The 1970s had no time to waste. The era was not impressed by metaphor or conjecture. Instead, those from the time period wanted to get real. Gritty. In your face. That was the whole idea, and it came through loud and clear in the decade’s art.
Here below, we wanted to highlight three songs from back in the day that prove this point. These are three songs that simply tell it like it is. Indeed, these are three rock songs from the 1970s that will actually make you smarter.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Time” by Pink Floyd from ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’ (1973)
We don’t want to think about it, but we have to. Timeโit’s a difficult subject. All of us have a limited time on Earth. It’s just a matter of fact. The question is: What do we do with that time? Do we think about it, or do we remember that the end comes for us all one day or another? Or do we ignore that reality and try to get on with our days? On the track “Time”, Pink Floyd essentially tells us to examine our lives and the duration we may have left in life. If not, who knows what you’ll miss out on?
“God Save The Queen” by Sex Pistols from ‘Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols’ (1977)
Despite what some may tell you, it’s alright to question authority. It’s actually good to question authority. In fact, it’s patriotic to do so. And on the 1977 track, “God Save The Queen”, by Sex Pistols, the British-born punk rock band proves this yet again. Government officials are supposed to be in their positions for the people. They are supposed to represent our best interests. But sometimes that effort goes awry. Sometimes they do harm to their constituents. That’s when we need our artists to point a finger back. That’s when we need a band like Sex Pistols!
“Hotel California” by Eagles from ‘Hotel California’ (1976)
Stardom. It’s something so many of us have dreamed of. So many of us want to pick up a guitar, write a hit track, and find ourselves in a Southern California paradise. Well, the 1970s rock group Eagles had similar dreams. But then, when they found out what those dreams brought them, they had a second thought coming. In many ways, that’s why they wrote, recorded, and released this classic tune. To warn the next generationโif you have stars in your eyes, you just might shoot yourself in the foot.
Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
More The List
-

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – NOVEMBER 09: Vanilla Ice aka Rob Van Winkle attends the documentaries of 'Ice Ice, Baby Hip Hop's 1st Global #1" screening during the 37th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival at Savor Cinema on November 09, 2022 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Johnny Louis/Getty Images) -

Der britische Popmusiker und Sรคnger Albert Hammond ("It never rains in Southern California", "Free Electric Band") bei einem Auftritt in der Fernsehsendung "Pop International", die im Rahmen der Berliner Funkausstellung 1973 ausgestrahlt wurde. (Photo by Dieter Klar/picture alliance via Getty Images)






