13 Heaviest Riffs of the 1960s

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks for watching everyone! I've had some great suggestions of heavy '60s riffs that weren't included here (keep those coming!) So I'm thinking of doing a 'part 2' or maybe even a 'heavy '60s riffs you may not have heard' video, as I've had some pretty obscure ones thrown at me and it would be good to explore that further.

[@thekivster]

Please do obscure ones

[@ffemto4]

Any iron butterfly riff……..

[@trevorbrown625]

Excuse me, I really want to know what model Fender you're playing that looks offset is a cream color with dark red tortoiseshell pickguard?? Stunning looking guitar, and you make it sound top-notch!

[@naskivik]

Check out farandole by love sculpture, neoclassical metal from 1968

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you. It's a Fender Cyclone. It's far from perfect to be honest but it's unique and I stuck with it. Thanks!

[@edyb2097]

Props for including "The Nile Song" and "21st Century Schizoid Man".

[@rickwilliams967]

People tend to forget the Floyd and Crimson influence on metal.

[@callixvision6481]

Thanks for spoiling the video 😊

[@juvnal]

@@callixvision6481 thank yourself

[@vuzkoth]

Nile song! So underrated

[@jaykelley103]

If 21st century schizo man hadn't been in the video I would've disliked lol

[@macaretos5783]

I strongly miss I Want You (She's so Heavy) and Whole Lotta Love

[@SquigglyBeasst]

Absolutely, I was expecting I Want You!

[@DerekDerekDerekDerekDerekDerek]

Whole lotta love not close to being the heaviest zeppelin long of 1969

[@thepleb5652]

Whole lotta love is pretty mid compared to riffs like dazed and confused, communication breakdown or moby dick

[@markhill9275]

Actually How Many More Times is a lot heavier.

[@devinthierault]

​@@markhill9275I was gonna say Heartbreaker but that's mostly the bass that's heavy.

[@andrewpappas9311]

Major props for having Interstellar Overdrive on here, definitely one of the best Syd Barrett-era Floyd songs with one of the most badass riffs ever and while I do agree with Helter Skelter since it was one of the first heavy riffs I’d have also included I Want You (She’s So Heavy) because of that main riff as well as I Can See For Miles by The Who (which actually inspired Paul to write HS) or (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones since that’s one of the first fuzz/distorted guitar riffs as well but great vid as always dude

[@haiderman1610]

She’s so heavy was basically the first ever doom tune

[@andrewpappas9311]

@@haiderman1610 Yup

[@kevinsebastian120]

@@haiderman1610 Exactly, the first doom metal song.

[@kevinsebastian120]

All true, but I Can See For Miles by The Who did not inspire The Beatles to write Helter Skelter because Paul McCartney didn’t even know what song The Who were referring to when they said they had made the heaviest song in their catalogue. Helter Skelter was not done so much in inspiration, but it was rather made in competition to outdo The Who.

[@andrewpappas9311]

@@kevinsebastian120 I mean yeah, but it’s still a cool backstory regardless

[@John-k6f9k]

Black Sabbath's first album was actually recorded in the studio in October 1969, even though it was released in February 1970, so it's 1960s technically. Some songs of the Paranoid album were also written and performs live in late 1969. Anyway a couple of overlooked ones from the 1960s are Long Gone Geek by Procol Harum and High Time Baby by The Spencer Davis Group.

[@carspiv]

All Day and All of the Night is from 1964. It is, IMHO, still the greatest riff in Rock ‘n’ Roll history. Play it loud. It’s absolutely BRUTAL.

[@paulrudd3996]

I think Paperback Writer has a proper heavy riff, especially for a song written in 1966.

[@kevinsmith5318]

Pretty damn good for a headless guitar man. Glad to see you included the Stooges and King Crimson. A very well curated selection

[@bluesrocker91]

I think since the late '80s, "heavy" guitar riffs in rock and metal have gradually sounded less and less heavy over time. Maybe fans of more modern bands are hearing something else that sounds "heavy" to their ears, but to me today's preference for drop tunings, massive saturation and compression takes all the impact out of a riff. It sounds kind of mushy and soft.

