Last week while the old messageboard was crashing, the low selling music magazine Blender picked Starship's "We Built This City" as the worst song ever, even though others are better deserving of this dubious honor. Other songs ranked near the bottom are "Ice, Ice Baby", "Party All the Time" and "Don't Worry, Be Happy". The bottom ten at
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2004-04-18-worst-songs_x.htm

Personally....

Remove "We Built This City"

Bump Billy Ray up to # 1  ;D

Remove "Wang Chung"

They could certainly have found worse songs to be throwing in there !

Blender magazine is quoted in part :

The entry most likely to peeve fans is Simon & Garfunkel's The Sounds of Silence.

"It's the freshman-poetry meaningfulness that got our goat," Marks says. "With self-important lyrics like, 'Hear my words that I might teach you,' it's almost a parody of pretentious '60s folk-rock.

"If Frasier Crane wrote a song, this would be it."

I suggest that it is Blender who are being pretentious.  Down with Blender !  >:( ;D

My nomination for the list would be the song "I've never been to me".  It was done back in the 1970's and was the sappiest piece of fecal material ever commited to vinyl.

Amazingly I heard it today at the barber's.  BLECH!!!!

I just read the USA Today article.  "Ebony and Ivory" is on the list.

My favorite lyric from that song is:

I am black
and you are white
You are blind as a bat
And I've got sight
Side by side you are my amigo, negro
Let's not fight

Oh wait.  That's the Saturday Night Live version.  ;D

Wow, several of those songs I like a lot.

As for "We Built This City", I always loved it.  Is saying something, when a 20 year old band in their 3rd name (Jefferson Airplane, to Jefferson Starship, to Starship) can make another hit song.

And for Rollin', I like that also.  They maybe should have listed a version, because they did 2 different ones.

And for "Ebony And Ivory", that was our shoice for "Class Song" for my graduating class.  Kind of sad, when you realized what happened to my home town of LA 9 years later.  :(

What I find amazing is the songs that are NOT in the list.  How about "My Sharona"(The Knack)?  Or "Barbie Girl" (Aqua), "Call Me Al" (Paul Simon), "Heartbeat" (Don Johnson), "Hot Hot Hot (Buster Poindexter - formerly member of the punk band "New York Dolls"), or "Father Figure" (George Michael, this song creeped me out before I discovered it was about teen boys)?

Of course, one I both love and find unbearable to listen to very often is "American Pie", by Don Mclean.  It is a great song, but you would think he could have shortened it just a tad.  Not many songs fill both sides of a 45.

Oh, these lists keep a-comin' every week...some even get elevated to a couple of hours prime-time viewing when the TV stations want something on the cheap...

...so, obviously, there's going to be a few choices that no-one's going to agree with entirely...interesting stuff, tho'...

Here's a random pile of stuff from a randomly chosen Brit website...

http://www.codeinedemons.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/worstrecord.html

...if you're wondering about the last-line comments, i.e., 'rather sing along with Yazz', 'AM/FM all that jazz' and 'Fleetwood Mac' - well, they're all lyrics from the sublimely awful 'I'd Rather Jack', a marginally successful song by The Reynolds Girls (1989), which fits very nicely in the 'worst record' category itself...! Probably used for comic effect...

What I found sad about the list is that not only do I like "We Built This City" but that I liked a lot of the songs.  Does this mean I am really sad??

What I found sad about the list is that not only do I like "We Built This City" but that I liked a lot of the songs.  Does this mean I am really sad??

No Gecko  :)

It means that the writer was deliberately being provocative to get some attention and therein lies one of the things that sucks about journalism....  >:(

"Never let the facts get in the way of a good story"  ::)

Limp Bizkit "Rollin'" is on there?  Not to mention it's worse than "Ice Ice Baby"?  We're my eyes deceiving me?  Did I actually read that?  Personally I also think Billy Gay BiRus should be number one, hell make that whole list as country songs.   

I actually heard Grace Slick comment on this on a radio interview here in Denver the other day.  She said that she was actually glad "We Built This City" was rated the worst song ever.  She actully hated it to begin with.  At the time, Starship/Jefferson Starship were turned into a corporate drone band just there to make money pure and simple.  Plus, none of the band members wrote any of the music on the album it was on (Knee Deep In the Hoolpa).  Most of that credit actually goes to Bernie Taupin who is Elton John's main collaberator.

She also led into how dumb a concept the whole song was in that no city was actually 'Built on Rock and Roll.'  Grace criticized it and noted that San Francisco was built on the California Gold Rush, LA was built on the movie industry and London was founded by the Romans almost 2000 years ago.  Silly isnt it???

