Some friendships seemed like they would last forever.
You saw each other five days a week, passed notes in class, met at lockers between periods and spent weekends figuring out what to do with a few dollars and a full tank of gas.
At the time, it was just everyday life. Looking back, those ordinary afternoons and nights with your high school friends became some of the memories you would keep for decades.
And there was always music playing somewhere.
These 10 songs will take you right back.
- “Listen to the Music” – The Doobie Brothers (1972)
The title says it all. This was the kind of song that sounded perfect coming from a car radio with friends beside you and nowhere particularly important to be.
- “Take It Easy” – Eagles (1972)
Long before the Eagles became one of the biggest bands in America, this song gave young listeners the perfect soundtrack for driving around, hanging out and enjoying whatever the day brought.
- “We’re an American Band” – Grand Funk Railroad (1973)
Turn this one up and suddenly an ordinary car ride felt a lot more exciting. It had the loud, carefree energy that fit perfectly with a group of teenagers enjoying their freedom.
- “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)” – The Four Seasons (1975)
Despite the year in its title, this was unmistakably a 1970s hit. Its upbeat sound made it a natural favorite at parties and gatherings with friends.
- “Come and Get Your Love” – Redbone (1974)
That opening groove still sounds instantly familiar. It was relaxed, catchy and perfect for those afternoons when nobody had a real plan but nobody wanted to go home either.
- “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” – Looking Glass (1972)
Some songs became inseparable from the radio, and “Brandy” was one of them. Hearing it today can bring back memories of old cars, local hangouts and friends you haven’t seen in years.
- “Jackie Blue” – The Ozark Mountain Daredevils (1975)
Smooth and unmistakably 1970s, this was one of those songs that seemed to float out of radios everywhere. Its sound alone can put you back in the middle of the decade.
- “Magic” – Pilot (1974)
Bright, catchy and impossible not to sing along with, “Magic” was made for carefree moments. It’s easy to picture a group of friends turning this one up when it came on.
- “Rock’n Me” – Steve Miller Band (1976)
By the middle of the decade, Steve Miller Band was providing the soundtrack to countless car rides. “Rock’n Me” had exactly the kind of energy that made everyone in the car sing along.
- “More Than a Feeling” – Boston (1976)
Few opening guitar parts can transport people back as quickly as this one. Released in 1976, “More Than a Feeling” became the kind of song that attached itself permanently to teenage memories.
Eventually graduation came. People moved away, started careers, got married and built completely different lives. Some friends stayed close. Others slowly became people you only thought about when an old photograph or familiar song brought them back.
But for a few years, they were the people you saw almost every day.
Which song reminds you most of your high school friends in the 1970s?
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