# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/21 "2008-05-30T15:47:07Z")
Obviously, _Stairway to Heaven_ is number one. (It came out in 1971) Other options: _Won’t Get Fooled Again Band on the Run Roundabout The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys My Sweet Lord Truckin’ Candle in the Wind_ (originally released in 1973) ---
**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, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/22 "2008-05-30T15:50:01Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Roundabout [/QUOTE] I came back into this thread specifically to mention that. Guess I’ll have to mention Magic Man and Barracuda instead. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/23 "2008-05-30T16:17:57Z")
Y.M.C.A. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/24 "2008-05-30T16:26:14Z")
My Sweet Lord, George Harrison Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon & Garfunkel Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Self Elf Agin), Sly & the Family Stone Mr. Bojangles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Put Your Hand in the Hand, The Ocean Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Paul & Linda McCartney The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, Traffic Your Move, Yes Free Ride, The Edgar Winter Group River Man, Nick Drake You Are the Sunshine of My Life, Stevie Wonder Superstition, Stevie Wonder As, Stevie Wonder I Saw the Light, Todd Rundgren Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen Jungleland, Bruce Springsteen Meeting Across the River, Bruce Springsteen Takin’ It to the Streets, Doobie Brothers The Ballroom Blitz, Sweet Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen Mockingbird, James Taylor & Carly Simon The Best of My Love, The Eagles Midnight Train to Georgia, Gladys Knight & the Pips Lady Marmalade, LaBelle Ventura Highway, America That’s the Way I Like It, K.C. & the Sunshine Band Rock and Roll All Nite, Kiss Surrender, Cheap Trick I Want You to Want Me, Cheap Trick Low Rider, War Baba O’Riley, The Who Won’t Get Fooled Again, The Who Walk This Way, Aerosmith Crazy On You, Heart Blind By the Light, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band Show Me the Way, Peter Frampton The Boys Are Back in Town, Thin Lizzy Turn the Beat Around, Vicky Sue Robinson Play That Funky Music, Wild Cherry Dancing Queen, ABBA Rock Lobster, The B-52’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy, Bad Company Roll With the Changes, REO Speedwagon Go Your Own Way, Fleetwood Mac Jive Talkin’, Bee Gees Fooling Yourself, Styx One Way or Another, Blondie Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Meat Loaf Da Ya Think I’m Sexy, Rod Stewart Miss You, Rolling Stones Brown Sugar, Rolling Stones It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll, Rolling Stones The Time Warp, Rocky Horror Picture Show Boogie Oogie Oogie, Taste of Honey I Need a Lover, John Cougar Mellencamp Message in a Bottle, The Police Changes, David Bowie Young Americans, David Bowie Rebel, David Bowie Instant Karma!, John Lennon & Yoko Ono Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin ---
**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:** [May 30, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/25 "2008-05-30T16:39:56Z")
**Brown Sugar** and **Miss You** by the Rolling Stones And since the OP asks “What songs would 90% of the population be able to relate to and instantly associate with the 70s?” it’s impossible not to mention the Bee Gee’s five #1 hits off the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (and two more that were written by them). If I had to name just one as an icon I’d go with **Stayin’ Alive.** ---
**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, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/26 "2008-05-30T16:55:09Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] Walk This Way, Aerosmith [/QUOTE] Also one of the great songs of the 80s! ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/27 "2008-05-30T17:14:13Z")
Off the top of my head, these are the first 25 songs that I thought of from the 1970s: Hot Rod Lincoln - Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen Miracles - Jefferson Starship Evil Ways - Santana Feel Like Making Love - Bad Company Reeling In the Years - Steely Dan I’m Not In Love - 10cc Love to Love You Baby - Donna Summer You Sexy Thing - Hot Chocolate Me & Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin Psycho Killer - Talking Heads Gloria - Patti Smith Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac Freeway Jam - Jeff Beck Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock I’ll Take You There - the Staple Singers Can’t Get Enough of Your Love - Barry White Annie’s Song - John Denver I Shot the Sheriff - Bob Marley & the Wailers / Eric Clapton Longer Than - Dan Fogelberg Corner of the Sky - from “Pippin” Rock & Roll All Night (and Party Every Day) - Kiss You’re No Good - Linda Rondstadt Knock Three Times On the Ceiling - Tony Orlando & Dawn Walk On the Wild Side - Lou Reed Come Sail Away - Styx And also the theme songs to “Happy Days”, “Good Times”, “Wonder Woman”, “the Love Boat” and “Maude.” ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/28 "2008-05-30T17:23:08Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] I don’t know if they did a similar thing for the 70s. They really seem to be stuck in the 80s. [/QUOTE] To be fair, MTV began broadcasting in 1981 and changed its focus from videos to “reality shows” circa 2001, so their glory days draw heavily on the 80s and 90s. Some songs so 70s-specific I doubt they’ve ever been pressed on CD format: The Night Chicago Died (Paper Lace) Beach Baby (Canadian Lighthouse) The entire David Cassidy/Bobby Sherman _oeuvre_ One Tin Soldier (Coven) The Streak (Ray Stevens) Anything by Jim Stafford (Spiders & Snakes, My Girl Bill, Swamp Witch, Wildweed Flower) ---
**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, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/29 "2008-05-30T17:31:59Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] Some songs so 70s-specific I doubt they’ve ever been pressed on CD format: [/QUOTE] Oh, yes they have. My mom bought one of those big CD collections off TV and she’s got all this stuff. (Which made it easy for my teenager to put it on her iPod). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/30 "2008-05-30T17:39:58Z")
Theme from Shaft (Isaac Hayes) Freddie’s Dead (Curtis Mayfield) Midnight Rider and In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (Allman Brothers Band) Life During Wartime (Talking Heads) And at least a few of the following songs from The Wailers/Bob Marley and The Wailers - and I’m leaving out plenty, dammit!: Get Up, Stand Up War Exodus Jamming No Woman, No Cry Lively Up Yourself Them Belly Full Concrete Jungle; Burnin’ and Lootin’ Zimbabwe Africa Unite Redemption Song [_Uprising_ was released in 1980 but I think the song was written in 1979] ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/31 "2008-05-30T18:25:38Z")
pretty much anything Stevie Wonder released “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye “Your Song” Elton John “Bridge Over Troubled Water” Simon & Garfunkel damn near every songs on “Rumors” by Fleetwood Mac “London Calling” The Clash “Piano Man” Billy Joel ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/32 "2008-05-30T18:28:18Z")
Refugee (or American Girl) by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/33 "2008-05-30T18:37:45Z")
“Sheena Is A Punk Rocker”, The Ramones “Anarchy in the U.K.”, Sex Pistols “At Home He’s A Tourist”, Gang Of Four “Roadrunner”, The Modern Lovers “Flashlight”, Parliament “Statue Of Liberty” and “Making Plans For Nigel”, XTC “September Gurls”, Big Star “Surrender”, Cheap Trick “Superstition”, Stevie Wonder “Let It Be”, The Beatles “White Man In Hammersmith Palais”, The Clash “Dreaming”, Blondie “(What’s So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding?”, Elvis Costello & The Attractions “Cruel To Be Kind”, Nick Lowe “New Rose”, The Damned “Tired of Waking Up Tired”, The Diodes “Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard”, Paul Simon “Sweet Jane”, The Velvet Underground “Let’s Go”, The Cars “I Don’t Mind”, Buzzcocks “Don’t Stop 'Til You Get Enough”, Michael Jackson “Tusk”, Fleetwood Mac “A Message To You Rudy”, The Specials ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/34 "2008-05-30T19:03:47Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] … Manfred Mann’s Earth Band - Blinded by the Light … [/QUOTE] Hey! Springsteen