Woven through the book is an ongoing narrative about some of the music happening at the time, a soundtrack for the story. Below is a playlist of the songs and artists in the order in which they’re mentioned in the text, nearly 200 tunes. The dates refer to the timeline of the book, which was usually but not always when the record was released or the song performed. Scroll down and CLICK on a song title to hear (and in some cases to watch) a full-length clip on YouTube.
Dedicated to the One I Love / The “5” Royales
1961
Quarter to Three / Gary U.S. Bonds
Tossin' and Turnin' / Bobby Lewis
Running Scared / Roy Orbison
Hand Clappin' / Red Prysock
(Alan Freed “Rock ‘n’ Roll Party” opening theme)
Travelin' Man / Ricky Nelson
El Condor Pasa / Los Incas (original instrumental version)
El Condor Pasa / Simon & Garfunkel
Those Oldies But Goodies / Little Caesar and The Romans
Little Sister / Elvis Presley
(Marie’s The Name) His Latest Flame / Elvis Presley
School Is Out / Gary U.S. Bonds
Rock Around The Clock / Bill Haley & His Comets
Puff, The Magic Dragon / Peter, Paul and Mary
Oh! Suzy-Q / Dale Hawkins
What'd I Say / Ray Charles
Money (That's What I Want) / Barrett Strong
Shout! / The Isley Brothers
1962
The Twist / Chubby Checker
The Peppermint Twist - Part 1 / Joey Dee & The Starliters (video)
Runaround Sue / Dion
I Left My Heart In San Francisco / Tony Bennett
The Wah-Watusi / The Orlons
Mashed Potato Time / Dee Dee Sharp
The Loco-Motion / Little Eva
Roll Over Beethoven / Chuck Berry
If I Had a Hammer / Peter Paul & Mary
Monster Mash / Bobby “Boris” Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers
1963
Pretty Boy Floyd / Joan Baez
Masters of War / Bob Dylan (at 13:17)
Route 66 / Nat King Cole (video)
Route 66 / Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters
Route 66 / Chuck Berry
Surfin' / The Beach Boys
Surfin' Safari / The Beach Boys (video)
409 / The Beach Boys
Surfin' USA / The Beach Boys
Surf City / Jan & Dean
Surfer Girl / The Beach Boys
Blowin' in the Wind / Peter, Paul and Mary
Heat Wave / Martha & The Vandellas
Then He Kissed Me / The Crystals
Be My Baby / The Ronettes
1964
All My Loving / The Beatles (video)
Money (That's What I Want) / The Beatles
I Want To Hold Your Hand / The Beatles (video)
Can't Buy Me Love / The Beatles (video)
Twist And Shout / The Beatles (video)
Route 66 / The Rolling Stones
Dominique / The Singing Nun
I Just Want To Make Love To You / The Rolling Stones (video)
Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying / Gerry and The Pacemakers
Memphis / Johnny Rivers
I Get Around / The Beach Boys (video)
The Leader of the Pack / The Shangri-Las
Time Is On My Side / The Rolling Stones (video)
You Really Got Me / The Kinks
Blue Christmas / Elvis Presley
1965
Eight Days A Week / The Beatles
Ticket To Ride / The Beatles (video)
Help Me, Rhonda / The Beach Boys (video)
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction / The Rolling Stones (video)
Mr. Tambourine Man / The Byrds (video)
Crying in the Chapel / Elvis Presley
Help! / The Beatles (video)
Like A Rolling Stone / Bob Dylan
Subterranean Homesick Blues / Bob Dylan (video)
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag / James Brown
1966
Just Like A Woman / Bob Dylan (alternate take)
Paint It Black / The Rolling Stones
It's Not Easy / The Rolling Stones
Goin' Home / The Rolling Stones
The Train Kept A-Rollin' / The Yardbirds (with Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck)
The Train Kept A-Rollin' / The Yardbirds (video)
(scene from Blow-Up with Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck)
Mellow Yellow / Donovan
Good Vibrations / The Beach Boys
You Keep Me Hangin' On / The Supremes
1967
(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such As I / Elvis Presley
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place / The Animals
Tomorrow Never Knows / The Beatles
Ruby Tuesday / The Rolling Stones
Eight Miles High / The Byrds
Break On Through (To The Other Side) / The Doors
Run Run Run / The Velvet Underground & Nico
Hoochie Coochie Man / Muddy Waters
One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer / John Lee Hooker
(When You See) Those Flying Saucers / The Charles River Valley Boys
Washington At Valley Forge / Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band
I Got My Mojo Working / The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
