70’s Song List
This is the music that defined the 1970’s for me. If you ever have a 70’s-themed party, and you want to impress people, this is your list. This list does include music from before the 1970’s, but they are songs so good that we were still listening to them. It does not include a lot of songs that you might expect to find here. There are no Queen songs… I love them, but it is too campy for this list. There are no Beatles songs… they were already being played too much on the radio. There are no KISS songs… I never took them seriously. It might help if I explained that I was more of a hard-rock/heavy metal person. I might write sweet love songs… (see the button in my top bar to hear some of them)… but I listened to more edgy stuff. That being said, this list does include some songs that are just tied in with some memory. I was born in 1960, and grew up near Berkeley, California, and it was a great place and a great time for lots of things, but we can get into all that in later posts. These are the songs that we actually bought the albums to hear, or the tapes to listen to when we were driving around. These are the songs that we rocked out to.
*** NOTE *** There is no disco on this list. I know, people sometimes make it sound like disco was a thing, and maybe for them, it was. It wasn’t for me. I never saw people running around dressed like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. Yes, there was disco on the radio, but not on the stations we listened to. We were aware of disco, we hated and despised disco. I even wrote a poem about how aliens were coming to Earth to destroy us because they heard disco being broadcast. Remind me to find that poem and post it, as long as we are talking about the 70’s.
LED ZEPPELIN- you shook me-what is and what should never be-dazed and confused-black dog-when the levee breaks-kashmir-in my time of dying-how many more times-I can’t quit you baby-whole lotta love-ramble on-heartbreaker-rock and roll-houses of the holy-nobody’s fault but mine-custard pie-the ocean-moby dick… *(This band is well-represented, because no other band had so many good songs, and might just be the greatest rock and roll band of all time)*
THE GRATEFUL DEAD- throwing stones-black muddy river-touch of grey-uncle john’s band-franklin’s tower-not fade away-ship of fools-I need a miracle-hell in a bucket-Alabama getaway-when push comes to shove-men smart, women smarter… *(I realize that not everybody gets the dead, but I was a long-haired hippy/rocker from the Bay Area, so deal with it)*
FOGHAT- drivin’ wheel-I just want to make love to you-slow ride-road fever-ride ride ride-it hurts me too-sweet home Chicago-stone blue-terraplane blues-fool for the city…
MONTROSE- rock candy-make it last…
AEROSMITH- last child-same old song and dance-come together-sweet emotion-dream on…
LITTLE FEAT- dixie chicken-fat man in the bathtub-oh Atlanta-skin it back-down the road-feats don’t fail me now-cold cold cold-tripe face boogie-rock and roll doctor-the fan…
BAD COMPANY- feel like makin’ love-bad company-crazy circles-fade away-rock steady-ready for love-don’t let me down-the way I choose-silver blue and gold-love me somebody-burnin’ sky… *(I think that, if I had to pick, Led Zeppelin and Bad Co. were my two favorite bands of all times. There is an irony to this. Zep is the most musically talented and technically brilliant musical group ever. Bad Co. is the best garage band in history. I don’t mean that in a bad way. They had simple, catchy songs with a driving rythem, held together by the awesome vocal talents of Paul Rogers. I saw them live back in the day, and again just a while ago. You might recall the posts I did. They still rock, but Bad Co. without Paul Rogers is not Bad Co.)*
LYNYRD SKYNYRD- simple man-Tuesday’s gone-on the hunt-I ain’t the one-free bird-you got that right-sweet home Alabama… *(I saw these guys live at the last big concert they did in the Bay Area, before the plane crash that killed some of the band, including the lead singer. They freekin’ rocked, and there was no big stage show, no lasers or explosions, just guys in regular clothes doing what they loved)*
FREE- all right now-wishing well… *(Okay, you caught me, this is Paul Rogers before Bad Co.)*
MOUNTAIN- Mississippi queen
