American Songwriter has picked out four hit songs from 1966 that capture a mood of carefree abandon, arguing that music from this year is especially good for letting your hair down and forgetting daily worries. The selection spans surf rock, pop, and the psychedelic-tinged sounds emerging in the mid-1960s, reflecting the era's musical diversity.

– "Wipe Out" by The Surfaris, an instrumental surf-rock track (originally 1963, re-released 1966) that captures the thrill and chaos of riding a wave.
– "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" by Nancy Sinatra, a sassy, flirty hit that Sinatra insisted needed a woman's perspective rather than songwriter Lee Hazlewood's.
– "Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones, released May 1966 with sitar played by Brian Jones, offering an edgy, sinister energy.
– "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" by Bob Dylan, a loose, rebellious track built around the refrain "everybody must get stoned."