Category Archives: 1970s songs

The best 500 songs from the 1970s. Meanings, lyrics and interpretations from your favorite seventies artists. Fleetwood, The Eagles, Cat Stevens, Joni Mitchell, Queen and all your favorite 70s artists ranked.

1970s songs, secular hymn

#206 Let It Be- The Beatles

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And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me/
Shine until tomorrow, let it be.

Listening again to The Beatles “Let it Be”, I am especially impressed with Ringo’s drum work. It is nuanced: the typical 4/4 patterns would have done just fine, but there are several unconventional sounds and beats when you listen closely. It is half good production, half good drum work. George’s guitar work is also great. His solo and guitar fills liven up what is really a piano song.

“Let it Be” has always felt larger than life—in a way—to me: similar in a way to a folk song or classical music tune that seems to have been written before time.

Let it Be Meaning
Let it Be Album

So which version is the best? I think the Past Masters version is the closest to the best version, but there are aspects in each that I like. In Phil Spector’s version, I think George’s solo sounds the best that it does in any version. However, the high-hat sounds a bit off. In the Naked version, the organ is mixed too high in the middle, but during the rest of the song it sounds great. The Past Masters version—produced by George Martin—seems to have the fewest glaring weaknesses.

Let it Be
McCartney

The song does not stand out lyrically, but it captures a nice sentiment. The song borders on religious sentiment, but I think that it is mostly a mistake on our end. It is due to us thinking the “Mother Mary” in the song is the biblical Mary, when really it is his mother, and also, we associate organs with church.


Let it Be Lyrics

When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the broken-hearted people living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be
For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Yeah, there will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me
Shine until tomorrow, let it be
I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be
Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

written by lennon/mccartney

1970s songs, breakup songs

#197 I’m Not in Love- 10cc

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I like to see you/
But then again/
That doesn’t mean you mean that much to me.

When an author tells us “I’m not in love” over and over, is this a case of “Thou Doth Protesteth Too Much”? That is, is he really in love, and he is just trying to convince himself he isn’t? Perhaps. That seems to be the case in 10cc’s “I’m Not in Love”.

The narrator is telling someone–we’re not sure who–(maybe himself?) that he really isn’t in love with this girl.  The sad vibe that the song evokes tells us that this is probably a story of unrequited love.

I'm Not in Love Meaning
10cc

10cc’s “I’m Not in Love” is experimental in so many ways. The most obvious is the “big boys don’t cry” solo break. Usually, an instrumental solo would go here. I’ll leave it to the reader to imagine if that would have been a better option. This is certainly more memorable.

Also noteworthy is the “voices” sound-looping technology. At the time it was relatively new. It sounds similar to if you choose “voices” or “choir” on your keyboard, but it is actually them overdubbing loops of themselves singing the notes. Crazy. This helps to create 10cc’s one of a kind sound in “I’m Not in Love”.

I’m Not In Love Lyrics

I’m not in love,
So don’t forget it.
It’s just a silly phase I’m going through.
And just because
I call you up,
Don’t get me wrong, don’t think you’ve got it made.
I’m not in love, no no, it’s because…

I like to see you,
But then again,
That doesn’t mean you mean that much to me.
So if I call you,
Don’t make a fuss.
Don’t tell your friends about the two of us.
I’m not in love, no no, it’s because…

(Be quiet. Big boys don’t cry.)

I keep your picture
Upon the wall,
It hides a nasty stain that’s lying there.
So don’t you ask me
To give it back,
I know you know it doesn’t mean that much to me.
I’m not in love, no no, it’s because…

Ooh you’ll wait a long time for me,
Ooh you’ll wait a long time.
Ooh you’ll wait a long time for me,
Ooh you’ll wait a long time.

I’m not in love,
So don’t forget it,
It’s just a silly phase I’m going through.
And just because, I call you up,
Don’t get me wrong, don’t think you’ve got it made.
I’m not in love,
I’m not in love.

written by Eric Stewart / Graham Gouldman

1970s songs, songs about sex

#194 Lay Lady Lay- Bob Dylan

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Why wait any longer for the one you love?
When he’s standing in front of you.

“Lay Lady Lay” may be Bob Dylan’s most unique sounding recording. His voice sounds in top form and there is a unique effect on it that was never captured again. The instrumentation that created that one-time sound was a mix of pedal-steel guitar, organ and the unique hollow sound from the drums.

Lay Lady Lay Meaning
70s Dylan

Dylan is well-known as one of the best artists to cover. It is because his songs are usually so ripe with material and he also under-produces his material. “Lay Lady Lay” is one of the songs that I can’t imagine will be topped with a superior sounding cover version. This version is amazing.

The lyrics are not subtle, which is a nice contrast to some of Dylan’s other work. He seems to be making an “argument” to a woman about why it is a good idea for her to spend the night with him. The argument is not complex; it basically boils down to “why not, it feels good, we’re both here and we can.”

Lay Lady Lay Lyrics

Lay lady lay-
Lay across my big brass bed.
Lay lady lay-
Lay across my big brass bed.

Whatever colors you have in your mind,
I show them to you and you see them shine.

Lay lady lay-
Lay across my big brass bed.
Stay lady stay-
Stay with your man a while.
Until the break of day
Let me see you make him smile.

His clothes are dirty but his, his hands are clean;
And you are the best thing that he’s ever seen.

Stay lady stay
Stay with your man a while.

Why wait any longer for the world to begin?
You can have your cake and eat it too.
Why wait any longer for the one you love?
When he’s standing in front of you.

Lay lady lay-
Lay across my big brass bed.
Stay lady stay-
Stay while the night is still ahead.

I long to see you in the morning light;
I long to reach for you in the night.
Stay lady stay-
Stay while the night is still ahead.

written by Bob Dylan