She also led into how dumb a concept the whole song was in that no city was actually 'Built on Rock and Roll.'  Grace criticized it and noted that San Francisco was built on the California Gold Rush, LA was built on the movie industry and London was founded by the Romans almost 2000 years ago.  Silly isnt it???


That's a pretty dumb comment by her.  MOST songs are based on flights into fancy.

For example how "dumb" was the concept of calling their group "Jefferson Starship"?  There was never a star ship named Jefferson.

"We Built this City" was enjoyable, albeit lightweight pop drivel, and it was a contagious tune at the time.  Me and my buddies used to sing it as "We bilked this city out of rock and roll".  :P

I agree with a lot of their choices, and disagree with some.  I think "We Built this City" by Jefferson Starship should be on the list, probably not as the worst song ever, but I think it's on the list just because that band comes across as so early 80's cheesy.  Starship is a hokey band that seem to run parrallel with Journey, representing the worst, most guady aspects of the early-mid 1980's fluffy style.  Billy Ray Cyru's "Achy Breaky Heart" DEFINATELY should be on that list, as should any song by Vanilla Ice or Eddie Murphy.  And I always hated that Bobby McFerin song, "Don't worry, be happy".  That is a truly, truly wretched song. 

But I always did like Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of all".  :-\  And I always got the impression "I'm Too Sexy for your Love" was a purposefully cheesy, goofy song like "The Macarena".  I like them both because they are intentionally stupid.  It's the unintentionally bad and cornball songs that need to be on there. 

I knew that list would get attention on this site, just because it seemed like they had a particular axe to grind with the glitzy synth sound of the 80's.  6 out of their 10 worst songs come from the 80's, 8 if you include the two early 90's entries by Vanilla Ice and Billy Ray Cyrus.  A lot of their other worst songs are also from the 80's.  And it seemed they just threw in Limp Bizkit in there to have modern band/song from the 2000's, so they don't look totally unfair.

So why would Ebony and Ivory be the worst song? I have nothing against Stevie and Paul. ???


Howard

Wow, several of those songs I like a lot.

As for "We Built This City", I always loved it.  Is saying something, when a 20 year old band in their 3rd name (Jefferson Airplane, to Jefferson Starship, to Starship) can make another hit song.

And for Rollin', I like that also.  They maybe should have listed a version, because they did 2 different ones.

And for "Ebony And Ivory", that was our shoice for "Class Song" for my graduating class.  Kind of sad, when you realized what happened to my home town of LA 9 years later.  :(

What I find amazing is the songs that are NOT in the list.  How about "My Sharona"(The Knack)?  Or "Barbie Girl" (Aqua), "Call Me Al" (Paul Simon), "Heartbeat" (Don Johnson), "Hot Hot Hot (Buster Poindexter - formerly member of the punk band "New York Dolls"), or "Father Figure" (George Michael, this song creeped me out before I discovered it was about teen boys)?

Of course, one I both love and find unbearable to listen to very often is "American Pie", by Don Mclean.  It is a great song, but you would think he could have shortened it just a tad.  Not many songs fill both sides of a 45.


How about Steam "Na,Na,Na(Hey,Hey Kiss Him Goodbye). :P


Howard

Wow, several of those songs I like a lot.

As for "We Built This City", I always loved it.  Is saying something, when a 20 year old band in their 3rd name (Jefferson Airplane, to Jefferson Starship, to Starship) can make another hit song.

And for Rollin', I like that also.  They maybe should have listed a version, because they did 2 different ones.

And for "Ebony And Ivory", that was our shoice for "Class Song" for my graduating class.  Kind of sad, when you realized what happened to my home town of LA 9 years later.  :(

What I find amazing is the songs that are NOT in the list.  How about "My Sharona"(The Knack)?  Or "Barbie Girl" (Aqua), "Call Me Al" (Paul Simon), "Heartbeat" (Don Johnson), "Hot Hot Hot (Buster Poindexter - formerly member of the punk band "New York Dolls"), or "Father Figure" (George Michael, this song creeped me out before I discovered it was about teen boys)?

Of course, one I both love and find unbearable to listen to very often is "American Pie", by Don Mclean.  It is a great song, but you would think he could have shortened it just a tad.  Not many songs fill both sides of a 45.


How about Steam "Na,Na,Na(Hey,Hey Kiss Him Goodbye). :P


Howard
I like 'Na Na Hey Hey(Kiss Him Goodbye)'! That was one of the coolest hits of the late '60s! Maybe you aren't as old as I am(I'm 44),and I remember the early to mid '60s had a lot of what would be considered 'cornball' today,but is considered OLDIES but GOODIES now! My introduction to rock,soul,and Motown stuff was my older sister,Pat!

