One lyric, one song: Can you guess these 1975 hits?
One lyric, one song: Can you guess these 1975 hits?
Ricardo RamirezMon, March 2, 2026 at 1:55 PM UTC
0
One lyric, one song: Can you guess these 1975 hits?
1975 was a remarkable year on the radio. Country crossed over to pop, disco was finding its footing, and singer-songwriters were turning personal friendships into number ones. The songs that defined that year have never really left. You can still hear them in the back of your memory the moment someone hums a single bar.
Each question gives you one lyric. No hints, no multiple choice. See how many you recognize before checking the answer on the next slide.
Image Credit: Alessandro Biascioli/iStock
Question 1
“You (you) you belong to me now. Ain’t gonna set ya free now”
Image credit: ABC Television / Wikimedia Commons
Answer
“Love Will Keep Us Together” by Captain & Tennille. Written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield during their final session together as a songwriting duo. Toni Tennille whispered “Sedaka is back” in the fade-out. The Grammy went to Record of the Year in 1976.
Image Credit: CarlosAndreSantos/iStock
Question 2
“Well, I really don’t mind the rain. And a smile can hide all the pain”
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
Answer
“Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glen Campbell. Campbell heard the song on Australian radio, bought a cassette, and learned it on tour. When he returned, Capitol Records had already planned to pitch him the same song. It was the first track to simultaneously top both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Singles since “Big Bad John” in 1961.
Image Credit: MediaFeed / Bing Image Creator.
Question 3
“If you choose to, you can live your life alone. Some people choose the city (some people choose the city)”
Image Credit: Heinrich Klaffs / Wikimedia Commons.
Answer
“Philadelphia Freedom” by Elton John. Written as a tribute to tennis champion Billie Jean King, Elton played her the rough mix in a Colorado locker room. The vinyl dedication read “with love to B.J.K.”
Image credit: DWPhotos / iStock
Question 4
“Shining star come in to view. Shine its watchful light on you, yeah”
mage Credit: Chris Hakkens / Wikimedia Commons.
Answer
“Shining Star” by Earth, Wind & Fire. Recorded in a single electrifying session, it became the group’s first Billboard Hot 100 number one and won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Question 5
“After a while, we run under a tree. I turn to her and she kisses me”
Image credit: RCA / Wikimedia Commons
Answer
“Laughter in the Rain” by Neil Sedaka. Released on Elton John’s Rocket Records label, it announced Sedaka’s return to American audiences after years of recording in England and climbed to number one in February 1975.
Image Credit: alvarez.
Question 6
“One of these dreams. One of these lost and lonely dreams, now”
Image Credit: Eagles performing in 2008 by Steve Alexander (CC BY-SA).
Advertisement
Answer
“One of These Nights” by the Eagles. The song introduced a darker sound, pointing directly toward Hotel California. It spent two weeks at number one in July 1975.
Image Credit: Depositphotos.com.
Question 7
“Fame nein it’s mine is just his line. To bind our time it drives you to crime (crime)”
Image Credit: AVRO / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 nl.
Answer
“Fame” by David Bowie. Co-written with John Lennon during a late-night New York session, the track took shape in hours. Its funk-driven groove became Bowie’s first number one in the United States.
Image Credit: ZoneCreative / istockphoto.
Question 8
“You need me by your side. To dry away every teardrop that you cry”
Image credit: Gene Pugh / Wikimedia Commons
Answer
“Before the Next Teardrop Falls” by Freddy Fender. Recorded after a decade of setbacks, Fender’s raw delivery made the track feel lived-in. It topped both the pop and country charts simultaneously.
studiodav / iStock
Question 9
“Oh, my child, you got so much. You gonna take away my energy”
Image Credit: Bee Gees in 1976 by Caribb (CC BY-NC-ND).
Answer
“Jive Talkin'” by the Bee Gees. The group’s pivot toward disco made it their first American number one in six years. The distinctive rhythm was inspired by the clicking sound the brothers heard driving over a Miami causeway.
Image credit: DWPhotos / iStock
Question 10
“Well, I got me a fine wife, I got me ole fiddle. When the sun’s coming up, I got cakes on the griddle”
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Answer
“Thank God I’m a Country Boy” by John Denver. Originally recorded live in Colorado, the studio version became Denver’s second number one of 1975. Its fiddle-driven energy made it a sing-along that outlasted every trend of the decade.
Image Credit: tylim / iStock
Wrap up
10 songs, 10 stories. Whether you got them all or stumbled on a few, 1975 rewarded close listening. These artists had all earned their moment, and the music they made that year has never stopped proving it.
Ask us! What questions do you have about content, strategy, pop culture, lifestyle, wellness, history or more? We may use your question in an upcoming article!
Ask us a question
Related:
12 iconic rock songs that wouldn’t fly today
’70s rock songs that wouldn’t fly today
Want more insights?
Check out better. magazine, our free digital zine! Get all things better – better ideas, better eating, better health, better entertainment & more.
Like MediaFeed’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
