Enjoy our playlist of songs from the 70s. Over 50 classic songs that can rewind you to a time before the internet, sure to bring you some nostalgia.
Trouble Man
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Marvin Gaye
Album:
- Trouble Man (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Description
Marvin Gaye released Trouble Man on Tamla Records in 1972. He played both the piano and the drums for this hit single and once called it the most honest single he ever released.
Hurricane
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Bob Dylan
Album:
- Desire
Description
Bob Dylan wrote the song Hurricane based on the true story of a boxer who was wrongfully convicted of murder. Rubin “Hurricane” Carter spent nearly 20 years in prison for a crime that he did not commit.
Bohemian Rhapsody
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Queen
Album:
- A Night At The Opera
Description
Bohemian Rhapsody is a six-minute masterpiece. Seven years before MTV started showing videos, Queen made a promotional music video of the song. This would lead some to believe that the band invented the music video.
Dream On
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Aerosmith
Album:
- Aerosmith
Description
Steven Tyler wrote Dream On over the course of about 7 years. With the help of his band, they were able to finish the song and release it as their first hit single in 1973.
Stairway to Heaven
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Led Zeppelin
Album:
- Led Zeppelin IV
Description
Stairway to Heaven was composed into several parts and is classified as a combination of Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, and Folk Rock. Depending on who you talk too, this song is considered one of the greatest Rock songs ever written.
Baba O'Riley
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- The Who
Album:
- Who's Next
Description
Baba O’Riley was written to describe the sights of depression looking out to the drug-riddled crowd at Woodstock. The song is often referred to as Teenage Wasteland as per the chorus.
Cold as Ice
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Foreigner
Album:
- Foreigner
Description
Cold as Ice was written to portray a woman who is cold-hearted and only cares about herself. Lead Singer Lou Gramm describes writing this song as a sort experience has had with a woman from his past.
Into The Mystic
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- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Van Morrison
Album:
- Moondance
Description
Into The Mystic is a lyrical masterpiece about a spiritual journey into our universe. Van Morrison wrote two sets of lyrics for the song and beautifully blended them with the clever use of homophones.
Heart of Gold
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Neil Young
Album:
- Harvest
Description
Heart of Gold is an acoustic masterpiece. Much like the rest of the Harvest album, Neil Young wrote this song following a back injury that would leave it very hard for him to play the electric guitar. Heart of Gold still to date is Neil Young’s only #1 hit.
Melissa
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- The Allman Brothers Band
Album:
- Eat a Peach
Description
According to Greg Allman, he wrote Melissa while high on amphetamines. He stayed awake for two straight days to finish writing the song, and it is now ranked #234
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Michael Jackson
Album:
- Off the Wall
Description
Don’t Stop Til’ You Get Enough written and recorded for Michael Jackson. It was the first song to go #1 that he wrote on his own.
Running On Empty
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Jackson Browne
Album:
- Running on Empty
Description
Running on Empty was written by Jackson Browne to paint a picture of what it feels like to be on the road touring as a musician.
Piano Man
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Billy Joel
Album:
- Piano Man
Description
The Executive Room is a piano bar located in Los Angeles where Billy Joel and other pianists would play their music. Piano Man was written by Billy Joel to describe his time spent there, describing real characters and real events.
You Are Everything
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Diana & Marvin
Album:
- Diana & Marvin
Description
The powerhouse duo created a 14 track album in 1973. The album was recorded through Motown records in Detroit, MI.
Let's Stay Together
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Al Green
Album:
- Let's Stay Together
Description
Let’s Stay Together is considered one of the top 60 greatest songs of all time per Rolling Stone. Al Green pre-recorded this song nearly 100 times before found the one he liked.
I Wanna Be Your Lover
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Prince
Album:
- Prince
Description
Prince wrote the song with hopes that Patrice Rushen would want to do the vocals on the song, she declined. It was also the first Prince song to have a music video.
I'll Be There
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Jackson 5
Album:
- Jackson 5: The Ultimate Collection
Description
I’ll Be There took the #1 spot on both the U.S. Hot 100 and the R&B charts in 1970. This song tells the story of a man who will still be there for his ex-girlfriend, even if she finds another man.
