4 Songs From 1973 That Every Baby Boomer Knows by Heart

If you’re a baby boomer, I bet that the following four songs from 1973 are still swimming around in your head today. Feel free to sing along; I’m not a baby boomer, but I know that I feel like belting out a few lines whenever these songs come on the radio.

Videos by American Songwriter

“You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” by Stevie Wonder from ‘Talking Book’

This pop-soul classic from Stevie Wonder was one of the biggest hits of 1973. It peaked at No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart as well as the Billboard Hot 100. The whole of Talking Book was a smash hit for Wonder, but “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” was the song perhaps most deserving of its success. It’s just that good. If you listen closely, you’ll hear Jim Gilstrap singing those first few opening lines.

“We’re An American Band” by Grand Funk Railroad from ‘We’re An American Band’

Is there a chorus more sing-along-worthy than the one found in this hard rock smash hit? I don’t think so. Grand Funk Railroad’s “We’re An American Band” is a celebration of American rock and roll without diving into the more in-your-face patriotism of similar songs, and listeners vibed with it in 1973. “We’re An American Band” peaked at No. 1 in the US and did similarly well in Canada.

“Smoke On The Water” by Deep Purple from ‘Machine Head’

“Smoke On The Water” will likely always be the song that Deep Purple is known for, and it was a deserving hit for the hard rock group back in 1973. This early heavy metal hit peaked at No. 4 in the US and did well globally. And that iconic riff is still the stuff of legend today. Nobody was doing it quite like Deep Purple in the 1970s.

“Live And Let Die” by Wings from ‘Live And Let Die’

Paul McCartney makes our list of baby boomer songs from 1973 with this symphonic rock classic. “Live And Let Die” is best known for its use in the James Bond movie of the same name, and it’s a fan favorite that McCartney still whips out at live performances to this very day. Back in 1973, it was a smash hit, peaking at No. 2 on the Hot 100 and the Top 40 globally.

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