# Name a song that mentions a specific year in its lyrics (please read OP) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2013, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401 "2013-02-05T17:23:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/1 "2013-02-05T17:23:24Z")
Please format it thusly: **1954**. “_The worst thing in 1954 was the bikini_” – I Found That Essence Rare by Gang of Four. Jump in early to grab the low-hanging fruit! mmm ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/2 "2013-02-05T17:26:31Z")
1968: “Snoopy for President” by the Royal Guardsmen. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/3 "2013-02-05T17:28:45Z")
**4545** _In the year 4545 you ain’t gonna need your teeth._ – In The Year 2525, Zager and Evans. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/4 "2013-02-05T17:29:50Z")
“Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four)” by The Eurythmics. From a very underrated and uncommon album, _1984_. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/5 "2013-02-05T17:31:24Z")
“1999”, Prince ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/6 "2013-02-05T17:32:17Z")
1. Oh, what a night, late December back in '63 December, 1963 (Oh What a Night) Four Seasons ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/7 "2013-02-05T17:37:34Z")
1814 -\* Battle of New Orleans\* Johnny Horton ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/8 "2013-02-05T17:39:47Z")
**1969** - _“We haven’t had that spirit here since 1969”_ - Hotel California, Eagles ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/9 "2013-02-05T17:41:35Z")
Would link to YouTube clips for the songs but you can easily search for them if you don’t know then. Smashing Pumpkins, “1979”: _Shakedown, 1979 - cool kids never have the time…_ Neon Trees, “1983”: \*1983 is calling, I’ve been on my knees and crawling b\*\*ack to you, it’s coming all back to me - 1983 \* Bryan Adams, “The Summer of '69”: pretty much the whole song 🙂 Neil Young, “After The Gold Rush”: \*Look at Mother Nature on the run in the 1970s. \*(which I used to hear as “in 1970.”) Many classic rap songs feature a shout-out to the year they were made, to sound hip and current at the time… Like Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power” (“1989 - the number, another summer…”) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/10 "2013-02-05T17:53:02Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Please format it thusly: > > **1954**. “_The worst thing in 1954 was the bikini_” – I Found That Essence Rare by Gang of Four. Wow, you people suck at following directions! 🙂 I assume mmm wanted **YEAR**. “_Song lyric that mentions that year._” Song Title by Artist. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/11 "2013-02-05T17:59:13Z")
**1934**. “On the last day of June, 1934” – The Last Day of June 1934 [duh] by Al Stewart. **1949**. “She had a picture of a cowboy tattooed on her spine, saying Phoenix Arizona 1949” – Little Egypt by The Coasters. **1956**. “I said I’ve been this way since 1956” – Love Potion #9 by The Clovers. **1967**. “1967, it seems so long ago” – 1967 by Tom Robinson. **1974**. “Well there’s a real square cat, he looks like 1974” – Rock This Town by Stray Cats. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/12 "2013-02-05T17:59:42Z")
1965: In '65 I was 17. . .; Running On Empty, Jackson Browne 1969: In '69 I was 21. . .; ditto 1934: I got a '34 wagon and they call it a woody; Surf City, Jan & Dean ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/13 "2013-02-05T18:00:54Z")
There’s a whole bunch from Al Stewart’s album _Past, Present and Future,_ including: 1853: “It was on the old _Calcutta_ in 1853” (“Old Admirals”) 1921: “Watching the sun come up in the morning of 1921” (“Warren Harding”) 1934: “On the last day of June 1934” (“The Last Day of June 1934”) 1959: “1959 was a very strange time” (“Post-World War Two Blues”) ---
**Author:** ![Themenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee59a6/32.png) [@Themenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Themenin)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/14 "2013-02-05T18:01:41Z")
1969 - "It’s 1969 okay all across the USA " - Stooges 1969 -“Soixant’neuf année érotique” - Serge Gainsbourg 1963 - “es el verano del 63, el orgullo de don andres por ser varon” - El Gran Varon, Willie Colon A lot of '69s out there ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/15 "2013-02-05T18:02:43Z")
More from my mental jukebox: Wilson Picket - “Mustang Sally”: _I bought you a brand new Mustang, a 1965 (huh!)_ Steely Dan - “Hey Nineten”: _Way back when, in '67, I was the dandy of Gamma Chi…_ The hit from a few years back by (I had to look the artists up) Bowling For Soup, “(She’s Still Preoccupied With) 1985” There are a few song titles with a year in them (to set a context) that don’t actually mention them in the song lyrics; I guess they don’t count. Like Billy Joel’s “Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)”, or Jimi Hendrix’ “1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Be…)”. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/16 "2013-02-05T18:05:13Z")
**1985**. “_She’s still preoccupied with nineteen, nineteen, nineteen eight five._” - 1985 by Bowling for Soup ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/17 "2013-02-05T18:08:26Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Wow, you people suck at following directions! 🙂 > > I assume mmm wanted > > **YEAR**. “_Song lyric that mentions that year._” Song Title by Artist. Fine, if this is being scraped and parsed I may as well put it in tab-delimited, CSV or XML format 🙂 But OK - to retro-fit my entries in chron order, and DQ’ing “After the Gold Rush” because the actual lyrics only say “the 1970s” and not “in 1970” like I’d thought: **1965** : “I bought you a brand new Mustang, a 1965 (huh!)”, “Mustang Sally” by Wilson Pickett. **1967** : “Way back when, in '67, I was the dandy of Gamma Chi…”, “Hey Nineteen” by Steely Dan. **1969** : “It was the summer of '69”, “The Summer of '69”, by Bryan Adams. **1983** : “1983 is calling I’ve been on my knees and crawling back to you…”, “1983” by Neon Trees. **1985** : “She’s still preoccupied with 1985”, “1985”, by Bowling For Soup. **1989:** “1989 - a number, another summer”, “Fight The Power”, by Public Enemy. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/18 "2013-02-05T18:08:39Z")
**1996**. “_She slit her wrists for attention in 1996_” - Metal Now by Say Anything ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/19 "2013-02-05T18:08:43Z")
1939 “And she’s laughing, laughing into 1939” Al Stewart, Between the Wars. Also, the somewhat less specific, Year of the Cat. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401/20 "2013-02-05T18:09:27Z")
(trying again) 1968: “The time had come in '68, to elect a president…” _Snoopy for President_, Royal Guardsmen Is that okay now? ~VOW [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-song-that-mentions-a-specific-year-in-its-lyrics-please-read-op/649401.md?page=2)