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December 31, 1971 New Year's Eve

December 31, 1971, was a Friday. It was 52 years, 9 months, and 14 days ago. The zodiac star sign for this date is Capricorn.

On This Day

Events

Notable events that occurred on December 31, 1971:

  • American actor Pete Duel dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Song charts

Popular songs

On December 31, 1971, the following songs were at the top of the music charts in the USA and the UK:

  • United States: "Brand New Key" by Melanie
  • United Kingdom: "Ernie" by Benny Hill

The music charts on December 31, 1971

The following songs were dominating the Billboard Hot 100 chart:

  • Brand New Key - Melanie
  • Family Affair - Sly & The Family Stone
  • American Pie (Parts I & II) - Don McLean
  • An Old Fashioned Love Song - Three Dog Night
  • Got To Be There - Michael Jackson
Play the top singles from 1971
A Spotify playlist of songs from the year 1971. Take a trip back to the days of John Lennon, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Led Zeppelin and Bill Withers.
Diamonds Are Forever

Top movie

The top movie on this day was "Diamonds Are Forever".

Facts

New Year's Eve 1971 occurred 19,282 days ago. Approximately 643 months have passed. It was the 365th day of 1971, in week 52. The decade was the seventies. It was the last day of the year. People who were born on December 31, 1971, are now 52 years old and belong to the Generation X generation. 214 seasons of weather have come and gone since then.

Take me back to December 31, 1971

Let's go back to the seventies.

The date is December 31, 1971, and it's a Friday. Babies who are born today will have the star sign Capricorn. Many people have "that Friday feeling" and are looking forward to the weekend.

It's New Year's Eve, and everyone is wondering what the year 1972 will bring. In America, the song "Brand New Key" by Melanie is at the top of the singles charts, while "Ernie" by Benny Hill is the number-one song in the UK. Richard Nixon is the President of the United States, and the movie Diamonds Are Forever is at the top of the box office.

Edward Heath is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. On television, people are watching popular shows such as "The Main Chance", "The Flip Wilson Show", "The Two Ronnies", and "The Persuaders!". In fashion, the hippie look from the 1960s is still popular. Clothing items such as tie dye shirts, bell-bottoms, midi skirts, gauchos and Mexican blouses are being worn by women. Meanwhile, men are wearing dark satin shirts, ethnic-looking tunics, bell bottom jeans, tweed sports jackets and turtlenecks.

It's 1971, so radio stations are playing songs from artists such as George Harrison, John Lennon, Rod Stewart, Lynn Anderson, The Rolling Stones, Three Dog Night, Carole King and The Osmonds. The James Bond film "Diamonds Are Forever" is currently being shown in movie theaters. If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as J. Edgar Hoover, Jackie Robinson, Janet Munro, and Harry S. Truman would all still be alive.

Kids and teenagers are watching TV shows such as "Captain Kangaroo", "Josie and the Pussycats", "Sabrina the Teenage Witch", and "The Funky Phantom". Children are playing with toys such as Army men, Lite-Brite, Battleship (game), and G.I. Joe Adventure Team.

Zodiac info

Zodiac

Zodiac, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Personality summary image

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on December 31, 1971, will have the star sign Capricorn.
  • Zodiac Element: Earth.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1971 was the year of the Pig (Yin Wood).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 7.
  • Native American Zodiac: December 31, 1971 falls under the Goose.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of December will have the birthstones Tanzanite, Zircon and Turquoise.
  • Birth flower (December): The Narcissus and the Holly.
News

News, nostalgia, and fads

These are news stories, trending topics, and fads that were popular on December 31, 1971.

  • Have a nice day!

    Have a nice day!

    The smiley face and phrases such as "Have a nice day!" and "Have a happy day!" were being plastered onto t-shirts, mugs, and badges.
  • Bell-bottoms.

    Bell-bottoms

    Bell-bottoms (flares) were in fashion.
  • The Vietnam War is still ongoing.

    The Vietnam War is still ongoing

    During 1971, the war in Vietnam was still ongoing. However, the US was beginning to wind down its presence in the country. Between 1970 and 1971, the number of US troops in Vietnam fell from 334,600 to 156,800.
  • Who were the best NBA players in 1971?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1971?

    The best NBA players in 1971 were Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), John Havlicek, Billy Cunningham, Jerry West and Dave Bing.
  • Best soccer players.