I actually agree with the 10 worst songs (Except for "Everybody Have Fun Tonight"  ;D ).

And strongly believe "We Built This This City" is amongst the worst songs ever recorded. And deserve the #1 position.

I agree the "We Built This City" deserved a place in the "Worst" catagory. But so did "Baby One More Time", "I Was Only Joking" (Rod Stewart), "Break My Stride", "Joanna" (Kool and the Gang), and "Shock To The System" (Billy Idol) were also terrible enough for Blender's list. It's a matter of taste, Woops.

I suggest that it is Blender who are being pretentious.  Down with Blender !  >:( ;D


I have to strongly agree.  I mean, what criteria do they use to chose the "worst"? 

How about Steam "Na,Na,Na(Hey,Hey Kiss Him Goodbye). :P


Howard


I read an article a few years back in which the writer of "Na na na" was asked about the song.

He said it basically was a joke, done to fill the B-side of a record they were doing.  He was amazed that it became a hit.

The rest is history.

;D

How about Steam "Na,Na,Na(Hey,Hey Kiss Him Goodbye). :P


Howard


I read an article a few years back in which the writer of "Na na na" was asked about the song.

He said it basically was a joke, done to fill the B-side of a record they were doing.  He was amazed that it became a hit.

The rest is history.

;D


I didn't think that song would become a hit.What about that song by Napoleon?


Howard

Wow, several of those songs I like a lot.

As for "We Built This City", I always loved it.  Is saying something, when a 20 year old band in their 3rd name (Jefferson Airplane, to Jefferson Starship, to Starship) can make another hit song.

And for Rollin', I like that also.  They maybe should have listed a version, because they did 2 different ones.

And for "Ebony And Ivory", that was our shoice for "Class Song" for my graduating class.  Kind of sad, when you realized what happened to my home town of LA 9 years later.  :(

What I find amazing is the songs that are NOT in the list.  How about "My Sharona"(The Knack)?  Or "Barbie Girl" (Aqua), "Call Me Al" (Paul Simon), "Heartbeat" (Don Johnson), "Hot Hot Hot (Buster Poindexter - formerly member of the punk band "New York Dolls"), or "Father Figure" (George Michael, this song creeped me out before I discovered it was about teen boys)?

Of course, one I both love and find unbearable to listen to very often is "American Pie", by Don Mclean.  It is a great song, but you would think he could have shortened it just a tad.  Not many songs fill both sides of a 45.


How about Steam "Na,Na,Na(Hey,Hey Kiss Him Goodbye). :P


Howard
I like 'Na Na Hey Hey(Kiss Him Goodbye)'! That was one of the coolest hits of the late '60s! Maybe you aren't as old as I am(I'm 44),and I remember the early to mid '60s had a lot of what would be considered 'cornball' today,but is considered OLDIES but GOODIES now! My introduction to rock,soul,and Motown stuff was my older sister,Pat!


I'm 30 so you would have more knowledge than me.


Howard

I've got to disagree with Starship's song being No 1 in the worst chart as well. What a great song! I don't think Wang Chung's entry should have been in there either. Blender . . . Pah! More like Blunder!

I suggest that it is Blender who are being pretentious.  Down with Blender !  >:( ;D


I have to strongly agree.  I mean, what criteria do they use to chose the "worst"? 


Hey Steve !  Welcome back !

I agree, the whole concept of worst is so subjective isn't it.... :)  And Best also, for that matter  ;D

Hey Steve !  Welcome back !

I agree, the whole concept of worst is so subjective isn't it.... :)  And Best also, for that matter  ;D


Thanks, Fuss. 
I'm not as teed off with Best Of lists, I guess.  Worst Of lists are usually nothing more than opportunities for lazy editors to generate some cheap yucks.  Best Of lists are usually serious business.  Worst Of lists, by implication if nothing else,are calling you a rube if you happen to like an entry on the list.  I wonder if any genius has compiled a Worst Of list of Worst of lists?
   

As much as I don't really care for editors "best of" and "worst of" lists, I think Blender was right on with this one.  All of the songs on that list would prompt me to change the station on my radio as soon as I heard the first notes.  The only exception being Ebony and Ivory.  That song was kind of ok. 

But like a lot of you have pointed out, it's matter of your own opinion and taste  :D

I didn't think that song would become a hit.What about that song by Napoleon?

