Psychedelic Rock Songs From Around the World
Contents
A collection of the best psychedelic rock songs from around the world.
The Psychedelic Sound of the 60s
Psychedelic rock, sometimes called garage rock, is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s. Psychedelic rock is often characterized by a distorted, trippy sound, sometimes referred to as “the psychedelic sound.” The genre is often associated with the use of psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, and is often used as a way to achieve a psychedelic state.
The Beatles – “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”
“Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” is a psychedelic rock song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The song was written primarily by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. It was inspired by a drawing his son Julian made of his classmate, Lucy O’Donnell, entitled “Lucy—in the sky with diamonds”. Shortly after the song’s release, rumours began that the first letter of each of the title nouns intentionally spelled “LSD”. Lennon consistently denied this, insisting the song was inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Despite persistent rumours, the song has never been officially banned by any radio station.
The song is ranked as one of the greatest songs of all time by publications such as Rolling Stone and NME. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it #30 on their list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. In 2006, Pitchfork Media named it #39 on their list of “The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s”. In 2010, Julian Lennon described Lucy as “the nurse from hell”, saying she terrorised him at school area and gave him nightmares for weeks afterwards.
The Beach Boys – “Good Vibrations”
“Good Vibrations” is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released as a single in October 1966. The single, written and produced by Brian Wilson with additional lyrics by Mike Love, peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became the band’s biggest international hit, reaching number one in the United Kingdom, Canada, and several other countries.
Jimi Hendrix – “Purple Haze”
“Purple Haze” is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and released as thesecond single by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on March 17, 1967. The song features his distinctive composition and guitar style and is one of the most enduring songs in rock history.
Psychedelic Rock From Other Countries
Psychedelic rock is a genre that is often associated with America and the United Kingdom. However, psychedlic rock songs come from all around the world. Here are some examples of psychedelic rock songs from other countries.
The Rolling Stones – “Paint It, Black”
“Paint It, Black” is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, written by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, released as a single in May 1966. It was initially featured as an instrumental on the American version of the Rolling Stones’ album Aftermath (1966).
The song became a number one hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 1966 and was the first Rolling Stones song to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. It also enjoyed prolonged stays at number one on charts around the world. “Paint It, Black” reached number three in Australia and New Zealand.
Led Zeppelin – “Kashmir”
“Kashmir” is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, which was included on their sixth studio album Physical Graffiti (1975). It was written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant over several years, with contributions from John Bonham, and was inspired by the band’s experience of travel in Morocco. With its Asian musical influences and lyrics about the desert, “Kashmir” is one of Led Zeppelin’s most popular and enduring songs.
The song is eight minutes and forty seconds long and features a slow, atmospheric opening section followed by a faster, more driving middle section. The middle section features some of Page’s most iconic guitar work, including a solo played on a Gibson EDS-1275 double-neck guitar. “Kashmir” has been praised by critics as one of Led Zeppelin’s best compositions, and it is frequently cited as one of the greatest rock songs of all time.
Pink Floyd – “Another Brick in the Wall”
“Another Brick in the Wall” is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 30 November 1979 as the third single from their album The Wall. Written by Pink Floyd’s bassist Roger Waters, the song reflects his feelings of alienation and oppression, and suggests that the characters in The Wall are not alone in their experiences.
The song is one of Pink Floyd’s most commercially successful singles, reaching number one in several countries, including Australia, Canada, West Germany (then West Germany), Ireland, New Zealand, Spain and South Africa. In the United Kingdom, it reached number six on the Official Charts Company’s UK Singles Chart; in the United States it peaked at number thirty-seven on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. “Another Brick in the Wall” became one of Pink Floyd’s most frequently performed songs.
