Can you guess the 1979 song from just one lyric?
The year 1979 marked a turning point in pop music, standing at the intersection of the 70s’ disco trend and the innovative nature of the 80s. It was an era of transition, where classic rock and disco were intertwined with the rumblings of new wave and synth-pop. Musicians were making effective use of new technologies, such as drum machines and synthesizers, by blending electronic and acoustic sounds. The result? A sonic landscape that was both futuristic and rooted in the tried-and-true tricks of the past nine years.
Throughout 1979, airwaves and dance floors both reflected this vibrant collection of music styles. Disco’s energy dominated the charts, though a wave of opposition to the genre would begin to build that same year. This made way for new-wave and funk sounds to take the stage. Pop and rock musicians were refining their sound, layering polished production sounds with memorable riffs. Listeners were drawn in, embracing both louder anthems and softer, introspective songs that capture the culture of the time.
The music of 1979 continues to resonate, even after it bridged two eras of creativity and innovation. It closed one significant chapter in pop music while laying the foundations for a decade of music that would be pop-focused, genre-bending, and digitally advanced.
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How to Play
This nostalgic quiz invites you to revisit 1979, one of pop music’s most influential years. Each question included a well-known lyric from a hit song that debuted in 1979. There are no deep cuts or forgotten tracks, just chart-toppers and radio classics that defined the turn of the decade and left their mark on time.
Your task is to identify the song title and artist or band behind each iconic line. Think quickly, because every answer appears right after the lyric! Some lyrics will be quickly and easily recognizable, while others may require you to dig a little deeper into your musical memory. The objective is to relive the sounds, stories, and emotions that made 1979 a legendary year in music history.
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Question 1
Lyric: “You’re living in a disco, forget about the rat race”
Hint: This synth-driven song has an intentionally misspelled title.
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Answer: “Pop Muzik” by M
M was the music project of English musician Robin Scott. According to an interview with The Guardian, the misspelling is a nod to “muzak” — a brand of background music, or elevator music. The song was essentially a danceable ode to 25 years of pop music.
Image credit: DWPhotos / iStock
Question 2
Lyric: “Never gonna stop, give it up, such a dirty mind”
Hint: This punchy rock song was inspired by a band member’s real-life crush on a young girl.
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Answer: “My Sharona” by The Knack
This song aged poorly, as lead singer Doug Fieger was 25 years old when he wrote about a crush he had on 17-year-old Sharona Alperin. After the innuendo-filled song became an international hit, fans were excited when they got to meet the real-life Sharona. The two dated for four years, and, though they never married, remained friends until Fieger died in 2010.
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Question 3
Lyric: “Well, lay back and relax, while I put away the dishes”
Hint: This song was performed by a Tennessee-raised one-hit wonder who was a schoolteacher before she was a singer.
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Answer: “Ring My Bell” by Anita Ward
This flirty disco song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and led to Ward being nominated for a Grammy in 1980. Initially, the song was written for a preteen girl, presented as a story about children chatting on the phone. Instead, it became a raunchier tune about a woman encouraging her husband to unwind with her after a long, hard workday.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Question 4
Lyric: “Heartbreak enemy despise, eternal love shines in my eyes”
Hint: This funk-disco hit was written by an artist considered the “King of Pop.”
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Answer: “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough” by Michael Jackson
Jackson won his first Grammy and American Music Awards for this song, making it one of the most important in his discography. The song is a funk-disco tune that runs over six minutes in the album version, making it long for the time. It was also the first to make use of Jackson’s head voice and vocal hiccups — the exhalations and the breathy “uh’s.”
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Question 5
Lyric: “Tonight I wanna see it in your eyes, feel the magic”
Hint: This seductive song is the result of an American rock band jumping on the disco train.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Answer: “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” by Kiss
There are rumors about how the band wound up making a disco song, with some suggesting it was lead singer Paul Stanley’s idea, and others believing that it arose from a debate between the band and their producers. The song went gold in the United States, although some fans called it a “sell-out” for catering to commercial tastes. Regardless, the band plays it at almost every concert they perform.
Image Credit: Depositphotos.com.
Question 6
Lyric: “In my mind and in my car, we can’t rewind, we’ve gone too far”
Hint: This new-wave song became the anthem for a new visual age in music.
Wikimedia Commons
Answer: “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles
This song addresses concerns about the impact of video and other technological innovations on the media arts. Ironically, the song’s music video was the first to be shown on MTV in the United States. Some viewers deemed the video “too violent,” as it depicts a television being blown up.
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Question 7
Lyric: “You’ll be dancing once again and the pain will end.”
Hint: This heartfelt, bilingual ballad from a Swedish group comforted listeners worldwide.
Image Credit: VRO / Wikimedia Commons.
Answer: “Chiquitita” by ABBA
This sweet song was the first single from the band’s sixth album, Voulez-Vous. After the English version became a hit, they also recorded a Spanish version. The song gained popularity among younger generations through its cover, which appeared in the movie “Mamma Mia!” (2008).
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Question 8
Lyric: “Just let me state for the record, we’re giving love in a family dose”
Hint: This disco song turned the dancefloor into a celebration of sisterhood and unity.
Wikimedia Commons
Answer: “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge
Sister Sledge was an American vocal group comprising four sisters. Quite literally, they were family. Two members wrote the song of the band Chic. The song successfully put the band back in the mainstream after they had released two prior albums that were commercial failures.
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Question 9
Lyric: “I knew her smile in an instant, I knew the curve of her face.”
Hint: This soft-rock tune tells a comical tale of two lovers finding their way back to each other.
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Answer: “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes
In this song, a man is bored by his current partner and finds an ad in the paper from a woman seeking a carefree man who “likes piña coladas.” He replies to the ad, intending to cheat on his partner. In the third iteration of the chorus, he discovers that the woman is his current partner, and they rekindle their relationship.
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Question 10
Lyric: “No stop signs, speed limit, nobody’s gonna slow me down”
Hint: With its guitar riffs and rebellious tone, this hard-rock song blazed a fiery trail.
Answer: “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC
This song was the opening track for their album of the same name. The title refers to their constant promotion of their previous albums and their tours, which the lead guitarist said felt like a “highway to hell.” Younger listeners have discovered the song through its placement in movies such as School of Rock (2003), The Lightning Thief (2010), and Megamind (2010).
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The sound of new beginnings
Whether you immediately recognized every lyric or uncovered some long-forgotten favorites in the process, these songs serve as a lasting tribute to the originality and inventiveness that defined music in 1979. It was a year when disco’s final notes met with the first beats of a new musical era full of electronic experimentation, newly defined genres, and improved production quality. The year set the stage for the decade to come. This unique blend yielded an unforgettable set of hits that connected audiences across generations and music styles, reflecting the nostalgia of the 1970s and the optimism of the approaching 1980s.
The enduring appeal of 1979’s classics lies in their catchy hooks, innovative production and timeless sound that wins the hearts of listeners to this day. These songs transcended their release year and became cultural touchstones through films, TV, modern streaming playlists, and global radio stations. They remind us how music can evolve without losing its core appeal, proving that true artistry remains relevant even decades later.
Challenge your friends and family to test their memory of these landmark 1979 hits and re-experience the excitement of a year that bridged two iconic musical eras. Explore more nostalgic quizzes and decade retrospectives here at MediaFeed, where we celebrate the songs and musicians that continue to shape our lives.
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