The best Spanish music from the 70s

The Spanish music from the 70s is, for this blog, the best that has ever been created in the history of modern music, with nuances between countries and languages, of course. Despite being born in the late following decade and having my own musical taste (and decision-making ability) by the 2000s, I dare to subjectively affirm that, after this decade, the subsequent music is going downhill in perspective. But since this article is not about that, let’s focus.

Thus, in the following lines, we will go year by year, compiling the best 70s music in Spanish from many different countries. From Italian music from the 70s to French music from the 70s, as well as Spanish and English, with comments about their key artists and singers, explaining everything the decade had to offer. We will also see how they, in turn, influenced the following decades (for better or worse). Our list of the best of the 70s is divided by languages, but within them, sometimes by countries as well. Yes, we’ve played tricks to have the same number of tracks in one language as in another, with Swedish singers singing in Spanish and Spanish singers singing in English in the same section, for example.

In any case, in the first part, you will find all the songs from the 70s in Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese. In the following parts of this post, you will find all the songs in other languages selected by us (and perhaps some in German or Anglo-Saxon languages). For each year, we’ve created YouTube playlists with music from the 70s, so you can enjoy the songs while reading about them.

Spanish music from the 70s. The best 215 old Spanish songs from the 70s

In Spain and Latin America, which were quite interconnected in terms of musical movements if we speak of old Spanish songs from the 70s, we highlight, on the female side, the innovative Dolores Vargas, the French Françoise Hardy, and the Italian Ornella Vanoni. Regarding male artists, 1970 stands out for the presence of the Mexican Carlos Santana with his band, the powerful voice of Nino Bravo, the Galician Andrés Do Barro, the international Julio Iglesias, or emerging musical groups from the 60s that were coming to an end, such as Lone Star, Los Brincos, or Módulos. Each one better than the last.

During this decade, as you’ll see, among foreign artists, Italian singers devoured the biggest slice of musical successes in the 70s in terms of numbers. However, the success of Roberto Carlos in Spanish, despite being Brazilian, was much greater than that of the rest. Some French or Belgian artists who had been successful since the 60s were also notable.

Below, we recommend some 70s hits in Spanish and other Latin-derived languages, with the intention of making you reminisce about the past or perhaps discover new songs from old times.

Aguaviva – Poetas Andaluces

In 1970, Spain was filled with folk music, and this is a clear example. Part song, part spoken word, constantly accompanied by background choirs whose lyrics capture all the epic of the instrumentation. We don’t know how time has treated it, but at the time, it was a hit. Perfect in a list of calm songs, except for the background screams among percussions.

Andrés Do Barro – Pandeirada

With technocracy, Spain seemed to be opening up to the outside world in terms of image. Naturally, this also affected music, where suddenly songs in other co-official languages (now) of the country could be heard. This is the case of the unfortunate Andrés Do Barro, who would die prematurely in an accident, leaving behind two unforgettable songs. This is one of them (the other is called El Tren).

Dolores Vargas – Achilipú

I don’t know if it’s because Spaniards are embarrassed or because we understand the lyrics in Spanish, but it’s quite curious that this song only has a Wikipedia page in French. In any case, neither the lyrics nor the embarrassment have prevented this flamenco rumba from enduring over time and being known even beyond our borders.

Thanks to the French, I’ve discovered that Dolores Vargas La Terremoto’s Achilipú was very “inspired” by the song Ojos Chinos by the salsa band El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico: the melody of the verse and chorus are very similar. El Gran Combo did not create any controversy or lawsuits for plagiarism, but they did their version of Achilipú in salsa style. (Those were different times.)

The song Achilipú talks about a Queen of the moorish kingdom during the Al-Andalus period, the time when part of Spain was under Muslim rule.

Françoise Hardy – Soleil

On the other hand, if you look for information about Françoise Hardy, there is plenty of content in Spanish. The only yé-yé girl who wasn’t and didn’t want to be, whose first single overshadowed everything she did later, but allowed her to remain successful. Soleil was released eight years after one of the most famous 1962 songs, Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles.

