1970s Advice Songs: The Best Songs About Life Lessons, Choices, and Tough Decisions

Advice songs from the 1970s had range. Some told you to stay calm, some told you to leave, some told you to fight back, and a few told you not to eat the yellow snow. That is not a complete philosophy of life, but it is a memorable start.

The 1970s were full of songs about choices, survival, peace, work, love, family, freedom, growing up, and learning the hard way. Some of these records were gentle and thoughtful. Others were blunt enough to sound like your uncle leaning across the table at Thanksgiving. Either way, advice songs gave listeners something to sing along with while quietly wondering if the lyrics were aimed directly at them.

This list focuses on 1970–1979 songs that offer advice, warnings, encouragement, perspective, or hard-earned wisdom. Some titles give clear guidance, like Let It Be, Go Your Own Way, Teach Your Children, and The Gambler. Others work because the story itself teaches the lesson.

For PopCultureMadness, the ranking leans toward cultural staying power, lyrical advice, pop-culture familiarity, singalong value, and the chance that someone has quoted the song while giving actual life advice. That may or may not make the advice better, but it does make the playlist stronger.

Best 1970s Advice Songs

These are the strongest starting points for a 1970s advice songs playlist. They offer clear messages about patience, survival, peace, family, confidence, leaving, learning, and occasionally knowing when to walk away from the table.

1. Let It Be – The Beatles
2. The Gambler – Kenny Rogers
3. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
4. Father and Son – Cat Stevens
5. Imagine – John Lennon
6. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Monty Python
7. Simple Man – Lynyrd Skynyrd
8. Teach Your Children – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
9. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover – Paul Simon
10. You Don’t Mess Around with Jim – Jim Croce
11. Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing – Stevie Wonder
12. I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash
13. Get Up, Stand Up – Bob Marley & The Wailers
14. Hold Your Head Up – Argent
15. Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
16. Carry On Wayward Son – Kansas
17. Take This Job and Shove It – Johnny Paycheck
18. Won’t Get Fooled Again – The Who
19. Desperado – Eagles
20. Cat’s in the Cradle – Harry Chapin

Life Advice Songs from the 1970s

Some advice songs sound calm because they are trying to keep everyone from making a worse decision in the next five minutes. These 1970s songs offer perspective, patience, and the occasional reminder that not everything can be forced into place.

• Let It Be – The Beatles
• Whatever Gets You Through the Night – John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band
• Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing – Stevie Wonder
• I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash
• Hold Your Head Up – Argent
• Carry On – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• Carry On Wayward Son – Kansas
• It Don’t Come Easy – Ringo Starr
• Get It Right Next Time – Gerry Rafferty
• Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man) – Styx
• Save It for a Rainy Day – Stephen Bishop
• Let Your Love Flow – The Bellamy Brothers

Advice Songs About Family, Parents, and Growing Up

The 1970s gave us some of the most famous songs about generational advice. Sometimes the parent was trying to help. Sometimes the child was trying to break away. Sometimes the song quietly reminded everyone that nobody wins an argument with time.

• Father and Son – Cat Stevens
• Teach Your Children – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• Cat’s in the Cradle – Harry Chapin
• Simple Man – Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Old Man – Neil Young
• You’re a Big Girl Now – The Stylistics
• He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother – The Hollies
• Shower the People – James Taylor
• Part of the Plan – Dan Fogelberg

1970s Survival Songs and Confidence Anthems

Some advice is not gentle. Sometimes the song tells you to stand up, keep going, and stop waiting for the world to hand you a permission slip. These are the 1970s songs for resilience, confidence, and getting back on your feet.

• I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
• Get Up, Stand Up – Bob Marley & The Wailers
• Hold Your Head Up – Argent
• Keep Yourself Alive – Queen
• Gonna Fly Now – Bill Conti
• Born to Be Alive – Patrick Hernandez
• Don’t Look Back – Boston
• All Right Now – Free
• Love Will Keep Us Together – Captain & Tennille

Funny Advice Songs and Musical Warnings

Not all advice has to arrive with a serious face. The 1970s were excellent at turning warnings into hooks, jokes, character sketches, and comedy songs. Some of this advice is useful. Some of it is extremely specific. Either way, it is hard to forget.

• Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Monty Python
• You Don’t Mess Around with Jim – Jim Croce
• Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow – Frank Zappa
• 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover – Paul Simon
• Take the Money and Run – Steve Miller Band
• Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? – Chicago
• Only the Good Die Young – Billy Joel
• Love the One You’re With – Stephen Stills
• Get Dancin’ – Disco Tex & The Sex-O-Lettes

Advice Songs About Work, Money, and Getting Out

Few pieces of advice land harder than “leave the job,” “take the money,” or “know when to quit.” The 1970s had plenty of songs about work, ambition, frustration, and escape. HR may not approve of all of them.

