The Best Laid-Back Classic Rock For Your Dinner Party Playlist

The perfect dinner party is all about ambiance, and apart from lighting, decor, and, of course, the food itself, a well-curated playlist is a surefire way of getting the vibe just right. And understandably, looking to strike a note of laid-back class, you might reach for some vintage soul or cool jazz to put your guests in the right mood.

But what if you're a classic rock fan who, to be honest, would like to keep the rock flag flying? Well, you're in luck, as we've selected the first five tracks you need to add to your classic rock dinner party playlist. From a 1960s counterculture anthem from the Zombies to an underappreciated gem by America, this playlist gives you classic rock at its most laid-back and, arguably, eclectic — even non-rock fans will find something to enjoy in these tracks that take their cues from folk, jazz, and more.

Van Morrison is arguably the ultimate dinner party soundtrack. His sprawling discography takes in a number of classic genres, and typically involves rich, organic instrumentation alongside his warm, expressive vocals. And when he's in a reflective mood, such as on "Into the Mystic," it makes for smooth and satisfying easy listening.

The track features on Morrison's critically acclaimed 1970 album "Moondance," the title track of which is another dinner party favorite. But whereas the latter is excessively romantic, "Into the Mystic" goes in a different direction, with the songwriter exploring themes of mysticism and spiritual longing that dominate much of his work. The feel of the song is tentative but comfortable, as though the world is unknowable, but that, at the end of the day, is quite alright with Morrison.

The song could be characterized as folk rock, R&B, or blues — but ultimately, it is singularly Van Morrison. It's a favorite in his discography that has been covered by countless other artists, including Ben E. King and Joe Cocker, but nothing matches the pure magic of Morrison's original.

"Abbey Road" was the Beatles' last masterpiece, and was the album on which the songwriting of lead guitarist George Harrison — who had always had a backseat to John Lennon and Paul McCartney when it came to songwriting credits — truly came into his own. His delicate ballad "Here Comes the Sun" is, in the present day, the Beatles' most popular song, having been streamed more than any other. But it is the lovely "Something," another stand-out track on the album, that makes the cut in terms of laid-back dinner party potential.

The song was reportedly written for Harrison's former wife, the model Pattie Boyd — though the songwriter was evasive over whether this was truly the case — and took its cues musically from Ray Charles, which may explain why it has been covered by other R&B and soul legends such as Smokey Robinson and James Brown. Harrison began composing the song in 1968 during sessions for the Beatles' "White Album," at a time when the Fab Four's interpersonal relationships were deteriorating; Harrison cut early versions of the song separately from the other band members. What resulted was a chilled-out classic, featuring prominent electric guitar and a richly intimate vocal from Harrison. Harrison has admitted the song's opening line is lifted from James Taylor's "Something in the Way She Moves," the title of which became a prompt when composing the lyrics to the song. It was released as a single backed with Lennon's swaggering "Come Together," peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Almost all of the discography of the band America has been overshadowed by their biggest hit, "A Horse With No Name," which was a huge No. 1 hit in 1972 and became a radio staple. But "Tin Man" is arguably the second jewel in the America catalog, a soft rock classic that is compelling and comforting in equal measure.

Written by lead vocalist Dewey Bunnell, the song takes its cue lyrically from "The Wizard of Oz," telling us in its memorable chorus that "Oz never did give nothin' to the Tin Man / That he didn't, didn't already have." Meanwhile, in the verses and choruses, the lyrics turn toward the surreal, with mentions of shells, smoky stained glass, and soap bubbles adding to the kaleidoscopic feel of the instrumental, which features evocative piano from longtime Beatles producer George Martin.

Despite the big names involved and the song charting well on its release — it hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974 — it represents a pleasingly left-field choice for a dinner party playlist. Soft rock may not have the mainstream appeal that it once did, but songs such as "Tin Man" show why it was once a force on the pop charts, offering listeners today a warm dose of nostalgia.

To the uninitiated, Steely Dan is a name associated with slick, soulless yacht rock, but a cursory listen to any of their classic albums shows that their discography is replete with cool and clever works of wit and insight. "Black Cow," the opening track of the duo's classic 1977 album "Aja," is a funky piece of pleasingly nocturnal jazz rock, which, though it wasn't a single at the time, is among Steely Dan's coolest songs.

Underpinned by an angular bassline and bright keys, the song is a biting portrait of a lover or friend spotted drinking a Black Cow, with whom the narrator realizes they have utterly lost their patience. "I'm the one who must make everything right / Talk it out till daylight," sings Donald Fagen, adding in the chorus: "I don't care anymore / Why you run around," with pristine backing vocals giving the moment a sense of epiphany. Resentment rarely sounds so good. The track even has some appeal to hip-hop fans, as it was sampled by the legendary underground rapper MF DOOM on his classic 1997 single "Gas Drawls."

The Zombies may have feared they had reached their commercial height with their hit single "She's Not There" in 1964. But "Time of the Season," one of the last songs recorded for their 1968 album "Odessey & Oracle," has proven to be even more timeless as the decades have passed, sitting alongside the Mamas and the Papas' "California Dreamin'" as a song that summons the 1960s within a few seconds of its iconic bassline. Written by keyboardist Rod Argent as an expression of the ongoing "Summer of Love," the track perfectly reflects the optimism of the decade's counterculture. It's a timeless piece of songwriting, and the instrumentation still sounds fresh, especially Argent's keyboard solo.

The song has an anachronistically big sound for the time, thanks to the Zombies recording "Odessey & Oracle" at Abbey Road shortly after the Beatles had recorded "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" there, allowing them to use the Fab Four's cutting-edge studio equipment. "Time of the Season" wasn't a hit at first — the album was a flop on its release — but the single gradually found a listenership, peaking at No. 3 in March 1969.