    Best soccer players

    In 1971, the best soccer players were Johan Cruyff, Sandro Mazzola, George Best, Günter Netzer, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Josip Skoblar, Martin Chivers, Piet Keizer, Bobby Moore and Ferenc Bene.
  • The French Connection.

    The French Connection

    "The French Connection" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1971.
  • James Taylor & Carole King - "You've Got a Friend"

    James Taylor & Carole King - "You've Got a Friend"

    "You've Got a Friend" by James Taylor & Carole King won a Grammy for 1971's Song of the Year.
  • 1971 in movies.

    1971 in movies

    Movies released in 1971 included Fiddler on the Roof, The French Connection, Dirty Harry, Diamonds Are Forever, Billy Jack, Summer of '42, The Last Picture Show, Carnal Knowledge, A Clockwork Orange, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Harold and Maude, Klute and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
  • Richard Nixon.

    Richard Nixon

    US President Richard Nixon was named Time Person of the Year in 1971.
  • 1971 in music.

    1971 in music

    The Billboard Charts in 1971 were dominated by the likes of Dawn, Three Dog Night, Rod Stewart, The Bee Gees, Carole King, Melanie, The Osmonds, The Temptations, The Raiders, Isaac Hayes, Donny Osmond and Cher.
  • Wallpaper.

    Wallpaper

    Wallpaper was extremely common in people's homes throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It wasn't until the mid-late 1980s that "modernism" started to creep in.
  • Office workers are using typewriters.

    Office workers are using typewriters

    Although personal computers began to emerge during the 1970s, typewriters were still the norm for most office workers.
  • The Volkswagen Beetle.

    The Volkswagen Beetle

    The Volkswagen Beetle was one of the most common cars on the road. Sales of the vehicle increased following the release of the 1968 film The Love Bug (and its subsequent spin-offs).
  • The Hippie movement.

    The Hippie movement

    The hippie counterculture reached its peak during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The movement, which sprung up in opposition to the Vietnam War, was centered around peace, psychedelic music, sexual liberation, bright colors, and drugs such as LSD and marijuana.
  • Lava lamps are all the rage.

    Lava lamps are all the rage

    Sales of lava lamps increased in the late 1960s. It wasn't until the second half of the 1970s that they started to go out of fashion.
  • The afro hairstyle is at its peak in popularity.

    The afro hairstyle is at its peak in popularity

    The afro hairstyle took off during the 1960s and early 1970s. Public figures such as Angela Davis, Pam Grier, Jimi Hendrix, and the Jackson 5 were among those who sported the style.
  • Color TV.

    Color TV

    Although color television was rising in popularity, black-and-white TV sets were still the most popular.
  • The push-button telephone.

    The push-button telephone

    Push-button telephones were beginning to replace the older rotary-style landlines.

Personality traits

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on December 31, 1971.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Events

What happened around this time?

News stories, pop culture trends, and other events that happened around December 31, 1971.

  • December 1, 1971: John Lennon releases his song "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)".
  • December 2, 1971: The United Arab Emirates is formed.
  • December 3, 1971: The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 begins after Pakistan carries out a number of preemptive aerial strikes on Indian air stations.
  • December 4, 1971: 15 people lose their lives after the UVF bomb McGurk's Bar in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
  • December 11, 1971:
    • McDonald's co-founder Maurice McDonald dies from a heart attack at the age of 69.
    • The Libertarian Party is founded in the United States.
  • December 13, 1971: The Disney film "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" is released in the United States.
  • December 15, 1971: Pakistan foreign minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto storms out of a UN Security Council meeting after accusing the body of allowing India to capture Dacca.
  • December 16, 1971: The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 comes to an end after the Eastern Command of the Pakistan military surrenders.
  • December 17, 1971: The James Bond film "Diamonds Are Forever" is released.
  • December 18, 1971: The US dollar is devalued for the second time in history.
  • December 23, 1971:
    • Jimmy Hoffa is released from prison after serving five years for jury tampering and wire fraud.
    • The action-thriller film "Dirty Harry" is released in movie theaters.
  • December 25, 1971: 158 people are killed when a fire breaks out at a hotel in South Korea.
  • December 27, 1971: The last episode of the sitcom "Nanny and the Professor" is aired on TV.
  • This date: December 31, 1971
  • January 4, 1972: The first scientific hand-held calculator is released.
  • January 7, 1972: 104 people are killed when Iberia Airlines Flight 602 crashes into the island of Ibiza.
  • January 14, 1972: The sitcom "Sanford and Son" makes its debut on NBC.
  • January 16, 1972: Super Bowl VI: The Dallas Cowboys defeat the Miami Dolphins at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans.
  • January 17, 1972: Seven Provisional IRA members escape from the prison ship HMS Maidstone in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
  • January 24, 1972:
    • Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi is discovered after having spent 28 years living in a jungle in Guam.
    • Michael Jackson releases his debut solo album "Got to Be There".
  • January 26, 1972: Yugoslavian flight attendant Vesna Vulovic survives a 10,160 meter fall after a bomb explodes on JAT Flight 367.
  • January 27, 1972: New York police officers Gregory Foster and Rocco Laurie are murdered by the Black Liberation Army.
  • January 30, 1972: The Bloody Sunday incident occurs in Northern Ireland when 13 unarmed civilians are shot dead by British soldiers.

