There are so many songs from the 1970s that baby boomer listeners still love today, including the following four tunes from the tail end of the decade in 1979. Let’s get real nostalgic, shall we?
“My Sharona” by The Knack from ‘Get The Knack’
The Knack might be considered one-hit wonders for this sole major hit, but what a hit to be known for. “My Sharona” is one of the catchiest power pop anthems of the late 1970s, and I can see why the song was such a smash hit. This jam peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 6 on the UK Singles chart. And I bet you still know all the words, or at the very least, the words to that chorus.
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“Heart Of Glass” by Blondie from ‘Parallel Lines’
This song could easily be Blondie’s most memorable song. They had plenty of other bangers through the years, but nothing screams “1979” quite like “Heart Of Glass” off their album Parallel Lines. “Heart Of Glass” is a new wave disco jam for the ages, one that was quite popular when it first dropped. The tune peaked at No. 1 across the board in the US, UK, and several European countries.
“Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)” by The Jacksons from ‘Destiny’
How about some later-years Jackson 5? Known as “The Jacksons” in 1979, the group of famous siblings had a smash hit on their hands with “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)”. Disco wasn’t quite dead yet, and The Jacksons capitalized on the love of the genre with this funky delight. “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)” peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100 and reached the Top 10 globally.
“I Want You To Want Me” by Cheap Trick from ‘Cheap Trick At Budokan’
The original version of this Cheap Trick classic actually dropped in 1977 on the rock band’s album In Color. But the Budokan version of the song makes it to our list of baby boomer songs from 1979, simply because it’s so dang good. Both versions are great, but the live version of the track is faster, features some audience participation, and showcases two absolutely killer guitar solos not found on the original version. The live version of “I Want You To Want Me” was a No. 7 hit on the Hot 100 chart.
Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images
More The List
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Singer, songwriter and guitarist Don Barnes of .38 Special is shown performing on stage during a "live" concert appearance on June 26, 1994. (Photo by John Atashian/Getty Images) -
American country and western singer and musician Johnny Cash (1932 – 2003) performs on stage at the Painters Mill Music Far in Owing Mills, Maryland, September 29, 1977. He is strumming a guitar and standing in front of a microphone. Bassist Marshall Grant (1928 – 2011) of Cashs backing band The Tennessee Three plays behind him on the right. (Photo by Leffler/Library of Congress/Interim Archives/Getty Images) -
Seminal American rock group The Byrds consisted originally of Jim (Roger) McGuinn, born 1942, David Crosby, born 1941, Michael Clark, born 1944, Chris Hillman, born 1944 and Gene Clark, born 1941. Their folk and pyschedelic tinged music was popular and influential during the late 1960s and early 1970s. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) -
From left, Paul McCartney (playing a Hofner 500/1 violin bass guitar) and John Lennon (playing a Gibson J-160E acoustic guitar) of English rock and pop group The Beatles perform on stage for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) music television show 'Shindig!' at Granville Studios in Fulham, London on 3rd October 1964. The band would play three songs on the show, Kansas City/hey-Hey-Hey!, I'm a Loser and Boys. (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) -
Portrait taken on September 13, 1982 shows British singer and drummer Phil Collins. Phil Collins combined his career as a drummer and singer with the band Genesis and a successful solo career. (Photo by Johan HULTENHEIM / TT NEWS AGENCY / AFP) / Sweden OUT -
Three Dog Night 1971 Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron and Cory Wells (Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage) *** Local Caption ***
