Can You Guess the '70s Song from its Opening Lyrics?

By: Olivia Cantor
Estimated Completion Time
7 min
Can You Guess the '70s Song from its Opening Lyrics?
Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

Can you get down with some songs from a very happening decade? The '70s calls on ya, folks! Shake your groove thing with this quiz.

Whether you were already swingin' and jivin' to the beats of these awesome tunes or whether you were born a little earlier — or a little later — and you still enjoyed these funky tunes by these great musicians, try your hand at answering this super duper bomb quiz we have here! That's the beauty of music: it touches the hearts, minds, and of course, the souls of each generation that listens to it. It's timeless, it's classic, and it's memorable — for everyone.

And boy, did the 1970s have a far-out musical selection! People were chilling to the slow tunes, doing the boogie to the fast songs, and of course, rocking on to the funky ones! We had the disco sound, we had the soul-R&B sound, we had the early punk sound, and we had the mellow sound — all happily rotating around on vinyl records, booming out of speakers, reaching as many ears possible. No matter what your taste in music is, the 1970s has you covered. 

So if you're truly hip to the groove, then go hit the quiz — you will ace it, for sure! Ya dig? Good luck!

Which song has these opening lyrics: "Raindrops are falling on my head/ And just like the guy whose feet/ Are too big for his bed"
Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Nose
Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head
This song by B.J. Thomas was a hit in 1970.
Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Beard
Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Feet

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Name the song that begins with these opening lyrics: "Everybody's doin' a brand new dance now"
The Choo-Choo
The Train Dance
The Loco-Motion
"The Loco-Motion" was a hit in 1974.
Ticket to Ride

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Which song opens with these lyrics: "Fame, (fame) makes a man take things over/ Fame, (fame) lets him loose, hard to swallow"
Shame
Fame
This song was part of the album called "Young Americans."
Came
Lame

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Identify the song that begins with these lyrics: "I shot the sheriff/ But I did not shoot the deputy"
I Shot
I Shot the Sheriff
The song also has a 1973 reggae version recorded by Bob Marley and the Wailers.
I Shot the Police
I Shot the Deputy

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Name the song that begins with these lyrics: “I am woman/ Hear me roar"
I Am Woman
"I Am Woman" burst into the scene in 1972, at the time when the second wave of feminism was gaining ground.
I Am Her
I Am She
I Am Female

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Name the song with these opening lyrics: "When I find myself in times of trouble/ Mother Mary comes to me"
Let It Be
"Let It Be" is one of the signature songs of the Beatles.
Let It See
Let It Be Me
Let It Flee

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Which song opens with these lyrics: "I've been alive forever, and I wrote the very first song/ I put the words and the melodies together"
I Am Music
I Write the Songs
Barry Manilow’s song was a hit in 1976.
Thank You for the Music
I Have the Songs

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Name the tune with these opening lyrics: "I'm coming home. I've done my time/ Now I've got to know what is and isn't mine"
Tie a Blue Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree
This song was a hit for Tony Orlando and Dawn in 1973.
Tie a Red Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree
Tie a Black Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree

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Can you guess the song with these opening lyrics: "Each day through my window I watch her as she passes by/ I say to myself, you're such a lucky guy"
Just Imagining (Running Away With Me)
Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
Gwyneth Paltrow and Babyface got together for a duet to sing this in 2001, with some lyrical revisions.
Just My Magic (Running Away With Me)
Just Your Imagination (Running Away With Me)

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Can you identify the tune that starts with these lyrics: "You walked into the party/ Like you were walking on a yacht"
You’re My Pain
You’re So Vain
This 1973 popular tune is supposed to be about the actor Warren Beatty, the rumor goes.
You’re in Vain
You’re a Pain

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Which song starts with these lyrics: "A long long time ago/ I can still remember/ How that music used to make me smile"
American Woman
American Pie
Don McLean’s 1972 hit "American Pie" had many meanings and references to the pop culture of that time and to political goings-on as well.
All-American Pie
American High

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Can you guess the song with these opening lyrics: "Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk/ I'm a woman's man/ No time to talk"
Staying Sweet
Staying Insane
Staying Alive
"Staying Alive" was a song from the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack.
Staying Groovy

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Identify the song with these opening lyrics: “Memories…light the corners of my mind"
The Way We Were
"The Way We Were," released in 1974, was part of the soundtrack of the film with the same title.
The Way We Are
The Way You Were
The Way You Are

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Which song opens with these lyrics: "If I could save time in a bottle/ The first thing that I'd like to do/ Is to save every day/ 'Til eternity passes away"
Time in a Cap
Time in a Bottle
Jim Croce sang this hit in 1973.
Genie in a Bottle
Time in a Distance

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Name the song that begins with these opening lyrics: "Gonna find my baby, gonna hold her tight/ Gonna grab some afternoon delight"
Afternoon Band
Afternoon Delight
Starland Vocal Band popularized this song back in 1976.
Afternoon Squeal
Afternoon Despite

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Which song has these opening lyrics: "Ben, the two of us need look no more/ We both found what we were looking for"
Boy
Ben
A preteen Michael Jackson sang this ballad to the rat named Ben in 1972.
Brod
Been

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Which song opens with these lyrics: "Sugar, sugar/ She sits alone waiting for suggestions/ He's so nervous, avoiding all the questions"
Sexy is a Saint
Da Ya Think I’m Sexy
"Da Ya Think I’m Sexy" epitomized the sexy dance tunes sound of 1979.
I'm Too Sexy
Sexy Mother

