Music of the Late 60's and Early 70's | Hippie Songs that have Stood the Test of Time

© Copyright 2011 Tracy Lynn Conway with all rights reserved.

The explosion of music during the hippie era was like none other. The messages of peace and love were relevant then and they continue to resonate today. The song "Imagine", which evokes for the listener the world as one, has been recorded by nearly 100 artists. Fresh versions of hippie era songs connect with music fans today, many of whom aren't aware of their origin. Since these songs speak to our humanity in a deep meaningful way, the songs become timeless and the relevance to hippies themselves fades. Here is a collection of videos showing songs in their original version and more recent remakes preformed by a new generation of artists.

"Imagine" is a song written and performed by British musician and former Beatle, John Lennon. It is the opening track on his album Imagine, released in 1971. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked this song at #3 in the 500 greatest songs of all time. This song has been covered nearly 100 times by artists as varied as Madonna, Stevie Wonder and Dolly Parton. One more recent remake was also done by Taio Cruz.

British Artist Taio Cruz preformed this classic song on New Years Eve in Times Square 2010. The artist feels strongly about sharing the same message of peace that was a major part of the hippie era with his young fans today.

"Bridge Over Troubled Water" is the title song of Simon & Garfunkel's final album together, released January 26, 1970. A timeless song about being there for a friend when they need you has been covered many times, including versions by the Supremes, Johnny Cash, Stevie Wonder and most recently on the popular musical television show "Glee."

Here is a version of "Bridge over Troubled Water" preformed by Leona Lewis, a British singer-songwriter and winner of the British television series The X Factor. Lewis is a multi-platinum selling artist and three time Grammy nominee.

"Blowin' in the Wind" is a song written by Bob Dylan and released on his album The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in 1963. Although it has been described as a protest song, it also touches upon a series of questions about peace, war and freedom. In 2004 it was ranked #14 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". The most commercially successful cover version of this song was done by by Peter, Paul and Mary, who released the song in June 1963. Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton and Stevie Wonder and many others have covered this song as well.

Georgian-British singer-songwriter Katie Melua, covers this timeless classic with sensitivity and carries the message of this powerful song into the present day.

"Piece of My Heart" was originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. The song came to greater mainstream attention when Janis Joplin of Big Brother and the Holding Company covered the song in 1968 on their album Cheap Thrills and had a hit with it. This song was performed at Woodstock during the 'Summer of Love.' Joplin's extraordinary success as a pioneer in the male-dominated rock music industry of the late 1960s was unprecedented. This song has since been remade by many singers, including hit versions by Faith Hill in 1994 and Melissa Etheridge in 2005. The song is also included among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Beverley Knight, an award winning British soul and R&B singer, songwriter and record producer performs a passionate yet softer version of the song than the well recognized Janis Joplin version.

Released in 1968, "Blackbird" is a Beatles song from the double-disc album The Beatles (also known as The White Album). "Blackbird" was written by Paul McCartney who was inspired to write this song as a reaction to racial tensions escalating in the United States in the Spring of 1968. McCartney stated that "bird is British slang for girl. So Blackbird would be black girl."

Sarah McLachlan, a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter known for her emotion and vocal range, has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. This song was part of the soundtrack for the movie I am Sam staring Sean Penn. Sarah McLachlan covers this song with grace and tenderness.