3 Rock Songs From 1972 That Every 70s Kid Still Knows by Heart

There are hit songs, and then there are songs that stick with you for a lifetime. These three rock songs all came out in 1972 but are so revered that likely every 70s kid still knows the words by heart.

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“Lean On Me” by Bill Withers

A three-week No. 1 hit, Bill Withers includes “Lean On Me” on his sophomore Still Bill album. The only No. 1 single of his career, Withers wrote “Lean On Me” by himself.

A song about enduring friendship, “Lean On Me” begins with, “Sometimes in our lives / We all have pain, we all have sorrow. / But if we are wise, / We know that there’s always tomorrow / Lean on me when you’re not strong / And I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on / For it won’t be long / ‘Til I’m gonna need somebody to lean on.“

In 1987, Club Nouveau also had a No. 1 hit with their cover of “Lean On Me”.

“You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon

Part of the popularity of Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” is the mystery surrounding the song. Written by Simon for her No Secrets record, Simon famously kept the identity of the person who inspired the song a secret.

The tongue-in-cheek song says, “You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you / You’re so vain, I’ll bet you think this song is about you / Don’t you? Don’t you? Don’t you?“

Simon later told People that “You’re So Vain” is about three separate men, identifying one of them as actor Warren Beatty. Once married to James Taylor, Simon confirms that “You’re So Vain” has nothing to do with Taylor, even though some speculated he was the biggest inspiration for the song.

“I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash

Johnny Nash is the writer of “I Can See Clearly Now”. The title track of his 1972 record, “I Can See Clearly Now” is Nash’s biggest hit of his career.

The uplifting tune says, “I can see clearly now, the rain has gone / I can see all obstacles in my way / Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind / It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun-shining day / It’s gonna be a bright, bright sun-shining day.“

A version of “I Can See Clearly Now” appears in the 1993 film Cool Runnings. Ray Charles also includes his cover of “I Can See Clearly Now” on his 1977 True Life album.

Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns