When you’re driving down the highway and you feel a hankering for some classic rock, chances are that when you flick the radio dial to the appropriate station, you’re going to hear a tune from the 1970s. The era is just synonymous with the music.
Here below, we wanted to dive back into the decade and remember three songs from back in the day that we adore. These are three songs we still can’t get enough of—even now. Indeed, these are three rock songs from the 1970s you won’t forget no matter when you hear them.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones from ‘Sticky Fingers’ (1971)
For all the rambunctious blues-rock that The Rolling Stones are known for, occasionally they will break out a mellower, more somber offering for fans to sink their teeth into. Case in point: “Wild Horses” from the group’s 1971 LP, Sticky Fingers. The acoustic-driven offering has become one of the most covered rock songs of all time. It’s also one that has helped to differentiate The Rolling Stones from many of their rollicking, one-note contemporaries. “Wild Horses” is nuanced, lovely. It gets you in the heart—it’s a classic.
“Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who from ‘Who’s Next’ (1971)
Way back in the 1970s, if you wanted to own a house without a roof, all you had to do was invite The Who over to play a show, and they would rock yours right off its slats. But all joking aside, The Who offered an explosion of song right along with their buzzy rock rhythms. And the band’s 1971 track, “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, from their LP, Who’s Next, is a prime example. It should not be played around people wearing hats or toupees. They will get blown right off into the abyss.
“Cherry Bomb” by The Runaways from ‘The Runaways’ (1976)
If you ever want to get your motors going, your engines revving, then just put on this track from The Runaways. It’s a ball of energy wrapped up in just over two minutes of music. After hearing this offering, you’re practically ready to run through a wall for the band. With riveting guitar riffs and rhythms that can ready you for battle, The Runaways and their hit 1976 single continue to inspire fans, even some five decades after the song’s release.
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