3 “Tragedy Pop” Songs from the 1970s That Defined the Moodiness of the Era

Ever heard of tragedy pop? If not, you’re not alone. This isn’t the “official” name of the trend of sorrowful pop music that dominated the charts in the 1970s. However, it’s been adopted and used by amateur music historians around the internet. And there’s definitely something to it: So many pop songs from the 1970s had a “tragedy” theme to them. Let’s take a look at just a few examples, shall we?

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“Seasons In The Sun” by Terry Jacks (1973)

This hit from Terry Jacks was originally a Jacques Brel song from 1961. It was Jacks who turned it into a tragedy pop hit in English, one that topped charts across the board. “Seasons In The Sun” was a No. 1 hit in the US, UK, Europe, Australia, and beyond. The song tells the sad tale of a man who is dying of a broken heart following his wife’s infidelity. It’s a bummer from start to finish, but it’s a beautifully composed bummer regardless.

“At Seventeen” by Janis Ian (1974)

“At Seventeen” remains Janis Ian’s most memorable song of her career, and it’s a real tear jerker when you listen to the lyrics. An “outcast” anthem of sorts, this 1975 pop hit is all about being a social pariah which in high school. Lines like “It was long ago and far away / The world was younger than today / When dreams were all they gave for free / To ugly duckling girls like me” can really get under your skin if you were bullied as a kid.

“At Seventeen” was a hefty hit for Ian, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Adult Contemporary chart as well.

“Billy Don’t Be A Hero” by Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods (1974)

“Billy Don’t Be A Hero” by Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods was released the same year that Paper Lace released their version. However, Donaldson’s version of this tearjerker was a heftier US hit, peaking at No. 1 on the Hot 100. Paper Lace’s version hit No. 1 in the UK. Both songs are, for lack of a better descriptor, massively depressing. The song follows the story of a young man shipped out to war, who is begged by his fiancée not to be a hero.

“Billy Don’t Be A Hero” is more than worthy of an entry on our list of 1970s tragedy pop songs with lines like “I heard his fiancée got a letter / That told how Billy died that day / The letter said that he was a hero / She should be proud he died that way / I heard she threw the letter away.”

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