3 Song Lyrics From the 1970s That You’ll Never Forget

If you didn’t notice, the 1970s happened a long time ago, but still, there are song lyrics that never leave your brain, no matter how many decades have passed. Repetition keeps the inputs coming as verses, choruses, and bridges are consolidated into your mind’s long-term storage. You’ll forget many things in a lifetime, but you’ll probably never forget these song lyrics from the 1970s.

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“Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2” by Pink Floyd from ‘The Wall’ (1979)

Roger Waters wrote an anti-totalitarianism anthem for kids protesting boarding school regimes. The abusive teachers condition students like bricks, but the kids are desperate for autonomy. You can transmit this metaphor to any kind of closed system, authoritarianism, or Orwellian thoughtcrime one might conjure. And like most Pink Floyd jams, there’s an epic guitar solo by David Gilmour following the students’ protest. Next comes one of the most famous threats in all of rock and roll: “If you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any pudding!”

“L.A. Woman” by The Doors from ‘L.A. Woman’ (1971)

In “L.A. Woman”, Jim Morrison bids adieu to Los Angeles and uses a woman as a metaphor for the city. He notes familiar landscapes, both beautiful and seedy, sees her hair on fire like the hills, alone in a town among millions. Topless bars, bothersome cops, and how easily the sunny mood can turn to sadness. It’s sexual and debauched and everything you’d want in a goodbye letter from a rock star that they call the Lizard King. Once Morrison arrived in Paris, he never returned. When Morrison sings, Mr. Mojo Risin’, drummer John Densmore slows then accelerates the song’s tempo to approximate an orgasm. Sincerely yours, The Lizard King.

“I Wanna Be Sedated” by Ramones from ‘Road To Ruin’ (1978)

Rock history is full of songs about the lonely grind of a touring band—Bob Seger’s “Turn The Page” and Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead Or Alive” come to mind. But in those weary tunes, even though the rock star struggles, the emotional toll still has a kind of glamorous glow to it. Joey Ramone had a different view. “I Wanna Be Sedated” describes the endless boredom of a touring musician. Between shows, hours upon hours pass with “nothing to do, nowhere to go”. In the video, the band sits around a small table, reads magazines, and eats generic corn flakes while a motley parade of characters busy themselves around them. So the only thing left to do is wait. And wait some more. You might walk around, but you’re never really moving.

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