4 Songs From 1975 That Will Change Your Mind About Rock Music

If you’re anything like me, you probably once had a view of rock music that involved a lot of head thrashing, KISS-inspired face paint, and distorted guitar. Decades like the 70s proved that this genre has a lot more to it than meets the eye. Here are some rock songs from 1975 that might change your expectations of rock music.

“Fame” by David Bowie

David Bowie defied expectations by blending funk, rock, and soul in “Fame.” This song was written about Bowie’s ex-manager, Tony Defries, whom he had a complicated relationship with. The glam rock star once told Q magazine: “I think fame itself is not a rewarding thing. The most you can say is that it gets you a seat in restaurants.”

“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

If you want to talk about something unconventional that also achieved massive success, look no further than Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”. This six-minute song was written by the legendary Freddie Mercury, who combined three songs he had written into one. “Bohemian Rhapsody” redefines boundaries, as it’s almost operatic in a sense. That’s definitely not something that we’re used to seeing in rock music, but hey, it worked.

“Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith

Aerosmith might have been one of the most successful rock groups of the decade, but you can’t say this group didn’t have their own unique sound. “Sweet Emotion” combines psychedelic rock, funk rock, and hard rock into one, and it’s got that killer lyrical hook that just sticks in your brain.

You’d never know it, but this song was actually written about frustration and tension that Steven Tyler had with the band at the time.

“Born To Run” by Bruce Springsteen

When I first heard Bruce Springsteen, it changed my perspective on what a rock song is supposed to sound like. “Born To Run” is rock, but it’s also nostalgia, American pride, and 70s magic captured in a four-and-a-half-minute tune. Springsteen once described the title “Born To Run” as sounding cinematic, and it’s hard not to agree.

“At first I thought it was the name of a movie or something I’d seen on a car spinning around the circuit,” he once shared, per Songfacts. “I liked the phrase because it suggested a cinematic drama that I thought would work with the music that I’d been hearing in my head.”

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