4 Soft Rock Songs From the 1970s You Still Know by Heart (But Never Knew the Real Story Behind)

The 1970s produced some of the finest soft rock of all time, all of which begs the listener to sing along, tap their feet, and air drum, if they’re feeling squirrely enough. These songs are vibey, moody, and memorable. But not everyone who knows all the words is aware of why the artist wrote them in the first place. 

Take, for example, these four soft rock cuts from the 1970s. If you’re a 70s music fan, then there’s a good chance you know every lyric by heart. However, do you know the real-life inspirations behind them?

“Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac

The fact that Fleetwood Mac wrote songs about each other mid-breakup and mid-fling is no great surprise. But fewer people know that Stevie Nicks wrote “Dreams” in direct response to Lindsey Buckingham’s “Go Your Own Way”. Nicks was trying to suggest that they would both be better off as musical partners, not romantic ones. “Women, they will come, and they will go / When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know.” It’s about as mature of a postmortem as one could ask for from a 20-something grappling with newfound fame.

“Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd

The title track to Pink Floyd’s 1975 album, Wish You Were Here, is one of many songs the psychedelic rock band wrote and dedicated to their former bandmate, Syd Barrett. The universality of the lyrics makes it so that anyone can sing along with this 1970s soft rock classic, regardless of whether they know the track is actually speaking to a musician whose addiction and mental health took a turn for the worse. “How I wish, how I wish you were here / We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl year after year.”

“Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton

It doesn’t take a musical historian to get the gist of what Eric Clapton is singing about in “Wonderful Tonight”. This 1970s soft rock tune lays it all out plainly for the listener. However, not everyone realizes that Clapton was actually singing that about and to his partner, Pattie Boyd, who had previously been married to ex-Beatle George Harrison. Clapton was playing guitar while Boyd got ready for a party. “It’s late in the evening, she’s wondering what clothes to wear / She puts on her makeup and brushes her long blonde hair.”

“Tiny Dancer” by Elton John

Most femme individuals will identify with at least some of the lyrics of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer”. What’s cuter than calling yourself a “blue jean baby,” regardless of whether you’re actually an “L.A. lady”? In reality, the inspiration for those lines came from John’s writing partner’s wife. Maxine Taupin, former wife of Bernie Taupin, told the New York Post that she knew those lines were about her as soon as she heard them. “I had been into ballet as a little girl and sewed patches on Elton’s jackets and jeans. I had goosebumps.”

Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns

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