3 Rock Songs That Make You Instantly Nostalgic for a Life You Didn’t Live

Songs can instantly transport us to another time and place. They can carry immense built-in nostalgia. They are so stellar at this that they can tug on the heartstrings of even those who didn’t live through their era. The three rock songs below will make you nostalgic for a life you didn’t live, if you are too young to have heard them when they were released. It’s impossible not to place yourself in a particular time and place while listening to these hits.

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“Summer Of ’69” (Bryan Adams)

As far as songs that reference a particular time and place go, Bryan Adams’ “Summer Of ’69” is one of the most famous. Adams paints a vivid portrait of a carefree time in his own life. Though not all of his listeners were alive to experience that era, the song is visceral enough for all of us to imagine what it would’ve been like.

Oh, when I look back now / That summer seemed to last forever / And if I had the choice / Yeah, I’d always wanna be there, he sings in this nostalgic rock song, making us all long to experience what he did back then.

“Take It Easy” (The Eagles)

Fast-forward a few years to the ’70s, and it’s The Eagles’ “Take It Easy” that makes listeners of every generation dream of that era’s carefree spirit. It’s easy to picture driving down a highway with the windows rolled down, in a pair of bellbottoms, while listening to this soft rock hit.

Take it easy, take it easy / Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy, the lyrics read. How many of us have sung along to these lyrics and fancied ourselves ’70s rockers? I know I’m guilty of this, and I’d bet many Eagles super fans are as well.

“Dreams” (Fleetwood Mac)

The ’70s are a period that many of us like to romanticize. The pervasive stereotype of the era is a sense of peace and harmony. Though that definitely obscures the reality of the time, we can’t help but paint that picture in our head when we listen to ’70s music.

Take Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” for example. This hit epitomizes the spirit of the era. It’ll make you long to dress up like Stevie Nicks and laze around in a ’70s daydream while she sings, Now here you go again / You say you want your freedom.

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