The 25 best love songs of the 1960s, ranked

15 January 2025, 12:19

On Valentine's Day – and every day – all you need is love (songs).

After its dizzying beginnings in the 1950s, the 1960s was the decade where pop music really went supernova.

And while the period brought songs about life and death and aliens and politics and war and anything else you can imagine, thee were also love songs. A lot of love songs.

• The 15 best love songs of the 1950s, ranked
• 'God Only Knows' by The Beach Boys: The making of the heartbreaking love song
• Listen to the Gold Greatest Love Songs Live Playlist on Global Player

Picking the top 25 love songs of the decade is an impossible, wonderful task

It would have been easy enough to pick 25 great songs just by The Beatles or Andy Williams, so to get the job we've restricted ourselves to just one song per artist.

And, in the main, we've stuck to out-out-and-out uncomplicated love songs, saving the break-up hits and more lustful tracks for another, less loved-up day.

1. The Troggs - Love Is All Around

   

   The Troggs - Love Is All Around

   The 1990s Wet Wet Wet cover was number one for a gazillion years, but you can't beat the gentle lilt of the original from October 1967.

   Written in ten minutes and apparently inspired by the Salvation Army band on the telly playing 'Love That's All Around', Reg Presley's classic was a world away from the gritty 'Wild Thing' released a couple of years earlier, but just as addictive

2. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Your Precious Love

   

   Your Precious Love

   Marvin Gaye's biggest love songs were yet to come on the sexed-up Let's Get It On a few years down the line, but he always had a handle on affairs of the heart, and especially when he was working with Tammi Terrell.

   'Your Precious Love' was a gorgeous bit of loved up soul balladry that was a top five hit for the Motown label on its release in 1967.

3. Stevie Wonder - I Was Made to Love Her

   

   Stevie Wonder - I Was Made to Love Her — (Official Video)

   Taken from the album of the same name 'I Was Made To Love Her' was only kept off the top in 1967 by The Doors' all-conquering 'Light My Fire'.

   Stevie Wonder would go on to release bigger songs, but few captured the giddy high energy of the first flush of love as well as this.

4. The Turtles - Happy Together

   

   The Turtles - Happy Together [HD]

   It's been much covered (including a fine version by Captain & Tennille) but The Turtles' original 'Happy Together' has endured.

   The group's only number one hit in the US, it benefited from then-cutting edge eight track recording and the arranging skills of new member bassist Chip Douglas.

5. Dusty Springfield - The Look of Love

   

   Casino Royale (1967) • The Look of Love • Dusty Springfield

   Dusty Springfield released so many fantastic love songs during the 1960s, but this bossa nova-style track is maybe the most loved-up and dreamy.

   Written by the masterful Burt Bacharach and Hal David, it featured on the soundtrack of 1967 James Bond spoof Casino Royale.

6. Leonard Cohen - Suzanne

   

   Suzanne (from "Live At The Isle of Wight 1970") (Live At The Isle of Wight 1970)

   Leonard Cohen had a reputation for being something of a misery guts, but truthfully a number of his songs don't just have an aching beauty too them, but plenty of true love embedded into the poetry.

   'Suzanne' is one such song, inspired by his nonsexual relationship with dancer Suzanne Verdal, who he used to walk with around Old Montreal long before he became a star.

7. Ike and Tina Turner - River Deep – Mountain High

   

   Ike & Tina Turner - River Deep Mountain High 1971 (including intro)

   While 'River Deep – Mountain High' was a decent sized hit in the UK, it underperformed in the US and probably resulted in Phil Spector taking a step back from the music business for a couple of years.

   "We can only assume that England is more appreciative of talent and exciting music than the US," said Spector.

   When you consider the endpoint of Spector's decline, not to mention the violence suffered by Tina Turner at the hands of Ike during their marriage, you'd be forgiven for wanting to completely shelve this song.

   But for all the baggage, you absolutely cannot deny its raw power and love-filled energy. A masterpiece.

8. The Temptations - My Girl

   

   The Temptations - My Girl (Lyric Video)

   Maybe the very sweetest love song on this list, elevated by David Ruffin's powerful vocals.

   Written by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White of The Miracles, 'My Girl' became the first number one hit for The Temptations.

9. The Shangri-Las - Leader of the Pack

   

   The Shangri-Las -Leader Of The Pack Video with High Quality Sound

   A bit of a wild card on this list. Yes, it's a death disc, and yes, there's a break-up, but this is still an out-and-out love song in our eyes.

   Written by George 'Shadow Morton, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich, 'Leader of the Pack' perfectly captured the power of teenage love that can survive not just parental dissaproval but even a fatal motorbike crash.

   It went to number one and became The Shangri-Las signature song.

