The article revisits three rock songs released in 1976 that the author says still bring a smile decades later, spotlighting tracks from Queen, KISS and Thin Lizzy that showcased different sides of their bands' songwriting. Each track marked a notable moment for its band, whether through chart success, a shift in tone, or an unexpected path onto the finished album, and all three remain enduring staples of classic rock radio.

Queen's "You're My Best Friend", written by bassist John Deacon for his wife Veronica Tetzlaff, followed "Bohemian Rhapsody" on the album A Night At The Opera and became a major US radio hit. KISS's "Beth", from the album Destroyer, revealed a softer side to the band and became their first Top 10 single and biggest hit to date, despite not being fully autobiographical. Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back In Town", written solely by Phil Lynott for the album Jailbreak, became the band's only major US hit and was nearly left off the record until management intervened.