Amen brother- probably one of the Top 10 rock albums ever, and surely the best use of strings on any rock album. It sucks that hardly anyone knows it, or Arthur Lee.
I would never discourage anyone from Dark Side of the Moon, but that is 70s. Pink Floyd is mostly 70s. Especially Floyd that is post Syd Barret.
The Beatles are the group of the 60s.
The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Hendrix, Doors, Moby Grape, The Strawberry Alarm Clock give an interesting California feel.
The Wood Stock double Album and the soundtrack to “The Big Chill” would provide a great sampling.
Classic 60s Motown is a must.
Early Rolling Stones, The Zombies, The Animals, Early Who, Cream & the Yardbirds, Traffic, especially “John Barleycorn Must Die” (1970 though) are some more great examples.
Mamas & the Papas, Peter, Paul & Mary, The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield to get the folk rock feel.
Jim
Are you looking for the rock and folk music of the hippie culture, and skipping the other types? Are you looking for the mellow songs. Try Mellow Yellow by Donovan.
I try not to be a nitpicker but it’s “Nights In White Satin.” It’s about tossing and turning in bed thinking about unrequited love, not fey knights.
Diosa - there’s a lot of fantastic music from the 60s. You’d be better of from a financial standpoint buying a compilation album or two, like what don’t ask lists. Or the Woodstock soundtrack.
That’s the one I came here to mention. Diosa, people remember this song for the “War… HUH!” part, but this song has to be heard in full. It’s a bone shattering, burning-like-a-house-afire indictment of war and one of the most passionate and funky pieces of music you’re likely to hear. Stand back and play this one loud.
I’d go to youtube, and listen to some of these artists to get an idea of what you might like, before buying a bunch of things.
I was just listening to songs from the 60s (and 70s) on there yesterday. Here’s links to a few of the ones I watched.
Janis Joplin - Maybe
Donovan - Catch the Wind
Jimi Hendrix- All along the watchtower
The Who- Baba O’Reiley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKUBTX9kKEo (This one’s from the 70s, but I"m including it anyway.
Since all the dopers who were around, back then are here anyway 
, I have a question. When I was watching clips yesterday, I noticed that some of them were similar to modern music videos. Were there a lot television shows that just played videos back then? I was under the impression that shows usually just played live acts during that time period.
Wow. I agree with “anything and everything by the Beatles,” but I’m baffled by Yellow Submarine as your first choice of a classic album. But then, I’m thinking of the version that consisted of half George Martin instrumentals and half re-releases and throwaway tracks, and that was worth having only for the inclusion of “Hey Bulldog.” But, I digress.
I second many of the suggestions already mentioned, including the Kinks, the Beach Boys, the Moody Blues, and Simon & Garfunkel—all of whose sixties work I discovered during the 80’s and went on to obtain all I could get my hands on.
One essential sixties track that has not so far been mentioned: Alice’s Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie. Maybe not “groovy music,” exactly, but a must-listen.
You might also check out the movie *Woodstock * (1970).
Damn , that list just about nails it. Lots of range–Motown & some folkie stuff, along with the usual suspects.
For a slightly skewed sample of the 60’s (or the 60’s/70’s cusp), there’s always the soundtrack to Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas.
ARGH! I can’t believe I made that typo! :o :o :o I know better too. rueful laugh Well, hope it at least gave you a chuckle, it did me, I can be so silly sometimes.
The suggesttions in this thread have been very good, but are heavily weighted towards what the radio guys would call AOR – album oriented rock. There’s been very little pure pop, Top Forty type stuff listed.
Now, there are some – the Beatles, of course, had twenty number one hits; the Supremes had twelve, and both are recommended.
But to get a flavor of the sixties, I think it’s fair to leaven your heavy Cream, Hendrix, Who, and Jethro Tull with some lighter, poppy tunes.
Can I suggest:
Happy Together - The Turtles
Over and Over - The Dave Clark Five
Lightnin’ Strikes - Lou Christie
Hanky Panky - Tommy James and the Shondells
Cherish - The Association
96 Tears - Question Mark & the Mysterians
Last Train to Clarksville - The Monkees
To Sir, with Love - Lulu
Harper Valley PTA - Jeannie C. Riley
Sugar, Sugar - The Archies
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye - Steam
Downtown - Petula Clark
This Diamond Ring - Gary Lewis & the Playboys
And I personally love Sunshine Superman as well.
Time Life Records puts out a good box set, Summer of Love: The Hits of 1967.