[@fullmetalguy8357]

All great choices, but the absolute heaviest riff of the 1960s was Doctor Please by Blue Cheer. The distortion at the beginning of the song is earth-shattering.

[@lukehenderson436]

Glad someone mentioned Blue Cheer 😊

[@Trifixion22]

Glad someone mentioned that song in particular. Forget Summertime Blues, Doctor Please is their masterpiece.

[@korfrag6865]

Absolutely

[@fullmetalguy8357]

@@Trifixion22 100%. The blues covers on Vincebus Eruptum were great, but the 2 originals (Doctor Please and Out of Focus) were the best songs on that release. The most fuzzed-out downer blues you've ever heard, laying the bedrock for heavy metal. Outsideinside is probably their best album overall, maybe a bit less heavy than VE, but with even better songs overall. If anyone doubts their claim to heaviness, ask any of the members of Pentagram, who have been disciples of Blue Cheer their whole lives.

[@AlaxyGalaxy2]

I hear ya! The sound is just everything going bad: the tubes, the speakers and probably even the baffle. I can just imagine how loud that must've been. It's worth mentioning that when this came out, the Beatles had just put out such songs as The Fool on the Hill and Your Mother Should Know... The heaviness of this album must've been like a kick in the nuts.

[@fuzzcous]

Nice you included the Kinks. Songs for a part 2: Foxy Lady, Sunshine of your Love, Summertime Blues, Communication Breakdown

[@bloxsy_]

Part 2 would be good.

[@emiliomontesdeocagonzalez681]

​@@bloxsy_you better do! This was amazing but lacked so many good ones, as the fella up here said, and some others like Beatles' Revolution, Birthday, Everybody's Got Sumdina Hide 'Xcept Me & Monkey, Taxman, Savoy Truffle (the guitar part is perfection), the intro to It's All Too Much or the bass part of Think For Yourself. Some Who's and Sabbath's tunes would fit in perfectly too.

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks! Yeah a lot of people have recommended other songs so it would be worth doing. There’s some pretty heavy stuff on the White Album. Sabbath are more 70s I think. The Who had a powerful sound for sure.

[@davidreed6264]

Darkness darkness by the youngbloods

[@davidreed6264]

Traffic dear Mr fantasy

[@jan_Travis]

Love the inclusion of Interstellar Overdrive! The 1st riff I ever played on my 1st guitar (1st guitar that I saved money for and bought with my own cash a green tele) and I remember just awesome it felt playing it in the guitar store.

[@ELPCOTILLION-SD1970]

Indeed...

[@wardka]

Paul Revere and the Raiders - "It's Just Like Me" Iron Butterfly - "In-a-Gadda-da-Vida" Cream - "Sunshine of Your Love" There were a lot of heavy riffs in the 60s.

[@Chamomileable]

It's simultaneously amazing how far heavy guitar music has come while also still being able to go back to the 60's and say "dang this is really heavy stuff". Kick Out The Jams was a great choice; too many people overlook MC5. Maybe the heaviest track of the 60's I've heard is "We All Love Him" by an incredibly obscure group called Brother Fox & The Tar Baby who I think were out of Baltimore or Boston or somewhere along those lines. Sounds like something six or seven years ahead of its time and used to be a pretty sought-after find for prog rock collectors.

[@kevinputry5655]

Lots of great examples but I'd have added a few more like Blue Cheer's rendition of Summertime Blues, Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Hendrix's Foxey Lady and Purple Haze, Davie Allan and the Arrows' Blues Theme, Magic Me by The Nazz(the demo version is the best) and a lesser known band The Pretty Things did a super heavy duty tune called Old Man Going.

[@troloquimicoxd69]

The Who's I Can See For Miles, Boris The Spider, The Ox and their versions of Summertime Blues and Young Man Blues are a must have on any heavy 60s riffs compilation video

[@bluesrocker91]

The Ox always gets overlooked... It's a monster riff.

[@jacobcormier5532]

The late 60s sure is when things got heavy! Great riffs! 🎸🤘

[@zibro6379]

Other songs that I would have considered: Led Zeppelin - Communication Breakdown The Who - I Can See For Miles Dick Dale - Misirlou Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child Bo Diddley - Mumblin Guitar The Standells - Riot On Sunset Strip Monks - Complication The Velvet Underground - Sister Ray Shocking Blue - Send Me A Postcard Can - Father Cannot Yell The Sonics - The Witch 13th Floor Elevators - Reverberation Count Five - Psychotic Reaction Electric Prunes- I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night The Seeds - Evil Hoodoo The Amboy Dukes - Baby Please Don't Go Love - Seven And Seven Is Lonnie Mack - Wham! The Troggs - Wild Thing Nazz - Open Your Eyes

[@jimbobjennings8266]

1969- Any song off Spooky Tooth Two, especially "Evil Woman" and "Better by you better than me". Spooky Tooth was a great band.

[@adrain182]

This channel is right up my alley and you play everything great

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks man!

[@Ghostguitars2]

Interstellar Overdrive Got To Be One Of My Favorite Riffs Edit: Dazed And Confused

[@robo3007]

The heaviest ones I'm aware of High Tide - Futilist’s Lament Clear Light - Street Singer Iron Butterfly - Are You Happy? Head Machine - You Must Come With Me Stone Garden - Oceans Inside Me The Amboy Dukes - Prodigal Man Vanilla Fudge - Shotgun Spooky - Clear Blue Sky

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks. I haven't heard these. I wish I'd put a call out for suggestions first!

[@cancercentral9997]

Really, you could take any of the many riffs on Vincebus Eruptum

[@shaebryant1916]

Magic potion - open mind

[@dylanclark5438]

Can really see hints of what was to come in the following decades

[@bigneon_glitter]

👉 The Yardbirds - Stroll On (1966) One for next time.

[@michaelclark4043]

It doesn't matter what era it comes from it has to have that certain vibe about it that makes me want to listen to it over and over again.

[@youlooksocool.]

Great selection

[@frenchllama7363]

Blue cheer’s cover of “summertime blues” deserves an honorable mention here too. That song had a heavy drive behind it and I love it

[@Duck_Dodgers]

Honorable mention it's between cream and them who was the first metal band. Sorry it was black sabbath

[@shaebryant1916]

@@Duck_Dodgersthe who were playing very heavy stuff maybe before them. Their version of summertime blues is great

[@roby18myfavoritethingschan64]

Jimi Hendrix Top10 riffs please‼️

[@CashHooverOfficial]

That Tele sounds great.

[@SquigglyBeasst]

Mustang!

[@pierrepierre8920]

@@SquigglyBeasstcyclone

[@SquigglyBeasst]

@@pierrepierre8920 Ooo, you're right, hadn't heard of them before :)

[@jonncockrell3606]

Sounds like sh....t

[@misterjones7929]

Thanks for this refresher Mr Bloxy! I well remember posing in front of a mirror learning the simple chords to ‘All of the day and all of the Night’ on my Rossetti guitar that I got for Christmas in 1964😄! I saw the Kinks playing at Eltham Baths at around the same time, the girls screams are still ringing in my ears 😂! Will attempt the other great riffs you’ve shown as well- thanks👍

[@LewiDoesMusic]

I mean how couldn’t Helter-Skelter be included!

[@aziziabdrahman7756]

Fantastic video as always. Is it possible if you could do a Manic Street Preachers riffs video one day please?

[@AlmiNia]

oooooh i second that!

[@jan_Travis]

Yesssss would love to see them on here! This is Yesterday and Yes would be great to see him play.

[@pex6683]

Other heaviest riffs of the 60's: Gun - Race With The Devil Hide Tide - Futilist's Lament Deep Purple - And The Address Dragonfly - Blue Monday Grad Funk - Got This Thing On The Move Thunder And Roses - White Lace And Strange Blue Cheer - Doctor Please Andromeda - Too Old Leslie West - Blood Of The Sun Jeff Beck - Shapes of Things Vanilla Fudge - Need Love The Edgar Broughton Band - Evil

[@bloxsy_]

Some more outstanding suggestions here. Thank you!