Howard


I assume you mean the song by "Napoleon The XIVth", "Their Commong To Take Me Away (Ha Ha)"

That was actually one song of several he did onhis album.  Personally, I preferred one he did called "Split Level Head" a lot more.  Mostly the album was the work of one college student who was a Music major, who wanted to experiment with different things he could do in a sound studio.  His songs took advantage of things that would be used later, like useing a fade from the right to left stereo channel to give the illusion of motion, and talking back and forth from one side, then the other.

But they were all comedy songs, and only one is ever remembered anymore.

How about Steam "Na,Na,Na(Hey,Hey Kiss Him Goodbye). :P

Howard


As a DJ for over 20 years, I always thought that song was made just for us to play at closing time.  :)  I know that is normally when I played it.

Of course now, we have a more recent version which is probably gonna be seen 20 years from now as just as stupid and insipid.

Nowadays when I end a set, I go out with "Synsonic" doing "Closing Time".

But my opening songs are still the same from 1985.  I originally started with "Rock And Roll" by kiss, but since I first heard the movie "Spinal Tap", my opening song has been and will always be "Tonight We're Gonna Rock You".  I can't tell you how many copies of the album I went through over the years of that one.  :)

I'm not as teed off with Best Of lists, I guess.  Worst Of lists are usually nothing more than opportunities for lazy editors to generate some cheap yucks.  Best Of lists are usually serious business.  Worst Of lists, by implication if nothing else,are calling you a rube if you happen to like an entry on the list.  I wonder if any genius has compiled a Worst Of list of Worst of lists?
     


I have a suspicious that people who make "worst Of Lists" for a living have a big inferiority complex.  By "professionally" ripping somebody apart, they make themselves feel good.  Add to that the fact that a good number of people will like at least some of the things in the list, it makes them feel stupid too, raising them even higher.  They are cheap journalism, needing only a "Billboard 100" book to come up with names.

I enjoy when people look through my video collection, and see movies that are among the best ever, placed alongside some of the worst ever.  I have Sparticus, The Great Dictator, Nosferatu, Battleship Potempkin, and My Fair Lady.  Alongside those, I have Xanadu, Battlefield Earth, Maximum Overdrive, and Wayne's World.  As long as I enjoy them, I tend to not give a damm about what other's think.

And yes, I have "Der Golum" in my collection.  :)

I enjoy when people look through my video collection, and see movies that are among the best ever, placed alongside some of the worst ever.  I have Sparticus, The Great Dictator, Nosferatu, Battleship Potempkin, and My Fair Lady.  Alongside those, I have Xanadu, Battlefield Earth, Maximum Overdrive, and Wayne's World.  As long as I enjoy them, I tend to not give a damm about what other's think.


That's right, Mushroom. Life isn't about following a trend, it's about following your personal tastes.

I have some classics in my DVD collection (just to go off topic a little) - Airplane, Blazing Saddles, 12 Angry Men, The Apartment, Odd Couple, Great Escape, Shawshank Redempion . . . Then I follow it up with Masters of the Universe, Gremlins and Flight of the Navigator.  ;D

I can't remember anymore songs that were the worst right now. ;D


Howard

I know what this list is missing!!!!!!!!..........Afternoon Delight  

Ill take most of those other songs over that one.

It means that the writer was deliberately being provocative to get some attention and therein lies one of the things that sucks about journalism.... 

"Never let the facts get in the way of a good story"

It's hardly provocative, especially now, to call "We Built This City" a bad song.  I mean, I guess the song has its fans, as this thread indicates, but it also a very large amount of detractors.  It's not nearly as provocative as calling, say, "Stairway to Heaven" or "Smells Like Teen Spirit" the worst song of all time.

Also, I'm not sure what the quote at the bottom has to do anything.  It was an opinion piece; facts or story don't enter into it.

By "professionally" ripping somebody apart, they make themselves feel good.

Now, I take serious issue with this.  They're music critics.  They're paid to give their opinions on what they like and what they don't, and they're not going to be happy and perky about everything.  A bad review doesn't have any less value than a good review.  Granted, what that one poster said about Worst Of lists being an excuse for cheap laughs is generally true, but it looked to me like they were going for valid reasons that these songs were awful, rather than dumb kick-em-when-they're-down punchlines.