ROLLING STONES- brown sugar-gimme shelter-dead flowers-honky tonk woman… *(To be honest, I think the Stones are overrated, and they sucked from the late 70’s on. But they had a few good songs in the 60’s and 70’s, and I can play and sing honky tonk woman… so…)*
STEVE MILLER BAND- rockin’ me-the joker-jet airliner… *(A little light for my taste, but catchy tunes that catch the feel of the time)*
THE MONKEES- steppin’ stone… *(The Monkees are actually underrated, and considered by many to be a just a gimmick act, but they had some really good songs… only one that made this list, but still…)*
THE WHO- who are you-behind blue eyes… *(This is a tough one. I could have put a lot more Who songs in here. My best friend from back in the day, who is no longer with us, loved the Who. I mean, they did a lot of really experimental stuff that sort of bores me, and a lot of their stuff is really from the 60’s)*
AC/DC- you shook me all night long-beating around the bush-highway to hell-it’s a long way to the top… *(A little obvious, perhaps, but come on, you know you like it when these come on the radio… you love it when most of these come on the radio… and they still do)*
PINK FLOYD- comfortably numb-money… *(Once again, I could have put more songs by these guys on here. I saw them back in the day. I saw most of these bands back in the day. I am a lucky guy)*
REO SPEEDWAGON- roll with the changes…
OHIO PLAYERS- far east Mississippi-fire… *(You may not have heard of these guys. In the early 70’s, when I was like 14 and 15, and was getting interested in girls, and figured out that girls like to dance, my best friends and I were really into some funky, African American sounds. I still love that stuff, as you will see)*
BLUE OYSTER CULT- don’t fear the reaper… *(They had some other good songs too)*
WAR- low rider…
WINGS- live and let die… *(I know, no Beatles but a Wings song? But this is a James Bond movie theme song, and it makes me smile when I hear it)*
STEVIE WONDER- higher ground-superstition… *(I could have put more Stevie on here. That song that contains the lines: ‘sneakin’ out the back door, to hang out with those hoodlum friends of mine’… that could have been my theme song when I was 14)*
BOSTON- more than a feeling-peace of mind-long time… *(Okay, some of this isn’t really hard rock, but I included a few songs that are just fun to sing along to)*
CHICAGO- just you ‘n’ me… *(Another melody-driven sing-a-long)*
BACHMAN TURNER OVERDRIVE- takin’ care of business…
CREAM- sunshine of your love-crossroads…
The DOOBIE BROTHERS- black water-listen to the music…
The EAGLES- life in the fast lane-take it to the limit-already gone-desperado-take it easy-witchy woman… *(Once again, not really heavy metal, but hey, I was driving through the freekin’ desert…)*
ERIC CLAPTON- cocaine-Layla…
STEPPENWOLF- born to be wild… *(Might be a 60’s hit… so sue me)*
DEEP PURPLE- hush-smoke on the water… *(See above note)*
ALICE COOPER- school’s out…
BLACK SABBATH- paranoid-iron man…
COMMODORES- slippery when wet… *(Well, it’s true, you know)*
KANSAS- dust in the wind-carry on wayward son…
KOOL AND THE GANG- Hollywood swinging…
EARTH WIND AND FIRE- shining star…
NAZARETH- hair of the dog-love hurts-vigilante man- bad bad boy…
BREAD- mother freedom
SANTANA- she’s not there-black magic woman…
BLIND FAITH- can’t find my way home…
JOURNEY- wheel in the sky…
ZZ TOP- just got paid…
JIMI HENDRIX- all along the watchtower-purple haze…
JUDAS PRIEST- you’ve got another thing coming…
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL- up around the bend-bad moon rising… *(I don’t know if I mentioned this before, but when I was a kid walking home from elementary school, I used to stop and listen to these guys playing in their garage. I grew up in the town where the Fogerty brothers lived. Despite John’s weird Southern-sounding drawl, he was a Bay Area boy, and went to the same high school as me… but way before I went there)*
THE HOLLIES- long cool woman…
KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND- get down tonight… *(As I said, some of these are just for fun)*
THE GUESS WHO- American woman…
BOB DYLAN- knockin’ on heaven’s door…
WILD CHERRY- play that funky music…
Okay, I hope you at least check out a few of these songs that you don’t remember ever hearing begfore.
