Song of the decade
 

What song is, to you, synonymous to each decade, as in what song sums up the 60s to you? what song sums up the 70s etc? i want this done from the 50s - 00s

Far too difficult methinks.

I can only name one that seems quintessential for the 80's for me: Toto - Africa

50's-Johnny B. Goode-Chuck Berry
60's-My Genteration-The Who
70's-Stairway To Heaven-Led Zeppelin,
80's-Wind Of Change-Scorpions,
90's-Smells Like Teen Spirit-Nirvana
00's-Gets Me Through-Ozzy Osbourne

there, that was a pain in the ass

lol I love you man.

This is virtually impossible. Maybe a list representing different genre's would make this easier.
Below (with the exception of the 50's and 60's) are immediate choices from memory.
Not representative of my personal taste, but they sprung to mind straight away.

50's: Elvis - 'Hound Dog'
60's: Procol Harem - 'A Lighter Shade Of Pale'
70's: Terry Jacks - 'Seasons In The Sun'
80's: Dexy's Midnight Runners - 'Come On Eileen'
90's: Nirvana - 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'
00's: ?

50s Peggy Sue - Buddy Holly (coz of my Dad)
60s Satisfaction - Stones
70s Get It On - T Rex
80s This Charming Man - Smiths
90s Unfinished Sympathy - Massive Attack
00s Seven Nation Army - White Stripes

w3rd.

The final piece of this musical jigsaw of decades...my life is complete.

50's: Elvis - Hound Dog
60's: Barry McGuire - Eve Of Destruction
70's: Sex Pistols - Anarchy For The UK
80's: The Cure - In Between Days
90's: Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
00's: The Hives - Hate To Say I Told You So

I am aware that Smells Like Teen Spirit is the one Nirvana song that everyone knows, but I think it is also one of the most overrated. Since I think everyone is stuck on using Nirvana as the 90s i'm not going to bother suggesting other artists. I believe that one of Nirvana's better, though a bit less popular song, like Come As You Are.

The song I would pick though is 21st Century Digital Boy, solely for the reason it got me into Bad Religion, and I think the lyrics are more representative of the 90s than Smells Like Teen Spirit's lyrics are (i'm going to get attacked for saying that).