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Which song opens with these lyrics: "I met her on a Monday and my heart stood still/ Da doo ron ron ron, da doo ron ron"
Doo Wop
Da Doo Ron Ron
Shaun Cassidy’s teenybopper hit of 1977 is reminiscent of the bubblegum pop genre.
Bada Boom Boom
Yabba Dabba Doo

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What song begins with these lyrics: "Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, go sister"
Lady Creole
Lady Marmalade
The film "Moulin Rouge" gave this song a sexy new twist.
Creole Marmalade
Mocha Chocolatta Ya Ya

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Guess the song that begins with these lyrics: "You are the sunshine of my life/ That's why I'll always be around"
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Stevie Wonder popularized this song back in 1973.
You Are the Apple of My Eye
Forever You'll Stay In My Heart
My Cherie Amour

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Guess the song with these opening lyrics: "I've been really tryin', baby/ Tryin' to hold back this feeling for so long/ And if you feel like I feel, baby/ Then, c'mon, oh, c'mon, woo"
Let's Marvin Gaye
Let’s Get It On
Marvin Gaye’s 1973 hit "Let’s Get It On" is considered the quintessential alone-with-that-special-someone music.
Let's Marvin Gaye and Get It On
Let's Get It Marvin

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Guess the song with these opening lyrics: "There are times when a woman has to say what's on her mind/ Even though she knows how much it's gonna hurt"
Torn Between Two Lovers
Mary MacGregor sang this hit in 1977.
Torn
Torn Between
Torn in Two

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Can you name the tune with these opening lyrics: "Ooh, my little pretty one, my pretty one/ When you gonna give me some time, Sharona"
Mamma Mia
My Sharona
The 1994 film "Reality Bites" gave this song a new spin as it became a favorite among the Gen X crowd.
My Cherie Amour
Madonna and Me

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Which song has these opening lyrics: "Thanks for the times that you've given me/ The memories are all in my mind"
Three's a Lady
Times a Lady
Three Times a Lady
Lionel Richie sings the vocals here for the group, before he went solo.
Three is a Lady

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Can you identify the song that starts with these lyrics: "At first I was afraid/ I was petrified/ Kept thinking I could never live/ Without you by my side"
I'm a Survivor
I Will Survive
Gloria Gaynor’s self-empowerment disco anthem was a hit in 1979.
I Survive This
I Am Survivor

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Can you identify the song that begins with these lyrics: "Goodbye to you my trusted friend/ We've known each other since we were nine or 10"
Seasons in the Sunsets
Seasons of Love
Seasons in the Sand
Seasons in the Sun
"Seasons in the Sun" was a Billboard hit in 1974.

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Name the song with these opening lyrics: "You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life/ See that girl, watch that scene"
Dancing Queen
You should also hear Meryl Streep rock "Dancing Queen" as she sings it in the "Mamma Mia" movie.
Feel the Beat
You Can Dance
Singing Queen

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What song begins with these opening lyrics: "Now if there's a smile on my face/ It's only there tryin' to fool the public/ But when it comes down to foolin’ you/ Now honey that's quite a different subject"
The Tears of This Clown
The Tears of a Jester
The Tears of a Clown
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles sang this song in 1970.
The Tears of My Clown

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Which song starts with these lyrics: "Strumming my pain with his fingers/ Singing my life with his words"
Killing Me Close With His Song
Killing Me Swiftly With His Song
Killing Me Softly With His Song
The Fugees gave this song a hip-hop spin in 1996.
Killing Me Softly With His Sense

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Which tune begins with these lyrics: "There's talk on the street; it sounds so familiar/ Great expectations, everybody's watching you"
New Kid on the Block
New Edition
New Kid in Town
This song is included in their album entitled "Hotel California."
New Kid in the City

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Which tune begins with these lyrics: "Why do birds suddenly appear, ev'ry time you are near?"
(They Wanna Be) Close to You
(They Oughta Be) Close to You
(They Long to Be) Near to You
(They Long to Be) Close to You
Karen Carpenter sings the vocal here in this Burt Bacharach cover.

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Name the song that begins with these lyrics: "I was tired of my lady, we'd been together too long/ Like a worn-out recording of a favorite song"
Break-Up (The Piña Colada Song)
Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Rupert Holmes’ "Escape" was a popular song in 1979.
Duets (The Piña Colada Song)
Loverly (The Piña Colada Song)

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Which tune starts with these opening lyrics: "Yeah, there was a funky singer/ Playin' in a rock and roll band"
Play That Funky Music
Many artists covered this song in different decades, including Adam Lambert on "American Idol."
Play That Music White Boy
Lay Down and Boogie
Play That Music Until You Die

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Which song starts with these lyrics: "When you're down and troubled/ And you need a helping hand/ And nothing, nothing is going right"
You’ve Got a Friend in Me
That's What Friends Are For
You’ve Got a Friend
James Taylor is perhaps best known for singing this song.
A Friend Indeed

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Guess the song that begins with these lyrics: "Do you know where you're going to?/ Do you like the things that life is showing you?"
Theme from Mahogany
Diana Ross’ "Theme from Mahogany" was a hit in 1976.
Theme from Mulholland Drive
Theme from MacArthur Park
Theme from Mermaids

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You Got:
/35
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