Today we’re used to streaming movies and TV shows commercial-free, but if you grew up in the ’70s, there was no escaping advertising. There were only three network channels to choose from and they took sadistic pleasure in interrupting your favorite shows to try to sell you something. As a result, every kid knew a couple of dozen commercials by heart. It was aggravating at the time, but now it really brings back the memories. We’ve chosen some of our favorite ’70s TV jingles for this retrospective. If the tune instantly runs through your head when you read the lyrics, then yeah, you’re a groovy ’70s kid!

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• With limited choices of channels, networks forced people to watch repetitive commercials with catchy tunes and lyrics.
• Though annoying at the time, they became such a part of life for Boomers and Gen X that they bring back feelings of nostalgia today. 
• We have our own commercial. Check out: 2 Dividend Legends To Hold Forever and Discover “The Next NVIDIA

1. Alka-Seltzer – “Plop Plop, Fizz Fizz” (1976)

As kids we didn’t really understand what Alka-Seltzer was for but whatever it was, we knew what it sounded like and what it did.

• Plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is!
• Plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is!
• Plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is!
• Oh what a relief it is!

2. Apple Jacks – “A is For Apple” (1978)

In that more innocent era, we thought cold cereal was a “good breakfast” if it had the word “apple” in it.

• A is For Apple, J is for Jacks,
• Cinnamon toasty Apple Jacks
• You need a good breakfast, that’s a fact,
• Start it off with Apple Jacks,
• Apple Jacks, Apple Jacks,
• Kellogg’s Apple Jacks!

3. Band-Aid – “Stuck on Me” (1975)

It is impossible for a Gen Xer to put on a band-aid without this jingle going through their mind. Even if it’s another brand. 

• I am stuck on Band-Aid brand
• ‘Cause Band-Aid’s stuck on me!
• I am stuck on Band-Aid
• ‘Cause Band-Aid’s stuck on me!
• ‘Cause they hold on tight in the bathtub and cling in soapy suds!
• I am stuck on Band-Aid,
• ‘Cause Band-Aid’s stuck on me!

4. Big Red Gum – “Kiss a Little Longer” (1975)

Is it just us, or does “Big Red” still seem like a “new” chewing gum? After all, they didn’t even make it until 1975. Newbie. 

• So kiss a little longer, 
• Hold hands a little longer
• Stay close a little longer with Big Red!

5. Budweiser – “When You Say Bud” (1972)

Even if your family were tee-totalers, everybody liked watching those Budweiser Clydesdales. And when Mom wasn’t listening, you hummed this tune to yourself. You didn’t remember all the words but that didn’t matter. Just remember Bud, ’cause when you say Bud you’ve said it all.

• When you say Bud, you’ve said a lot of things nobody else can say.
• When you say Bud, you’ve gone as far as you can go to get the very best!
• When you say Bud, you’ve said the word that means you like to do it all.
• When you say Bud, it means you want the beer that’s got a taste that’s number one!
• When you say Budweiser,
• You’ve said it all!

6. Burger King – “Have it Your Way” (1974)

Honestly, all those choices were a little scary. But it sure was nice to know they wouldn’t ask any questions if you asked for your Whopper with no onions . . . and then ordered onion rings to go with it.

• Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce
• Special orders don’t upset us
• All we ask is that you let us
• Serve it your way!
• Have it your way, Have it your way,
• Have it your way at Burger King!

7. Coca-Cola – “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” (1971)

This song. THIS SONG. You cannot watch all those cleaned-up hippies from all over the world singing with their bottles of Coke and not believe that world peace is possible. How much Coca-Cola will it take? Take my money, let’s do this thing!  

• I’d like to buy the world a home, and furnish it with love
• Grow apple trees and honeybees, and snow-white turtle doves
• I’d like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony
• I’d like to buy the world a Coke, and keep it company
• (That’s the real thing)

8. Dr. Pepper – “Be a Pepper” (1977–1980s)

Dr. Pepper is kind of an acquired taste. “Spicy” some kids would call it. But when the cool guy with the awesome hair who later starred in American Werewolf in London started dancing and singing and handing out Dr. Pepper to everybody, well, you were ready to join the mob dancing after him like the pied piper and be a pepper too. 

• I drink Dr. Pepper and I’m proud
• I’m part of an original crowd,
• And if you look around these days
• There seems to be a Dr. Pepper craze!
• I’m a Pepper, he’s a Pepper, she’s a Pepper, we’re a Pepper
• Wouldn’t you like to be a pepper too?.
• I’m a Pepper, he’s a Pepper, she’s a Pepper, 
• If you drink Dr. Pepper, your’e a pepper too
• Be a pepper, drink Dr. Pepper
• Be a pepper, drink Dr. Pepper

9. Golden Grahams – “Oh, Those Golden Grahams!” (1976)

Honestly, we thought this was kind of an old person cereal. Maybe because they advertised it in a sort of wholesome pioneer way. But have you tasted these crispy crunch graham breakfast treats lately? Wowzers! But wait, lemme check my driver’s license. Yep, as I thought. You do have to be old to appreciate them. 

