Top Bad Ass Psychedelic Rock Songs of All Time

Looking for some mind-bending, soul-expanding psychedelic rock? Look no further than this list of the top bad ass psychedelic rock songs of all time!

The Doors- “Light My Fire”

The Doors were an American rock band started in 1965 in Los Angeles, with lead singer Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were one of the most controversial and influential rock bands of their era. “Light My Fire” was their debut single and it reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1967. The song was included on their self-titled debut album which was released in January 1967.

Jimi Hendrix- “Purple Haze”

“Purple Haze” is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and released as the second single by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on March 17, 1967. As the title track of the Experience’s 1967 album, Are You Experienced, it was one of Hendrix’s first international hits, reaching number six in the United Kingdom and number three in the United States. The song features his inventive guitar playing, which uses the signature Hendrix chord and scale progression.

Led Zeppelin- “Whole Lotta Love”

Led Zeppelin- “Whole Lotta Love”

This song is the perfect example of hard rock at its finest. From the iconic opening riff, to the INTERESTING time changes, to Robert Plant’s unforgettable vocal performance, “Whole Lotta Love” has it all.

The Rolling Stones- “Paint It, Black”

The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London, England, in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of bandfounder Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums), and Ian Stewart (piano). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued to work with the band as a contracted musician until his death in 1985. The band’s primary songwriters, Jagger and Richards, assumed leadership after Andrew Loog Oldham became the group’s manager. Jones left the band less than a month before his death in 1969 having already been replaced by Mick Taylor who remained until 1974. After Taylor left the band, Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and has been on guitar in tandem with Richards ever since. Following Wyman’s departure in 1993, Darryl Jones joined as their touring bassist. Other touring keyboardists for the band have been Nicky Hopkins (1967–1982), Billy Preston (1971–1972),Ian McLagan (1978–1981), and Chuck Leavell (1982–present).

The Rolling Stones were at the vanguard of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the United States in 1964. The band identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s. They were instrumental in making blues a major part of rock and roll.[3][4] They also popularised reggae,[5] and faced a backlash for embracing disco.[6][7] In the 1980s, punk rock acts such as The Clash and The Pogues rekindled interest among young people[8] on a worldwide scale for traditional forms of British music such as folk rock.[9][10]

Paint It Black” is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones released as a single on 7 May 1966,[2][3] appearing as B-side to “19th Nervous Breakdown”. It topped both Billboard’s Hot 100 chart—becoming their second No. 1 hit song there—and Cashbox’s pop singles chart that same year.[4][5] On Billboard’s Easy Listening chart however, “Paint It Black” reached only number 30; on Record World’s Top 100 chart it peaked at number 10. Upon its release Paint It Black was widely hailed by critics as one of their darkest and most powerful songs to date.[6]”Paint It Black” features electric sitar playing by Brian Jones throughout most of the song that makes it feel “exotic” according to connoisseurs of sitar-playing westerners such as George Harrison from The Beatles.[7]. It is one of experimental milestones by Jones who had already integrated several Eastern instruments such as tabla into previous recordings like “Street Fighting Man”.[8].

Black Sabbath- “Paranoid”

Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” is undoubtedly one of the most influential and important psychedelic rock songs of all time. Although the song was released in 1970, it still sounds as fresh and relevant today as it did when it first came out. “Paranoid” is a perfect example of how Black Sabbath took the bluesy, heavy sound of early psychedelia and turned it into something truly dark and menacing. The song’s eerie opening riff, which was inspired by an old Hungarian folk song, sets the stage for Ozzy Osbourne’s unhinged vocals and Tony Iommi’s crushing guitar solo. “Paranoid” is a timeless classic that continues to inspire musicians and fans alike.

Deep Purple- “Smoke on the Water”

This song is off of the album Machine Head and is one of the most popular songs of all time. It is a classic hard rock song and has been covered by many different artists. The song is about a fire at the casino in Montreux, Switzerland.

Cream- “Crossroads”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcL_kNv9fw0
“Crossroads” is a song from the British rock band Cream’s 1968 album Wheels of Fire. It is a double entendre for a place where two roads cross and the inexpensive American brand of cigarettes, which went by the same name. It was written by the group’s guitarist and singer Eric Clapton and its producer Felix Pappalardi.

The song is one of Cream’s most popular, having been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and ranked at number 37 on Guitar World magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitar Solos”. Although not originally released as a single in either the UK or US, it reached number 16 on Billboard magazine’s Easy Listening chart in 1968 and number 28 on the Cash Box Top 100 chart in the same year. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it at number Crossroads 22 on their list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.

Steppenwolf- “Born to Be Wild”

“Born to Be Wild” is a song first performed by the American rock band Steppenwolf, released in 1968 on their eponymous debut album. The song is contributing factor to the legend of the hippie counterculture and the rise of biker culture.

election, Nixon’s White House asked radio stations to stop playing the song because it was “inconsistent with our current foreign policy.” Despite this, “Born to Be Wild” charted in multiple countries and remains one of Steppenwolf’s most popular songs. In 2004, it was ranked No. 129 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and in 2009 it was ranked No. 35 on VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs

The Who- “Won’t Get Fooled Again”

This song was released in 1971 by The Who and is considered to be one of the best psychedelic rock songs of all time. It was written by Pete Townshend and is about theThe song is from The Who’s album “Who’s Next” which is also considered to be one of the greatest rock albums of all time.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience- “All Along the Watchtower”

The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s 1968 classic “All Along the Watchtower” is a psychedelic masterpiece. The song is based on a Bob Dylan poem, and Hendrix’s arrangement of the song is one of the most iconic in all of rock music. With its heavy guitar riff and catchy chorus, “All Along the Watchtower” is a song that any fan of psychedelic rock will enjoy.