The 1960s were a time of great social upheaval and renewal, with a decisive global shift in ideologies, fashions, customs, and values. Above all, that period expressed a profound desire for freedom from stereotypical conventions steeped in respectability and hypocrisy. Music also adapted, with new sounds and more engaging lyrics. In Italy, the so-called "beat generation" was represented by a group of decidedly innovative artists, with songs that left an indelible mark on the collective imagination. In this work, we discuss it with a group of figures who lived and breathed the beat genre, for a lucid yet ironic analysis, avoiding nostalgic complacency.