Best Songs of 1964
For these year-end lists, I like to undertake the seemingly impossibly task of creating an hours-long mix. The order you see below represents that effort, which you can listen to via Spotify or Apple Music. Sadly all 100 tracks aren’t available, but you get the general idea. Track notes to come eventually or maybe never.
-
A Hard Day’s Night
The Beatles
A Hard Day’s Night
Parlophone
via the ether library: 3/14/2008 -
Little Lover
The Hollies
Stay With the Hollies
Parlophone
via past experience / 1964 research library: 6/22/25 -
Glad All Over
The Dave Clark Five
Glad All Over
Epic
via TK library: 6/22/25 -
Needles and Pins
The Searchers
Needles & Pins
Pye
via TK library: 6/16/25 -
Baby Don’t Go
Sonny & Cher
Baby Don’t Go
Alco
via TK library: 6/18/2012 -
I’m Into Something Good
Herman’s Hermits
I’m Into Something Good / Your Hand in Mine 7"
MGM
via TK library: 7/18/2025 -
Last Kiss
J. Frank Wilson & The Cavaliers
Last Kiss
TK label
via the Pearl Jam cover library: 2/12/2012 -
Under the Boardwalk
The Drifters
Under the Boardwalk 7"
Atlantic
via Everything Summer library: 11/23/2003 () -
Walking in the Rain
The Ronettes
Walking in the Rain 7"
Philles
via TK library: 7/25/2011 -
Leader of the Pack
The Shangri-Las
Leader of the Pack
Red Bird
via the ether as a child library: 6/24/2008 -
Little Honda
The Hondells
Go Little Honda
Mercury
via TK library: 1/29/2012 -
The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)
Jan & Dean
The Little Old Lady from Pasadena
Capitol
via TK library: 7/18/2025 -
I Get Around
The Beach Boys
I Get Around 7"
Capitol
via the ether library: 2/27/2010 -
No Particular Place to Go
Chuck Berry
St. Louis to Liverpool
Chess
via TK library: 6/20/2025 -
Too Much Monkey Business
The Yardbirds
Five Live Yardbirds
EMI
via past experience library: 11/15/2003 (TK) -
You Said
The Primitives
You Said 7"
Pye
via TK (Nuggets?) library: 12/27/2012 -
You Really Got Me
The Kinks
Kinks
Pye
via the ether library: 11/11/2006Released in the US by Reprise under the title You Really Got Me
-
Rosalyn
The Pretty Things
Rosalyn 7"
Fontana
via TK (Nuggets?) library: 12/27/2012 -
I’m Your Kingpin
Manfred Mann
The Five Faces of Manfred Mann
HMV
via TK library: 2/17/2025 -
Laugh, Laugh
The Beau Brummels
Laugh, Laugh 7"
Autumn
via TK library: 3/9/2013 -
Time Is on My Side
The Rolling Stones
12 x 5
London
via the ether library: 11/18/2003 (TK) -
It’s All Over Now
Valentinos
It’s All Over Now / Tired of Livin’ in the Country
Star
via the Rolling Stones cover / TK 2025 (Fluxblog?) library: 6/16/2025 -
It’s All Over
Walter Jackson
It‘s All Over 7"
Okeh
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 6/23/2025 -
Keep on Pushing
The Impressions
Keep on Pushing
TK label
via TK library: 2/16/2009 -
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Marvin Gaye
How Sweet It Is to Be Loved By You
Tamla
via TK but maybe the James Taylor cover tbh library: 3/23/2009 -
The Way You Do the Things You Do
The Tempations
Meet the Temptations
Gordy
via TK library: 2/16/2009 (TK compare to Impressions) -
My Guy
Mary Wells
Sings My Guy
Motown
via the ether / 1964 research library: 6/20/2025 -
He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin’
The Velvelettes
He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin’ / Throw a Farewell Kiss 7"
V.I.P.
