This is page 6 of the readers’ top psychedelic songs list. View page 1.
‘Your Mind And We Belong Together’
Love | Single, 1967
Reader D. Katzin says: “Arthur Lee set his surreal lyrics to this shifting kaleidoscopic brew of Byrds jangle, Who thunder and Beach Boys harmonies. Mind-blowing Hendrixian solo by Johnny Echols.”
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Arthur Lee set his surreal lyrics to this shifting kaleidoscopic brew.
‘The Pusher’
Steppenwolf | from “Steppenwolf,” 1968
Reader N. Baruah gets the message in this classic Steppenwolf single. The band is “just full of amazing musicians” hellbent on “superb improvisation.” A highlight of “Easy Rider.”
A public service announcement for dopers, from some amazing musicians.
‘Still Raining, Still Dreaming’
Jimi Hendrix Experience | from “Electric Ladyland,” 1968
Reader Big Andy says: “One of Hendrix’s many blues-based tunes that he transforms into a wah-wah effect-laden guitar freakout. The Master makes his guitar explode in a fury of sound.”
Blues, then a wah-wah effect-laden guitar freakout.
‘Too Early to Be Late’
December’s Children | from “December’s Children,” 1970
Reader Lance recalls this “very underrated psychedelic band” from Cleveland. “Heavy, heavy, heavy guitar. Only one album. Pure stuff str8 from the crystal.”
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Heavy, heavy, heavy guitar. Pure stuff str8 from the crystal.
‘Bolero’
Maurice Ravel | 1928
Reader Rapewta explains his left-field pick: “It takes you out of your normal mind and body — puts you somewhere else for a while. Isn’t that pretty much what we consider psychedelic?”
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It takes you out of your normal mind and body — puts you somewhere else.
‘Renaissance Fair’
The Byrds | from “Younger Than Yesterday,” 1967
Reader Papa Joe says of this Crosby-McGuinn collaboration: “Great lyrics talking about the Monterey Pop Festival. My only complaint is that the song is too short. … I think I’m dreaming …”
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Great lyrics talking about the Monterey Pop Festival.
‘Acid Raindrops’
People Under the Stairs | from “OST,” 2002
Reader Mac finds a lot to like in this psychedelic hip-hop drop: “Complex song structures, key and time signature changes, modal melodies and drones. There is a strong keyboard presence.”
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Complex song structures, modal melodies and drones.
‘China Cat Sunflower’ > ‘I Know You Rider’
The Other Ones | from “The Strange Remain,” 1999
Reader The Highway Terror cites this “barn burner of a performance all the way through” with Steve Kimock and Mark Karan trading guitar licks. “I was at the show” (7/12/98).
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‘Daybreak’
The McCoys | from “Human Ball,” 1969
Reader K. McCarthy says this tasty genre-spanning tune leads to “the question whether the song is about the beginning of a new day — or is the acid just starting to kick in.”
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Is the acid just starting to kick in?
‘South Texas’
Cold Sun | From “Dark Shadows,” 1970/1992
Reader P. West is hot for this LP “recorded in 1970 but not published until 1992. Excellent autoharp by Bill Miller (of Aliens fame) in place of lead guitar. Dark lyrics. The band recorded this song on peyote.”
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The band recorded this song on peyote.
‘Love Without Sound’
White Noise | From “An Electric Storm,” 1969
Reader K. Stevenson hears the siren call of David Vorhaus’ loopy lead track from the first album. Features sped-up classical instruments and the groundbreaking British synthesizer VCS 3.
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‘Split — Part 2’
Groundhogs | From “Split,” 1971
Reader L. Bluglass says this wah-fueled hard rocker out of Britain has “lyrics can be interpreted in many different ways. It’s a perfect song to listen to on psychedelics and hallucinogenics.”
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A perfect song to listen to on psychedelics and hallucinogenics.
‘Rejoyce’
Jefferson Airplane | From “After Bathing at Baxter’s,” 1967
Reader D. Peacock says this Grace Slick ballad with bookmarks from James Joyce’s “Ulysses” “is beautiful, scary and joyful all at the same time. It is constantly changing like an acid trip.”
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The song is constantly changing like an acid trip.
‘Daily Nightly’
The Monkees | “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.,” 1967
Reader Astroman says this one has all the earmarks of a psychedelic classic: “Fantastic vocal by Micky Dolenz and some bizarre Moog synthesizer. Trippy melody, moody music and cryptic lyrics.”
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Trippy melody, moody music and very cryptic lyrics — and bizarre Moog.
‘Moonchild’
King Crimson | From “In the Court of the Crimson King,” 1969
Reader Quine points out that King Crimson, “oddly enough, were not drug-fueled — just amazing musicians.” The mellotron ushers in this prog rock touchstone sung by Greg Lake.
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Not drug-fueled — just amazing musicians at work.
‘Summertime Blues’
Blue Cheer | From “Vincebus Eruptum,” 1968
Reader Gman calls this “the heaviest version” of this classic written by Eddie Cochran. “I love the drummer in the Blue Cheer video with the hair. That’s all you see!”
> Listen | Top psych album article
The heaviest version of this classic written by Eddie Cochran.
‘Summer Thoughts in a Field of Weed’
Q65 | from the album “Revolution,” 1966
Reader Jesse S. digs Q65, the Dutch masters of underground music. “Thick accents and fuzzy riffs make this one of the best ‘unheard’ pieces of 60’s psychedelia.”
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Thick accents and fuzzy riffs.
‘Section 43’
Country Joe and the Fish | from “Electric Music for the Mind and Body,” 1967
Reader P. Montavier says it “flips a switch in my mind to produce an uncanny dream-like effect.” Reader Doc Holliday says it was “one of the first songs to hit it into space.”
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An uncanny dream-like effect.
‘The End’
The Doors | from “The Doors,” 1967
Reader Sitav calls this 12-minute track “an absolute psychedelic classic with raga rock instrumental patterns and intense poetic lyrics.” J.R. Moore says it “speaks volumes on psychedelic insight.”
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Raga rock instrumental patterns and intense poetic lyrics.
‘Julia Dream’
Pink Floyd | 1968 single (B-side)
Reader P. Urban wants us to wake up to this “dreamy, hypnotic piece, in terms of sound and orchestration; with bizarre lyrics that deal with nightmares and hallucinogenic experiences.”
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Bizarre lyrics about nightmares and hallucinogenic experiences.
‘Friends of Mine’
The Guess Who | from “Wheatfield Soul,” 1969
Reader J. Duncan quotes the lyrics of this 10-minute Guess Who freakout: “Kurt is the walrus / Where hippies go / To eat the poppies there below.” Burton Cummings does a Jim Morrison rant.
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‘Defecting Grey’
The Pretty Things | 1967 single
Reader G. Sharpe says: “Surely you include ‘Defecting Grey’ on your all time list of psych greats? In my opinion this Pretty Things song is totally psyched out.”
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In my opinion totally psyched out
‘Some Velvet Morning’
Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood | 1967 single
Reader Robin U. says: “Still puts me in a dream-state and gives me chills. Beautiful, haunting. ‘How she gave me life, and how she made it end’ sounds like Lee’s singing about the psychedelic experience.”
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Still gives me chills. Beautiful and haunting.
Continue reading the readers’ psychedelic song list on PAGE 7.
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