3 Sentimental Ballads From the 1970s That Are Absolute Poetry

These tender 1970s ballads are pure poetry. The sparse instrumentation lets the lyrics shine. These artists took that opportunity and delivered timeless messages that prompt endless replays. No matter how many times we hear these songs, we’re washed in their beauty.

[RELATED: 3 Multi-Genre Songs That Prove the 1970s Were the Best Decade for Music]

“Vincent” – Don McLean

Other than “American Pie”, this is Don McLean’s calling card. His songwriting shines in this sentimental ballad, delivering a eulogy to misunderstood artists. “Starry, starry night / Portraits hung in empty halls / Frameless heads on nameless walls / With eyes that watch the world and can’t forget,” the lyrics read.

This song has endless interpretations. It tells a story of art’s place in the world, with lyrics that are deeply intricate and delicate. McLean chose his words wisely, delivering a clear message of devotion to those who see the world and feel compelled to create a response.

“If” – Bread

“If a picture paints a thousand words, / Then why can’t I paint you? / The words will never show the you I’ve come to know / If a face could launch a thousand ships, / Then where am I to go,” the stunning lyrics to Bread’s “If” read. This is one of the most touching sentimental ballads ever, elucidating the feeling so perfectly and universally you’d swear the songwriters could see into your life.

“When my love for life is running dry / You come and pour yourself on me,” the lyrics continue. These words are among the best found in 1970s soft rock, making perfect use of the sentiment this genre allows.

“Time In A Bottle” — Jim Croce

We’ve all heard this song a million times, so it’s easy to get complacent. But when we dig into the words, we find a wealth of stunning, poetic lyricism. The lines “If I could make days last forever / If words could make wishes come true / I’d save every day like a treasure and then / Again, I would spend them with you” are some of the most heartfelt lyrics ever written.

“But there never seems to be enough time / To do the things you want to do / Once you find them / I’ve looked around enough to know / That you’re the one I want to go / Through time with,” Croce adds in the chorus, laying his feelings bare. Few songwriters have dared to be quite as completely washed in emotion.

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