# What IS this song?? 70's-? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 18, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892 "2015-06-18T20:38:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/1 "2015-06-18T20:38:18Z")
second day in a row I heard it on the radio, I know I heard it back in tha day, a lot of jazzy, minor key synthesizer. I’ve tried googling lyrics, got squat. “You can still hang onto your dreams but don’t get lost in the gleam…of the lights (of the lights!)” more noodling synthesizer…“of the lights!”… it sounds 70’, definitely. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/2 "2015-06-18T20:51:57Z")
Forum change requested. I am pretty good with (at least early) 70’s and come up blank. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/3 "2015-06-18T20:55:45Z")
**Moderator Action** Moving thread from General Questions to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/4 "2015-06-18T20:59:32Z")
The “of the lights” bit makes me think of Fantasy by Aldo Nova, but the rest doesn’t really match up (it’s also from the 80s no the 70s). ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/5 "2015-06-18T21:04:07Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > second day in a row I heard it on the radio, I know I heard it back in tha day, a lot of jazzy, minor key synthesizer. I’ve tried googling lyrics, got squat. “You can still hang onto your dreams but don’t get lost in the gleam…of the lights (of the lights!)” more noodling synthesizer…“of the lights!”… it sounds 70’, definitely. Most radio stations list online what they played and when…seems like you might be able to go to their website for this. ---
**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:** [June 18, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/6 "2015-06-18T21:15:53Z")
Male singer? Female? Group? ---
**Author:** ![Enlightening\_Meditation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@Enlightening\_Meditation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enlightening_Meditation)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/7 "2015-06-19T01:57:42Z")
This reminds me of “shine the light” lines repeated in ‘Philadelphia Freedom’ by Elton John, but I don’t think that’s the song you seek… ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/8 "2015-06-19T02:13:55Z")
It’s a group, definitely. I thought it was 70’s. I may be wrong and it’s 80’s. Very frustrating! Funny that googling the line of lyrics doesn’t bring up anything. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/9 "2015-06-19T03:06:03Z")
Is it Jah Wobble? [Hold on to your Dreams](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF_SxvpS8-g) actual lyrics start around 4:10. Yes, really. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/10 "2015-06-19T03:32:40Z")
I don’t know about jazzy, minor-key synthesizer, but it might be [Hold on Tight to Your Dream](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt_Se7BtSQg) by ELO. ---
**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:** [June 19, 2015, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/11 "2015-06-19T04:03:44Z")
Also, jazzy 70’s groups remind me of Steely Dan (probably not), Starbuck and Gerry Rafferty. ---
**Author:** ![Answerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@Answerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Answerman)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/12 "2015-09-17T03:12:11Z")
The song you are describing is called “Of the Lites.” It was recorded by a 1970’s era local Syracuse, NY band, CRAC, and didn’t get national airplay. It’s on YouTube here: [c.r.a.c. - of the lites.wmv - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdtouTjyDvc) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/13 "2015-09-17T03:25:50Z")
Good job, **Answerman**! Are you from upstate NY? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/14 "2015-09-17T03:44:15Z")
> [@Answerman](#): > > The song you are describing is called “Of the Lites.” It was recorded by a 1970’s era local Syracuse, NY band, CRAC, and didn’t get national airplay. It’s on YouTube here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdtouTjyDvc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdtouTjyDvc) It was written by Rick Cua, who is now a prominent contemporary Christian artist, and prior to that was in the Outlaws, the band that did “Green Grass and High Tides Forever”. It’s a good song, too! I wonder how it ended up on the radio there and now. ---
**Author:** ![Answerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@Answerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Answerman)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/15 "2015-09-17T03:54:13Z")
Snowboarder Bo - Yes, I’m a Syracusan. Don’t think anyone else would’ve gotten the answer to this but a CNY’er! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/16 "2015-09-17T04:07:53Z")
> [@Answerman](#): > > Snowboarder Bo - Yes, I’m a Syracusan. Don’t think anyone else would’ve gotten the answer to this but a CNY’er! No way anyone not from the area was gonna know that one. I was just surprised that anyone had answered before me… I’m from Elmira but I lived in Camillus briefly back in '73 & '74. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2015, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/17 "2015-09-17T12:40:29Z")
Camillus, the best part about visiting the grandparents in Syracuse as a tween in the 80s. Other than Harrison Bakery of course. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/18 "2015-09-18T02:29:26Z")
You guys gotta check out the young Syracuse band “Sophistifunk.” ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/19 "2015-09-18T02:33:03Z")
> [@Answerman](#): > > The song you are describing is called “Of the Lites.” It was recorded by a 1970’s era local Syracuse, NY band, CRAC, and didn’t get national airplay. It’s on YouTube here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdtouTjyDvc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdtouTjyDvc) Oh, I didn’t know that, and I am from that area! CRAC was quite locally famous back in the day. Thank you so much! ---
**Author:** ![Answerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@Answerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Answerman)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2015, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892/20 "2015-09-18T03:23:41Z")
“I am from that area!” Kinda figured you had to be! You listen to “The Dinosaur” at 95.3FM, don’t you? That’s where I routinely hear this these days… and there’s probably no where else on the dial you WOULD hear it. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-song-70s/722892.md?page=2)