The 200 Best Songs of the 1960s, part 6 of 10

Now we’re getting to the good stuff! Hey, it’s all been good stuff, but you know what I mean. Links to #101–200 down at the bottom.

100 Rendezvous with You by The Desires (1960)

Just five teenagers from New York City (one had just moved there from Rochester) singing streetcorner harmonies (over presumably studio musicians).

The Desires were only together for three years, but this side, with Robert “Bootsie” White belting “I want to rendezvous with you” into that break in the music guarantees them immortality. And it’s under two minutes (always a plus!)! Short and sweet, just like the lifespan of The Desires.

99 Monster Mash by Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The Crypt Keepers (1962)

Those halcyon days when a pure novelty song (not the last we’ll encounter) could become a number one hit! “Monster Mash” is a catchy rock tune, an opportunity to impersonate both Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, and the first1 all-monster team-up of the sort that would become faddish a few years later in Mad Monster Party? (1967) or Groovie Goolies (1970–72).

98 The Narrow Way Part 3 by Pink Floyd (1969)

1969 saw Pink Floyd sandwiched between two other identities: They had started as a vehicle for Syd Barrett’s twee imagination and would, in the 1970s, become anthemic AOR rockers. In between they were a jam band. (I know I’m oversimplifying.) And as a jam band in 1969 they came up with their worst idea for an record at least until Momentary Lapse of Reason: I’m talking about Ummagumma, a double album with one disk being just four extended jams and the other disk being…the even worse idea.

Instead of operating as, you know, a band the four members of Pink Floyd made a whole disk of solo projects. And I do mean solo: The poor drummer had no recourse but to release seven-minutes of drums (his wife played flute in brief bookends). You do not want to listen to this.

Of course, some instruments sound better on their own, and some members of PF are better at playing multiple instruments, so not every track is unlistenable. I know some Beatles albums are made up of “solo” tracks; I guess the idea could work, although it does seem like a strange way to squander the concept of a band. The sad truth is most of the songs on the second