Live and Let Die
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Paul McCartney & Wings
Album:
- Red Rose Speedway
Description
Paul McCartney wrote the song Live and Let Die in only 10 minutes. He wrote the song in hopes to make the theme song for the next James Bond film, he ultimately succeeded.
It's Too Late
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Carole King
Album:
- Tapestry
Description
It’s Too Late is about a relationship between a woman and a man coming to an end. Carol King sings about how it’s killing her inside, but she won’t let it show.
Lovely Day
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Bill Withers
Album:
- Menagerie
Description
Lovely Day is a song about a perfect day filled with happiness and joy. During the song, Bill Withers holds the note “Lovely Day” for a total of 18 seconds.
Move On Up
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Curtis Mayfield
Album:
- Curtis
Description
Lovely Day is a song about a perfect day filled with happiness and joy. During the song, Bill Withers holds “Lovely Day” for a total of 18 seconds.
Wild Horses
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- The Rolling Stones
Album:
- Sticky Fingers
Description
Wild Horses was first written as a song to Keith Richards’ son. Keith wrote about how going on tour would make him regret being away from his son. The lyrics would later change as well as the subject matter, referencing a relationship fading between Mick Jagger and his ex-girlfriend.
You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Album:
- Not Fragile
Description
Randy Bachman recorded a studdering version of You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet as a prank to his brother Gary, making fun of his speech impediment. A non-studdering version was also recorded, but the record company liked the original version better.
Ventura Highway
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- America
Album:
- Homecoming
Description
Ventura Highway was written by America frontman Dewey Bunnell. Dewey’s father was changing a tire on the side of the road near a sign that read Ventura Hwy. The elements of the sun, the clouds, and the ocean inspired him to write about it.
Good Times
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Chic
Album:
- Les Plus Grands Succes de Chic
Description
The song Good times is one of the first songs ever to be sampled by a rap group. With no laws in place to fight it, The Sugarhill Gang used this track to gain huge success for their 1979 rap classic Rapper’s Delight.
Summer Madness
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Kool & The Gang
Album:
- Light Of Worlds
Description
Summer Madness has been sampled numerous times by big-name artists of the Hip-Hop and R&B genre. You may also remember this song playing in the background of the film Rocky, in the scene where he is seen feeding his fish.
Fire And Rain
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- James Taylor
Album:
- Sweet Baby James
Description
Fire and Rain is a song about James Taylor and his battle with drug addiction. He also writes about his encounter with depression at a young age.
Stranglehold
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Ted Nugent
Album:
- Ted Nugent
Description
With the vocals of Derek St. Holmes and Ted Nugent’s guitar, Stranglehold became a strong message heard round the music industry. Before its release, no record label wanted anything to do with Ted Nugent. Boy were they wrong.
Iron Man
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Black Sabbath
Album:
- Paranoid
Description
Iron Man wasn’t necessarily a chart-topper, peaking only at the #52 position after its release. However, due to its dark lyrics and heavy metal sound, Black Sabbath would soon see an increased cult following.
Sweet Home Alabama
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Lynard Skynard
Album:
- Second Helping
Description
In the song Sweet Home Alabama, Lynard Skynard defends all things that are good about Alabama. They did so in response to the words Neil Young used for his songs Alabama and Southern Man. Young implies that Alabama is full of racists with old school mentalities.
Runnin' with the Devil
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Van Halen
Album:
- Van Halen
Description
This song was written to highlight that life on tour at a young age is sometimes not easy. In the song it states “I’ve found the simple life, ain’t so simple” and later “I’ve got not love, no love you’d call real”.
Riders On the Storm
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- The Doors
Album:
- L.A. Woman
Description
Riders On the Storm was released right before the death of Jim Morrison in 1971. This would be the last song he would ever record.
Take Me Home, Country Roads
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- John Denver
Album:
- Poems, Prayers, Promises
Description
Bill and Taffy Danoff wrote this song with the help of John Denver. They used inspiration received from a radio station the picked up in West Virginia on a road trip through Maryland.
