The Best Opening Lines of ’70s Songs

The Best Opening Lines of ’70s Songs

Author: David Yas & Michael ”Milt” Wolfe April 3, 2026 Duration: 1:45:25
Dave and Milt are doing what they do best: arguing about music like it matters (because it does). This time, they’re counting down their favorite opening lines from 1970s songs — with Milt, naturally, gravitating toward lines that drop you immediately into a vibe, a scene, or a full-blown attitude problem. They go back and forth like two guys at a bar who won’t let the other finish a sentence, firing off picks like “Life in the Fast Lane,” “Renegade,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” “He’s Misstra Know-It-All,” “Easy,” “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” “It’s Only Rock ’n Roll,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” “Kodachrome,” “Stayin’ Alive,” and “Thunder Road.” Dave lands the plane with his #1 — “Dream On” — because of course he does. Meanwhile, Milt zigged where no one zagged, crowning “Rapper’s Delight” as his top dog, because subtlety is overrated. Plus: a Playdate quiz fueled by listener suggestions, featuring killer openings like “Werewolves of London,” “Sir Duke,” and “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” — because nothing says “fun” like being put on the spot about lyrics you definitely thought you knew.   Topics 01:03 Listener Shoutout Joe 03:48 New Segment and Emails 04:47 Proud Dad: Adrian Sings 06:46 Countdown Setup Seventies Openers 07:30 How We Picked Lyrics 11:20 Number 10 Picks Eagles and Styx 19:48 Number 9 Picks The Who and Stevie 28:07 Number 8 Picks Billy Joel and Lionel 36:43 Pump It Up Meaning 38:03 Elvis Costello Lyrics 40:28 Podcast Banter Break 42:06 Elton John Epic Medley 47:07 Stones vs Critics 50:32 I Shot the Sheriff 54:00 Play Date Quiz 01:02:50 Joy to the World 01:05:36 Steely Dan Story 01:09:58 Kodachrome Kickoff 01:10:38 Nostalgia Parody Talk 01:12:20 April Fools Banter 01:13:12 Staying Alive Breakdown 01:16:28 Cheese Jokes And TikTok 01:19:10 Radar Love Rush 01:21:45 Black Dog Pure Rock 01:25:26 Forever In Blue Jeans 01:29:40 Thunder Road Scene Setting 01:35:00 Dream On Reflection 01:38:45 Rappers Delight Finale 01:42:47 Wrap Up And Listener Mail

For anyone who’s ever argued about a one-hit wonder or wondered what exactly made a chart-topper tick, there’s PAST 10s: A Top 10 Time Machine-Music of the 70s, 80s and More. Hosts Michael “Milt” Wolfe and David Yas don’t just play the hits; they dig into the actual top ten lists from decades past, serving up a blend of nostalgia and fresh commentary. Each episode is a deep dive into a specific chart, breaking down not just the winners but the curious also-rans and genuine oddities that shared the space. You’ll hear them analyze everything from the undeniable classics to those “how did that get there?” moments, all with a sense of camaraderie and genuine curiosity. While the core of the podcast revolves around the music of the 1970s and 1980s, they happily venture into the 90s and other eras, applying the same formula to themed lists like the greatest cover songs, iconic TV themes, and memorable movie soundtracks. It’s less a lecture and more like eavesdropping on a great conversation between two knowledgeable friends who love to unpack the stories behind the songs. The result is a consistently engaging listen that might make you revisit your old playlists with a new appreciation. Tune in for a weekly dose of musical archaeology that’s as much about the cultural context as it is about the melody.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

PAST 10s: A Top 10 Time Machine - Music of the 70s, 80s and More
Podcast Episodes
1979’s Top Albums: Get Off The Wall! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:09:57
Dave and Milt slip into their glowing white socks and travel back to September 22, 1979—when albums mattered, packaging was an art form and apparently everybody owned a synthesizer. [EPISODE SPOILERS IN LIST OF TOPICS BE…
The Simply Irresistible Hits of 1988 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56:05
Dave and Milt fire up the time machine to revisit Billboard’s Top 10 for the week ending September 10, 1988, amid banter about insomnia, last week’s “Freedom Rock” episode (and Finley the wonderdog), and some period triv…
Turn It Up, Man! 1987’s Freedom Rock! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:01
Dave and Milt record in person at Casa Wolfe for a special Past 10s episode that ditches the usual Billboard Top 10 format to start a “Freedom Rock” breakdown, inspired by the endlessly replayed 1987 TV ad. They explain…
The Touchy-Feely Tunes of 1973 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56:26
Dave and Milt riff on Taco Bell shtick, Dolly Parton’s legacy, a listener spat sparked by Professor David Gallant’s harsh Rock Hall takes, and Dave’s front-row Squeeze concert (plus a grim Adam Ant review). The time mach…
The ‘80s: Our Listeners Punch the HOF Ballot [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:00
Dave and Milt reveal the listeners’ survey-driven top 10 forgotten ’80s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-worthy artists, noting the oddly neat result that—like the ’70s episode—about 10 acts clear a “put them in” majority thresh…
Snubbed? Which ’70s Acts Belong in the Rock Hall? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:20
Dave and Milt reveal results from a listener poll rating which ’70s artists deserve Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, after briefly sharing comments on last week’s 1983 substitution episode (including an Ally McBeal/Ro…
Re-Doing the Top 10 of July 1983 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:05:51
Dave and Milt introduce an episode built around listener survey results rewriting the Billboard Top 10 for July 30, 1983, after voters overwhelmingly chose to boot Sergio Mendes’ “Never Gonna Let You Go.” They preview co…
Top TV of '83: Boobs on the Tube [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33:56
Dave and Milt detour from Billboard to TV, counting down the top 10 shows for a week in July 1983 while arguing about pie, cheesecake calories, and why Five Guys “small” fries aren’t small. They plug a survey to rewrite…
Hits of ‘83: Can You Say Mama Sa Mama Coosa? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:50:33
Dave and Milt celebrate seven years of Past 10s the only way they know how: by embarrassing themselves with old stories, reading listener shout-outs, and convincing everyone to fill out another substitution poll (vote he…
‘86 Flicks: Ferris! Ripley! Rodney! Goose? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:42:04
If you thought we were done talking about 1976… think again. Dave and Milt kick things off by emptying the mailbag from our "all substitutions" listener episode, reading your comments, handing out a few well-deserved sho…