Forgotten High School Hits Boomers Left Behind In The '70s

The tunes of your high school experience can be as defining as the time spent in school itself, and classic hits of those (hopefully) good times can bring anyone back to right where they were when they first heard them. Tunes like Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" and Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" captured the spirit of a generation, but there's even more meat on the bone for this memorable era of music, and the young audience behind it.

Some tracks from the '70s high school era have gone on to become classic hits, transcending the era and memories they started with, and some have aged poorly to the point of cringe. But what about songs that were partially left behind?

These niche hits may be stuck in the past, but that makes them time capsules to a time now past. This list will look into some '70s hits that high schoolers of the time would certainly have heard, and remember now fondly. We'll hear from artists who are legends to this day, as well as those who made their mark only in their time.

The Sugarhill Gang's debut and breakout hit in 1979, "Rapper's Delight" brought cool flows and confident lyrics to a wide audience and particularly resonated with youth, with an infectious disco groove backing the rapping. The continuous song has a number of verses, with the members of the group each delivering their own ciphers over a funky beat — and the full version is nearly fifteen minutes long of continuous, entertaining back-and-forth from members Wonder Mike, Big Bank Hank, and Master Gee.

Its casual, stream-of-consciousness lyrics — some alleged to have been ripped from other artists — filled with memorable quotables, in each of the members' verses were just plain fun, and an easy, danceable listen: "So after school, I take a dip in the pool, which is really on the wall / I got a color TV so I can see the Knicks play basketball." Famously recorded in one take, "Rapper's Delight" may have been many teens' introduction to the flows and styles of hip-hop. But as the genre rapidly advanced and, often, became more specialized and serious, away from the laissez-faire, hangout sound of this track, then-listeners were likely to have left this hit behind.

Not much sounds as classically high school as this vintage Joe Jackson tune. This new wave track from the end of the '70s is light and catchy, and infinitely applicable for the time's heart-aching youth. Its chorus echoes a quintessential high school situation of jealousy and confusion: "Is she really going out with him? / Is she really gonna take him home tonight? / Is she really going out with him? /'Cause if my eyes don't deceive me / There's something going wrong around here."

Initially released in 1978 to limited success, "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" was re-released in '79 on Jackson's debut album, "Look Sharp!" as new wave began to take off, and found reasonable success. Though it was never a no. 1 hit, the track enjoyed relative success in its day and became an anthem of the late '70s youth into the '80s.

Jackson's nasal crooning embodies the youth on display in the track, and its sharp, cynical, and comical lyrics capture an entertaining distaste for this faceless other man, one that listeners of all kinds could relate to: "There, here comes Jeanie with her new boyfriend / They say that looks don't count for much / If so, there goes your proof."

This return to the protest song from legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's 1976 album, "Desire," became one of the defining hits of the '70s for Dylan, and helped him reestablish the popularity he held in the '60s. The folk-rock odyssey tells a story of a crime and injustice with vivid imagery: "Pistol shots ring out in the barroom night / Enter Patty Valentine from the upper hall / She sees the bartender in a pool of blood / Cries out, "My God, they killed them all!"

Dylan captured feelings of injustice and unrest in the '70s that bled over from the chaotic yet progress-filled 1960s, and though "Hurricane" tells one specific story, it also shows how some systemic issues don't fade immediately. Despite the heavy subject matter, it became a popular hit with an infectious groove and smooth strings, and was featured in the 1970s high school-inspired film "Dazed and Confused" as a staple of high schoolers' nightlife.

This moody rock track captures a cinematic feeling of youth both in its sound and its lyrics. Released first in 1978, and then in '79 as a part of the band's debut album, "Fickle Heart," British rockers Sniff 'n' the Tears melded electronic and smooth rock sounds with gritty guitars for an addicting listen. Like the aforementioned "Is She Really Going Out With Him?," the song references a (differently spelled) "Jenny," but tells a slice-of-life story of a night of dancing and fun: "Doing all right / A little jiving on a Saturday night / And come what may / Gonna dance the day away."

The song reemerged in the '90s, but despite the brief wave of popularity, it's been largely forgotten compared to other popular rock music, especially with similar (and largely successful) tunes coming out of England as well, with The Smiths and more — with "Driver's Seat" bearing noticeable similarities to 1986 hit "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out."