Some of the best classic rock songs of all time came out in the 1970s. Specifically, 1977 is a year that saw the release of some of the best classic rock songs of all time. Surprisingly, they are also songs that are still being played decades later. These are four of the best classic rock songs from 1977, which are worth listening to over and over again today.
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“Hotel California”
The Eagles have plenty of hits throughout their historic career. But none are as instantly recognizable as “Hotel California“. The title track of their fifth studio album, “Hotel California” is written by band members Don Henley, Don Felder, and Glenn Frey.
The chorus of the six-and-a-half-minute song says, “Welcome to the Hotel California / Such a lovely place, such a lovely face / There’s plenty of room at the Hotel California / Any time of year, oh, you can find it here.”
According to Henley, the story behind “Hotel California” isn’t very exciting. “It’s so boring,” he tells Smooth Radio. “It’s a song about the dark underbelly of the American Dream, and about excess in America, which was something we knew about.”
“Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffett
Even people who claim not to like classic rock can sing along to Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville“. On his Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitude album, Buffett is the sole writer of the legendary tune.
“Margaritaville” says, “Wasting away again in Margaritaville / Searching for my lost shaker of salt / Some people claim that there’s a woman to blame / But I think it could be my fault.”
The song “Margaritaville” inspired an entire business empire of bars and hotels for Buffett.
“Barracuda” by Heart
On Heart’s third studio album, Little Queen, “Barracuda” remains one of Heart’s most popular tunes. Band members Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson wrote the song with Roger Fisher and Michael Derosier.
“Barracuda” begins with, “So this ain’t the end, I saw you again, today / I had to turn my heart away / Smiled like the sun, kisses for everyone / And tales, it never fails / You lying so low in the weeds / I bet you gonna ambush me / You’d have me down, down, down, down on my knees / Now wouldn’t you, barracuda?“
“Stayin’ Alive” by The Bee Gees
Part of the soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever, a blockbuster film starring John Travolta, brothers and Bee Gees members Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb are the three writers of the uptempo song.
“Stayin’ Alive” says, “Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother / You’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ / alive / Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’ / And we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.”
“Stayin’ Alive” is an international hit. But it also earned the group a Grammy Award for Best Arrangement for Voices.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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