# What's the "Seventies-est" song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 25, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777 "2010-03-25T18:00:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/1 "2010-03-25T18:00:20Z")
What’s your vote for the 70s-est sounding song there was, and why? Feel free to use whatever definition of seventies-est you choose… though I’m kind of thinking separate from disco, more the soft rock sideburn and porn’stache permed guys extravaganzas… I’ll open the bidding at Mark Lindsay’s Arizona ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhdiSqt6sXE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhdiSqt6sXE)), including a great refrain about taking off your rainbow shades, random references to Indians and hobos and a half-ass story… though there is no trucking in it so there is that shortcoming. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/2 "2010-03-25T18:02:40Z")
A bit long- but Peter Frampton’s _Do You Feel Like We Do?_ ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/3 "2010-03-25T18:07:08Z")
**Arizona** is as good a choice as any, I guess. I’m mad at Mark Lindsay, though. He owes me an autographed copy of _Alias Pink Puzz_. I ordered it from his website 3 weeks ago and it hasn’t even shipped yet! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/4 "2010-03-25T18:10:12Z")
I’m going to say [Do The Hustle](http://www.wikio.co.uk/video/hustle-van-mccoy-213913). Now, you can’t hear that song without picturing long, feathered hair, afros, and bell bottoms, can you? It’s the quintessential 70’s song. And I don’t believe that you can consider 70’s music and discount disco… it was the music of that era. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/5 "2010-03-25T18:14:45Z")
My nominee is\*[Afternoon Delight](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYwEHLRmILY)\* by Starland Vocal Band. Don’t hate me. ---
**Author:** ![MitzeKatze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@MitzeKatze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MitzeKatze)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/6 "2010-03-25T18:15:31Z")
Anything by Jim Croce “feels” seventies to me. There are probably several other songs that would tie for “seventiesest” but if you just say, seventies song, Jim Croce springs to mind every time for me. ETA: Specifically because I failed to mention it: _Operator_ and _Time in a Bottle_ ---
**Author:** ![johnspartan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@johnspartan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnspartan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/7 "2010-03-25T18:15:52Z")
oh I’m not (necessarily) discounting disco. Actually I think it’s too formidable of a force here. I’m discouraging _Rock the Boat_ so _Copacabana_ has a chance in the voting LOL ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/8 "2010-03-25T18:17:05Z")
I’m going to have to go with “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes. It’s got the super cheesetastic 70s sound, it’s catchy as hell, and it embodies the stereotype of the 70s as a swinging, crazy, sweet drink-fueled, sexy good time. I mean, my old lady and I ain’t feeling it, so I answered a personal ad looking for a little side nooky. It turned out to be my old lady, and now we’re better off than ever! It’s like **Tales of the City** with a beat. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/9 "2010-03-25T18:22:20Z")
Who Are You? For a more 70s sound, “Money” by the Flying Lizards. Or maybe “Life During Wartime.” ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/10 "2010-03-25T18:29:37Z")
I’ll nominate a commercial…yes…that commercial… _I’d like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony…_ [You Tube link](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mOEU87SBTU) Kinda odd for me to do this, as I despise advertising…but the song was re-released as a regular song, without the coke references as well… [Wiki Link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I'd_Like_to_Teach_the_World_to_Sing_(In_Perfect_Harmony)) ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/11 "2010-03-25T18:30:32Z")
In a previous thread it was determined that “Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds was the 80est of 80s songs. Clearly the 90est of 90s songs is “Nevermind” by Nirvana. There can be no further argument about that. The 70est 70s song would have to cover some territory. There has to be rambling, someone telling someone else that we’re gonna have fun today, but tomorrow I’m gotta head down the highway. There should be a witchy woman. There should be cheating going on. Complaints about everyone being too uptight. And drugs. Indians too. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/12 "2010-03-25T18:33:31Z")
I’d nominate ABBA’s [Take a Chance on Me](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-crgQGdpZR0). It’s got that pre-New Wave bouncy pop sound, you could disco to it, and it just drips with _Three’s Company_-era naive sexual adventurism. (BTW, I’d nominate _Three’s Company_ as the “Seventies-est” TV show … .) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/13 "2010-03-25T18:33:53Z")
Starbuck’s [Moonlight Feels Right](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwOirZ-rg6Q). ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/14 "2010-03-25T18:52:55Z")
**ArchiveGuy** took mine, so I’ll nominate [Never Been Any Reason](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CguSW9y5bD8) by Head East for Second Place. Is there any doubt whatsoever which decade this song is from? There’s two different electric organ solos, the clink-the-stand drum beat, a bass solo, and lots and lots of high-pitched "YAAAAAH"s. Plus, the 70’s lyrics, such as “Woman with the sweet lovin’ better than a white line” I defy you to listen to it without smiling. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/15 "2010-03-25T19:13:03Z")
I nominate Bee Gees **How Deep is your Love**. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/16 "2010-03-25T19:14:37Z")
**The Bee Gee’s** Staying Alive. Or some singer/songwriter stuff like **Janis Ian or John Denver** ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/17 "2010-03-25T19:19:30Z")
_Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree._ Symbol of the hostage crisis, inspired countless people to actually tie yellow ribbons around trees, and still resonates today with cling-stickers on the backs of cars. Plus Tony Orlando’s cheesy mustache and bell-bottoms. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/18 "2010-03-25T19:47:15Z")
Rocky Mountain High by John Denver ---
**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:** [March 25, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/19 "2010-03-25T19:50:01Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Clearly the 90est of 90s songs is “Nevermind” by Nirvana. There can be no further argument about that. I’d argue about it, because there was no such song. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” might work, though. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/20 "2010-03-25T19:50:22Z")
I vote for Billy Don’t be a Hero. Which I now have stuck in my head… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777.md?page=2)