3 Songs Hollywood Can’t Stop Using to Signal the 70s

One of the most powerful tools at the disposal of filmmakers is music. Songs are like tiny time capsules, carrying with them unmatched nostalgia. Because of this, movies that are set in past decades rely heavily on their needle drops. The three songs below are frequent picks for films set in the 1970s.

“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John)

Thanks to its inclusion in the music-centric film Almost Famous, Elton John‘s “Tiny Dancer” has become synonymous with big dreams. Specifically, the dreams that are set out west. John and Bernie Taupin perfectly encapsulated the feeling of Los Angeles in the ’70s, making it the perfect needle drop for films set in that era.

Moreover, “Tiny Dancer” has a universality to it that connects listeners from today to those in the early ’70s. While its use in film can instantly drop us in a specific time and place, it also helps us to understand the sentiments in the story. Even those of us who weren’t around for the ’70s can glean something nostalgic from a scene featuring “Tiny Dancer.”

[RELATED: On This Day in 1976, Elton John and Kiki Dee Started a Four-Week Run at No. 1 With a Tribute to Motown Duets]

“Fire and Rain” (James Taylor)

Characterizing the beginning of the decade, our next entry on this list of ’70s songs that epitomize the decade is James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain.” This soft ballad has been used many times to underscore tender moments in film. It’s been used in more than just period pieces, but it’s certainly a staple in movies set in the 70s.

One of the best uses of “Fire and Rain” comes from the iconic football film, Remember the Titans. This Taylor classic drives the emotional core of this film home. The characters, who are experiencing integration for the first time, go through hard times and assuages. No song better sums up that wax and wane than this one.

“I’m Not in Love” (10cc)

Flashback scenes and time-stopping meet-cutes lend themselves well to 10cc’s “I’m Not in Love.” Though not the most well-known band of the decade, this hit from 10cc has stood the test of time. Countless filmmakers have used this moment as the needle drop for young love. When listening to this track on its own, it’s hard not to imagine a scene of blushing infatuation unfolding.

This song has been used in many films that aren’t set in the ’70s, but it has also appeared in period pieces. All in all, “I’m Not in Love” is so rife with imagery and atmosphere that it’s a shoo-in for the cinematic medium.

(Photo by Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)