, R&B
I feel good, I knew that I would, now
So good, so good, I got you
In The Midnight Hour – Wilson Pickett
1965, R&B
I’m gonna wait ’til the midnight hour
That’s when my love come tumbling down
I’m gonna wait, way in the midnight hour
That’s when my love begin to shine, just you and I
The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss) – Betty Everett
1964, R&B
Kiss him and squeeze him tight
And find out what you want to know
If it’s love, if it really is
It’s there in his kiss
Dancing In The Street – Martha & The Vandellas
1964, R&B
So come on ev’ry guy grab a girl
Everywhere around the world
There’ll be dancing (dancing in the street)
Baby Love – The Supremes
1964, R&B
Baby love, my baby love
Why must we separate, my love?
All of my whole life through
I never loved no one but you
Green Onions – Booker T. & The MG’s
1962, R&B
Bring It On Home To Me – Sam Cooke
1962, R&B
Oh honey, bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me
Stand By Me – Ben E. King
1961, R&B
I won’t cry, I won’t cry
No, I won’t shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
Tossin’ And Turnin’ – Bobby Lewis
1961, R&B
I couldn’t sleep at all last night
Got to thinkin’ of you
Baby things weren’t right
Well I was tossin’ and turnin’
Last Kiss – J Frank Wilson & The Cavaliers
1961, R&B
The Lord took her away from me
She’s gone to heaven so I got to be good
So I can see my baby when I leave this world
Hit The Road Jack – Ray Charles
1961, R&B
Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back
No more, no more, no more, no more
Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more
The Lion Sleeps Tonight – The Tokens
1961, R&B
In the jungle the quiet jungle
The lion sleeps tonight
Wee heeheehee weeoh aweem away
Save The Last Dance For Me – The Drifters
1960, R&B
But don’t forget who’s takin’ you home
And in whose arms you’re gonna be
So darlin’ save the last dance for me
Stay – Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
1960, R&B
Oh won’t you stay, just a little bit longer
Please let me hear you say that you will
Say you will
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow – The Shirelles
1960, R&B
You give your love so sweetly
Tonight the light of love is in your eyes
But will you love me tomorrow?
Georgia On My Mind – Ray Charles
1960, R&B
I said Georgia
Oh Georgia, no peace I find (no peace I find)
Just an old sweet song
1960s Soul Wedding Songs
Dance To The Music – Sly & the Family Stone
1968, Soul
Sing, get on up and dance to the music
Get on up and dance to the music
Build Me Up Buttercup – The Foundations
1968, Soul
Why do you build me up (Build me up)
Buttercup, baby
Just to let me down?
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
1967, Soul
‘Cause baby, there ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough,
Ain’t no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you, baby
Soul Man – Sam & Dave
1967, Soul
Coming to you on a dusty road
Good loving, I got a truck load
And when you get it, you got something
Don’t worry, ’cause I’m coming
Reach Out I’ll Be There – Four Tops
1966, Soul
Reach out, reach out for me
I’ll be there, to love and comfort you
And I’ll be there, to cherish and care for you
Gimme Some Lovin’ – Spencer Davis Group
1966, Soul
And I’m so glad we made it
So glad we made it
Why won’t you gimme some lovin’
You’re My, Soul And Inspiration – The Righteous Brothers
1966, Soul
You’re my soul and my heart’s inspiration
You’re all I got to get me by
You’re my soul and my heart’s inspiration
Without you, baby, what good am I?
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg – The Temptations
1966, Soul
Ain’t too proud to beg, sweet darlin’
Please don’t leave me girl (don’t you go)
I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) – The Four Tops
1965, Soul
I come a running to you
I’m tied to you, baby
And there’s nothing I can do
Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers
1965, Soul
Lonely rivers sigh
Wait for me, wait for me
I’ll be coming home, wait for me
Treat Her Right – Roy Head & The Traits
1965, Soul
You’re gonna get a reputation
As a lovin’ man
And you’ll be glad every night
That you treated her right
Uptight (Everything’s Alright) – Stevie Wonder
1965, Soul
My money’s low and my suit’s out of style
But it’s all right if my clothes aren’t new
Out of sight because my heart is true
Baby I Need Your Loving – The Four Tops
1964, Soul
Baby, I need your lovin’
Got to have all your lovin’
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) – Marvin Gaye
1964, Soul
I wanna to stop and thank you baby
How sweet it is to be loved by you
Under The Boardwalk – The Drifters
1964, Soul
And your shoes get so hot you wish your tired feet were fire proof
Under the boardwalk, down by the sea, yeah
On a blanket with my baby is where I’ll be
My Girl – The Temptations
1964, Soul
I’ve got a sweeter song
Than the birds in the trees
Well, I guess you’d say
What can make me feel this way
My girl
Duke Of Earl – Gene Chandler
1962, Soul
And when I hold you
You’ll be my Duchess, Duchess of Earl
We’ll walk through my dukedom
And a paradise we will share
You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me – The Miracles
1962, Soul
My love is strong now you really got a hold on me
You really got a hold on me, you really got a hold on me, you really got a hold, baby
Blue Moon – The Marcels
1961, Soul
The only one my arms would ever, hold
I heard somebody whisper, “Please adore me”
And when I looked, the moon had turned to gold
At Last – Etta James
1960, Soul
At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
1960s Rock Wedding Songs
Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival
1969, Rock
Well don’t go around tonight
Well it’s bound to take your life
There’s a bad moon on the rise
Proud Mary – Creedence Clearwater Revival
1969, Rock
Big wheel keep on turnin’
Proud Mary keep on burnin’
Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes – Crosby, Stills & Nash
1969, Rock
Oh, babe have mercy
Don’t let the past remind us of what we are not now
I am not dreaming
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are
Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
1969, Rock
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
Born To Be Wild – Steppenwolf
1968, Rock
Like a true nature’s child
We were born
Born to be wild
Magic Carpet Ride – Steppenwolf
1968, Rock
Well, you don’t know what
We can find
Why don’t you come with me little girl
On a magic carpet ride
Jumpin Jack Flash – The Rolling Stones
1968, Rock
But it’s all right now, in fact, it’s a gas
But it’s all right, I’m Jumpin’ Jack Flash
It’s a gas! Gas! Gas
Mony Mony – Tommy James & The Shondells
1968, Rock
Well you make me feel Mony, Mony
So! Mony, Mony
Good! Mony, Mony
A Whiter Shade Of Pale – Procol Harum
1967, Rock
And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale
That her face, at first just ghostly
Turned a whiter shade of pale
Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
1967, Rock
Hiding ‘hind a rainbow’s wall
Slipping and sliding
All along the waterfall with you
My brown-eyed girl
Devil With A Blue Dress On – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
1966, Rock
Not too skinny, she’s not too fat
She’s a real humdinger and i like it like that
She’s the devil with the blue dress
I’m A Believer – The Monkees
1966, Rock
Then I saw her face, now I’m a believer
Not a trace of doubt in my mind
I’m in love
Wild Thing – The Troggs
1966, Rock
Wild thing, I think I love you
But I wanna know for sure
Come on, hold me tight
I love you
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones
1965, Rock
I can’t get no satisfaction
‘Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try
I can’t get no, I can’t get no
Wooly Bully – Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
1965, Rock
Hatty told Matty, “Let’s don’t take no chance
Let’s not be L-seven, come and learn to dance”
Wooly Bully, Wooly Bully
Yesterday – The Beatles
1965, Rock
Why she had to go
I don’t know, she wouldn’t say
I said something wrong
Now I long for yesterday
Turn! Turn! Turn! – The Byrds
1965, Rock
To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under heaven
Oh, Pretty Woman – Roy Obison
1964, Rock
Pretty woman, stop awhile
Pretty woman, talk awhile
Pretty woman, give your smile to me
Twist And Shout – The Beatles
1964, Rock
You know you twist so fine
Come on and twist a little closer now
And let me know that you’re mine
You Really Got Me – The Kinks
1964, Rock
You got me so I don’t know what I’m doin’, now
Oh yeah, you really got me now
You got me so I can’t sleep at night
Hang On Sloopy – The McCoys
1964, Rock
Sloopy, I don’t care what your daddy do (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
‘Cause you know, Sloopy, girl, I’m in love with you
Sugar Shack – Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs
1963, Rock
I’m gonna drink a lotta coffee, spend a little cash
Make that girl love me when I put on some trash
You can understand why I’ve got to get back
To that sugar shack
Surfin’ U.S.A. – The Beach Boys
1963, Rock
We’ll all be gone for the summer
We’re on surfari to stay
Tell the teacher we’re surfin’
Surfin’ U.S.A.
