17 Guilty Pleasure Songs Many Baby Boomers Still Remember
Remember those songs you secretly loved but maybe wouldn’t blast at full volume in front of your coolest friends?
Baby Boomers grew up during an era when music was wild, experimental, and sometimes wonderfully weird.
These guilty pleasure gems are still stuck in our heads decades later, proving that catchy beats and silly lyrics never really go out of style!
Disclaimer: This list reflects opinion and nostalgic listening taste, not definitive fact or universal consensus about what counts as a “guilty pleasure.”
1. Yummy Yummy Yummy by Ohio Express
Bubblegum pop reached peak sweetness with this 1968 candy-coated earworm.
Ohio Express delivered sugary vocals over bouncy rhythms that made it impossible not to tap your feet, even if the lyrics were basically about loving someone’s, well, yumminess.
Radio stations played it nonstop that summer, drilling the chorus into everyone’s brain forever. Though critics dismissed it as disposable fluff, millions of records flew off shelves anyway.
2. Sugar, Sugar by The Archies
A cartoon band outsold real musicians in 1969, proving animation could rock the charts.
The Archies weren’t actual humans but fictional characters from the comic books, yet their sugary love song became the year’s biggest hit.
Studio musicians recorded this confection while animators drew Archie and the gang on screen. Kids and adults alike couldn’t resist humming along to lyrics comparing love to pouring honey.
3. Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations
Heartbreak never sounded so cheerful! This 1968 British-soul fusion turned romantic frustration into an irresistible singalong anthem that still fills dance floors today.
The Foundations blended upbeat horns with lyrics about being stood up and let down repeatedly. Somehow, complaining about a flaky lover became the happiest-sounding song on the radio.
Wedding DJs still spin this track because nobody can resist belting out that unforgettable chorus, even five decades later. Just saying, broken hearts have never grooved quite this hard!
4. Having My Baby by Paul Anka
Paul Anka’s 1974 ode to impending fatherhood became massively controversial and wildly popular simultaneously.
Critics found the lyrics possessive and outdated, while millions bought the record anyway, pushing it to number one.
The song celebrated pregnancy from a man’s perspective, which rubbed feminists the wrong way during the women’s liberation movement.
5. Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede
Swedish musicians added ooga-chaka chanting to a B.J. Thomas song and created 1974’s most distinctive earworm.
Blue Swede’s version featured that unforgettable tribal-sounding intro that nobody could get out of their heads for decades.
The bizarre arrangement somehow worked perfectly, combining pop, rock, and experimental sounds into chart-topping gold.
6. Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas
When martial arts movies exploded in popularity, this 1974 disco track kicked its way straight to the top.
Carl Douglas recorded it as a B-side filler, never expecting it would become a global phenomenon selling millions of copies worldwide.
Those iconic chopping sounds and lightning-fast lyrics captured the kung fu craze sweeping through pop culture.
Though some now view it as culturally insensitive, back then everyone was imitating Bruce Lee moves on the dance floor.
7. Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks
Terry Jacks transformed a French song about dying into 1974’s most tear-jerking farewell anthem.
The English adaptation told stories of goodbyes to friends, family, and a cheating wife, all wrapped in a deceptively upbeat melody.
Critics despised its sentimental mushiness, calling it manipulative and overly dramatic. However, listeners couldn’t stop playing this emotional rollercoaster, making it a chart-topper across multiple countries. +
8. Copacabana At the Copa by Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow’s 1978 theatrical masterpiece told a tragic nightclub story with Latin rhythms and dramatic flair.
Lola the showgirl, Tony the bartender, and Rico the villain became characters everyone knew by heart after hearing this mini-musical once.
The song’s cinematic storytelling elevated it beyond typical pop fare, though critics still labeled Manilow as schmaltz.
9. Disco Duck by Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots
A radio DJ created the most ridiculous novelty hit of 1976 by quacking over disco beats. Rick Dees literally named his backing band the Cast of Idiots, fully aware this song was gloriously absurd from start to finish.
Program directors initially banned it for being too silly, which only made listeners request it more obsessively.
The track eventually hit number one, proving Americans would dance to anything with a funky bassline.
10. Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band
Starland Vocal Band’s 1976 hit sounded like wholesome folk-pop until you actually listened to the lyrics.
This Grammy-winning tune was definitely not about lunch breaks, despite its innocent-sounding title and sunny harmonies!
Parents happily hummed along before realizing what afternoon delight actually meant, leading to some awkward family moments.
The suggestive content flew under the radar because the melody was so pleasant and radio-friendly.
11. You Light Up My Life by Debby Boone
Debby Boone’s 1977 ballad spent ten weeks at number one, becoming one of the decade’s most successful singles.
The earnest love song originally appeared in a forgettable film but transcended its origins to become a cultural phenomenon.
Critics found it overly sentimental and saccharine, yet millions embraced its message of hope and devotion.
12. Muskrat Love by Captain and Tennille
Captain and Tennille’s 1976 soft-rock ballad about rodent romance divided listeners into passionate camps.
Some found the muskrat courtship story adorable and romantic, while others considered it the cheesiest thing ever recorded on vinyl.
Synthesizer sounds mimicked muskrat squeaks throughout, adding to the quirky charm or cringe factor depending on your perspective.
13. Love Will Keep Us Together by Captain and Tennille
Before the muskrats, Captain and Tennille scored their biggest hit with this 1975 Neil Sedaka cover.
The husband-wife duo transformed the song into a Grammy-winning, chart-topping phenomenon that defined mid-seventies pop perfection.
Toni Tennille’s powerful vocals combined with the Captain’s keyboard wizardry created an irresistible blend of optimism and catchiness.
The song became an anthem for couples everywhere, promising that love conquers all obstacles.
14. Escape The Pina Colada Song by Rupert Holmes
Rupert Holmes crafted 1979’s catchiest tale of relationship boredom and accidental reunion.
The story follows someone answering a personal ad, only to discover their secret correspondent is actually their own partner, leading to a hilariously awkward happy ending.
Radio stations played it constantly, drilling that tropical chorus into everyone’s brain permanently. Though the narrative is basically about attempted cheating, the bouncy melody made it feel wholesome somehow.
15. Take a Chance on Me by ABBA
This 1978 plea for romantic consideration became another irresistible hit from the Swedish supergroup.
The song’s jogging rhythm came from band members literally running and singing simultaneously during writing sessions, creating that distinctive breathless energy.
Critics sometimes dismissed ABBA as too commercial or lightweight, but their songwriting genius was undeniable. This track’s layered harmonies and persistent lyrics made it a karaoke favorite for generations.
16. Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell’s 1975 anthem about show business dreams resonated with anyone chasing success against the odds.
The song’s metaphor of a struggling performer wearing rhinestones instead of real diamonds captured both hope and heartbreak perfectly.
Campbell’s smooth vocals and the polished production made it a crossover hit on country and pop charts simultaneously.
17. Mony Mony by Tommy James and the Shondells
After spotting a Mutual of New York sign, Tommy James turned it into 1968’s most energetic dance track.
The repetitive chorus and driving beat made it perfect for wild dancing, though the lyrics barely made any sense whatsoever.
Later, Billy Idol’s cover introduced it to new generations with audience participation that got rather rowdy.
The original version captured pure sixties garage-rock energy that made everyone move, regardless of whether they understood what mony mony actually meant.
