The 125 Greatest Songs of 1965

Here’s a Spotify playlist of the year’s best songs. Please let me know the ones I missed.

The Beatles are not on Spotify, so they are missing from this playlist, but I would have included “Yesterday,” “Ticket to Ride,” “Help!,” “Nowhere Man,” “Norwegian Wood,” “In My Life,” and “We Can Work It Out.”

Other songs that are not on Spotify that would be included: Bob Dylan’s “Positively 4th Street,” Van Morrison and Them’s “Here Comes the Night,” Mahalia Jackson’s “Like the Breeze Blows,” The Wailers’ “Rude Boy” and the original “One Love,” The Leaves’ “Hey Joe,” P.F. Sloan’s “Halloween Mary,” and Francoise Hardy’s “Ce Petit Cœur.”

I’ve pasted the list below the Spotify plug in.

The Rolling Stones – (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
James Brown – Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag – Single Version
Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone
The Impressions – People Get Ready – Single Version
The Who – My Generation
The Staple Singers – Freedom Highway
The Bobby Fuller Four – I Fought The Law – Single Version
Sam Cooke – A Change Is Gonna Come
Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound Of Silence – single version
John Coltrane Quartet – A Love Supreme Part IV – Psalm
The Yardbirds – Heart Full of Soul
Stevie Wonder – Uptight (Everything’s Alright)
Vince Guaraldi Trio – Linus And Lucy
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – Nowhere To Run
The Byrds – Mr. Tambourine Man
Marvin Gaye – I’ll Be Doggone
The Lovin’ Spoonful – Do You Believe In Magic
Nina Simone – I Put A Spell On You
Frank Sinatra – The September Of My Years
Wilson Pickett – In The Midnight Hour
Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Are Made For Walkin’
Otis Redding – Respect
Barry McGuire – Eve Of Destruction
The Supremes – Stop! In The Name Of Love
The Mamas & The Papas – California Dreamin’
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – The Tracks Of My Tears
The Righteous Brothers – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ – Single Version
Four Tops – I Can`t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
The Beach Boys – California Girls
The Temptations – My Girl
The Hollies – Look Through Any Window
Fontella Bass – Rescue Me
The Animals – We Gotta Get Out Of This Place – US Single Version
Little Milton – We’re Gonna Make It – Single Version
The Kinks – Till the End of the Day
James Brown & The Famous Flames – I Got You (I Feel Good)
Sonny & Cher – I Got You Babe – Single Version
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – Ooo Baby Baby
Nico – I’m Not Sayin’
Marvin Gaye – Ain’t That Peculiar
Tom Jones – It’s Not Unusual
Otis Redding – I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)
The Mamas & The Papas – Go Where You Wanna Go
The Temptations – Since I Lost My Baby
Bob Dylan – Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
The Supremes – My World Is Empty Without You – Stereo Version
The Byrds – I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better
Nina Simone – Four Women
Waylon Jennings – That’s The Chance I’ll Have To Take
Jr. Walker & The All Stars – Shotgun
The Vogues – Five O’Clock World
Petula Clark – Downtown
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – Going To A Go-Go
The Spencer Davis Group – Keep On Running – 2010 Remaster
The Pretty Things – Midnight To Six Man
Davy Jones – You’ve Got a Habit of Leaving – Remastered
The Who – The Kids Are Alright – Shel Talmy – Stereo Version
The Beach Boys – Girl Don’t Tell Me
The Seeds – Pushin’ Too Hard
The Turtles – Let Me Be
The Rolling Stones – Get Off Of My Cloud
The Animals – It’s My Life
Phil Ochs – I Ain’t Marching Anymore
Johnny Wright – Hello Vietnam
Bert Jansch – Needle of Death
The Byrds – He Was a Friend Of Mine
Judy Collins – Early Morning Rain
Joan Baez – Daddy, You Been On My Mind
Donovan – Catch the Wind
Dion & The Belmonts – I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound – Original Mix
Bob Dylan – Desolation Row
Johnny Cash – The One on the Right Is on the Left
Jackie DeShannon – What The World Needs Now Is Love – 2002 – Remaster
Frank Sinatra – It Was A Very Good Year
Tony Bennett – The Shadow of Your Smile
The Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody
The Yardbirds – Still I’m Sad
The Kinks – See My Friends
The Lovin’ Spoonful – You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice
Tom Jones – What’s New Pussycat?
Marianne Faithfull – Summer Nights
The Seekers – A World Of Our Own
We Five – You Were On My Mind
The Beach Boys – Help Me, Rhonda
Elvis Presley – Girl Happy
The McCoys – Hang On Sloopy – Single Version
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons – Let’s Hang On
Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs – Wooly Bully
? & The Mysterians – 96 Tears
The Standells – Dirty Water
The Yardbirds – I’m a Man
The Animals – Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
Otis Redding – That’s How Strong My Love Is (Single/LP Version)
Bob Dylan – Subterranean Homesick Blues
The Kinks – A Well Respected Man – Mono EP
Roger Miller – King of the Road
Porter Wagoner – Green, Green Grass of Home
Vince Guaraldi Trio – Christmas Time Is Here – Vocal
The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)
The Temptations – Don’t Look Back
The Beach Boys – Let Him Run Wild
The Kinks – Tired of Waiting for You
Solomon Burke – Got To Get You Off My Mind
The Barbarians – Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl?
Faron Young – Walk Tall
Waylon Jennings – Stop The World (And Let Me Off)
The Sonics – Psycho
Sam & Dave – You Don’t Know Like I Know – LP/Single Version
The Yardbirds – For Your Love
The Beach Boys – The Little Girl I Once Knew
Barbara Mason – Yes. I’m Ready
The Contours – First I Look At The Purse
Cher – Where Do You Go To
Willie Nelson – Night Life
The Rolling Stones – Play With Fire
Judy Collins – In The Heat Of The Summer
Dion – It’S All Over Now, Baby Blue
Barry McGuire – Upon A Painted Ocean
Otis Redding – I Can’t Turn You Loose
Marianne Faithfull – Come Stay With Me
The Supremes – Back In My Arms Again – Single Version
The Byrds – She Don’t Care About Time – Single Version
The Who – Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
The Rolling Stones – I’m Free
Bob Dylan – Mr. Tambourine Man

Leave a comment