I Saw Her Standing There – The Beatles
1963, Rock
Oh we danced through the night
And we held each other tight
And before too long
I fell in love with her
I Want To Hold Your Hand – The Beatles
1963, Rock
Oh please, say to me
You’ll let me be your man
And please, say to me
You’ll let me hold your hand
She Loves You – The Beatles
1963, Rock
She says she loves you
And you know that can’t be bad
Yes, she loves you
And you know you should be glad
Louie Louie – The Kingsmen
1963, Rock
Three nights and days I sail the sea
Think of girl, constantly
On that ship, I dream she’s there
I smell the rose in her hair
Wipe Out – The Surfaris
1963, Rock
Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, wipe out
The Wanderer – Dion
1961, Rock
I’m the type of guy that likes to roam around
I’m never in one place I roam from town to town
And when I find myself a-fallin’ for some girl, yeah
I hop right into that car of mine and ride around the world
Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley
1961, Rock
Take my hand, take my whole life, too
For I can’t help falling in love with you
Peppermint Twist, Part I – Joey Dee & The Starlighters
1961, Rock
It’s alright, all night, it’s alright
It’s okay, all day, it’s okay
You’ll learn to do this, the Peppermint Twist
Runaround Sue – Dion
1961, Rock
The touch of her hand and this girl’s warm embrace
So if you don’t wanna cry like I do
A-keep away from-a Runaround Sue
The Twist – Chubby Checker
1960, Rock
Come on and twist
Yeah, baby, twist
Ooh yeah, just like this
Come on, little miss
And do the twist
Walk Don’t Run – The Ventures
1960, Rock
1960s Pop Wedding Songs
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye – Steam
1969, Pop
So dog-gone willin’, so kiss him
(I wanna see you kiss him, wanna see you kiss him)
Go on and kiss him goodbye, now
Sugar, Sugar – The Archies
1969, Pop
Ah, sugar, sugar
You are my candy girl
And you got me wanting you
Yummy Yummy Yummy – Ohio Express
1968, Pop
Yummy, yummy, yummy, I’ve got love in my tummy
And as silly as it may seem
The lovin’ that you’re giving is what keeps me livin’
Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
1967, Pop
But if you feel like I feel
Please let me know that it’s real
You’re just too good to be true
Can’t take my eyes off of you
What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
1967, Pop
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Daydream Believer – The Monkees
1967, Pop
Cheer up, sleepy Jean
Oh, what can it mean that
To a daydream believer
And a homecoming queen
Good Vibrations – The Beach Boys
1966, Pop
I’m pickin’ up good vibrations
She’s giving me excitations (oom bop bop)
I Got You Babe – Sonny & Cher
1965, Pop
Cause I don’t care, with you I can’t go wrong
Then put your little hand in mine
There ain’t no hill or mountain we can’t climb
Do Wah Diddy Diddy – Manfred Mann
1964, Pop
We walked on (Walked on)
To my door (My door)
We walked on to my door
Then we kissed a little more
I Get Around – The Beach Boys
1964, Pop
I get around (get around round round I get around)
From town to town (get around round round I get around)
Chapel Of Love – The Dixie Cups
1964, Pop
Because we’re goin’ to the chapel and we’re gonna get married
Goin’ to the chapel and we’re gonna get married
Gee, I really love you
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ – The Righteous Brothers
1964, Pop
You lost that lovin’ feelin’
Whoa, that lovin’ feelin’
You lost that lovin’ feelin’
Now it’s gone, gone, gone, whoa-oh
Surf City – Jan & Dean
1963, Pop
You know we’re goin’ to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we’re goin’ to Surf City, ’cause it’s two to one
You know we’re goin’ to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Be My Baby – The Ronettes
1963, Pop
I’ll make you happy, baby, just wait and see
For every kiss you give me I’ll give you three
The Loco-Motion – Little Eva
1962, Pop
Come on baby, do the Loco-motion
I know you’ll get to like it if you give it a chance now
Come on baby, do the Loco-motion
He’s So Fine – The Chiffons
1962, Pop
He’s so fine
(Oh yeah)
Gotta be mine
Runaway – Del Shannon
1961, Pop
And I wonder where she will stay
My little runaway
I run-run-run-run runaway
1960s Country Wedding Songs
Stand By Your Man – Tammy Wynette
1968, Country
Stand by your man
And show the world you love him
Keep giving all the love you can
King Of The Road – Roger Miller
1965, Country
I smoke, old stogies I have found
Short, but not too big around
I’m a man of means, by no means
King of the road
Ring Of Fire – Johnny Cash
1963, Country
I went down, down, down
And the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire
Crazy – Patsy Cline
1961, Country
I’m crazy for trying
And crazy for crying
And I’m crazy for loving you
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Another noted creation was created by Detroit Legend, Barry Gordy, Jr. — Motown. Popular Motown artists include Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder. This epic decade came to a close with a historic music festival. Woodstock had 450,000 attendees for the three-day festival.
21st Century Music Owes a Debt to the 1960s
The Best 60s Music was the beginning of a melting pot of different music styles. During the Vietnam War, American bands performed protest songs. Folk artists such as the Mama & the Papas and Simon & Garfunkel were also mainstream. DooWop groups ruled the early 60s such as The Shirelles, Dion & The Belmonts, and the Four Seasons. What we call beach music was popular with teens with artists such as The Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, and The Ventures. Black rights were at the forefront with the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. This helped the rise of R&B and Soul style music with artists like Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke.
The 1960s and the British Invasion
The British invasion brought us rock groups like The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Moody Blues, The Yardbirds, and, of course, Cream. We also had some combinations of music styles like rock and blues with groups such as Janis Joplin and Three Dog Night. For many fans, The Beatles are in their own category for the Best 1960s Music — unless you ask a Stones fan, of course.
The 1960s Music Culture
Historical events of the Sixties included the assassinations of John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. The States was struggling with Civil Rights and the Vietnam War while breaking the frontier of space travel and walking on the moon. Pop culture was all over the map from Beetlemania to Height Ashbury. Teen fashion included hot pants, mini skirts, bold colors known as Mod Fashions, and plaids. Toward the end, it was all about hippies and their psychedelic fashion, bell bottoms, and no bras.
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