• Take This Job and Shove It – Johnny Paycheck
• The Gambler – Kenny Rogers
• Take the Money and Run – Steve Miller Band
• It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll) – AC/DC
• Get It Right Next Time – Gerry Rafferty
• Too Late to Turn Back Now – Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
• Hold the Line – Toto
• I Wouldn’t Want to Be Like You – The Alan Parsons Project

Relationship Advice Songs from the 1970s

Love songs often become advice songs once the singer starts explaining what went wrong. These records offer lessons about leaving, staying, cheating, honesty, heartbreak, and the fine art of not pretending everything is fine when it obviously is not.

• Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
• 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover – Paul Simon
• Lyin’ Eyes – Eagles
• If You Love Me (Let Me Know) – Olivia Newton-John
• Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Elton John & Kiki Dee
• Don’t Expect Me to Be Your Friend – Lobo
• Everybody Plays the Fool – The Main Ingredient
• It’s Too Late – Carole King
• Hurting Each Other – Carpenters
• Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady – Helen Reddy
• Treat Her Like a Lady – Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
• If You Don’t Know Me by Now – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
• What a Fool Believes – The Doobie Brothers

Peace, Protest, and Social Advice Songs

The 1970s carried the aftershocks of the 1960s, and many advice songs were aimed at society itself. These songs asked people to imagine better, stand up, stop repeating old mistakes, or pay attention before the damage became permanent.

• Give Peace a Chance – John Lennon
• Imagine – John Lennon
• Get Up, Stand Up – Bob Marley & The Wailers
• Won’t Get Fooled Again – The Who
• Mind Games – John Lennon
• Big Yellow Taxi – Joni Mitchell
• Nature’s Way – Spirit
• Changes – David Bowie
• The Logical Song – Supertramp

Dance Advice: Sometimes the Message Is Move

Not every advice song gives a lecture. Some just tell you to dance, sing, groove, or get out of your own head for a few minutes. That counts. Sometimes the best advice is four beats, a bassline, and no unnecessary meetings.

• You Should Be Dancing – Bee Gees
• Get Down Tonight – KC & The Sunshine Band
• Sing a Song – Earth, Wind & Fire
• Listen to the Music – The Doobie Brothers
• Pick Up the Pieces – Average White Band
• Get Dancin’ – Disco Tex & The Sex-O-Lettes
• Attitude Dancing – Carly Simon
• I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl) – Instant Funk
• Ease on Down the Road – Diana Ross & Michael Jackson

1970–1979 Advice Songs Chart

This chart gathers the best 1970s songs about advice, life lessons, warnings, encouragement, hard choices, and decisions. Some songs offer direct advice. Others teach through story, mood, or a line that stuck around long after the record stopped spinning.

