Five brilliant 1970s songs that blew your mind when you first heard them

It’s fair to say some songs, even classic ones, take a few listens before you really appreciate how great they are. They grow over time and you probably hear something new each time you listen to them. That’s great if they get that extra time and effort from listeners. 

Is that even harder to give these days though? We maybe don’t listen as intently or pay as much attention to what is being played. Flicking through a phone, and multitasking in a variety of ways - it’s all going on while music is playing in the background. 

Some songs seem to have a way to cut through that. They shout at you from the first play. They have something unique in their sound which catches your ear and mind, making you listen. Those songs have just had that something extra to make them jump out at you.

Five brilliant 1970s songs you love from the start

That’s got to be more important now surely, but it’s always been that way. It was certainly the case for new songs back in the 1970s. Perhaps then they had to stand out from the crowd of top bands and their new albums and singles. Trying to grab the attention of some classic bands of that time.  Here are five great 1970s songs that took on that challenge superbly.

“Ca plane pour moi” - Plastic Bertrand

This song from 1977 proves that you don’t have to create a complicated masterpiece to have an impact. A catchy tune, a great hook, and a simple song can work. This one also shows that songs in a foreign language can work too. 

That can be a drawback if other nations can’t understand the words. In this case, it’s French lyrics. Sung by Belgian Plastic Bertrand, also known as Roger Jouret, they are part of the charm and style of the song, even if you don’t speak the language. It was written as a punk joke, a pastiche of the genre, but the sound and energy make it better than many it was pointing the finger at.

It opens with a terrific punk-style guitar sound, fast-paced and driving. Bertrand’s staccato and jerky singing style almost makes it sound like the words are being spat out. Very punk too! Immediately we’re hooked and the song is up and running in our heads. 

Three easy chords and a bit of twelve-bar blues sped up and everyone is ready to bounce around to it. Pogoing was all the rage at the time and “Ca plane pour moi” was originally intended to be the B side to a song called “Pogo-Pogo” but was flipped over to the A side at the last minute. A great decision. It’s such a lively song and it still grabs you now when you hear it.

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