# 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:** 18\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/241 "2020-08-27T00:01:12Z")
I was gonna say “I want you back” by the Jackson 5, but Google says it was '69. Somehow it screams 70s to me. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2020, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/242 "2020-08-27T14:34:46Z")
Bang a Gong - T Rex [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TVEhDrJzM8E/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGHIgWignMA8=&rs=AOn4CLD8bZnCGm1eEL_ubjFEW-0-71eoZw "Bang a Gong (Get It On) by T.Rex") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVEhDrJzM8E) ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecc23a/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada_Jr)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/243 "2020-08-28T19:00:20Z")
So, there are an awful lot of memorable songs mentioned here, both great and terrible, but I am surprised that there have been 240+ posts about songs of the 70’s and no mention yet of _Bat out of Hell_. Came out in '77 Hugely popular then Rarely heard now Tragic ballad One-niight stand + true love Motorcycles ---
**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:** [August 28, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/244 "2020-08-28T20:21:28Z")
[Slow Ride by Foghat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcCNcgoyG_0) ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/245 "2020-08-29T00:54:46Z")
Written by Stevie Wonder for Chaka Khan… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sGkwxbIYitQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Rufus & Chaka Khan - Tell Me Something Good") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGkwxbIYitQ) ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/246 "2020-08-29T01:52:37Z")
> [@Reno\_Nevada\_Jr](#): > > So, there are an awful lot of memorable songs mentioned here, both great and terrible, but I am surprised that there have been 240+ posts about songs of the 70’s and no mention yet of _Bat out of Hell_. > > Came out in '77 > Hugely popular then > Rarely heard now > Tragic ballad > One-niight stand + true love > Motorcycles If that is the 70’est song, [Meat Loaf’s 1980 movie, “Roadie”, may be the 70’est movie.](https://youtu.be/0xBxcUEOzuo). - loads of 70’s character actors - several cameos by 70’s musicians/bands - loads of the kind of silly humor that was so prevalent in 70’s movies/tv shows - starring Meat Loaf, whose music, as you pointed out, was very 70’s - co-starring Kakie Hunter as the aspiring “world’s greatest” groupie for Alice Cooper - cocaine is referenced in a humorous manner, with the world’s worst narc detectives It’s the 70’s put to film. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/247 "2020-08-29T14:51:37Z")
> [@saucywench](#): > > Written by Stevie Wonder for Chaka Khan Excellent example. That song is deeply and abidingly '70s. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/248 "2020-08-29T16:09:38Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewFBuYHldeY) ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/249 "2020-08-29T19:39:50Z")
The album Bat Out of Hell is completely sui generis. So i dont see how it could be indicative of an entire decade. In fact when they brought Todd Rundgren on board, he thought they were kidding and that the whole thing was insane. But, he then said “Sign me up!!” ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/250 "2020-08-30T03:44:11Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMc8naeeSS8) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/251 "2020-08-30T03:52:24Z")
My favorite year of the 1970s was 1977. Two great songs I recall hearing a lot of was “Hotel California” and “Mainstreet.” The latter was especially used in radio ads for a bar I would frequent called Main Street Saloon. (Yes, it was on Main Street.) “Hotel California” was a big hit in Thailand. Literally for decades, it was difficult not to hear it played at least once in any bar you happened to be in on any given day. Finally died out maybe about 2005 or '10. I still think “YMCA” is the most '70s song though. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/252 "2020-08-30T21:52:40Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YK-cvcw3ngM/hqdefault.jpg "Kool & The Gang - Hollywood Swinging") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK-cvcw3ngM) ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/253 "2020-09-21T19:15:24Z")
Sherman, set the WABAC machine to 1972. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/T3kaKcHDils/maxresdefault.jpg "Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now (1972) Clip - VHS") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3kaKcHDils) ---
**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:** [October 1, 2020, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/254 "2020-10-01T02:14:59Z")
Kind of a Seventies-ish obituary page today. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2020, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/255 "2020-10-07T17:07:15Z")
Sad. Boy, am I starting to feel old. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2020, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/256 "2020-10-07T18:30:28Z")
Yeah, Johnny Nash and Eddie Van Halen, RIP. I always think of Van Halen as 80s, but I forgot that their first album with Eruption and Runnin’ with the Devil was '78! ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2020, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/257 "2020-10-07T20:07:36Z")
Elton John and Kiki Dee’s “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” is the most seventiest song and music video if you ask me [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/z0qW9P-uYfM/maxresdefault.jpg "Elton John - Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with Kiki Dee)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0qW9P-uYfM) ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2020, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777/258 "2020-10-07T21:55:56Z")
Good one. _Spirit In The Sky_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/swIcX57vYDI/maxresdefault.jpg "Norman Greenbaum - Spirit In The Sky") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swIcX57vYDI) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-seventies-est-song/533777.md?page=12)