When I think of harmonica top 40 hits from the 60s and 70s, two names immediately come to mind: Stevie Wonder and Bob Dylan. These artists and their songs transcend typical pop rock music that played on Top 40 radio during the golden age of that format.

While Wonder and Dylan provided multiple radio hits over the years, there are many other individual artists who had outstanding singles that included the harmonica and became major hits in the United States.

With this music blog message, I will be counting down what I consider to be my favorite songs featuring a harmonica. My selections are mostly 45-rpm singles that I treasured when I was a teenager or as a young adult and I still love these songs in 2024.

To avoid any confusion, here are the criteria that I used to narrow down my listing of outstanding harmonica songs for the countdown:

• My selections were aired on Top 40 radio in the U.S. between the years 1965 and 1979.

• Only songs released as 45-rpm singles are listed.

• No album tracks used on countdown.

• Harmonica needs to be prominently heard in a song.

• Lead harmonica solos on instrumental breaks on songs with lyrical singing.

• Countdown songs peaked at #40 or higher on the Billboard Hot 100.

Since my countdown only spans from 1965 through 1979, there are many other top 40 hits outside of these years that I want to highlight below.

Harmonica songs prior to 1965

• Blowin’ in the Wind—Bob Dylan
• Love Me Do—The Beatles
• I Should Have Known Better—The Beatles
• Hey Baby—Bruce Channel
• Fingertips Part II—Stevie Wonder

Harmonica Hits in the 80s:

• Take the Long Way Home—Supertramp
• Desire—U2
• Karma Chameleon—Culture Club
• Train in Vain—The Clash
• Workin’ for a Living—Huey Lewis & the News

• Middle of the Road—The Pretenders
• What I Like About You—The Romantics
• I Feel for You—Chaka Kahn
• Cryin’—Aerosmith
• I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues—Elton John

90s Harmonica Hits

• Run-Around—Blues Traveler
• Mary Jane’s Last Dance—Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
• Harvest Moon—Neil Young

• Suicide Blonde—INXS
• You Don’t Know How It Feels—Tom Petty
• Follow You Down—Gin Blossoms

Songs played on Top 40 and AOR (album-oriented-radio) stations but not released as 45-rpm singles during 1965 to 1980 time period:

• Isn’t She Lovely—Stevie Wonder
• The Jean Genie—David Bowie
• Roadhouse Blues—The Doors
• When the Levee Breaks—Led Zeppelin
• Baba O’Riley—The Who

• Midnight Rambler—The Rolling Stones
• The Promised Land—Bruce Springsteen
• Thunder Road—Bruce Springsteen
• The River—Bruce Springsteen

45-rpm singles between 1965 and 1979 that I considered for the harmonica countdown but fell outside of my top 20 selections. These songs are not ranked and are placed in a random order:

• Will It Go Round in Circles—Billy Preston
• I Want to Take You Higher—Sly & the Family Stone
• I’m Looking for a Love—J Geils Band
• We Can Work It Out—Stevie Wonder
• Long Dark Road—The Hollies

• If You Want to Go to Heaven—Ozark Mountain Daredevils
• Train Train—Blackfoot
• Just Like a Woman—Bob Dylan
• Dance with Me—Orleans
• The Good, The Bad and the Ugly—Hugo Montenegro

Without further ado, here is my top harmonica songs countdown:

Top 20 Countdown

20. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35—Bob Dylan

Positions on Billboard Charts:  #2 Hot 100, 74^th Biggest Song of 1966: Harmonica by Bob Dylan  

Track was recorded in one take and written by Bob Dylan.  From the album “Blonde on Blonde.” Chorus on song was controversial in 1966, “Everybody must get stoned.”

19.  You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio—Joni Mitchell

Peak Position on Billboard Charts:  #13 AC, #25 Hot 100 in 1973: Harmonica by Graham Nash

Legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell penned song. Became the first Top 40 hit for Canadian artist.  Located on the 1972, “For the Roses” album.

18.  Oh Girl—The Chi-Lites

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #1 Hot 100, 13^th Biggest Songs of 1972. Harmonica by Marshall Thompson

The Chi-Lites was a R&B vocal group from Chicago, Illinois.  Formed in 1959.  “Oh Girl” and “Have You Seen Her” were the two biggest hits by the smooth soul singers.

17.  Boogie on Reggae Woman—Stevie Wonder

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts: #3 Hot 100, 26^th Biggest Song of 1975: Harmonic by Stevie Wonder

This song has a funk/R&B groove but doesn’t contain any reggae music, as the title seems to indicate.  Wonder won a Grammy Award for “Best Male R&B Vocal Performance” in 1975.

16.  Miss You—The Rolling Stones

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts: #1 Hot 100, 16^th Biggest Single of 1978: Harmonica by Sugar Blue

Considered “Dance Rock” and has a disco beat. Written primarily by Mick Jagger.  Keith Richards is credited as co-writer.  The 8^th and final number 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 for British band.

15.  Join Together—The Who

Peak position on Billboard Chart: #17 Hot 100 in 1972: Harmonica by Roger Daltrey

First released as a non-album 45-rpm single. Written by Pete Townshend, who also plays a juice harp on this summer of 1972 hit record. Roger Daltrey is lead vocalist on song.

