The Best Opening Lines of ’70s Songs

The Best Opening Lines of ’70s Songs

Author: david@pod617.com 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: 100

PAST 10s: A Top 10 Time Machine - Music of the 70s, 80s and More
Podcast Episodes
The Greatest SCREAMS in Rock History [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:15
This week on Past Tens, Dave and Milt welcome a fresh face to the show: new intern Jason, a Tulane University student possibly as obsessed with music as the Past Tens bozos. Jason talks about catching A$AP Rocky's "Don't…
The Hits of 1970 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:32
Dave and Milt crank up the Time Machine and head back to the week ending May 30, 1970, but not before detouring through spam-text “pig slaughtering” scams, listener banter, and a recap of Stephen Colbert’s farewell show,…
The Top 10 Late-Night Hosts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:49
Dave and Milt hit record for a special edition of Past 10s marking the end of an era: the final episode of Stephen Colbert’s Late Show. But instead of hopping into the Billboard Hot 100 time machine, the boys pivot to la…
The Rock of 1989: Doctor, There’s A Great White in My Heartbreaker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:54:05
Dave and Milt fire up the Top 10 Time Machine and head straight for the week ending May 20, 1989 — but this time they ditch the Hot 100 in favor of the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, because apparently Aqua Net, guitar…
The Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:58
Dave and Milt plug into one of rock nerd-dom’s favorite barstool arguments: Rolling Stone’s freshly dropped list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos Ever. Naturally, they treat it less like gospel and more like a karaoke ma…
The Hits – and the Glitz – of 1979 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:30
Milt’s off living his best life at Jazz Fest, so Dave taps in Deirdre McCarthy as guest co-pilot, and—folks—we fire up the time machine to May 5, 1979. It’s Laverne & Shirley on TV, Alien in theaters, The Hitchhiker’s Gu…
The Hits of ‘87, UK Style [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:48:59
Dave and Milt open with banter about expensive VIP options, coffee vs. tea, and then discuss the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class heavy with British performers (Phil Collins solo, Billy Idol, Oasis, Iron Maiden, Joy Divi…
The Michael Jackson Deep Dive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:59
Dave and Milt crack open a special Past Tens where the subject is none other than the human moonwalk, Michael Jackson—timed nicely with the looming biopic that’s about to remind everyone just how absurdly dominant this g…
Hits of '82: The Fire & The Fever [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:57:29
Dave and Milt fire up the Top 10 Time Machine and land squarely in April 3, 1982—a week where the Falklands War is just getting started, Space Shuttle Columbia is touching down in the desert like it missed its exit, Mich…
The Hits of 1977: Casey Kasem, Eat Your Heart Out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:04:30
Dave and Milt ride the Past 10s time machine to the week ending March 19, 1977, riffing on questionable water-park hygiene, a 44‑hour hijacking, FDA rules for “mixed nuts,” the Mary Tyler Moore finale giving birth to Thr…