| 100% | NAME | 4 | Horse's lack in a 1972 song by America |
| 54% | HORSEWITHNONAME | 15 | Desert wanderer's mount in a 1972 hit by America |
| 50% | NONAME | 6 | Song by rock band America, A Horse With __ |
| 42% | BEN | 3 | Pet rat in a 1972 #1 song |
| 41% | GENIE | 5 | "___ in a Bottle," song by Christina Aguilera |
| 40% | AIR | 3 | "In the ___ Tonight," song by Phil Collins that was used in a Cadbury's commercial |
| 40% | ATCHISONTOPEKAANDSANTAFE | 24 | Train in a song by 74-Down |
| 39% | LANDOFTHEFREE | 13 | America, in a song |
| 39% | LANDOFLIBERTY | 13 | America, in a song |
| 39% | RITA | 4 | Title girl in a song by 35-Down |
| 39% | SERA | 4 | "Que" follower in a song by Doris Day |
| 38% | SPOONFULS | 9 | Sugar measurements in a song sung by Mary Poppins |
| 38% | SHARONA | 7 | Title girl in a 1979 #1 song by the Knack |
| 38% | EILEEN | 6 | Title woman in a hit song by Dexys Midnight Runners |
| 38% | SADDLE | 6 | "Back in the ___," 1976 song by Aerosmith that features the sounds of a galloping horse |
| 38% | OBOE | 4 | "Gabriel's ___," 1986 song composed by Ennio Morricone with a wind instrument in its title |
| 38% | CHCHCHCHCHANGES | 15 | Chorus starter in a 1972 David Bowie song ... or the theme of this puzzle, phonetically |
| 37% | ROCKETMAN | 9 | 1972 hit song inspired by a Ray Bradbury story |
| 37% | ONENOTE | 7 | Lacking variety, in a song: Hyph. |
| 37% | GOODSHIP | 8 | With 44-Across, boat in a song by 29-Across: 2 wds. |
| 37% | ALLEY | 5 | "___ Cat," instrumental song by Bent Fabric which won a Grammy in 1963 |
| 37% | TRUMPETS | 8 | 2013 song by Jason Derulo with a brass instrument in its title |
| 37% | MOON | 4 | "Pink ___," song by Nick Drake that was used in a Volkswagen ad |
| 37% | BLACKBIRD | 9 | Beatles song inspired by race relations in America |
| 36% | FREEDOM | 7 | A hit song by Pharrell Williams that was used in the film "Despicable Me 3" |
| 36% | HOLLABACK | 9 | "___ Girl," 2004 song by Gwen Stefani, with a music video set in school |
| 36% | DATE | 4 | "Play ___," song by Melanie Martinez that contains a romantic outing in its title |
| 36% | MAYBELLENE | 10 | Song by 17-Across in which he asks a girl, "Why can't you be true?" |
| 36% | ONE | 3 | Song by U2 released as a benefit single in 1992 with proceeds going toward AIDS research |
| 36% | FAMOUS | 6 | "___ In a Small Town," 2007 song by Miranda Lambert from her album "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" |