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The Sixties: British Invasion

This guide covers the decade 1960 - 1970

Overview

The British invasion refers to the saturation of the U.S. music charts and radio by British groups and singers. For three years, more than forty British groups and singers on the charts. The invaders had borrowed American blues, rhythm and blues, and rock & roll, molded them into a new style, and introduced it to the American audiences, who were largely ignorant of their own musical heritage. This revitalization of rock music with new styles provided a dynamic that was to initially last for the next ten years.

"The Beatles want to hold your hand but the Rolling Stones want to burn your town down."--Tom Wolfe (Davies, p.186)

Rock & Roll Influenced British Bands

  • Ferry Cross the Mersey, Gerry & the Pacemakers (1964)
  • Glad All Over, Dave Clark Five (1964)
  • A Hard Day's Night, The Beatles (1964)
  • I'm Into Something Good, Herman's Hermits (1964)
  • Just One Look, Hollies (1964)
  • Love Potion # 9, The Searchers (1964)
  • She's Not There, The Zombies (1964)
  • A Summer Song, Chad & Jeremy (1964)
  • You Really Got Me, The Kinks (1964)
  • A World Without Love, Peter & Gordon (1964)
  • I Can't Explain, The Who (1965)

Songs found on Spotify
Musicians found on allmusic.com

Blues Influenced British Bands

  • The House of the Rising Sun, The Animals (1964)
  • Yeh Yeh, Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames (1964)
  • For Your Love, Yardbirds (1965)
  • Here Comes the Night, Them (1965)
  • I'm Your Witch Doctor, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers (1965)
  • If You Gotta Go, Go Now, Manfred Mann (1965)
  • (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, The Rolling Stones (1965)
  • Keep On Runnin', Spencer Davis Group (1965)

Songs found on Spotify
Musicians found on allmusic.com

American artists

  • Hanky Panky, Tommy James & the Shondells (1964)
  • Hello Dolly, Louis Armstrong (1964)
  • Laugh, Laugh, The Beau Brummels (1964)
  • Midnight Special, Johnny Rivers (1964)
  • Pretty Woman, Roy Orbison (1964)
  • Rag Doll, The Four Seasons (1964)
  • California Girls, The Beach Boys (1965)
  • Cara Mia, Jay and the Americans (1965)
  • Do You Believe in Magic, The Lovin' Spoonful (1965)
  • Elusive Butterfly, Bob Lind (1965)
  • I Got You Babe, Sonny & Cher (1965)
  • It Was a Very Good Year, Frank Sinatra (1965)
  • Mr. Tambourine Man, The Byrds (1965)
  • This Diamond Ring, Gary Lewis & the Playboys
  • Black is Black, Los Bravos (1966)

Songs found on Spotify
Musicians found on allmusic.com

Sidebar: Harmonies

Many groups valued the use of harmonies in their music. Some credited that with the influence of the Four Freshmen in the 1950s. Here are some great harmonies:

  • Blue World, Four Freshmen (1955)
  • All I have to do is Dream, Everly Brothers (1958)
  • Let's Hang On, The Four Seasons (1965)
  • Look Through Any Window, The Holliies (1965)
  • People Get Ready, The Chambers Brothers (1965)
  • Good Vibrations, The Beach Boys (1966)
  • Homeward Bound, Simon & Garfunkel (1966)
  • Monday Monday, The Mamas & the Papas (1966)
  • Never My Love, The Association (1967)
  • Eight Miles High, The Byrds (11966)
  • Marrakesh Express, Crosby Stills & Nash (1969)

Songs found on Spotify
Musicians found on allmusic.com

Sidebar: John Mayall's Bluesbreakers

American blues had a huge influence on British musicians in the 1960s. One of the most influential band leaders in the British Blues movement was John Mayall. And the band he led was the Bluesbreakers. Here are a few of the former members of the Bluesbreakers who later went on to important careers:

  • Eric Clapton
  • Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac)
  • Mick Taylor (The Rolling Stones)
  • Jack Bruce (Cream)
  • Andy Fraser (Free)
  • Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac)
  • John McVie (Fleetwood Mac)

Songs found on Spotify
Musicians found on allmusic.com

Additional References

Crampton, L., & Rees, D. (2003). Rock & roll year by year. Dorling Kindersley.
Covach, J. R., & Flory, A. (2015). What's that sound?: An introduction to rock and its history. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Davies, Hunter, et al. The Beatles Book. Ebury Press, 2019.
McCleary, J. B., & McCleary, J. J. (n.d.). The hippie dictionary: a cultural encyclopedia (and phraseicon) of the 1960s and 1970s. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.
Stodder, C., & Phillips, M. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Sixties Cool: A Celebration of the Grooviest People, Events, and Artifacts of the 1960s[Kindle]. Retrieved from Amazon. com.
Ward, E. (2019). History of Rock and Roll, Volume 2: 1964-1977: the Beatles, the Stones, and the Rise of Classic Rock. New York: Flatiron Books.