Sunday morning had its own feeling in the 1970s.
The week seemed to move a little slower for a few hours. Maybe someone was making breakfast. Maybe the newspaper was spread across the kitchen table. Maybe you were getting ready for church, visiting relatives or simply enjoying the one morning when nobody seemed to be rushing out the door.
And somewhere in the house, there was usually music.
These 10 songs bring that quiet Sunday feeling right back.
1. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” – John Denver
Warm, familiar and easy to sing, John Denver’s classic sounds like the kind of record that could drift from another room while breakfast was being made.
2. “How Deep Is Your Love” – Bee Gees
The Bee Gees could dominate a dance floor, but they could also make music this gentle. “How Deep Is Your Love” feels almost tailor-made for a quiet morning.
3. “You’ve Got a Friend” – James Taylor
James Taylor’s voice made this Carole King composition feel reassuring and intimate, like someone sitting across the kitchen table telling you everything would be okay.
4. “Just the Way You Are” – Billy Joel
The soft electric piano and saxophone gave this song an easygoing sound that seemed to fit perfectly with the quieter side of the late 1970s.
5. “Reminiscing” – Little River Band
Even the title fits. “Reminiscing” was smooth, romantic and nostalgic, with the kind of melody that seemed to float rather than demand attention.
6. “Annie’s Song” – John Denver
Simple and sincere, this was one of those records that could make an ordinary morning feel a little more meaningful.
7. “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)” – James Taylor
James Taylor’s version brought an easy warmth to the Motown classic. It’s difficult to hear it without feeling a little better than you did three minutes earlier.
8. “Dream Weaver” – Gary Wright
The dreamy keyboards immediately place this song in the 1970s. It had a calm, almost weightless quality that made it stand apart on the radio.
9. “Sundown” – Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Lightfoot’s unmistakable voice and acoustic guitar gave “Sundown” a sound that was relaxed on the surface but filled with emotion underneath.
10. “Let Your Love Flow” – The Bellamy Brothers
Bright, melodic and effortlessly catchy, this was the kind of song that could make an ordinary Sunday drive feel memorable.
The 1970s produced an enormous range of radio music, from singer-songwriters and soft rock to disco and arena rock. Canadian artists were part of that story too: Gordon Lightfoot’s “Sundown” and Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” both reached No. 1 on the U.S. Hot 100 during the decade, according to Billboard.
But Sunday mornings weren’t really about what was No. 1.
They were about the little routines you didn’t realize you’d miss someday.
What do you remember most about Sunday mornings in the 1970s?
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