14.  On the Road Again—Canned Heat

Peak Position on Billboard Chart:  #16 Hot 100 in 1968: Harmonica by Alan Wilson

Written by blues singer-songwriter Floyd Jones in 1953. Then Canned Heat co-founder adapted the lyrics for the band’s first top 40 hit. Tune is a combination of blues and psychedelic rock.

13.   Run through the Jungle—Creedence Clearwater Revival

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #4 Hot 100, 73^rd Biggest Song of 1970: Harmonica by John Fogerty

Bayou swamp rock from California band.  Released as a double-A sided single with “Up Around the Bend.”  Written by CCR front man John Fogerty.

12.  Tangled Up in Blue—Bob Dylan

Peak Position on Billboard Chart: #31 Hot 100 in 1975: Harmonica by Bob Dylan

Rolling Stone rates “Tangled Up in Blue” as the third best Bob Dylan song of all-time. From the album “Blood on the Tracks.”  This acoustic ode was one of Dylan’s most renowned 70s singles.

11.  Lonely People—America

Peak Position on Billboard Charts:  #4 Hot 100 in 1974: Harmonica by Gerry Beckley

America band member Dewey Bunnell wrote lyrics based on the Tin Woodman from “The Wizard of Oz” film.  Record producer George Martin played piano on this mid 70s hit.

10.  He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother—The Hollies

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts: #7 Hot 100, 46^th Biggest Songs of 1970: Harmonica by Allan Clarke

This ballad was the first top 10 hit in the U.S. after Graham Nash left the British band. A young session musician Elton John played piano, while an orchestra was hired for instrumentation with this song.

9.   For Once in My Life—Stevie Wonder

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #2 Hot 100, #2 Hot R&B Singles Chart (1969): Harmonica by Stevie Wonder

Bassist James Jamerson’s playing on this tune is one of the best bass lines in the history of Motown Records. Wonder has strong, powerful vocals that shine on this classic soul single.

8.   Keep on Smilin’—Wet Willie

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #10 Hot 100, 66^th Biggest Song of 1974: Harmonica by Jimmy Hall

Southern Rock band from Mobile, Alabama. The song was the first of three top 40 singles and became their biggest hit. Making lemonade out of lemons is the main message of lyrics.

7.   Like a Rolling Stone—Bob Dylan

Peak Positions of Billboard Charts:  #2 Hot 100, 41^st Biggest Song of 1965: Harmonica by Bob Dylan

Track is known for organ riffs by Al Kooper and Mike Blomfield’s superb electric guitar. Signature song by Bob Dylan. In 2010, named the #1 best single on Rolling Stones Magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list.

6.   Low Rider—War

Peak Positions Billboard Chart:  #7 Hot 100 in 1975: Harmonica by Lee Osker

Funk rock band War delivers a tasty treat with the toe-tapping song. Superb saxophone and pulsating bass line. Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

5.   Groovin’—The Young Rascals

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #1 Hot 100, 9th Biggest Song of 1967: Harmonica by Gene Cornish

First number 1 hit for New Jersey formed band. Song is in both the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs that Shaped Rock & Roll.”  The Rascals dropped “Young” from their name at the end of 1967.

4.   I Was Made to Love Her—Stevie Wonder

Positions on Billboard Charts:  #2 Hot 100, 14th Biggest Song of 1967: Harmonica by Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder was just 17 years old when “I Was Made to Love Her” was a hit. The musical prodigy played clavinet and harmonica, while the legendary Funk Brothers provided premier bass, drums and guitar backup on this Motown classic.

3.   Long Train Running—The Doobie Brothers

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #8 Hot 100, 41st Biggest Song of 1973: Harmonica by Tom Johnston

Pulsating rocker with superb guitar riffs.  First top ten hit for the San Jose, California band. The Doobie Brothers were inducted into the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame in 2020.

2.   Piano Man—Billy Joel

Peak Position on Billboard Charts:  #4 Adult Contemporary: #25 Hot 100 in 1974: Harmonica by Billy Joel  

Signature song for singer-songwriter.  Verses of the song are observations about the life of a piano player at a night club lounge.  It was the first top 40 hit for Billy Joel. The artist now has the beloved nickname of “Piano Man.”

1.  Heart of Gold—Neil Young

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #1 Hot 100, 17th Biggest Song of 1972: Harmonia by Neil Young

Neil Young composed song “Heart of Gold” after injuring his back in 1971. The artist plays both acoustic guitar and harmonica on his only solo chart-topping hit.  Backup vocals are provided by James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt.

 It was the first single from the singer-songwriters’ fourth studio album, “Harvest”, which became 1972’s biggest selling LP. Without a doubt, I rate “Heart of Gold” by Neil Young as my #1 best harmonica song from the golden age of Top 40 radio.

That wraps up what I consider to be my favorite and best harmonica Top 40 hits. I completely understand that my listing of songs in this category was written from my point of view and is subjective.

If you were creating a similar register of excellent harmonica songs, your tabulation may be totally different. What do you consider to be best preeminent harmonica singles from the golden age of Top 40 radio? I hope you will comment below.

While the harmonica may be underrated and unappreciated by many folks, the instrument played an important part in the musical history of top 40 radio during the 20^th century.  I continue to love harmonica songs from my younger years.  Rock on!

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