1. John Lennon - Imagine

Found on: Imagine (1971)

If seculars and agnostics and atheists gathered once a week and had fellowship and sang songs, this would be the first one in the hymn book.

2. Don McLean - American Pie

Found on: American Pie (1971)

When I was a kid I had an edited 45 of American Pie and I always thought it was about the Dukes of Hazzard because of the "good old boys" part. I also loved the rhyming of "Chevy" and "levee". As an adult I have a slightly deeper appreciation. The song is actually an abbreviated, poetically-veiled history of rock up to that point. Everyone knows the reference to the deaths of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens, but look for references to Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Byrds, etc. Consider that it remains a great song despite attempts to ruin it by both Madonna and The Brady kids.

3. Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive

Found on: Love Tracks (1979)

Is it ironic that THE good-riddance-I-didn't-need-you-anyway anthem was originally on an album called Love Tracks? I think so. Play this in a room full of women and enjoy the show.

4. The Knack - My Sharona

Found on: Get The Knack (1979)

One of the horniest songs ever, and also more than slightly creepy because of the line, "I always get it up for the touch / of the younger kind." The fact that people still sing along is a credit to the jungle beat, chugging bass, surf guitar and all-around energetic performance.

5. Kermit the Frog - The Rainbow Connection

Found on: The Muppet Movie: Original Soundtrack Recording (1979)

As a three-year-old I had committed the soundtrack to memory before I ever saw The Muppet Movie, so when my mom took me to a showing at a rerun theater, I embarrassed her by singing along with every song in the loudest voice possible. Considering that it a) is sung by a puppet in a funny voice and b) features a banjo as the primary instrument, The Rainbow Connection has no right to be as affecting as it is.

6. Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now

Found on: I Can See Clearly Now (1972)

I'm pessimistic about the prospects of you finding a more optimistic song than this one.

7. The Five Stairsteps - O-o-h Child

Found on: O-o-h Child (1970)

The aural equivalent of your mom sitting by your bed when you feel sick in the night.

8. Player - Baby Come Back

Found on: Player (1977)

A blue-eyed soul gem, with the message that every wronged lover longs to hear. Plus, a fun fact for all you daytime television fans. Ronn Moss, bassist for Player, went on to play Ridge on The Bold and the Beautiful.

9. Commodores - Easy

Found on: Commodores (1977)

It's time to recognize Lionel Richie as the king of bridges. His bridges are almost always like separate little songs, with distinct melodies. In this case it's the "I wanna be high / So high..." part. Anyway, this song is a little bit conflicted, because he's basically telling everyone to let him be, but why would a person who's as "easy as Sunday morning" be so stand-offish?

10. Seals and Crofts - Summer Breeze

Found on: Summer Breeze (1972)

Summer Breeze sounds like a sad song in the beginning. It always throws me off until it settles into its gentle pastoral message. Musically, it sounds like Cat Stevens jamming with Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.

11. ABBA - Dancing Queen

Found on: Arrival (1977)
Picked by: PA, WA, JG, RN, EV

I think Eliza summed this one up best: "What drunk doesn't like Dancing Queen? Especially on your birthday when everyone dances around you."

12. Todd Rundgren - Hello, It's Me

Found on: Something/Anything? (1972)

Todd Rundgren picked up right where The Beatles and Beach Boys left off with this ultra-melodic easy listening classic. This is another one of those songs the '70s seemed to specialize in, namely the fact that it sounds like a love song but is really a break-up tune. If you listen carefully, the singer is basically letting her down easy by pretending it's for her own good: "It's important to me / that you know you are free." Of course, he still wants to hook up occasionally.

13. The Cars - Just What I Needed

Found on: The Cars (1978)
Picked by: PA, WA, JG, RN

The Cars took a little bit of a '70s hard rock sensibility, some New Wave cool (especially in Ben Orr's detached vocals), the harmonies and production quality of a '60s pop group, and mixed it all together into a completely unique concoction. Just What I Needed is a perfect example of their appeal to both audiophiles and casual listeners.

14. Bob Dylan - Tangled Up In Blue

Found on: Blood On The Tracks (1976)
Picked by: PA, JG, RN, EV

Robert Zimmerman's pop breakthrough. There's nothing to complain about in this song; from the strong musicianship to the mesmerizing spell of the lyrics it's all solid. Even Bob's vocal performance is charming, making it one of the few Dylan songs that couldn't be improved by a cover version.

15. Al Green - Let's Stay Together

Found on: Let's Stay Together (1972)
Picked by: PA, WA, RN, EV

I'm betting not many girls (or boys) were looking at the album cover as they listened to this song and fantasized that the future Reverend was singing just to them. That cock-eyed, leering look on Al's face kind of ruins the whole sentiment.

16. Cheap Trick - I Want You To Want Me (live)

Found on: At Budokan (1979)
Picked by: PA, WA, RN, EV

Fun Fact: At least four Cheap Trick album covers feature only the pretty boy members of the band, Robin Zander and Tom Petersson. The nerdier Rick Neilsen and Bun E. Carlos were relegated to the back. Anyway, I Want You To Want Me is not only a great song, but it's one of the rare cases where a live version of a tune captures the public imagination. I think it's the thousands of Japanese boys and girls screaming "ah-ah-ah" that puts it over the top.

17. Paul McCartney - Maybe I'm Amazed

Found on: McCartney (1970)
Picked by: PA, WA, SB, RN

A great love song; too bad McCartney had to stab the other Beatles in the back when he released it (he had begged each of the other members to not quit the band and then announced their break-up and the release of his first solo album in one fell swoop). By the way, the cover is another "Paul is dead" clue. You know the saying "life is just a bowl of cherries"? Well, they've all spilled out, see?

18. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On

Found on: Let's Get It On (1973)
Picked by: PA, WA, RN, EV

If you couldn't tell, we've reached the baby-making section of the list. Paste magazine had some commentary about this song recently. I can't find the exact wording, but it was something to the effect of "Let's Get It On could get a polar bear and a toaster to mate." I used to wonder if the line "stop beating 'round the bush" was entendre, but dismissed that as too tawdry for Marvin. Then I found out he had a song (on this very album, in fact) called You Sure Love To Ball. No kidding.

19. Isaac Hayes - Theme from "Shaft"

Found on: Shaft (1971)

That layered groove alone is enough to place it among the best '70s songs, but add in the "damn right"s, "can you dig it"s and "shut your mouth"s and there's really no question.

20. The Delfonics - Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)

Found on: The Delfonics (1970)

Is that an album cover photo or a J.C.Penney ad? Either way, as Kyan says, "This is the jam!" It's the sexiest break-up song ever.