# What was the greatest song of the 1970s? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 22, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968 "2013-01-22T01:27:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [January 22, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/41 "2013-01-22T14:32:51Z")
I voted for “Move On Up” almost by default. The only other ones I’ve even heard of are “Thunder Road” (which I don’t like) and “Tangled Up In Blue” (which I’ve only heard once or twice). Probably the only reason I even know “Move On Up” is because Kanye West sampled it in “Touch the Sky” a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/42 "2013-01-22T17:15:23Z")
None of the above. I lived in the 70’s, I knew the 70’s, and this list is NOT the 70’s. Where’s Captain and Tennille? Olivia Newton John? BeeGees? (kidding) ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/43 "2013-01-22T17:22:44Z")
Any song from the Allman Brothers Live at the Fillmore, or Little Feat’s Waiting for Columbus is better than all the tunes in this poll. However, from this list Thunder Road gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/44 "2013-01-22T17:24:30Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > The only other ones I’ve even heard of are “Thunder Road” (which I don’t like) and “Tangled Up In Blue” (which I’ve only heard once or twice). Probably the only reason I even know “Move On Up” is because Kanye West sampled it in “Touch the Sky” a few years ago. All of this makes me sad. Next you’ll tell us how Kid Rock wrote this great riff that got lifted for a song about werewolves. ---
**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:** [January 22, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/45 "2013-01-22T17:28:11Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I can think of many better candidates. > > “Won’t Get Fooled Again” – Who > “Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” – Traffic > “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” – Elton John > “Stairway to Heaven” – Led Zeppelin > “Sunday Papers” – Joe Jackson > “Life During Wartime” – Talking Heads > “I Want to Be Sedated” – Ramones > “Surrender” – Cheap Trick > “Cool for Cats” – Squeeze > “Allison” – Elvis Costello > “Here Comes the Weekend” – Dave Edmunds > “Cruel to be Kind” – Nick Lowe > “I Do the Rock” – Tim Curry > “Bohemian Rhapsody” – Queen I’m pretty sure that at some point in the 1970s, other than the Elton John or Tim Curry, I thought briefly about each of these songs “this is the coolest song I’ve ever heard”. ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/46 "2013-01-22T17:37:15Z")
Yikes, this poll needs a lot more rock. If forced to pick a choice from that selection, I’d go with Dylan, but there are much better choices available from The Who, Led Zep, Boston, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, and The Clash. I think my pick would be “Won’t Be Fooled Again” by The Who. That drum beat is just amazing. Honorable mention to “The Immigrant Song” by Led Zep. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/47 "2013-01-22T17:39:50Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > I’ve heard three of the songs listed, meh songs. I’ve never heard the others. Ditto. And undoubtedly the same three. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/48 "2013-01-22T17:40:42Z")
I don’t recall ever hearing any of the OP’s songs. ---
**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:** [January 22, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/49 "2013-01-22T17:42:40Z")
Back in the late 70s the radio stations would regularly have call in contests for the favorite rock song of all time. The winner was constantly Stairway to Heaven in the SFBay Area. As I said in the other thread, too many fine choices. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/50 "2013-01-22T17:45:25Z")
McArthur Park ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/51 "2013-01-22T17:47:55Z")
Jackson Browne - Running On Empty ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/52 "2013-01-22T18:08:05Z")
I think the OP’s username explains a lot. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/53 "2013-01-22T18:50:01Z")
Bad List… bad bad bad. Too many great/better songs left off and no other selection. /Out 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GovernmentMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GovernmentMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GovernmentMan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/54 "2013-01-22T21:47:26Z")
This list is about best songs, not “gets the most plays on classic rock radio” > [@GuanoLad](#): > > I completely disagree. You’ve limited your representation of the 70’s to 10 songs, two of which are Bruce Springsteen. It’s all about _your_ very limited tastes, and not at all to do with one of the most musically diverse decades in history. That doesn’t even make any sense. My list is more diverse than anyone’s here. WordMan, the resident music buff, called it “nice and eclectic” ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/55 "2013-01-22T21:49:23Z")
I don’t know that it’s “the best song of the 1970’s”, but \*Rosalita \*is my all-time favorite Bruce Springsteen song, so I voted for that. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/56 "2013-01-22T23:37:16Z")
_Theme From Live & Let Die_ by Wings. Or, _Theme From SWAT._ ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/57 "2013-01-23T02:27:39Z")
> [@GovernmentMan](#): > > This list is about best songs, not “gets the most plays on classic rock radio” Then you are not even close. Sorry don’t mean to be snarky or threadshit but your list is woefully lacking. > [@](#): > > That doesn’t even make any sense. My list is more diverse than anyone’s here. > > WordMan, the resident music buff, called it “nice and eclectic” Given that logic why not just ask him alone? I agree with others, your list is narrow and limited. Didn’t vote. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/58 "2013-01-23T03:11:27Z")
Man, thats an incomplete list. And to make this question a poll is impossible, IMO. unless, you chose the top song from every year or something. I vote for “other”. ---
**Author:** ![Hookit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71e660/32.png) [@Hookit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hookit)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/59 "2013-01-28T13:51:32Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > What **Chuck** said. Seriously, no “Bohemian Rhapsody”? No Who? No Ramones? No Cheap Trick? No Elton John? > > Kids today… 😃 The Ramones were absolute garbage. > [@Sterling\_Archer](#): > > Yikes, this poll needs a lot more white music. Fixed. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968/60 "2013-01-28T14:06:15Z")
Yup, the poll is about what the OP _thinks_ are the greatest songs of the 1970s. I could do without any of the songs on the list. If you’re going to put Springsteen into contention for the “greatest” song, it seems silly not to list “Born To Run”, which was his first real hit (and a terrific song, if not “the greatest”). Technically speaking, Creedence’s “Cosmo’s Factory” (released in 1970) has several songs (i.e. “Travelin’ Band”, “Lookin’ Out My Back Door”, “Run Through the Jungle”, “Up Around the Bend” and “Who’ll Stop the Rain”) which beat the pants off anything on the OP’s list. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-greatest-song-of-the-1970s/647968.md?page=4)