10. Etta James - At Last

    

    At Last (Remastered)

    Like 'Unchained Melody', 'At Last' is a song that actually goes back a lot further than you might think.

    Written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren, it featured in the 1941 musical Sun Valley Serenade, and was recorded a number of times by Glen Miller and his orchestra, going as high as number two in the charts.

    It was in 1960 that Riley Hampton rearranged the song for Etta James to record on her debut At Last! album and she completely made it her own.

    'At Last' was later covered by Celine Dion and, much to the apparent annoyance of Etta, also Beyoncé, who sang it for the Obamas' first dance following Barack's inauguration as president

11. Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash - Girl From The North Country

    

    Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash - Girl From The North Country

    Bob Dylan broke through with political folk songs, but as you see in films like No Direction Home and A Complete Unknown, he was never going to let himself be pigeonholed as a protest singer.

    As early as 1963's The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan he was stretching his songwriting wings, and 'Girl From The North Country' is simply one of the best ever love songs.

    The song was immediately picked up by other performers, but the very best reworking came from Bob himself in partnership with Johnny Cash, when he returned to the track for the opening of his 1969 country record Nashville Skyline.

12. The Bee Gees - Words

    

    Bee Gees "Words" on The Ed Sullivan Show

    The Bee Gees are rightly best known for their disco classics in the late 1970s, but their earlier Beatles-inspired works aren't too shabby.

    "'Words' reflects a mood," said Robin Gibb.

    "It was written after an argument. Barry had been arguing with someone, I had been arguing with someone, and happened to be in the same mood.

    "[The arguments were] about absolutely nothing. They were just words. That is what the song is all about; words can make you happy or words can make you sad. "

    A disarming classic and major hit on its 1968 release, the song enjoyed successful covers by Rita Coolidge and Boyzone.

13. Ben E King - Stand By Me

    

    Ben E. King - Stand By Me (HQ Video Remastered In 1080p)

    Inspired by a Sam Cooke/JW Alexander spiritual, Ben E King's 1961 classic 'Stand By Me' is a tale about how the power of love can not just banish all fears, but even survive the apocalypse.

    It's been covered by everyone from John Lennon to Florence + The Machine to Snoop Dogg.

    Ben E King's version had a second life on the soundtrack for the 1986 coming-of-age film of the same name, complete with an adorable new music video.

14. Sam Cooke - Cupid

    

    Cupid

    Sam Cooke's political hits are obviously remarkable – 'Chain Gang', 'A Change is Gonna Come' – but he also very much knew his way around a love song, too.

    Written by Sam himself, the track was apparently earmarked for a female singer Cooke's producers had spotted on TV, but once they heard it they sensibly decided to let Sam keep it for himself.

    It was a top 20 hit in the US and top ten in the UK, and was later covered by Johnny Rivers, The Supremes, Johnny Nash, Otis Redding and Amy Winehouse.

15. The Monkees - I’m A Believer

    

    The Monkees - I'm a Believer HD

    Neil Diamond wrote and performed so many fantastic break-up songs in the 1960s that don't quite fit our remit - 'Solitary Man' and 'Red Red Wine' to name just a couple.

    But one Neil Diamond-penned song that absolutely fits the bill is 'I'm A Believer' as performed by The Monkees. A smash hit in 1966, it's about how love can turn your whole way of thinking upside down in the best and happiest way.

16. Percy Sledge - When a Man Loves A Woman

    

    Percy Sledge - When A Man Loves A Woman (Live)

    Yes, the lyrics are beautiful in their simplicity. Yes, the melody is soaring. Yes, the arrangement is note-perfect.

    But this 1966 song is all about the absolutely knock-you-out power of Percy Sledge's vocals.

    "It was a song that was meant to be," said the humble Percy.

    "It wasn't just what I had done; it was the musicians, the producer, the background singers, the right time."

17. The Beatles - Something

    

    The Beatles - Something

    Given how many incredible love songs were written by Paul McCartney and/or John Lennon, it's maybe a surprise that our Beatles pick is a song by George Harrison, who only wrote 22 tracks for the band.

    But Abbey Road's 'Something' is the ultimate Beatles love song, all pure simplicity and joy, although he later revealed it was a song about the love of god, not Pattie Boyd as had been widely assumed.

    It was George's first A-side and has become one of the group's most covered songs, with famous versions by Shirley Bassey and Frank Sinatra.

18. The Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody

    

    Righteous Brothers -- Unchained Melody (Live, 1965) (Picture and Sound Restored)

    The Righteous Brothers recorded the definitive version of the soaring 'Unchained Melody', a much-covered song that predated their version by a full decade.

    Written by Alex North and Hy Zaret, the original version was sung by Todd Duncan in the film Unchained in 1955. The same year there were three versions in the US top 10 and four versions in the UK top 20.

