7 Choruses From the 1970s I Can’t Help but Sing Along to Every Time

The 1970s were a treasure trove of incredible music, including some of the catchiest choruses ever to enter the mainstream musical canon. These hooks are the kinds of earworms that stick around long after the song is through.

And after decades of listening to these tracks, I feel almost physically obligated to sing along to these choruses when I hear them.

“Me And Bobby McGee” by Janis Joplin

The tragic fate of Janis Joplin imbues this track with even more lonely melancholy than Kris Kristofferson had already created with his iconic track “Me And Bobby McGee”. And although I’ve never “thumbed a diesel down just before it rained” to take me on a cross-country trip to Louisiana, I feel the chorus deep in my bones when I sing along. “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose, nothing don’t mean nothing, honey, if it ain’t free.”

“Black Water” by The Doobie Brothers

The Doobie Brothers’ 1974 song “Black Water” is a steal when it comes to 1970s choruses, considering all the harmonies you can choose from while singing. From the call-and-response of “old black water, keep on rollin’” and “Mississippi moon, won’t you keep on shining on me” to the lackadaisical second half where the narrator says they “ain’t got no worries cause I ain’t in no hurry at all,” this song is a true treat to sing.

“You’re No Good” by Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt might not have been crazy about her vocal performance in “You’re No Good”, but I am. This is one of those quintessential 1970s choruses that blends elements of rock ‘n’ roll, soul, and disco. The airtight vocal harmonies are just the cherry on top. Heart Like A Wheel has no shortage of songs that are fun to sing along to, but “You’re No Good” is among the most cathartic in the tracklist.

“Afternoon Delight” by Starland Vocal Band

Is this entry halfway tongue-in-cheek? Yes. Is this still one of the catchiest choruses of the 1970s? Also yes. Sure, I’m of the generation that developed a strong association between this song and Anchorman. But aside from that early 2000s comedy film, Starland Vocal Band’s “Afternoon Delight” is an undeniable earworm. Who doesn’t love the opportunity to imitate rocket sounds in between vocal lines, anyway?

“How Deep Is Your Love” by Bee Gees

Bee Gees have countless catchy choruses to sing along to, but this 1970s ballad takes the cake for me personally. “How Deep Is Your Love” is certainly sappy and, dare I say, a bit gushy. But the harmonic progression of the chorus is so tender and vulnerable that it almost makes this love song a little sad. It’s a defiant—if not dramatic—love song, and I’m all here for it.

“Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac

There are plenty of Fleetwood Mac songs to choose from when it comes to catchy 1970s choruses, but come on. Even if you don’t consider yourself a Fleetwood Mac fan, which I do, it’s nearly impossible not to sing along to “Dreams” from Rumours. Thunder doesn’t only happen when it’s raining, but that’s okay. We’re not asking Stevie Nicks for weather advice.

“Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry

Wild Cherry’s autobiographical song about getting asked to play something other than rock ‘n’ roll at a nightclub closes out this list of 1970s choruses I feel physically compelled to sing. “Play That Funky Music” is, well, funky. The chorus has vocal interjections and affectations that are just plain fun to imitate, like “riiiiight” and “till you die!”

Photo by Tucker Ranson/Archive Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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