3 Rock Songs From the 1970s That Feel Bigger as You Age

Some songs get bigger as they age. While time isn’t kind to some songs, others shine with a little maturation. The three rock songs below from the 1970s are like that. As the years have polished these songs to perfection, and their listeners have grown up right alongside them, everything that’s great about these hits has only shone more.

[RELATED: 4 Songs From the 1970s That Feel Like Golden Hour in Musical Form]

“Imagine” — John Lennon

John Lennon’s “Imagine” really starts to sink into your bones as you age. At any age, this is a classic that you love to sing along to with a crowd, but once you’re old enough to understand exactly what Lennon is singing about here, this 1970s rock song gets all the more poignant.

“Imagine there’s no heaven / It’s easy if you try / No hell below us / Above us, only sky / Imagine all the people / Living for today,” the lyrics read. Lennon paints a portrait of the world that rids us of all the divides we cling to. It’s certainly a little overkill, but the frustration is understandable. Lennon was an artist who called for peace. In this classic track, he took a wide swing at attaining that seemingly impossible goal.

“Let It Be” — The Beatles

A natural evolution from that Lennon song is one from The Beatles’ final years, “Let It Be”. This Paul McCartney-led track is a lesson that takes a while to sink in. When you’re younger, this is a familiar and catchy Beatles track that you’re pretty much born knowing. When you’re older, it becomes an assuage to turn to in times of trouble.

“And when the broken-hearted people / Living in the world agree / There will be an answer / Let it be,” McCartney sings, making a case for letting life play out. McCartney has always been good at simple sentiments with a huge emotional payoff. “Let It Be” falls into that category.

“Wish You Were Here” — Pink Floyd

Moving into the latter part of the decade, this Pink Floyd track is about Syd Barrett’s declining mental health. Even though we can’t all relate to that situation, the melancholia of this song and the longing for something that is no longer there are familiar feelings for many in adulthood.

“Did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts? / Hot ashes for trees? Hot air for a cool breeze / Cold comfort for change? Did you exchange / A walk-on part in the war for a lead role in a cage,” the lyrics read. We can all link these lines to something in our lives, especially as we age and life gets harder.

(Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)