[@Veselinov21]

Your tone is spectacular! Great assortment of riffs. Cheers

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you

[@ConjurMyTimeInALL]

Will forever love the dazed and confused riff

[@andrewtaller7401]

Never realized how similar Interstellar Overdrive sounds to some of Bernard Sumner's early Joy Division riffs.

[@scrambledworm]

the TONE on i wanna be your dog is so perfect

[@samppa9195]

Amazing legendary riffs. Thanks. Please , do part 2. Purple Haze , and .....Greetings from Finland🎸🤘.

[@leefreed2060]

Absolutely amazing job

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks buddy.

[@Astrovite]

The intro to The House At Pooneil Corners by Jefferson Airplane is HEAVY af tbh. I know it's mostly on the organ there but when I think of the "Heaviest songs of the 60s" that one is near the top of my list. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida would be my #1 though. I know it's not very heavy in a tone sense but it sounds evil af.

[@nathanhull8302]

I just saw a student band today play All Day and All of the Night live and saw this video in my feed. Wondered instantly if they’d include that song and I was not disappointed lol

[@russellfinn2587]

How cool isolating those riffs you can hear the drums just kicking it in the back ground

[@bradpittiful7288]

if you do a part two...blue cheer - summertime blues...beatles - revolution...count five - psychotic reaction...the seeds - pushin too hard...monkees - circle sky...any sabbath...amboy dukes - journey to the center of the mind...cream - politician

[@juanarellano5714]

sabbath was 70'

[@bradpittiful7288]

@@juanarellano5714 technically a decade runs from 1 to 0 (lets say the 60s since thats the theme here) so the 60s decade goes from 61 to 70

[@juanarellano5714]

@@bradpittiful7288 no one calls any sabbath album or led zeppelin III a 60s album

[@beezlus_]

yessss circle sky by the monkees is such an overlooked tune

[@stefankempkes3769]

Mandrake Root by Deep Purple is an honourable mention.

[@sitvisjes]

Do Black Sabbath songs count for 60's riffs? I know their debut album was released in januari 1970 but they we're already performing and played live on the radio.

[@CharleySuede]

Really excellent inclusions, though my only criticism would be “I Feel Free” It’s a great tune; one of my favorite Cream songs, but it never felt heavy to me. “Bring It On Home” was definitely a surprise; I truly expected “Communication Breakdown” because it’s heavy af!

[@SteveBluescemi]

Agreed

[@bluesrocker91]

I suppose Sunshine of Your Love is the obvious heavy Cream riff, but maybe too obvious... SWLABR would be a good one.

[@vitodoriacalcio]

I must say that Bloxsy made his version sound heavy than the original. Aside from all the psychedelic sounds, I reckon "I Feel Free" is unintentionally punky.

[@crampsfortheitch]

Futililists Lament by High Tide should be in here. Heaviest riff of the 60s, 70s and 80s combined and it was before Sabbath in 68

[@BillBraskyy]

The thumbnail had me thinking this was an "In Utero" era Kurt Cobain impersonator lol The white shirt, black jacket, the white fender with the brown marbled pick guard. Obviously not every single detail about your jacket / clothes and all that is perfectly identical, but yeah... I thought this was going to be like a Nirvana in utero cover video lol still a cool video though. I love '60s era rock and pop 🤙🏿

[@bigbananadealer846]

will there be a hardest riffs of the 50s? space guitar by johnny guitar watson and rumble by link wray are pretty heavy for the time

[@bloxsy_]

Maybe. If we can think of enough heavy riffs. Maybellene by Chuck Berry is another one

[@MDE128]

The 1960s is full of great music and experimentation.

[@dd-nv6sw]

Don't forget "House of the Rising Sun" by Frijid Pink!

[@gregcrowe4826]

I was perplexed by some of your choices, but including the Kinks, Neil Young, LZ and Helter Skelter made up for them.

[@canadianrushfan12]

You are spot on with the tone for I Wanna Be Your Dog

[@Condadoking]

I was waiting for Helter Skelter, thinking "surely, he can't leave that one out." 😅

[@matthewpollard5881]

Sister Ray by The Velvet Underground deserves a mention as well. 😎😎😎

[@tinchocabj1053]

The Velvet Underground is most important band in the music history.

