# Top 100 songs of the 70s? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 30, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132 "2008-05-30T13:15:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/1 "2008-05-30T13:15:07Z")
Last night I was watching a VH1 show about the top songs of the 80s. I’m sure it was a rerun, and the results have been posted to the VH1 website for a really long time. But it was interesting to see what they’d picked out. Time After Time, of course. Jump. Hungry Like the Wolf. Walk Like an Egyptian. I don’t know if they did a similar thing for the 70s. They really seem to be stuck in the 80s. But I put it to you: What were the top songs of the 70s? Not just the most popular, not just the most listenable, but the really iconic and influential songs. What songs would 90% of the population be able to relate to and instantly associate with the 70s? I’ll start you off with a few: Hotel California (Eagles) Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) Money (Pink Floyd) Rock and Roll All Night (Kiss) ---
**Author:** ![Fiveroptic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiveroptic/32/8257_2.png) [@Fiveroptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveroptic)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/2 "2008-05-30T13:18:21Z")
Anything by Gilbert O’Sullivan takes me right back to the seventies. ---
**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:** [May 30, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/3 "2008-05-30T13:23:49Z")
Instant Karma - John Lennon Ventura Highway - America Don’t Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston Dancing Queen - ABBA ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/4 "2008-05-30T13:32:15Z")
When it comes to the 70’s, tend to think more in terms of albums than singles. Some songs have become trite. I’m very tired of Hotel California, and almost (but not quite) John Lennon’s Imagine. But here are a few tunes which were big back then, _scream_ The Seventies to me, and still (IMHO) stand the test of time: **Born to Run** - Bruce Springsteen **Smoke on the Water** - Deep Purple \*\* My My Hey Hey\*\*, also **Ohio** - Neil Young **Sultans of Swing** - Dire Straits **What’s Going on** - Marvin Gaye ---
**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:** [May 30, 2008, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/5 "2008-05-30T13:39:44Z")
[QUOTE=Caprese] **Sultans of Swing** - Dire Straits [/QUOTE] Wow…I’ve always associated that with the early 80s. But it came out in 1979 in the US! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/6 "2008-05-30T13:42:58Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Ventura Highway - America [/QUOTE] Aren’t they the ones who’ve been the desert on a horse with no name? No Time Left for You – Guess Who One – Three Dog Knight Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees Your Mama Don’t Dance – Loggins and Messina And of course, the list wouldn’t be complete without: Do You Feel Like I Do – Peter Frampton ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/7 "2008-05-30T13:43:59Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Wow…I’ve always associated that with the early 80s. But it came out in 1979 in the US! [/QUOTE] Funny, my original list included Another Brick in the Wall part III, but that came out in 1980. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/8 "2008-05-30T14:01:31Z")
The Eagles had a huge run of great songs in the 70’s. I don’t know how many would make the top 100, but consider: Witchy Woman Take it Easy Lyin’ Eyes Tequila Sunrise Desperado New Kid in Town Life in the Fast Lane Best of My Love Take it to the Limit Hotel California Peaceful Easy Feeling The Eagles were the #1 band of the 70’s, commercially. They should probably get a few songs in the top 100. Then there’s Elton John: Bennie and the Jets Rocket Man Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Some others off the top of my head: Kansas - Dust in the Wind Kansas - Carry on Wayward Son Jim Croce - Bad Bad Leroy Brown Manfred Mann’s Earth Band - Blinded by the Light Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama Warren Zevon - Werewolves of London Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven Don McLean - American Pie Highway to Hell - AC/DC Blue Oyster Cult - Don’t Fear the Reaper I could keep typing all day. The 70’s were a great decade for music. ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/9 "2008-05-30T14:07:18Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Wow…I’ve always associated that with the early 80s. But it came out in 1979 in the US! [/QUOTE] Not unlike Bob Marley’s **Redemption Song**. But Sultans of Swing felt 70’s-ish to me with Knopfler’s beautiful guitar solo. When it comes to these decade lists, it always feels as though there is a bit of overlap. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/10 "2008-05-30T14:09:53Z")
Back Stabbers - **The O’Jays** If You Don’t Know Me by Now - **Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes** Good Times - **Chic** Free Bird - **Lynyrd Skynyrd** Rapper’s Delight - **The Sugarhill Gang** Treat Her Like a Lady - **Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose** Everybody Plays the Fool - **The Main Ingredient** ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/11 "2008-05-30T14:12:19Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] The 70’s were a great decade for music. [/QUOTE] Yeah, compared to the 80s, the 70s were awash in a sea of great songs. Be glad I didn’t ask for the greatest songs of the 60s. We’d break the Internet. Layla – Derek and the Dominoes Lucky Man – ELP Love Hurts – Nazareth More than a Feeling – Boston Fly Like An Eagle – Steve Miller Against the Wind – Bob Seger Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/12 "2008-05-30T14:14:03Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] …Against the Wind – Bob Seger … [/QUOTE] [1980](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Against_the_Wind_(Bob_Seger_song)). ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/13 "2008-05-30T14:30:22Z")
[QUOTE=JohnT] [1980](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Against_the_Wind_(Bob_Seger_song)). [/QUOTE] D’oh! I guess I don’t consider the 80s to have started until September of that year. If I was still in high school or just barely out of it, then in my brain it was still the 70s. ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/14 "2008-05-30T14:36:57Z")
Of course, I wasn’t actually born until 1983, but as long as we’re talking iconic mainstream songs from the 70’s, surely Imagine has a top spot. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/15 "2008-05-30T14:41:31Z")
[QUOTE=cactus waltz] Of course, I wasn’t actually born until 1983, but as long as we’re talking iconic mainstream songs from the 70’s, surely Imagine has a top spot. [/QUOTE] I’d put it in my personal top 5, along with Do you Feel Like I Do, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Layla. I have no idea what the 5th song might be. Fire and Rain, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/16 "2008-05-30T14:42:23Z")
We’ve Only Just Begun Rainy Days & Mondays For All We Know Superstar Top of the World –The Carpenters (I couldn’t pick just one) I Am Woman, Delta Dawn-- Helen Reddy Saturday in the Park-- Chicago Baker Street-- Gerry Rafferty ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/17 "2008-05-30T14:52:43Z")
Edgar Winter’s **Frankenstien** War’s **Low Rider** ElO’s **Evil Woman** Clapton’s **Cocaine** Anything by the Eagles, Stones, and Floyd. Oooh, and **Chevy Van** by Sammy Johns, a personal fav. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/18 "2008-05-30T14:55:34Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] D’oh! I guess I don’t consider the 80s to have started until September of that year. If I was still in high school or just barely out of it, then in my brain it was still the 70s. [/QUOTE] Ya old fart, you got me by at least 7 years. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/19 "2008-05-30T15:00:10Z")
Copacabana I Write the Songs Weekend in New England –Barry Manilow ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/20 "2008-05-30T15:28:11Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Rock and Roll All Night (Kiss) [/QUOTE] I completely object to this. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132.md?page=2)