# What is THE quintessential 70's song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 8, 2016, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263 "2016-03-08T06:36:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/1 "2016-03-08T06:36:35Z")
Wondering what is the song that puts you right back there in the 1970’s. Try to think beyond disco, though I won’t fault you if you can’t. For me, it’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” It’s haunting and moving, but more than that, it’s very 70’s. In what other decade could you have a ballad about a sinking ship charting at #1 and #2 in the major North American charts? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/2 "2016-03-08T07:02:23Z")
what is Stairway to Heaven? ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/3 "2016-03-08T07:06:26Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > what is Stairway to Heaven? That is an excellent answer but you are wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/4 "2016-03-08T07:11:27Z")
_“There’s a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford…”_ ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/5 "2016-03-08T07:15:42Z")
Think ephemeral, not something that every college freshman with a 6-string picks up at the guitar shop. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/6 "2016-03-08T07:16:46Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > what is Stairway to Heaven? It is Stairway to Heaven but since this is not Jeopardy you were required to answer in a non-question form. Sorry you do not win the million dollars. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/7 "2016-03-08T07:21:37Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Think ephemeral, not something that every college freshman with a 6-string picks up at the guitar shop. What do you mean by “Think ephemeral”? It’s a strange thing to say. Don’t you mean the opposite? I’m trying to figure out what the opposite song is of Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, cause that must be it. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/8 "2016-03-08T07:34:32Z")
Anything by Heino. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/9 "2016-03-08T07:49:53Z")
“Hotel California”? ---
**Author:** ![Manila\_Bay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@Manila\_Bay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manila_Bay)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/10 "2016-03-08T07:50:54Z")
“Can’t Smile Without You.” ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/11 "2016-03-08T07:55:29Z")
“American Pie” ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/12 "2016-03-08T08:57:06Z")
What immediately popped into my head was “What’s that ridiculous song with the cake in the rain? The only good to come of that was the Weird Al cover.” [MacArthur Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacArthur_Park_(song)). Which actually came out in the late 60’s. But in my defense, there were covers all the way through the 70’s as well (including disco). According to the Wiki page, WJW-TV City Camera News used it as its theme song from 1970-77. So I’m sticking with my answer. In fact, I think it set the stage for everything musically gross about that decade. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/13 "2016-03-08T10:03:48Z")
“American Pie” “Hotel California” “Stairway To Heaven” “Carry On Wayward Son” …as a side note we watched Guardians Of The Galaxy last night and I could sing every single song on the soundtrack by heart – all 70s stuff. My husband looked at me and remarked, “You love advertising your age, don’t you?” All four of those songs got very heavy airplay IIRC. That’s why I chose them. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/14 "2016-03-08T11:01:57Z")
Some Gerry Rafferty songs “Miracles” by Jefferson Starship “Chevy Van” “The Night Chicago Died” ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/15 "2016-03-08T11:07:20Z")
Depends on what direction you want to go: - Sedated, The Ramones - Eruption, Van Halen featuring Eddie - Superstition, Stevie Wonder - Get Up, Stand Up, Bob Marley - Roxanne, The Police … - But yeah, Stairway. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/16 "2016-03-08T11:07:43Z")
Muskrat love. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/17 "2016-03-08T12:59:21Z")
Rocky (by Austin Roberts, not the theme to the movie) Run Joey Run Seasons in the Sun Last Kiss Detroit Rock City YTF were there so many songs about dying horribly in the 70’s? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/18 "2016-03-08T13:14:54Z")
> [@kiz](#): > > “Carry On Wayward Son” Have you heard the Gwar [cover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baExq6xNhQ8)? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/19 "2016-03-08T13:23:00Z")
Some of the songs I listen to when I’m in a '70s mood: Love’s Theme Operator Taxi Time in a Bottle I’ve Got a Name\* Year of the Cat Sand in Your Shoes Baker Street Feels So Good Glen Miller Is Missing Biba Nova Dance with Me Annie’s Song I’m Sorry Back Home Again Brandy Dancing Queen Fernando Oh, Babe, What Would You Say? Cold Kentucky Rain The Gambler Top of the World Only Yesterday Last Farewell\*\* \*I prefer the Gordon Lightfoot version. \*\*One of the worst songs ever written, but I have a soft spot for it. :o ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263/20 "2016-03-08T14:02:11Z")
Take Me Home, Country Roads If not that, then I second Hotel California. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-quintessential-70s-song/748263.md?page=2)