    The Righteous Brothers' version blew them all out the water though, with Bobby Hatfield's melody tweak in the final verse pushing it to the next level.

    A major hit in 1965, this version got plenty of new attention when it featured in Patrick Swayze/Demi Moore supernatural romance Ghost in 1990.

19. Glen Campbell - Witchita Lineman

    

    Glen Campbell - Wichita Lineman (Live Goodtime Hour)

    "And I need you more than I want you / And I want you for all time."

    What a lyric.

    Bob Dylan is said to have claimed that 'Witchita Lineman' "the greatest song ever written" and who are we to argue with Bob Dylan?

    This tender classic written by Jimmy Webb is most definitely up there. "It was a splendidly vivid, cinematic image that I lifted out of my deep memory while I was writing this song," he said of spotting a man atop a telephone pole.

    "When I heard it I cried," Glen Campbell said on hearing Webb's demo, and Glen's version, released in 1968, was recording perfection.

20. Andy Williams - Can't Take My Eyes Off You

    

    Andy Williams - Can't Take My Eyes Off You (Audio)

    In 1997, Andy Williams released the compilation album The Love Songs: 23 perfect love songs without a dud among them.

    It opened with what we've decided is Williams's very best track on matters of the heart.

    'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' was written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio and was a hit first for Frankie Valli in 1967, but with its powerful dynamics, Williams's cover a year later has the edge.

    Decades later in 2002, Williams returned to the song and recorded it as a duet with... Denise Van Outen!

21. The Supremes - Baby Love

    

    The Supremes - Baby Love (Lyric Video)

    Another artist we could have packed this list with songs by if we weren't sticking to our one each rule, The Supremes could capture just how overwhelming young love can be like few others.

    As their best we've gone for 'Baby Love', written by the Holland–Dozier–Holland team and a deserved charttopper on both sides of the Atlantic.

22. Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

    

    Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Official Lyric Video)

    Aretha Franklin had more than 70 top 100 singles, and while not all of them were love songs, most concerned matters of the heart.

    'Think' and 'Respect' were powerfully defiant anthems, but when it comes to out and out love, it's hard to look past 1967 hit '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman'.

    Written by the team of Gerry Goffin, Carole King and Jerry Wexler, the love-as-salvation lyrics risk being a tad soppy, but what stops that from happening is Aretha's absolutely peerless vocals that blow you away.

    The song was later covered by one of its original writers Carole King on her Tapestry album, as well as the likes Mary J Blige and Celine Dion.

23. Elvis Presley - Can’t Help Falling in Love

    

    Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling In Love (Official Audio)

    Elvis Presley dominated the 1950s with his lustful rock 'n' roll anthems, but it's maybe this pure-as-snow love song from 1961 that is his most beautiful moment.

    The song was written as 'Can't Help Falling In Love with Him' by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss riffing on 1784 love song 'Plaisir d'amour' by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini, but Elvis's version is very much its own, wondrous thing.

    A number one hit in the UK (novelty song 'Peppermint Twist' kept it off the top in the US), it became a concert standard, and was the last number played on both Elvis's last TV special and final actual concert in 1977.

    We can't list ALL the artists who have covered it, but Perry Como, Doris Day, Andy Williams, Bob Dylan, Engelbert Humperdinck and UB40 are just some of them.

24. The Ronettes - Be My Baby

    

    The Ronettes - Be My Baby (Music Video)

    The story goes that when Brian Wilson first heard The Ronettes' 'Be My Baby' in the car he had to pull over, because he was so blown away by its complete pop perfection.

    "I really did flip out," Brian admitted years later.

    "Balls-out totally freaked out... it was like having your mind revamped. It's like, once you've heard that record, you're a fan forever."

    It became a constant inspiration/touchstone/obsession and honestly Brian, we can completely understand why. (And it's fair to say so can Martin Scorsese, who used it to open Mean Streets.)

    From those opening drumbeats to Ronnie Spector's plaintive wail, it's a song of pure pleading and adoration that digs its way right into your heart and soul.

25. The Beach Boys - God Only Knows

    

    The Beach Boys - God Only Knows (Official Music Video)

    The chain of pop appreciation contionues

    While Bob Dylan goes batting for 'Witchita Lineman' and Brian Wilson favours 'Be My Baby', Paul McCartney has called 'God Only Knows' "the greatest song ever written".

    Brian Wilson's 'God Only Knows' The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds is simply one of the most beautiful songs ever written.

    It's credited to Wilson and wordsmith Tony Asher and was inspired by the substances Brian was dabbling in and the all-conquering Rubber Soul by The Beatles.

    The song, controversial at the time for mentioning "God" in the title, uses daring bait-and-switch tactics ( "I may not always love you... but long as there are stars above you / You never need to doubt it") throughout to get you gasping.

    Simply dazzling.