[@MrFab0117]

All this Tracks are pure jewels perfectly executed 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼👍🏼✌🏼😎

[@nathanielschwartz425]

4:02 His fingers are in the exact same position as one of my all time favorite guitarists (and one of my biggest influences) Django Reinhardt. 👍🎸

[@morrowgan8930]

interstellar overdrive 😍

[@coolmasterjochem941]

Aww yeah I love death grips

[@fredmachine]

The Who - Boris the Spider had some quite heavy riffs (and early growl vocals).

[@isaacpunch9295]

I tend to overlook Cinnamon Girl but damn, that’s a great one.

[@tamtenmateusz9475]

Very cool video!

[@SquigglyBeasst]

Sunshine Of Your Love!

[@n2ogames2022]

You could've put he also riffs from some "proto-metal" bands like Blue Cheer and High Tide, the last one was as heavy as King Crimson on "21st century schizoid man"

[@bloxsy_]

I may do another video with these

[@darkgardener9577]

Man if some of those 60's guys knew what was coming......what they were laying the groundwork for.

[@JDStone20]

AWEOME AWESOME AWESOME!!! I learned so many of my favorite songs!!!!

[@PSH123-m5y]

Two very important riffs for part 2; Misirlou and I want you she's so heavy. I want you is a contender for the heaviest of all time imo.

[@EazyDoor]

Damn, I Wanna Be Your Dog sounds perfect.

[@Aero360Aviation]

Fantastic! All excellent choices. I would also add Iron Butterfly Theme

[@hewolf]

Hands down it’s the Stooges, it’s very hard to believe this song was made in 60’s

[@whatchutalkinaboutwillard6547]

Blue Cheer had some heavy riffs.

[@jefffinkbonner9551]

Good Golly Miss Molly covered by Creedence Clearwater Revival is actually Very heavy in its main riff. It goes under appreciated.

[@Мира-ф5ь]

Also: The Troggs - I Want You (1966), Cromagnon - Caledonia (1969), many songs of Blue Cheer (like Gypsy Ball, etc), many songs of Alice Cooper, Deep Purple songs, Cream - Spoonful, Blossom Toes, Bob Seger System, Omega - Tuzvihar. Oh, so many songs I know. I have to creat a video about it.

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks! You should do the video. It's interesting how punk and metal already existed in the 1960s but hadn't fully been established.

[@marcohernandez5322]

You forgot in a gada davida iron butterfly. Lola the kinks. Sumertime blues by blue cheer and the who. purple haze jimi Hendrix. And you forgot chuck berry maybellene 1950s.

[@bloxsy_]

I think Maybellene was '50s?

[@daviebananas1735]

Lola isn’t heavy at all. Isn’t it acoustic? And from 1970? Lol

[@redwoodsasquatch]

Solid list

[@Ybwdontcha514]

The Nile Song! Awesome pick. Here are my additional choices if you care: Rolling Stones - Jumpin Jack Flack AND Satisfaction Grand Funk.- Are You Ready? Small Faces - Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am Deep Purple - Hush Yardbirds - Stroll On Jeff Beck - Beck's Bolero

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks! I'm compiling a list currently. Some great choices here.

[@chriscoughlin9289]

I'd have to add the legendary Peter Green's 'Curly' with Mayall's Bluesbreakers - a cut that might predate every one that you singled out here except 'All Day.... by the Kinks. Greeny had performed it live and then recorded it in late '66, but many fans didn't get their hands on it until 'Through The Years' - a compilation of early Mayall that became available in 1968. It's almost never mentioned among the usual suspects on any 'roots of metal' lists on YT - even though the chord structure was echoed by Hendrix a year later on 'Purple Haze' Also from '66, the other early candidate - at least to my ears - is the opening stomp of Them's 'I Can Only Give You Everything' - a riff famously covered by the MC5 live and on record a few years afterward.

[@bruno2000.]

3:11 my soul completely bristled

[@vaclavhoskovec5043]

Great video. Really like your sound. Will you share your setup?

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks. I'm just plugged into a Boss Katana amp and the sound is plugged directly from the back of the amp into my laptop using a usb cable.

