The Best Love Songs In '60s Pop History

The 1960s were full of beautiful love songs from iconic artists, like Etta James' "At Last," Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love," and the Temptations' "My Girl." We've selected the very best love songs in '60s pop, while breaking down why they're so stellar.

All of these songs made the cut for how perfectly the lyrics and melodies come together to tell stories of romance and deep emotion. There's one tune that captures the period of young love, while another is about the moment when a person first realizes they're falling for someone. We even included a song about the overall concept of love.

Singing about love is nearly as old as music itself, so even in the '60s it wasn't easy to create a love song that felt fresh and original, but all of these performers, including the Beach Boys, Frankie Valli, and Dionne Warwick, pulled it off wonderfully.

Frankie Valli's 1967 song "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" captures the narrator's realization that he's falling in love. It's like the listener gets a front-row seat to that person having an epiphany about how he feels, with the lyrics resembling a love letter.

What makes the song such a standout is that it's relatable both to those currently falling in love, and those who fell head over heels for someone long ago. Musically, the soft horns and hushed drums are highly soothing, and they gently pull the listener into a world of romance.

Although "Unchained Melody" was first released in 1955 and sung by Todd Duncan, listeners are more familiar with the Righteous Brothers' 1965 version, especially because of its inclusion in the 1990 film "Ghost." In both renditions, the song forgoes a musical intro and jumps straight into the lyrics, like the singers are eager to express their love.

It could be said that the Righteous Brothers' version sounds the most romantic since lead singer Bobby Hatfield stretches out each lyric and melody, which allows the listener to wade in the song's beauty.

The Turtles' 1967 hit "Happy Together" captures the moment when a guy tells the woman he loves that he wants to make a life with her. "If I should call you up, invest a dime / And you say you belong to me and ease my mind / Imagine how the world could be so very fine," sings lead vocalist Howard Kaylan.

What makes the song such a standout partially has to do with the familiarity of that sentiment. A lot of folks have probably lain on their bed and stared at the ceiling while thinking about how wonderful it would be if the person they loved felt the same.

Some love songs don't actually have the word "love" peppered throughout, but they still express a deep level of adoration. The Beach Boys' "Wouldn't It Be Nice," released in 1966 — the best year of the group's career — falls into that category, as it perfectly tells the story of a young person being in love with his girlfriend and wishing they could fast-forward to adulthood. 

That way they wouldn't have to part and head to their parents' houses after spending the day together. Who among us didn't have that very same wish when we fell in love as young people?

Whether it's Dionne Warwick's 1967 version or Aretha Franklin's 1968 rendition, "I Say a Little Prayer" is one of the best love songs of the '60s for its sentiment and overall lyrical approach. The song gives us a glimpse into the mind of a woman who shows love for her partner through prayer.

The Burt Bacharach and Hal David-written cut reflects a level of selflessness, as it shows someone thinking about their partner's welfare as much as their own. Warwick's version is pure pop while Franklin's drips with soul, but both have a delicious, head-nodding groove.

Although Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman" is often classified as R&B or soul, it became a pop hit and spent two weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 in May 1966. Right away, you're sucked into the song by a lush-sounding organ during the intro, which leads you into Sledge's powerful vocals. 

Many singers use a quiet vocal delivery to begin a love song, and they hit the big, soaring notes later, but Sledge seems to bring all of his passion and emotion to the very first lines.

Not all love songs are about romantic love; some are about giving love to your fellow human, and how spreading it can brighten the world. That message alone makes the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" one of the best love songs of the '60s.

Released in 1967, the cut begins with those majestic horns, like a major announcement is coming. Then the word "love" is sung repeatedly, right before another horn melody comes floating underneath. When the world feels like it's in one big, collective argument, "All You Need Is Love" is the perfect song to play to quiet the noise.

"I Love How You Love Me," first released by the Paris Sisters in 1961 before it became a hit for Bobby Vinton seven years later, is a song about expressing appreciation. 

"I love how your eyes close whenever you kiss me / And when I'm away from you, I love how you miss me / I love the way you always treat me, tenderly / But darling, most of all, I love how you love me," read the lyrics. The sheer thoughtfulness reflected in the words makes the cut one of the 1960s' most romantic, and thus one of the decades' best, love songs.