via TK library: 6/20/2025 -
Candy to Me
Eddie Holland
Candy to Me / If You Don’t Want My Love 7"
Motown
via TK library: 3/23/2009 -
Sweet Thing
The Spinners
Sweet Thing / How Can I 7"
Motown
via TK library: 6/22/2025 -
I Only Want to Be With You
Dusty Springfield
Stay Awhile / I Only Want to Be With You 7"
TK label
via TK library: 1/29/2012 -
TK INSERTION Rag Doll
The Four Seasons
Rag Doll
Philips
via TK library: TK -
Bread and Butter
The Newbeats
Bread and Butter
Hickory
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 6/22/2025 -
Oh, Pretty Woman
Roy Orbison and the Candy Men
Oh, Pretty Woman / Yo te Amo Maria 7"
Monument
via the ether library: 7/2/2011 -
Wine, Women & Song
Loretta Lynn
Before I’m Over You
Decca
via TK library: 5/19/2025 -
Chug-a-Lug
Roger Miller
Roger and Out
Smash
via TK library: 2/25/2007 -
Gonna Get Along Without You Now
Skeeter Davis
Let Me Get Close to You
RCA
via the She & Him cover / 1964 research library: 6/22/2025 -
My Heart Skips a Beat
Buck Owens & His Buckaroos
Together Again / My Heart Skips a Beat
Capitol
via past experience library: 6/23/2025 -
It Ain’t Me, Babe
Johnny Cash & June Carter
It Ain’t Me, Babe 7"
Columbia
via past experience / 1964 research library: 1/21/2025 -
Four Strong Winds
Bobby Bare
Four Strong Winds / Take Me Home 7"
RCA
via past experience / 1964 research library: 6/22/2025 -
Sittin’ on Top of the World
Doc Watson
Doc Watson
Vanguard
via TK library: 6/22/2025 -
Roll on Buddy
Jack Elliott & Derroll Adams
Roll on Buddy
Vanguard
via TK library: 6/22/2025 -
A Summer Song
Chad & Jeremy
A Summer Song 7"
London
via Rushmore (1999) library: 1/11/2005 -
As Tears Go By
Marianne Faithfull
As Tears Go By / Greensleeves 7"
London
via the Rolling Stones version / 1964 research library: 8/26/2025Decca UK release
-
The Sound of Silence
Simon & Garfunkel
Wednesday Morning, 3 AM
Columbia
via the ether library: 11/10/2003 (TK) -
House of the Rising Sun
Dave Van Ronk
Just Dave Van Ronk
Mercury
via past experience library: 1/16/2025 -
There But for Fortune
Joan Baez
Joan Baez 5
Vanguard
via past experience library: 6/16/2025 -
The Times They Are A-Changin’
Bob Dylan
The Times They Are A-Changin’
Columbia
via the ether library: 8/22/2008 -
A Change Is Gonna Come
Sam Cooke
Ain’t That Good News
TK label
via the ether library: 3/30/2008 -
I Wish Someone Would Care
Etta James
Queen of Soul
Argo
via past experience library: 6/22/2025 -
These Arms of Mine
Otis Redding
Pain in My Heart
Atco
via past experience library: 3/15/2014 -
A Woman’s Love
Carla Thomas
A Woman’s Love
Atlantic
via TK library: 3/15/2013 -
Walk on By
Dionne Warwick
Make Way for Dionne Warwick
Scepter
via TK library: 7/2/2011 -
Mercy, Mercy
Don Covay & The Goodtimers
Mercy, Mercy 7"
Rosemart
via TK library: 1/10/2013 -
C’mon and Swim, Pt. 1
Bobby Freeman
C’mon and S-W-I-M
Autumn
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 7/18/2025 -
Iko Iko
The Dixie Cups
Chapel of Love
Redbird
via TK library: 9/25/2012 -
Hey Harmonica Man
Stevie Wonder
Stevie at the Beach
Tamla
via past experience library: 1/7/2013 -
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
Solomon Burke
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love 7"
Atlantic
via TK library: 9/25/2012 -
I Like It Like That
The Miracles
I LIke It Like That / You’re So Fine and Sweet
Tamla
via TK but the Motown box set library: 6/22/2025 -
Baby I Need Your Loving
Four Tops
Four Tops
Motown
via TK library: 3/23/2009 -
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
The Righteous Brothers
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ 7"
TK label
via the ether as a child library: 1/8/2011 -
Dream Girl
Oscar Mack
Dream Girl / You Never Know How Much I Love You 7"
Stax
via TK but the Stax Box set library: 3/15/2013 -
Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying
Gerry & The Pacemakers
Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying
Laurie
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 6/22/2025 -
She’s Not There
The Zombies
She’s Not There / You Make Me Feel So Good 7"
Parrot
via past experience library: 7/8/2008Decca release in the UK
-
Death of an Angel
The Kingsmen
Death of an Angel / Searching for Love 7"
Wand
via past experience / 1964 research library: 7/18/2025 -
House of the Rising Sun
The Animals
The Animals
MGM
via past experience library: 11/3/2011 -
My Home Is in the Delta
Muddy Waters
Folk Singer
Chess
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 6/20/2025 -
Worried Blues
Mississippi John Hurt
Worried Blues
Piedmont
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 6/23/2025 -
Weary Blues
Vince Martin & Fred Neil
Tear Down the Walls
Elektra
via past experience (Fred Neil) library: 6/22/2025 -
Satan’s Blues
Junior Walker & The All Stars
Satan’s Blues / Monkey Jump
Soul
via TK library: 6/22/2025 -
Devil With the Blue Dress
Shorty Long
Devil With the Blue Dress / Wind It Up 7"
Soul
via TK library: 6/20/2025 -
Wayfarin’ Stranger
Odetta
Odetta Sings of Many Things
TK label
via past experience library: 6/22/2025 -
It’s My Way
Buffy Sainte-Marie
It’s My Way!