Superstition
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Stevie Wonder
Album:
- Talking Book
Description
Stevie Wonder originally wrote this song for Jeff Beck in exchange for some guitar riffs. However, Jeff Beck took too long to release the track, so Stevie released the song himself.
Get Down Tonight
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- KC and the Sunshine Band
Album:
- KC and the Sunshine Band
Description
Get Down Tonight is a classic disco song that tells the story of a man convicing a woman in a club to dance with him. He refers to it as a Get Down.
Do You Fell Like We Do (Live) [Remix]
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Peter Frampton
Album:
- Frampton Comes Alive!
Description
This song is about Peter Frampton and his long night of drinking. He woke up with a big hangover, and his bandmates convinced him to write about it.
Kodachrome
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Paul Simon
Album:
- There Goes Rhymin' Simon
Description
Kodachrome is a song that highlights the bright colors and the dull colors that transition throughout the seasons. The Kodak Kodachrome is a camera used to highlight the bright color scheme Simon is referring to in the song.
One of These Nights
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Eagles
Album:
- One of These Nights
Description
The Eagles wrote this song with a soulful inspiration. The song tells the story of a man searching for a woman with both angle and devilish qualities.
Walk on the Wild Side
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Lou Reed
Album:
- Transformer
Description
Each character portrayed in this song represents a different prostitute. Take a Walk on the Wild Side refers to cross-dressers stepping into the world of prostitution in New York City.
Nights In White Satin (The Night) [Incl."Late Lament"]
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- The Moody Blues
Album:
- Days of Future Passed
Description
The Moody Blues song Nights in White Satin was written by band member Justin Hayward when he was only 19. The song references a transitional period between two past love experiences.
Money
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Pink Floyd
Album:
- The Dark Side of the Moon
Description
Pink Floyd’s song Money was a huge hit when it was released in 1973. The lyrics tell the story about the good and the bad that come along with making all that paper.
School's Out
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Alice Cooper
Album:
- School's Out
Description
Alice Cooper wrote School’s Out to paint a picture of the feeling you have right before summer vacation starts. It’s a feeling like nothing else.
Radar Love
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Golden Earring
Album:
- Moontan
Description
Radar Love is a song about telepathic love powers. A feeling you can only portray through music, Golden Earring nails it with this track.
Sultans of Swing
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Dire Straits
Album:
- Dire Straits
Description
Sultan’s of Swing is a song about a night out with the boys. The song sends out good vibes in hopes they find a great club with great music.
More Than a Feeling
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Boston
Album:
- Boston
Description
More Than a Feeling was written to share the message of a feeling that almost anyone can relate too, losing a close friend or relative.
Carry On Wayward Son
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Kansas
Album:
- Leftoverture
Description
Carry On Wayward Son is a song written to describe a spiritual journey, with hopes to find answers to the questions you may have.
Born to Run
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Bruce Springsteen
Album:
- Born To Run
Description
Born to Run is a Rock and Roll love letter, which uses the music production formula, the wall of sound, coined by the great Phil Spector.
Night Moves
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
Album:
- Night Moves
Description
Night moves is a song with a double meaning. One theory is that the song references a couple losing their virginity, while others think it refers to a fun night of dancing and partying.
You're No Good
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- Linda Ronstadt
Album:
- Heart Like a Wheel
Description
Clint Ballard Jr. wrote You’re No Good from a female’s point of view. This song tells the story of a woman who meets a man and finds out that he is no good from the start.
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- The Hollies
Album:
- Distant Light
Description
Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) is a song about an FBI agent who becomes infatuated by a woman in a black dress. The lyrics hint to the fact that he would spare her life in the middle of a prohibition alcohol bust.
Imagine
Listen:
- Amazon Music •
- Spotify •
- Tidal •
- YouTube
Artist:
- John Lennon
Album:
- Imagine
Description
John Lennon wrote the song Imagine to spread an idea out to the public. His vision was to spread peace and love amongst the people and give hope to those who have lost it.