1970s fashion

Photographs of 1970s fashion and hairstyles.

1970s fashion

Television shows

Television shows in December 1971

In December 1971, TV audiences were watching the following series:

TV shows from December 1971.

Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs
Soul Train
Soul Train
McMillan & Wife
McMillan & Wife
The Persuaders!
The Persuaders!
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
All in the Family
All in the Family
Alias Smith and Jones
Alias Smith and Jones
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Odd Couple
The Odd Couple
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Flip Wilson Show
The Flip Wilson Show

Cars in 1971

1971 saw the introduction of cars such as the Buick Centurion, the Subaru Leone, the AMC Matador, the Morris Marina, the Alpine A310, and the Pontiac Grand Safari.

Cars in 1971.

Children TV shows

Cartoons and children's TV shows in December 1971

If you were a kid on December 31, 1971, then you were probably watching the following cartoons and TV shows:

The Electric Company
The Electric Company
Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!
Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!
Archie's TV Funnies
Archie's TV Funnies

The Funky Phantom
The Funky Phantom
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show
All in the Family
All in the Family
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Groovie Goolies
Groovie Goolies
Josie and the Pussycats
Josie and the Pussycats
Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Clangers
The Clangers
Toys

Toys in 1971

If you were a child on this date, then you may have had some of the following toys:

Uno (card game)
Uno (card game)
The Rock Flowers dolls
The Rock Flowers dolls
Weebles
Weebles
VertiBird (toy helicopter)
VertiBird (toy helicopter)
G.I. Joe Adventure Team
G.I. Joe Adventure Team
Nerf Balls
Nerf Balls
Frisbee
Frisbee
Crissy (doll)
Crissy (doll)
Clackers
Clackers
Battleship (game)
Battleship (game)
Lite-Brite
Lite-Brite
Twister mat
Twister mat

Were you born on December 31, 1971?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1971.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out December 31, 1977, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on December 31.

Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins

Actor
Born on December 31, 1937
He turned 34 on this day in 1971.

Alex Ferguson

Alex Ferguson

Soccer manager
Born on December 31, 1941
He turned 30 on this day in 1971.

John Denver

John Denver

American singer Deceased
Born on December 31, 1943
He turned 28 on this day in 1971.

Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer

Actor
Born on December 31, 1959
He turned 12 on this day in 1971.

John Allen Muhammad

John Allen Muhammad

Convicted murderer Deceased
Born on December 31, 1960
He turned 11 on this day in 1971.

Psy

Psy

South Korean singer
Born on December 31, 1977
He was born exactly 6 years after this date.

Donald Trump Jr.

Donald Trump Jr.

American businessman
Born on December 31, 1977
He was born exactly 6 years after this date.

Hunter Schafer

Hunter Schafer

Actress
Born on December 31, 1998
She was born exactly 27 years after this date.

Holidays

Holidays

National holidays and famous events that fall on December 31:

USA

US President

Richard Nixon was the President of the United States on December 31, 1971.

UK

UK Prime Minister

Edward Heath was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach

Jack Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on December 31, 1971 was most likely conceived around April 9, 1971.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on December 31, 1971 is close to September 22, 1972.

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Stats for December 31, 1971

Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about December 31, 1971:

  • 19,282 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,754 weeks have passed.
  • 1,665,961,200 seconds have passed since December 31, 1971.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beat approximately 1,943,621,400 times.
  • Since then, the Earth has traveled approximately 859,635,979,200 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 277,660,200 times.
  • You have taken approximately 143,272,663 steps. That's roughly 63,677 miles.
  • 19,991,534 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  • How many years ago was 1971?

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