3 Rock Songs From the 1970s That You’ll Recognize in Two Seconds

Throughout the course of music history, many songs have been lost to time. Every year, people produce more and more work. But only a select number of tunes last. Only a small collection truly stands the test of time in our collective memories. Here below, we wanted to highlight three tracks that not only have subsisted throughout history but that we can recognize and even name in a matter of moments. Indeed, these are three rock songs from the 1970s you’ll recognize in two seconds.

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“Stayin’ Alive” by Bee Gees from ‘Saturday Night Fever’ (1977)

When the electric guitar riff comes in on this song, you have about 1.5 seconds to get your dancing shoes on before your body automatically takes you to the dance floor. Your fingers begin to point to the ceiling, and your toes tap. Your hips shake. Shoot, the hair on the back of your neck stands up. All of a sudden, you’re mouthing the words: “Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive!” That’s the power this track has over most people in real-time. And it’s a power we feel within just a couple of moments.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen from ‘A Night At The Opera’ (1975)

Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury understood mixing vocals. For evidence of this, look no further than “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Mercury’s band Queen. The 1975 offering opens with incredible harmonies. They’re lush, deep, and supremely memorable. Ever since this song was released, it has been part of the cultural pastiche. It will never fade. And a big reason for that is just how instantly recognizable it is from the very outset.

“Imagine” by John Lennon from ‘Imagine’ (1971)

When this song opens, your heart almost leaps from your chest. With just a few seconds of piano, you can picture the former Beatle John Lennon at the keys. You can almost imagine what it’s like to be in his head. The lyrics are about to tumble from his lips. He’s about to ask the world why we care so much about the stuff in our closets and now what’s in our spirits. Lennon left the world too soon in 1980, but before he did so, he left the world this immediately recognizable piano-driven track from the 1970s rock world.

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