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San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair) - Scott
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Happy Together - The Turtles
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Windy - The Association
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Creeque Alley - The Mamas and The Papas
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Gimme Some Lovin’ - The Spencer Davis Groupn
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Incense and Peppermints - Strawberry Alarm Clock
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Little Bit O’Soul - The Music Explosion
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59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) - Harpers Bizarre
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The Letter - The Box Tops
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Heroes and Villains (single version) - The Beach Boys
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Reflections - The Supremes
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Let’s Live For Today - The Grass Roots
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Darling Be Home Soon - The Lovin’ Spoonful
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I Was Made To Love Her - Stevie Wonder
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Pleasant Valley Sunday - The Monkees
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Carrie-Anne - The Hollies
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Talk Talk - The Music Machine
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Sunday Will Never Be The Same - Spanky & Our Gang
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Kind Of A Drag - The Buckinghams
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A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procol Harum
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I Feel Free - Cream
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So You Want To Be A Rock’N’Roll Star - The Byrds
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Somebody To Love - Jefferson Airplane
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I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) - The Electric Prunes
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Get Together - TheYoungbloods
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I’m A Man - The Spencer Davis Group
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Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
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Friday On My Mind - The Easybeats
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San Franciscan Nights - Eric Burdon & The Animals
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(We Ain’t Got) Nothing Yet - The Blues Magoos
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Season Of The Witch - Donovan
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Wake Me, Shake Me - The Blues Project
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You Keep Me Hangin’ On - Vanilla Fudge
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Down On Me - Big Brother & The Holding Company
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Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine - Country Joe & The Fish
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Paper Sun - Traffic
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Pushin’ Too Hard - The Seeds
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It’s A Happening Thing - The Peanut Butter Conspiracy
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Mary, Mary - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
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Stroll On - The Yardbirds
Plus a documentary on DVD.
There hasn’t been a whole lotta mentioning of Dylan here. You can’t experience the 60s (at least my version of the 60s) without Dylan. Anything and Everything from him, the earlier the better.
A not totally unrelated hijack: If you’re interested in Marley, a great way to check him out is to stream Brunch with Bob and Friends from FM 94.9 out of San Diego. It’s a terrific radio program for Marley fans.
In case it’s not readily apparent: On that link, just scroll down to “Brunch with Bob and Friends” and click on an air date.
These lists are great. The only song not mentioned that I would add is Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells, a classic for me for, well, personal reasons. Link to short version.
I did to respond to this from the OP:
As an old person, I am absolutely delighted that you’re interested in music from that period. The only thing I would add
Excellent idea! I’ll add the following to Bricker’s list:
Sundays Will Never Be the Same - Spanky and Our Gang
A World Without Love - Peter and Gordon
Those Were the Days - Mary Hopkin
Everybody’s Talkin’ - Nilsson
Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In - The Fifth Dimension
Everyday People - Sly and the Family Stone
Groovin’ - The Young Rascals
Incense and Peppermints - Strawberry Alarm Clock
Judy in Disguise (with Glasses) - John Fred and his Playboy Band
Summer in the City - The Lovin’ Spoonful
Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire [maybe not so light and poppy, but not mentioned yet]
Tracy - The Cuff Links
There are plenty more, of course, but these plus Bricker’s others should get you started on the pop side of 60s music.
For that sort of list, you can’t leave out Chapel of Love by the Dixie Cups.
I’m a big fan for reasons I probably don’t have to get into. 
Bob/The Wailers weren’t actually “of” the 60s: they were big from 1973 through his death in 1981. But if you’re looking for albums, Exodus is probably the one to start with. I think my favorite might be the new(ish) double-CD version of Live at the Roxy, a concert from the Rastaman Vibration tour. The second encore of Get Up Stand Up>War>No More Trouble>War>Get Up Stand Up (about 23 minutes in length) is one of the most powerful pieces of music I’ve ever heard.
“Bowie?” he suggests tentatively.
Tentatively because he’s not usually thought of as a '60s artist, but he does fit the broad “Vietnam-era” criterion. Although best known for his mid-'70s through mid-'80s work, he released a couple of albums in the late '60s. If you come across the first one, titled simply “David Bowie,” run far, far, away. The second one, released under various titles but most commonly known as “Space Oddity,” is notable for the title track, which is a nifty '60s artifact because (1) it’s trippy, (2) it riffs of the even trippier film “2001: A Space Odyssey,” (3) it’s topical, relating to the then-current moonshots, (4) it’s about drugs, but not really, but it is, and (4) it’s just a cool song. The other tracks show Bowie evolving from the minor folk-pop-novelty he was into the glam rock star he would become. The next couple of years brought “The Man Who Sold the World,” again notable mostly for a trippy title track, and Hunky Dory, which contains the early hit “Changes” the mystical, magical “Quicksand,” the science-fictiony “Oh, You Pretty Things,” and tributes and homages to '60s/'70s icons Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol, and The Velvet Underground. It also contains the seeds of what would become the landmark album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, which if your target range includes 1972, is simply essential.