• Oh, those Golden Grahams!
• Oh, those Golden Grahams!
• Crispy crunchy graham cereal,
• Family breakfast treat!
• Oh, those Golden Grahams!
• Oh, those Golden Grahams!
• Golden honey, just a touch
• With Grahams’ golden wheat.
• Try those Golden Grahams
• And have a golden day!

10. Kit Kat – “Gimme a Break” (1970s)

This is one of the most problematic candy bars, honestly. It’s fun to break yourself off a piece of that Kit Kat bar, but the problem is, if there’s anyone within 100 feet of you they want you to break them off a piece, too. The only way to avoid it is to take a big bite out of all four sticks from one side without breaking them apart. And that’s barbaric. We’re not animals. 

• Gimme a break, gimme a break
• Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar!

11. L’eggs – “She’s Got L’eggs” (1976)

Why women wore stockings and stressed so much about them, we had no idea. All we knew is we could have the plastic egg they came in when Mom was done with it. And why we wanted a big plastic egg, we also had no idea. We just did. 

• She’s got L’eggs!
• Our L’eggs fit your legs,
• They hug you, they hold you,
• They never let you go!

12. Libbys – “Libby’s Libby’s Libby’s” (1970s)

We did not like vegetables. It didn’t matter what was on the label, label, label. We could think of plenty of better things to put on the table, table, table. Things like Spam, Stovetop Stuffing, or a nice Jello fruit casserole with Kool Whip on top. But none of them had a song we could remember like Libby’s. 

• When it says Libby’s, Libby’s, Libby’s
• On the label, label, label
• Nothing’s better, better, better
• On your table, table, table,
• When it says Libby’s, Libby’s, Libby’s
• On the label, label, label!

13. Lite-Brite – “Making Things With Light” (1978)

“Well, grandchildren, back in the days before computers we had to move the pixels around by hand, each and every one, to make us a pretty picture.”

• Lite-Brite, making things with light,
• What a sight, making things with Lite Brite
• Lite-Brite, making things with light,
• Lite-Brite, making things with Lite Brite.

14. McDonald’s – “You Deserve a Break Today” (1971-1975)

No truer words were ever spoken that apply to every person in the world of every age and every profession. Every human being really does deserve a break today. And this song taught us to medicate that feeling with fast food. And this, class, is where all the obesity started.

• You deserve a break today,
• So get up and get away,
• To McDonald’s!

15. Meow Mix – “The Meow Mix Theme” (1976-1996)

This is such a catchy tune that 16 years after they stopped running it, over 80% of people in a survey claimed they had heard it on t.v. sometime the year before. And surveys also found that people both liked it and were annoyed by it. The CIA actually played it on loop to break down prisoners for interrogation. And that’s how we won the Cold War. Is this enough “meows?” We tried to sing it through but kept losing track. 

• Meow, meow, meow, meow,
• Meow, meow, meow, meow,
• Meow, meow, meow, meow,
• Meow, meow, meow, meow,
• Meow, meow, meow, meow,
• Meow, meow, meow, meow,
• Meow, meow, meow!

16. Nair – “Who Wears Short Shorts?” (1975)

We had absolutely no idea what Nair was, but we sure got the message there were girls out there who liked wearing short shorts but they didn’t dare without their Nair. 

• Who wears short shorts?
• We wear short shorts!
• If you dare wear short shorts,
• Nair for short shorts!

17. Oscar Mayer – “My Bologna Has a First Name” (1973)

As kids, we didn’t really care that each slice of bologna had a first and last name, maybe a family, a whole life and hopes and dreams and aspirations. What we cared about was whether we could get Mom to make us a fried bologna sandwich with mustard for an after-school snack. 

• My bologna has a first name, it’s O-S-C-A-R
• My bologna has a second name, it’s M-A-Y-E-R
• Oh, I love to eat it every day, and if you ask me why, I’ll say
• ‘Cause Oscar Mayer has a way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A!

18. Rice-A-Roni – “The San Francisco Treat” (1970s)

As with a lot of jingles, the lyrics are pretty simple. But the catchy tune sticks with you a long time, running this commercial on rerun in your brain for decades. 

• Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat!
• Rice-A-Roni, the flavor can’t be beat!

19. Slinky – “Everyone Knows It’s Slinky” (1970s)

Somehow some brilliant person took a simple little spring, didn’t put eyes and clothes on it but just left it a spring, then wrote a song about it that made it seem very much like pet. And made every kid want one. Desperately. 

• What walks down stairs, alone or in pairs, and makes a slinkity sound?
• A spring, a spring, a marvelous thing, everyone knows it’s Slinky!
• It’s Slinky, it’s Slinky, for fun it’s a wonderful toy!
• It’s Slinky, it’s Slinky, it’s fun for a girl and a boy!

20. Toys “R” Us – “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up!” (1970s)

This is an appropriate, and poignant, one to end on. We wanted to grow up when we were kids, but as adults, our motto is totally “I don’t wanna grow up!” Sadly, the last Toys “R” Us closed its doors in the United States in 2021. Does that mean we have to stop being Toys “R” Us kids? Not a chance!

• I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us kid
• There’s a million toys at Toys ‘R’ Us that I can play with
• From bikes to trains to video games, it’s the biggest toy store there is
• I don’t wanna grow up, ’cause maybe if I did
• I couldn’t be a Toys ‘R’ Us kid!

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