[@RockSensation119]

Nice to see another cyclone player

[@CarlosVargas-cn7rx]

Oddly, I was expecting Louie Louie and specially I Want You (She's so Heavy)

[@JeffW77]

This is very cool. Thank you. I knew most of them. Perhaps Sunshine of Your Love for Part 2? Very cool to end with Helter Skelter. 8) Oh yes--and Shakin' All Over (mainly the Guess Who version--Chad Allan died a few days ago. RIP)

[@tonywhitburn]

Thanks for including Death Grips on this one!

[@stitchgrimly6167]

Hang on.. No Blue Cheer or Vanilla Fudge? Or Iron Butterfly?

[@Workerbee-zy5nx]

Some were 70s, but great job. 🎉

[@andrewsmith177]

Nice! That Tokai Mustang is a beauty btw.

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks! It's actually a Fender Cyclone. Never seen a Tokai Mustang though, will check it out.

[@tymime]

The Beatles "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" is also a good choice

[@matthewjdouglas6471]

I would love to see you do 10 Johnny Thunders riffs, nyc original rocknroller

[@bloxsy_]

Any song suggestions?

[@matthewjdouglas6471]

@@bloxsy_ pipeline, pirate love, too much junkie business, in cold blood ?? I even one would be cool. Not enough love in the world for Johnny Thunders, and you cover so many cool bands, 😎 no pressure. Sometime in the future. Anything of L.A.M.F

[@MJWPub]

Not bad for heavy riffs of the 60s but you missed out (April) Spring, Summer And Wednesdays, which is probably the most likely you'd have seen live in the 60s (the 70s and the 80s....)

[@bluesrocker91]

Quo deserves more appreciation. Some great riffs on Ma' Kelly's, but I think that came out in 1970.

[@jamespruett2615]

Great pick. I like how you picked bring it on home for zep. Also stooges was a good choice too

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks.

[@startervisions]

"Distortions Of Darkness" by The 31 Flavors is another one...idk if it was recorded before 1970 though

[@jedsmith4988]

Nice selection. I'd add "Born to Be Wild ". Also, while not as "riff-heavy" as Led Zepp, Jethro Tull's "A New Day Yesterday" opens with a noted power riff.

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you. I've just listened to the Jethro Tull song and that's a really cool riff, a bit like Black Sabbath. Thanks for that! Edit: Just read that Tony Iommi auditioned for the band in preparation for that album. Very interesting!

[@michaelschwerdt1051]

Come on! Come on! Come on! Let's go Space Truckin'

[@2000jago]

Two Led Zeppelin tracks featured here but neither are Whole Lotta Love (1969)!? C'mon, that's one of the heaviest riffs EVER never mind the 60's...

[@kishanpatel4315]

Sounds killer! You influenced me to pick up an electric guitar and I’ve been playing since April but still struggling to get the exact tones of songs even with the Boss Katana which I purchased. Would it be possible for you to upload a Boss Katana amp setup or run through some pedals which helped you get these heavy 60’s riff tones? Would mean the word to me thanks! Keeping the spirit of rock n roll alive, the best guitar channel on KZbin along with MartyMusic without a doubt!

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you. I have a video on my Patreon that I did a while back that shows how I record my guitar through the Boss Katana. I may do a new one at some point as I'm still tweaking my sound. For this video I used the 'crunch' channel with Bass at about '10 o'clock', mids '12 o'clock, and high about '2 o'clock'. It really depends on the guitar you're using though as they're all different.

[@monoped8437]

i'm playing along with 'I Feel Free' on the album. how did you arrive at your example?

[@daniele.82]

Molto bravo, complimenti!!!

[@seamussc]

A few worth checking out, in my own opinion: Vanilla Fudge - You Keep Me Hangin' On First Edition - Just Dropped In Los Saicos - Fugitivo de Alcatraz

[@Antitrite]

The comment section on these types of videos usually: "Cool, but you should have included x" This comment section: "Oh props for including x, dude!"

[@anonymousbl0bfish]

I wanna be your dog is so fun to play! One of my favorite songs I know, fun to play live too :)

[@palmereldritch8277]

Great stuff