5 Classic Rock Songs From 1969 We'll Be Blasting On Repeat 'Til The Day We Die

The year 1969 proved to be a landmark 12 months for humanity. A few important milestones included people watching the moon landing as it happened, the Stonewall Uprising marking a turning point in LGBTQ+ activism, and over 400,000 people gathering to celebrate peace, love, and rock 'n' roll at the Woodstock music festival. In terms of music, several classic rock songs were born into the universe and changed the lives of everyone who has listened to them ever since.

What defines a classic, though? The description everyone should look for here is "timeless." This means that the song continues to stay relevant decades later, or it inspired generations of musicians and listeners. It's a piece of art that can be enjoyed whenever, wherever, as it never feels out of place or mildly dated. Sure, personal preference plays a part in determining the best of the best, or what makes the cut in any compilation, but these are the five classic rock songs from 1969 that still hold the power to get everyone to crank up the volume whenever they play. Add them to the playlist right now, if they aren't there already.

When someone mentions a hip-shaking intro, they're usually talking about Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," which comes off the legendary rock band's 1969 album, "Led Zeppelin II." There's a sexual energy that explodes right out of the blocks, as everyone instantly identifies the song within the first few guitar chugs and instrumental build-up. It isn't only guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham who brought their shaman-like powers to the recording sessions, as vocalist Robert Plant belts out the song from what feels like another tantric realm.

Unlike a lot of tracks of its era, "Whole Lotta Love" isn't a pure love song; it's about lust. Zeppelin didn't shy away from the suggestive lyrics either, spelling it out in the type of explicit detail that would make "50 Shades of Grey" author E. L. James blush. There's no double meaning here; this is about getting hot and heavy in the rawest and most animalistic way possible.

Yet, even if someone is flying solo or not looking for any kind of entanglement, "Whole Lotta Love" continues to have the rhythm and rapture to light up any occasion more than 50 years after its release. It's practically impossible to not imitate Plant's vocal delivery of "you need coolin', baby" as soon as the line reverberates.

Everyone knows that rock has its roots in the blues, and the Beatles paid tribute to it with the grooving "Come Together," which is off the influential rock band's "Abbey Road" record. It's way too easy to get lost in the hypnotic elements of the song, swaying to the clap-worthy rhythm and singing along to the seemingly stream-of-consciousness lyrics. Even if someone doesn't know all the words here, it's guaranteed they'll perk up for the chorus of "come together, right now, over me."

Like many of the Beatles' songs of the era, "Come Together" made it to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's become a staple of rock history, with Consequence deeming its bassline the best of all time. Unquestionably, it's a track where the bass does a lot of the heavy lifting, with the catchy beat leading the way for the rest of the music. As a matter of fact, without this stellar bassline, the song is unlikely to have made the sonic dent it did on its listeners.

"Come Together" isn't only remembered as one of the Beatles' most famous songs, but it's also a widely covered track. Ike and Tina Turner as well as Aerosmith and Godsmack have all produced their own versions of it, and it remains a popular song for contestants to sing (or butcher) on shows like "American Idol" and "The Voice."

No, this song isn't about a werewolf, but hey, whenever someone mentions a moon rising and trouble ahead, it's only natural to think of danger of the supernatural furry kind. Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" — off the 1969 album "Green River" — is an ominous track, though, warning about a worrisome threat looming in the distance by speaking about disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes.

Here's the funny part about "Bad Moon Rising": It's such an upbeat and happy song in nature, despite the doom and gloom of John Fogerty's words, which include some of the most commonly misunderstood classic rock lyrics. Unless someone actually thinks about the track long enough, it feels like the perfect road trip anthem — the kind of song where everybody nods and sings along to this super-infectious bop about the impending apocalypse. Mind you, if the end times are nigh, why not dance and enjoy yourself anyway, since you have nothing to lose, right?

As it turns out, "Bad Moon Rising" isn't about anything too sinister at all. Fogerty told Rolling Stone that the song is loosely influenced by the film "The Devil and Daniel Webster," though he admits there might have some political commentary lurking in the background. "When you're a very tuned-in young person, you're tied to everything that affects your generation," he said. "So I think it was there, but I was more into the idea of natural phenomena and unavoidability."

The more things change, the more they stay the same, right? In 1969, the Rolling Stones unleashed "Gimme Shelter" on the world. It's the first track off the English rock band's album "Let It Bleed" and leaves quite the lasting impression on the listener.

Over four and a half minutes, Mick Jagger and the crew deliver a ferocious retort to warmongers, uncovering all the harsh and horrific realities of war and how "it's just a shot away." It's a reminder that there are no real winners when it comes to violent conflict between people and countries; it's always the innocent who suffer. By the end of it, everyone is just running away from the storm and seeking shelter, much like the song's lyrics suggest.

Undeniably, "Gimme Shelter" remains one of the Stones' most definitive tunes, with even Rolling Stone naming it the band's greatest song of all time. More importantly, its message is still pertinent nowadays. Sometimes, this is the type of track that everyone needs to scream a little harder and turn up even louder — just in case all the folks in the back haven't been paying attention to its powerful message.

Nasty. That's the only way to describe the guitar riff of the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog." Remember, this is a time before the formation of punk, but the building blocks can already be heard in this 1969 rebellion starter. Unsurprisingly, the Stooges' frontman Iggy Pop, whose trademark gravelly voice adds even more attitude to this track, would go on to become a punk icon in his own right.

Primal and raw, "I Wanna Be Your Dog" chooses to be intentionally rough around the edges. This isn't a polished piece by any means; instead, it embraces how music is as much about feeling as it is execution. This song struck a chord with listeners who liked their rock 'n' roll a little more on the dangerous side, as the Stooges embodied chaos and anarchy. The anti-Beatles, for lack of a better term.

Looking back now, "I Wanna Be Your Dog" is seminal to the creation of punk and the evolution of rock. It was a clear invitation to all the misfits and outsiders, serving as a reminder that, when it comes to rock 'n' roll, there are no rules necessary.