wrote it and released it first. Mann’s version was just more commercially successful. I’d add “Darkness on the Edge of Town” and Rosilita by Springsteen. Somebody ought to add some Fleetwood Mac, Led Zepplin, and Aerosmith to those listed here. Given that “Stairway to Heaven” is already on here, how about, “Walk this Way” for Aerosmith “Immigrant Song” (Hammer of the Gods) for Led Zepplin (C’mon guys, they must have 100 all by themselves, include something besides “Stairway to Heaven”.) “You Make Loving Fun”, “Over My Head”, “The Chain”, “Tusk” Fleetwood Mac. Also, LA Woman - The Doors I was going to say “Call Me” by Blondie, but that appears to be 1980, how about, “One Way Or Another”? ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/35 "2008-05-30T19:12:53Z")
A lot of mine are already listed. Here are a few more: Papa Was a Rolling Stone - The Temptations Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen I’ll Be There - Jackson 5 Let’s Get It On - Marvin Gaye She’s a Lady - Tom Jones Brick House - The Commodores Ooh Child - 5 Stairsteps Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass Truckin’ - Grateful Dead Iron Man - Black Sabbath After The Lovin’ - Englebert Humperdinck Da Doo Run Run - cover by Sean Cassidy Rock With You - Michael Jackson The Hustle - Van McCoy ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/36 "2008-05-30T19:13:28Z")
[QUOTE=SlowMindThinking] Somebody ought to add some Fleetwood Mac, Led Zepplin, and Aerosmith to those listed here. Given that “Stairway to Heaven” is already on here, how about, “Walk this Way” for Aerosmith I was going to say “Call Me” by Blondie, but that appears to be 1980, how about, “One Way Or Another”? [/QUOTE] See post #24 above for both songs and all three groups. ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/37 "2008-05-30T19:15:55Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] See post #24 above for both songs and all three groups. [/QUOTE] Yeah, sorry. I started writing before those, but went to lunch before posting, and didn’t check what had been added. ---
**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, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/38 "2008-05-30T19:39:54Z")
Okay, we’ve listed well over two hundred. Now we need to cut out the duplicates, check qualifications, vote on worthiness, and tally the votes. Y’all go ahead. 🙂 ---
**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, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/39 "2008-05-30T20:13:23Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] Okay, we’ve listed well over two hundred. Now we need to cut out the duplicates, check qualifications, vote on worthiness, and tally the votes. Y’all go ahead. 🙂 [/QUOTE] (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding? A Message To You Rudy Africa Unite After The Lovin’ American Pie Anarchy in the U.K. Annie’s Song - John Denver As, Stevie Wonder At Home He’s A Tourist Baba O’Riley, The Who Back Stabbers - The O’Jays Bad Bad Leroy Brown Baker Street-- Gerry Rafferty Band on the Run Beach Baby (Canadian Lighthouse) Bennie and the Jets Best of My Love Blinded by the Light Bohemian Rhapsody Boogie Oogie Oogie, Taste of Honey Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) Brick House Bridge Over Troubled Water Brown Sugar Burnin’ and Lootin’ Candle in the Wind Can’t Get Enough of Your Love - Barry White Carry on Wayward Son Changes, David Bowie Chevy Van Cocaine Come Sail Away - Styx Copacabana Corner of the Sky Crazy On You Cruel To Be Kind Da Doo Run Run Da Ya Think I’m Sexy, Rod Stewart Dancing Queen - ABBA Darkness on the Edge of Town Delta Dawn Desperado Do You Feel Like I Do – Peter Frampton Don’t Fear the Reaper Don’t Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough Dreaming Dust in the Wind Everybody Plays the Fool - The Main Ingredient Evil Ways - Santana Evil Woman Exodus Feel Like Making Love - Bad Company Fire and Rain Flashlight Fly Like An Eagle – Steve Miller Fooling Yourself, Styx For All We Know Frankenstien Freddie’s Dead (Curtis Mayfield) Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd Free Ride, The Edgar Winter Group Freeway Jam - Jeff Beck Get Up, Stand Up Gloria - Patti Smith Go Your Own Way, Fleetwood Mac Good Times - Chic Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Horse With No Name Hot Rod Lincoln - Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen Hotel California I Am Woman I Don’t Mind I Need a Lover, John Cougar Mellencamp I Saw the Light, Todd Rundgren I Shot the Sheriff - Bob Marley & the Wailers / Eric Clapton I Want You to Want Me, Cheap Trick I Write the Songs If You Don’t Know Me by Now - Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes I’ll Be There I’ll Take You There - the Staple Singers I’m Not In Love - 10cc Immigrant Song. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed Instant Karma - John Lennon Iron Man It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll, Rolling Stones Jamming Jive Talkin’, Bee Gees Jungleland, Bruce Springsteen Knock Three Times On the Ceiling - Tony Orlando & Dawn LA Woman Lady Marmalade, LaBelle Layla – Derek and the Dominoes Let It Be Let’s Get It On Let’s Go Life During Wartime (Talking Heads) Life in the Fast Lane Lively Up Yourself London Calling Longer Than - Dan Fogelberg Love Hurts – Nazareth Love to Love You Baby - Donna Summer Low Rider Lucky Man – ELP Lyin’ Eyes Making Plans For Nigel Me & Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard Meeting Across the River, Bruce Springsteen Message in a Bottle, The Police Midnight Rider Midnight Train to Georgia, Gladys Knight & the Pips Miracles - Jefferson Starship Miss You Mockingbird, James Taylor & Carly Simon Money (Pink Floyd) More than a Feeling – Boston Mr. Bojangles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band My Girl Bill My My Hey Hey My Sweet Lord New Kid in Town New Rose No Time Left for You – Guess Who No Woman, No Cry Ohio - Neil Young One – Three Dog Knight One Tin Soldier (Coven) One Way Or Another Ooh Child Over My Head Papa Was a Rolling Stone Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Meat Loaf Peaceful Easy Feeling Piano Man Play That Funky Music, Wild Cherry Psycho Killer - Talking Heads Put Your Hand in the Hand, The Ocean Rainy Days & Mondays Rapper’s Delight - The Sugarhill Gang Rebel, David Bowie Redemption Song Reeling In the Years - Steely Dan Refugee Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac River Man, Nick Drake Roadrunner Rock and Roll All Nite, Kiss Rock Lobster, The B-52’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy, Bad Company Rock With You Rocket Man Roll With the Changes, REO Speedwagon Rosilita Roundabout Saturday in the Park-- Chicago September Gurls Sheena Is A Punk Rocker She’s a Lady Show Me the Way, Peter Frampton Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple Spiders & Snakes Stairway to Heaven Statue Of Liberty Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits Superstar Superstition Surrender Swamp Witch Sweet Home Alabama Sweet Jane Take it Easy Take it to the Limit Takin’ It to the Streets, Doobie Brothers Tequila Sunrise Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Self Elf Agin), Sly & the Family Stone That’s the Way I Like It, K.C. & the Sunshine Band The Ballroom Blitz, Sweet The Best of My Love, The Eagles The Boys Are Back in Town, Thin Lizzy The Chain The Hustle The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys The Night Chicago Died (Paper Lace) The Streak (Ray Stevens) The Time Warp, Rocky Horror Picture Show Them Belly Full Theme from Shaft (Isaac Hayes) Thunder Road Tired of Waking Up Tired Top of the World Treat Her Like a Lady - Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose Truckin’ Turn the Beat Around, Vicky Sue Robinson Tusk Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey, Paul & Linda McCartney Ventura Highway - America Walk On the Wild Side - Lou Reed Walk this Way War Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock Weekend in New England Werewolves of London We’ve Only Just Begun What’s Going On White Man In Hammersmith Palais Wildweed Flower Witchy Woman Won’t Get Fooled Again Y.M.C.A. You Are the Sunshine of My Life, Stevie Wonder You Make Loving Fun You Sexy Thing - Hot Chocolate Young Americans, David Bowie Your Mama Don’t Dance – Loggins and Messina Your Move, Yes Your Song You’re No Good - Linda Rondstadt Zimbabwe ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-songs-of-the-70s/451132/40 "2008-05-30T20:20:22Z")
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