1. Let It Be – The Beatles
2. The Gambler – Kenny Rogers
3. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
4. Father and Son – Cat Stevens
5. Imagine – John Lennon
6. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Monty Python
7. Give Peace a Chance – John Lennon
8. Simple Man – Lynyrd Skynyrd
9. You Don’t Mess Around with Jim – Jim Croce
10. Take This Job and Shove It – Johnny Paycheck
11. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover – Paul Simon
12. Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing – Stevie Wonder
13. Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
14. Teach Your Children – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
15. Hold Your Head Up – Argent
16. I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash
17. Cat’s in the Cradle – Harry Chapin
18. Get Up, Stand Up – Bob Marley & The Wailers
19. Won’t Get Fooled Again – The Who
20. Desperado – Eagles
21. Whatever Gets You Through the Night – John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band
22. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? – Chicago
23. Lyin’ Eyes – Eagles
24. The Logical Song – Supertramp
25. Carry On Wayward Son – Kansas
26. Carry On – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
27. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man) – Styx
28. Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow – Frank Zappa
29. Garden Party – Rick Nelson
30. Sing a Song – Earth, Wind & Fire
31. Surrender – Cheap Trick
32. Love Will Keep Us Together – Captain & Tennille
33. Slow Ride – Foghat
34. Take the Money and Run – Steve Miller Band
35. Billy, Don’t Be a Hero – Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods
36. (Don’t Bother with a) Local Girl – Graham Parker
37. Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time) – The Delfonics
38. It Don’t Come Easy – Ringo Starr
39. So It Goes – Nick Lowe
40. Can’t Get It Out of My Head – Electric Light Orchestra
41. Shower the People – James Taylor
42. It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll) – AC/DC
43. Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady – Helen Reddy
44. Old Man – Neil Young
45. Listen to the Music – The Doobie Brothers
46. Nature’s Way – Spirit
47. He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother – The Hollies
48. I Am… I Said – Neil Diamond
49. Don’t Expect Me to Be Your Friend – Lobo
50. Everybody Plays the Fool – The Main Ingredient
51. I Don’t Know How to Love Him – Yvonne Elliman
52. I Don’t Know How to Love Him – Helen Reddy
53. Pick Up the Pieces – Average White Band
54. It’s Too Late – Carole King
55. Hurting Each Other – Carpenters
56. Accidents Will Happen – Elvis Costello & The Attractions
57. (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Öyster Cult
58. Tight Rope – Leon Russell
59. Hold the Line – Toto
60. Go All the Way – Raspberries
61. Keep Yourself Alive – Queen
62. Gotta Serve Somebody – Bob Dylan
63. I Believe in Music – Mac Davis
64. If You Love Me (Let Me Know) – Olivia Newton-John
65. Gonna Fly Now – Bill Conti
66. Get Dancin’ – Disco Tex & The Sex-O-Lettes
67. I Wouldn’t Want to Be Like You – The Alan Parsons Project
68. Give Me Just a Little More Time – Chairmen of the Board
69. Changes – David Bowie
70. Love the One You’re With – Stephen Stills
71. Mind Games – John Lennon
72. Get It Right Next Time – Gerry Rafferty
73. Attitude Dancing – Carly Simon
74. Domino – Van Morrison
75. What a Fool Believes – The Doobie Brothers
76. Treat Her Like a Lady – Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
77. Don’t Look Back – Boston
78. Big Yellow Taxi – Joni Mitchell
79. I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl) – Instant Funk
80. Ease on Down the Road – Diana Ross & Michael Jackson
81. I Need to Know – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
82. Part of the Plan – Dan Fogelberg
83. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart – Elton John & Kiki Dee
84. Blinded by the Light – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
85. Mainstreet – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
86. If You Don’t Know Me by Now – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
87. Too Late to Turn Back Now – Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
88. Don’t Bring Me Down – Electric Light Orchestra
89. Remember – Greg Kihn Band
90. Girls Will Be Girls, Boys Will Be Boys – The Isley Brothers
91. Born to Be Alive – Patrick Hernandez
92. Let Your Love Flow – The Bellamy Brothers
93. All Right Now – Free
94. Save It for a Rainy Day – Stephen Bishop

More 1970s Songs with Advice, Warnings, and Life Lessons

A list like this can stretch quickly because the 1970s loved big questions. These extra songs also belong in the advice conversation, especially for longer playlists or future expansion.

• You Can’t Always Get What You Want – The Rolling Stones
• Make It with You – Bread
• Lean on Me – Bill Withers
• Use Me – Bill Withers
• Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
• Respect Yourself – The Staple Singers
• I’ll Take You There – The Staple Singers
• O-o-h Child – Five Stairsteps
• Free Bird – Lynyrd Skynyrd
• Time – Pink Floyd
• Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 – Pink Floyd
• Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac
• You’ve Got a Friend – James Taylor
• Lean on Me – Bill Withers
• We’ve Only Just Begun – Carpenters

1970s Advice Songs Trivia

• “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” came from Monty Python’s 1979 film Life of Brian, making it one of the funniest advice songs of the decade.
• The Gambler turned poker language into life advice. “Know when to hold ’em” became much bigger than a card-table phrase.
• I Will Survive was originally released as a B-side before DJs helped turn it into a disco and survival anthem.
• Let It Be became one of The Beatles’ most famous late-period songs and remains a go-to musical phrase for patience, acceptance, and calm.
• Teach Your Children works as both parental advice and a reminder that younger generations also have something to teach.
• Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow may not be the deepest advice of the 1970s, but it is among the most practical. Frank Zappa did not waste words.
• Gonna Fly Now became famous through Rocky, turning a movie training montage into one of the decade’s great musical pushes to keep going.
• Ease on Down the Road came from The Wiz, giving the advice playlist a stage-and-screen connection with Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.

Why 1970s Advice Songs Still Work

1970s advice songs still work because they rarely sound like lectures. They sound like stories, sing-alongs, jokes, arguments, prayers, warnings, pep talks, and confessions. The advice sneaks in while the chorus is doing the heavy lifting.

The best songs on this list still feel useful because the questions have not changed much. Should you stay or leave? Fight or forgive? Speak up or let it be? Take the money or learn the lesson? The 1970s did not solve every problem, but it did leave a pretty great soundtrack for thinking things over.

Sources for 1970s Advice Song Facts

• Library of Congress: National Recording Registry entry for Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive
• Library of Congress essay on I Will Survive
• Monty Python official-style clip of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life from Life of Brian
• Kenny Rogers official website
• The Beatles official page for Let It Be
• John Lennon official page for Imagine
• Bob Marley official music page
• IMDb page for Rocky
• IMDb page for The Wiz