# The most 70s song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 10, 2014, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959 "2014-10-10T13:14:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Moonchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@Moonchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonchild)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/41 "2014-10-10T19:48:54Z")
I agree for the most part with those that say “Stayin’ Alive.” But as a child of the 70’s (born in '65), the song that transports me the most is “[Rikki Don’t Lose that Number.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfZWp-hGCdA)” ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/42 "2014-10-10T19:50:50Z")
Without reading any other posts: “Staying Alive.” ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/43 "2014-10-10T19:52:22Z")
There were some big hit songs that tied together more than one 70s music trend: - “Lowdown”, by Boz Scaggs (disco, funk, singer-songwriter) - “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” by Rod Stewart (classic rock, disco, funk) - “Good Times” and “Le Freak” by Chic (guitar rock, funk, disco) ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/44 "2014-10-10T19:55:51Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > It’s too hard to settle on one song that defined the 70’s, but I think Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City” satisfies the above genres to some degree. Stevie Wonder’s catalog is a great place to mine for this question. To name three, “Higher Ground”, “I Wish”, and “Sir Duke” cover a lot of ground. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/45 "2014-10-10T20:07:38Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > New Wave, and Hair Metal. Plus the post-new wave “British Invasion” (Tears for Fears, Simple Minds, ABC, etc.). And the birth of alternative rock (REM, Pixies, Violent Femmes, Hüsker Dü). Another British alternative genre that captures acts like The Smiths and The Cure. And the maturing rap scene. And really, I could go on. A lot of genres can be identified in 80s music. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/46 "2014-10-10T20:09:11Z")
[“Afternoon Delight”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz1ex78QeQI) by Starland Vocal Band [“Dance With Me”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-IXJLgRnvs) by Orleans [“Dancing Queen”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFrGuyw1V8s) by ABBA ["Best Disco In Town](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv4bsiGmyNc)" by The Ritchie Family [“Move On Up”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z66wVo7uNw) by Curtis Mayfield ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/47 "2014-10-10T20:16:24Z")
> **[The Cover of "Rolling Stone"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cover_of_Rolling_Stone)** > > "The Cover of 'Rolling Stone'" is a song written by Shel Silverstein and first recorded by American rock group Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. Produced by Ron Haffkine and released in 1972, it was the band's third single and peaked at No. 6 on the U.S. pop chart for two weeks on March 17–24, 1973. The song satirically laments that the band had not appeared on the cover of the Rolling Stone, a magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. The song's success led to the band appeari... “The song satirizes success in the music business; the song’s narrator laments that his band has not been featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine despite having the superficial attributes of a successful rock star, including drug usage, ‘teenage groupies, who’ll do anything we say’ and a frenetic guitar solo.” What’s-Their-Names Make the Cover… [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-Ux3-a9RE1Q/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgXihPMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCB6lAm_Bd7BwSFmHLeoR6Iy4us5w "Cover Of The Rolling Stone-Dr.Hook") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ux3-a9RE1Q) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/48 "2014-10-10T22:17:15Z")
“Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes. Every damn time that comes on the playlist at my local 40-Years-Of-Top-40 radio station the first thing that crosses my mind is “Damn…that’s SUCH a 70s song!” ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/49 "2014-10-10T22:20:22Z")
For me, album rock and P/Funk styling ruled the decade. Pop was glurgy (You Light Up My Life, Billie Don’t be a Hero, Seasons in the Sun) early on and got disco-y later (Funky Town, Pop Muzik) Country was Twitty, Dolly, George, Willy, etc… Hard decade to pin down. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/50 "2014-10-11T01:38:36Z")
Probably not “the most” '70s song but the one which I thought of immediately was _My Sweet Lord_ by George Harrison. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/51 "2014-10-11T01:52:59Z")
Get a load of [Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BrSVOOK610) by the Carpenters. It’s cheesy, bombastic and painfully earnest as only 70s music can be, and even has a few tempo changes. Plus, the video is full of Star Trek style sci-fi cliches and has a long, silly intro. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/52 "2014-10-11T02:16:28Z")
When I think **1970’s** , my mind turns to gas shortages, polyester leisure suits, Ford Pintos and their exploding gas tanks, Watergate/Ford/Carter and “malaise.” Therefore, the most 70’s of all songs must be Afternoon Delight. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/53 "2014-10-11T06:28:42Z")
Stairway to Heaven. Already mentioned. Hotel California. Already mentioned. Cocaine. Let’s face it, it was the decade of the Devil’s Dandruff. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/54 "2014-10-11T09:34:42Z")
I am rather shocked that _punk_ has not appeared in this thread yet. How about “I Want to be Sedated”? ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/55 "2014-10-11T16:25:47Z")
Surprised we haven’t got Freebird - Lynrd Skynrd All right now - Free How Long - Ace ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/56 "2014-10-11T22:31:30Z")
What about “Convoy” by CW McCall??? How can you leave that out? That song crystalizes everything that was ridiculous about Jimmy Carter-era US pop culture. ---
**Author:** ![Lightlystarched](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Lightlystarched](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightlystarched)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/57 "2014-10-12T01:34:41Z")
I was a wee young thing in the 70’s and my mom listened exclusively to our local “adult contemporary” station. The 70’ is light rock - The Carpenters, Captain & Tenille, John Denver. I think my most 70’s song is “Top of the World”. Wait, no - Evergreen. Barbra. ---
**Author:** ![Lightlystarched](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Lightlystarched](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightlystarched)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/58 "2014-10-12T01:42:30Z")
Or Natural Woman or Its Too Late by Carole King. Oh hell, this is hard. ---
**Author:** ![Lightlystarched](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Lightlystarched](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightlystarched)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/59 "2014-10-12T01:49:50Z")
One more, then I’ll stop. Actually I’m going to go putter around on youtube. Neil Diamond! Forever in Blue Jeans is totally 70’s. Glen Campbell - Rhinestone Cowboy! Gah, this is fun. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959/60 "2014-10-12T11:36:58Z")
My vote - Santa Esmeralda’s cover of [Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hwiCkU73NA) I can’t think of another decade in which a song like that could have been recorded. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-70s-song/700959.md?page=4)