Some of the best songs of all time came out in the latter part of the 1960s. Surprisingly, so many of the songs from that era are still being sung today, including these three. All out in 1967, it’s almost a guarantee that every 60s kid still knows them by heart today.
“I Was Made To Love Her” by Stevie Wonder
The title track of a record that Stevie Wonder also released in 1967, “I Was Made To Love Her” was written by Wonder, along with his mother Lula Mae Hardaway, plus Sylvia Moy and Henry Cosby.
The only single from the record, “I Was Made To Love Her” says, “I know that my baby loves me / My baby needs me / That’s why we made it through the years.”
Wonder later revealed this song was inspired by the first person he loved, a woman named Angie.
“Love Is Here And Now You’re Gone” by The Supremes
“Love Is Here And Now You’re Gone” is the first single The Supremes released in 1967. The song was written by Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, and Eddie Holland. Not surprisingly, it appears on their The Supremes Sing Holland–Dozier–Holland record, a tribute to the iconic songwriting trio.
The sad song says, “Love is here / And, oh, my darling, now you’re gone / You made me love you / And, oh, my darling, now you’re gone.“
“Love Is Here And Now You’re Gone” became a two-week No. 1 hit for The Supremes. In 1972, Michael Jackson covered this song for his first solo album, Got To Be There.
“Ode To Billie Joe” by Bobbie Gentry
“Ode To Billie Joe” is Bobbie Gentry’s second single and first big hit. The title track of her freshman album, “Ode To Billie Joe”, Gentry is the only writer of this hit.
The story song says in part, “And at dinner time we stopped and walked back to the house to eat / And Mama hollered out the back door, ‘Y’all remember to wipe your feet’ / And then she said, ‘I got some news this mornin’ from Choctaw Ridge / Today Billie Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge.’”
“Ode To Billie Joe” is Gentry’s only No. 1 hit, but it was a big one. This song stayed in the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for an impressive four weeks. It also became a Top 20 country single. The only two CMA Awards nominations Gentry received as a solo artist were for this song.
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