Vanguard
via TK library: 6/22/2025 -
Black Betty
Harry Belafonte
Ballads, Blues and Boasters
RCA
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 7/2/2025 -
See-Line Woman
Nina Simone
Broadway-Blues-Ballads
Verve
via past experience / the Feist cover library: 1/3/2011 -
Mumbles
Oscar Peterson Trio & Clark Terry
Oscar Peterson Trio Plus One
TK label
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 6/23/2025 -
It Ain’t Necessarily So
Mary Lou Williams
Mary Lou Williams
Verve Folkways
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 6/23/2025 -
How My Heart Sings
Bill Evans Trio
How My Heart Sings!
Riverside
via past experience / 1964 research library: 6/23/2025 -
The Best Is Yet to Come
Frank Sinatra with Count Basie and His Orchestra
It Might As Well Be Swing
Reprise
via past experience library: 8/6/2012 -
Personality
Al Hirt & Ann-Margret
Beauty and the Beard
RCA
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 7/14/2025 -
Hello, Dolly!
Louis Armstrong
Hello, Dolly!
Kapp
via Ken Burns Jazz library: 12/22/2024 -
Coolie
Dizzy Gillespie
The Cool World
Philips
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 6/23/2025 -
Stuffy Turkey
Thelonious Monk
It’s Monk’s Time
Columbia
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 6/23/2025 -
Better Git It in Your Soul
Charles Mingus
Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus
Impulse
via Fluxblog 1964 library: 6/23/2025 -
Cantaloupe Island
Herbie Hancock
Empyrean Isles
Blue Note
via the Us3 sample library: 6/16/2025 -
Out of Sight
James Brown
Out of Sight
Smash
via past experience library: 6/16/2025 -
Who Will It Be Tomorrow
William Bell
Don’t Make Something Out of Nothing / Who Will It Be Tomorrow 7"
Stax
via TK Stax Singles library: 3/15/2013 -
The Honey Dripper
The Van-Dells
The Honey Dripper / Slumber Party 7"
Stax
via TK Stax Singles library: 3/15/2013 -
Soul Dressing
Booker T. & The MG’s
Soul Dressing / MG Party 7"
Stax
via TK Stax Singles library: 3/15/2013 -
Bush Bash
The Mar-Keys
Beach Bash / Bush Bash 7"
Stax
via TK Stax Singles library: 3/15/2013 -
Bird Brain
Quincy Jones and His Orchestra
Explores the Music of Henry Mancini
Mercury
via past experience library: 6/23/2025 -
The Pink Panther Theme
Henry Mancini
The Pink Panther Theme
RCA
via the cartoon as a child library: 11/8/2009 -
A Spoonful of Sugar
Julie Andrews
Mary Poppins
TK label
via the movie as a child library: 2/4/2015 -
Downtown
Petula Clark
Downtown 7"
Warner Bros.
via LOST (2006) library: 12/28/2009 -
The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)
Betty Everett
The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss) / You’re No Good 7"
Eric
via TK library: 6/16/2025 -
Where Did Our Love Go
The Supremes
Where Did Our Love Go
Motown
via TK library: 3/23/2009 -
Too Many Fish in the Sea
The Marvelettes
Too Many Fish in the Sea / A Need for Love 7"
Tamla
via TK library: 2/16/2009 -
Dancing in the Street
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
Dance Party
Gordy
via the Mick Jagger/David Bowie cover library: 7/2/2011 -
Time Is on My Side
Irma Thomas
Wish Someone Would Care
Imperial
via the Rolling Stones cover library: 1/26/2013 -
Big Party
Barbara & The Browns
Big Party 7"
Stax
via TK Stax Singles library: 3/15/2013 -
(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me
Lou Johnson
(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me 7"
Big Hill
via the Naked Eyes cover / Mad Men library: 6/22/2013