The Gasman Won't Buy Your Love / David Blue
I'm Waiting For The Man / The Velvet Underground
With A Little Help From My Friends / The Beatles
San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) / Scott McKenzie (video)
Somebody to Love / Jefferson Airplane
White Rabbit / Jefferson Arplane
Groovin' / The Young Rascals
Respect / Aretha Franklin
Light My Fire / The Doors (video) (short version)
All You Need Is Love / The Beatles
Purple Haze / The Jimi Hendrix Experience (video)
Rock 'n' Roll / The Velvet Underground
I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die / Country Joe and The Fish
Going Up The Country / Canned Heat
(Ballad of) The Hip Death Goddess / Ultimate Spinach
The Funky Broadway / Dyke & The Blazers
On The Road Again / Canned Heat
Let's Go Where Nectar Flows / Baul Singers of West Bengal (video)
Voice of Space / Sun Ra
Handsome Johnny / Richie Havens (video)
L-O-V-E (Ask For it By Name) / Lothar and The Hand People
Black Roses / Clear Light
Egyptian Gardens / The Kaleidoscope
When I Needed You / Chain Reaction (with Steven Tyler/Tallarico)
1968
Everybody's Been Talkin' / The Mugwumps
I Can't Find The Time To Tell You / Orpheus
Pamela / Ultimate Spinach
Mystic Mourning / The Beacon Street Union
The Sound of Silence / Simon & Garfunkel (original acoustic version)
The Sound of Silence / Simon & Garfunkel (overdubbed rock version)
Soul Man / The Bagatelle
High Flyin' Bird / Ill Wind
Turn Turn Turn / Judy Collins (video)
I Feel Free / Cream
The Garden of Earthly Delights / The United States of America
The Happening / The Supremes (video) (American Bandstand dancers)
White Light/White Heat / The Velvet Underground
I Heard Her Call My Name / The Velvet Underground
Train Fare Home Blues / Muddy Waters (video)
Journey to the Center of the Mind / The Amboy Dukes
I Can't Stand Myself / James Brown (video) (at Boston Garden)
Thus Spake Zarathustra / 2001: A Space Odyssey (video) (opening title)
Dazed and Confused / The Yardbirds (video) (with Jimmy Page)
The Train Kept A-Rollin' / The Yardbirds (video) (with Jimmy Page)
Lucille / B.B. King
Children of the Future / The Steve Miller Band
Home of the Brave / Earth Opera (with Peter Rowan and David Grisman)
A Whiter Shade of Pale / Procol Harum (Scopitone film)
Dear Mr. Fantasy / Traffic
Summertime Blues / Blue Cheer
Smokestack Lightnin' / Howlin’ Wolf
Sister Ray / The Velvet Underground
Boom Boom Boom / John Lee Hooker (video)
Brown Eyed Girl / Van Morrison
Toad / Cream (Live at The Fillmore, 1968)
Pride of Man / Quicksilver Messenger Service
I Ain't Superstitious / The Jeff Beck Group
I Can See For Miles / The Who
Cross Road Blues / Robert Johnson
I'll Keep It With Mine / Fairport Convention
London Blues / The New Yardbirds (Led Zeppelin)
Fresh Garbage / Spirit
Spoonful / Cream (live, one month before final show in R.I.)
Kick Out The Jams / MC5
Heroin / The Velvet Underground
I'm Set Free / The Velvet Underground
1969
Tulsa County / The Byrds (live at The Boston Tea Party, 2/22/69)
Hard Drivin' Man / The J. Geils Band
Pale Blue Eyes / The Velvet Underground
The Shape I'm In / FAT
Factory (Version 3) / Bold
Astral Weeks / Van Morrison
Apart of Me / Country Funk
What Goes On / The Velvet Underground
Brandenburg / The New York Rock & Roll Ensemble
Early in the Morning / Charlie Musselwhite
Sweet Home Chicago / Magic Sam
Homework / The J. Geils Band
It's Gonna Work Out Fine / Ike & Tina Turner
Midnight Rambler / The Rolling Stones (live November 1969)
Whipping Post / The Allman Brothers Band
Wang Dang Doodle / Love Sculpture
I'm A Good Woman / Cold Blood
1970
Foggy Notion / The Modern Lovers (with Jonathan Richman)
Beginning To See The Light / The Velvet Underground
Whammer Jammer / The J. Geils Band
Mama Get Down Those Rock 'n' Roll Shoes / NRBQ
Sister Anne / MC5
I Wanna Be Your Dog / The Stooges
Let's Twist Again / Chubby Checker
Into The Mystic / Van Morrison
Johnny B. Goode / Chuck Berry
Up On Cripple Creek / The Band
Sweet Jane / The Velvet Underground
New Age / The Velvet Underground
Serves You Right To Suffer / The J. Geils Band
Good Morning Little Schoolgirl / Ten Years After (video)
Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today) / The Temptations
Spill The Wine / Eric Burdon and War
War / Edwin Starr
The Long And Winding Road / The Beatles
You Can't Always Get What You Want / The Rolling Stones