The 1970s may be best remembered for classic rock and disco, but the decade definitely gave us a slew of sad and depressing songs, too. From teen suicide to heroin addiction, there weren’t a whole lot of light and fluffy songs, especially in the middle part of the decade. Here are the Top 10 Sad Songs from the '70s:
Needle and the Damage Done- Neil Young (1972). Neil Young’s Harvest LP had plenty of great songs on it, but this one was just plain depressing. While I like the melody, the lyrics about the descent into heroin addiction is something I’d rather not sing along to. Young’s “Every junkie’s like a setting sun…” gets me every time.
Time in a Bottle- Jim Croce (1973). Jim Croce’s tragic death in 1973 further punctuated the already sad tone of this song, which incidentally turned out to be a posthumous hit for him. This song remains one of the ultimate tearjerker songs of all time, basically reminding us that there’s never enough time.
Billy Don’t Be a Hero- Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods (1974). 1974 was the year for the depressingly sad death songs of the decade. “Billy Don’t be a Hero” was an antiwar song with a tragic ending, when the song’s hero is killed in action.
Run Joey Run -David Geddes (1974). This song was so bad it was tragic! It started with a teenage pregnancy and ended with the teen girl’s father shooting and killing her. (His target was her baby daddy.) Full of drama and angst, this song was like an Afterschool Special gone terribly wrong.
Seasons in the Sun- Terry Jacks (1974). OK, so I take that back. This one beats “Run Joey Run” as far as depressing goes. This song is about a young man saying goodbye to his dying friend. It doesn’t get any sadder than : “goodbye my friend, it's hard to die, when all the birds are singing in the sky." Pass the tissues, please.
Cats in the Cradle- Harry Chapin (1974). Life goes fast and before you know it your kids are grown and out the door. Chapin reminds us all too well of this fact in this classic tearjerker. When an old man finally has time for his son, he discovers that his boy, now grown, no longer has no time for him. This song is a real wake up call, but how many of us listen?
All By Myself- Eric Carmen (1975). Before Celine Dion took on this power ballad, former Raspberries front man Eric Carmen belted it out in the '70s. The tune is about a lonely person reflecting on his life. By the way, whatever happened to Carmen?
At Seventeen- Janis Ian (1975). Not even out of high school and already and old maid? Imagine this empowering message when you’re a 10- year-old girl: “I learned the truth at seventeen, that love was meant for beauty queens." Man, after hearing Ian’s song for the umpteenth time, I was sure I’d never find a boyfriend!
I’m Not in Love- 10cc (1975). This song had gloomy music and more ominous lyrics that put a bad spin on love: “I like to see you, but then again, that doesn't mean you mean that much to me. " The singer also warns his girl: "If I call you, don't make a fuss, don't tell your friends about the two of us." Because being in love means never having to say 'I love you." P.S. Big boys don't cry, either.
Ode to Billy Joe- Bobby Gentry (1967). This song was actually released in 1967, but it was immortalized in the 1976 Robby Benson movie, “Ode to Billy Joe." The totally sad tale of a confused young man who ends up committing suicide by jumping off the Tallahatchie Bridge, leaving behind his true love and a lot of unanswered questions, is punctuated by Bobby Gentry's hautning lyrics.
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