Julio Iglesias – Gwendolyne

Some singers are so famous that it doesn’t matter which song is chosen for the list of Spanish music from the 70s, because everyone knows them and can imagine how it will sound (if they haven’t heard it before). Julio Iglesias is one of the most famous Spanish singers internationally, perhaps on par with many other European artists of this era. Inimitable and imitated a hundred thousand times.

Lone Star – Lyla

One of the Spanish rock bands that has aged the best, due to originality, freshness, and lyrics. That being said, I can’t deny that their sound is forever anchored in the 70s and 60s, in style and singing manner. Lyla is an example, but there are many more, as we’ve seen with other songs.

Lone Star – Quiero Besar Otra Vez Tus Labios

Quiero Besar Otra Vez Tus Labios is a good example of all the time that has passed since 1971. Something that in itself is not bad. I personally vote for noticing the passage of time in songs, so you dive more quickly into what it meant. In this way, on the other hand, we notice the conjunctural differences between today and yesterday (and the structural ones), but we also value the classics.

Los Brincos – Vive La Realidad

With the single Vive La Realidad, Los Brincos bid farewell to their fans, who were not too numerous by then. This album, misunderstood by many at the time, is now vindicated as an attempt to stand out as a group that didn’t originate from The Beatles but had personality beyond that. In reality, Flamenco, the first single that made them unforgettable forever, already defined them as unique, but what can you do?

The fact is that Vive La Realidad still sounds very much like Los Brincos, despite opening up to new sounds beyond the voices, a distinctive touch of the band (which occasionally resonated in the early Lori Meyers).

Los Diablos – Un Rayo De Sol

I’m not sure how it is in other countries, but I imagine they do something similar in general. Regardless, summer hits have been a huge phenomenon in Spain since pop music exists. Personally, I’m not a fan of these songs at all, because they burn out so quickly, and this serves as an example, even though it still endures.

Mari Trini – Amores

Everyone who remembers this song doesn’t forget the lyrics. Because the lyrics of Amores are so simple and repetitive that after just one listen, you forever remember the loves that are fading away.

María Ostiz – Na Veiriña Do Mar

Another example of a song in Galician: Na Veiriña Do Mar, whose Spanish lyrics said that “green eyes are traitors” and “true chestnuts.” I agree.

Módulos – Nada Me Importa

The Módulos always have something musically contemporary about them. I don’t know what it is, but I would say they are one of the bands from this era that have truly aged well. Maybe they were sad? No, because many were openly sad. Being sad didn’t seem to be as frowned upon back then as it is now.

Módulos – Todo Tiene Su Fin

Their influence on other bands, for example, seems to never end.

New Trolls – Una Miniera

Little by little, you’re starting to see where this list is going, right? A mixture of languages and styles that, at times, isn’t too disparate, but in others is a staggering contrast (because, if you listen to a song of one genre followed by a completely opposite one, your mind might explode from the shock). With Una Miniera, that won’t happen; they seem like the Módulos of Italy. The progressive rock of then and pop now.

Nicola Di Bari – La Prima Cosa Bella

The composer of a song called El corazón es un gitano is internationally famous primarily for La Prima Cosa Bella.

Nino Bravo – Te Quiero, Te Quiero

Nino Bravo, the voice that, they said, had to be recorded at a safe distance because of its power. In Te Quiero, Te Quiero, he demonstrates, at the very least, that he has a powerful voice. Nino Bravo projected a lot with his voice.

Ornella Vanoni – L’Appuntamento

It sounds like Roberto Carlos is singing, one of the most important soloists of the music of the 70s on both sides of the Atlantic, but with a female voice, right? Of course, because it’s an Italian version of the original Portuguese song Sentado à beira do caminho, by Roberto Carlos and Erasmo Carlos.

Os Mutantes – Ando Meio Desligado

Perhaps now recognized for appearing in an advertisement from a few years ago, Ando Meio Desligado is truly a classic of Brazilian rock from the 70s.