I have nothing against this list.  It seems to back up their criticisms well enough, and I don't see anything on that list that I really like (except Obladi Oblada

Last week while the old messageboard was crashing, the low selling music magazine Blender picked Starship's "We Built This City" as the worst song ever, even though others are better deserving of this dubious honor. Other songs ranked near the bottom are "Ice, Ice Baby", "Party All the Time" and "Don't Worry, Be Happy". The bottom ten at
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2004-04-18-worst-songs_x.htmFirstly, "We Built This City on rock 'n' roll..." teeehehe - remove that.. there's much worse.. like any from Eminem.. any songs I heard during "Britney day" on MTV, any boyband crap.. most girl pop.. umm... Remove Paul & Stevie, they're cool... & I liked Don't Worry, Get Happy :(

It's hardly provocative, especially now, to call "We Built This City" a bad song.  I mean, I guess the song has its fans, as this thread indicates, but it also a very large amount of detractors.  It's not nearly as provocative as calling, say, "Stairway to Heaven" or "Smells Like Teen Spirit" the worst song of all time.

Also, I'm not sure what the quote at the bottom has to do anything.  It was an opinion piece; facts or story don't enter into it.

An opinion piece ?  As was my statement  ;), and I stick by it.  The reference was to journalism and it's ever declining standards, have another read if it was not clear.   ;)  It seems pretty clear I would have thought.

I have a suspicious that people who make "worst Of Lists" for a living have a big inferiority complex.  By "professionally" ripping somebody apart, they make themselves feel good.  Add to that the fact that a good number of people will like at least some of the things in the list, it makes them feel stupid too, raising them even higher.  They are cheap journalism, needing only a "Billboard 100" book to come up with names.

I enjoy when people look through my video collection, and see movies that are among the best ever, placed alongside some of the worst ever.  I have Sparticus, The Great Dictator, Nosferatu, Battleship Potempkin, and My Fair Lady.  Alongside those, I have Xanadu, Battlefield Earth, Maximum Overdrive, and Wayne's World.  As long as I enjoy them, I tend to not give a damm about what other's think.

And yes, I have "Der Golum" in my collection.  :)


Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam.  The Kino International or the Alpha Video version?  The Kino's the one you want, if you can afford it.  I bought The Golem in an Alpha Video box set with three other silent movies - John Barrymore's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Wallace Beery's Lost World & Douglas Fairbanks' The Thief of Baghdad.  I paid for the Alpha box what I would have paid for one Kino movie, but it was a trade-off.  Alpha does no restoration, so the print quality of the movies is sometimes downright awful.  And they tend to slap on whatever music is handy (and is in the public domain.)  I've read that Kino uses the original musical accompiament, which is what you'd want with a silent movie, but you pay through the nose for it. 
My suspicions about Blender's intent is more mercenary.  Worst Of lists create a buzz, sell magazines and require no heavy lifting.  The sad fact of it is you could put 95% of pop music into a hat and pull out 50 tunes and turn them into a Worst Ever list. 
For instance, Blender says Simon & Garfunkel's "Sound of Silence" is pretentious and "almost a parody of folk-rock."  Is it any more pretentious than an early S & G charter, "The Dangling Conversation"?  Is that on the list?  Is James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" or "You've Got a Friend" on the list for the same crimes?  What about Don McLean's "American Pie"?  Richard Harris's "MacArthur Park"? 

I remember cringe-worthy stuff like . . .

'Save your love' - Renee and Renata
'I need you' - B.V.S.M.P
'Mated' - David Grant and Jackie Graham
'One day in your life' and 'Farewell my summer love' by Michael Jackson

IMO these songs should be collected up and burned in a big bonfire lol.

At least 'Star Trekkin' by The Firm and 'The Chicken Song' by Spitting Image had humour on it's side.  :)

I agree, the whole concept of worst is so subjective isn't it.... :)  And Best also, for that matter  ;D


I don't know.  I kind of like Best Of lists.  We're all on short rations of time or money or both, and I appreciate a book or movie or music reviewer's giving me list of stuff they recommend. 

Of course, one I both love and find unbearable to listen to very often is "American Pie", by Don Mclean.  It is a great song, but you would think he could have shortened it just a tad.  Not many songs fill both sides of a 45.
There were a few songs that were quite long back in the day, Mushroom.  Stairway To Heaven, Hey Jude, Roundabout and the all-time longest....In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.  As for American Pie....I think they should've chose that madonna travesty version :P

My nomination for the list would be the song "I've never been to me".  It was done back in the 1970's and was the sappiest piece of fecal material ever commited to vinyl.

Amazingly I heard it today at the barber's.  BLECH!!!!


I agree wholeheartedly.  The other night at a dinner party we we're talking about the worst songs - this one came out on top closely followed by "Run Joey Run" and "Hello This Is Joanie" (anyone remember that little gem!).  IMHO "We Built This City" does deserve a spot on the list.

She Bop By Cyndi Lauper. :P


Howard

I guess this list is why it's low selling ::)

I really liked Everybody Have Fun Tonight, what's wrong with that one?

You know what should've made it on there?  American Bad*ss by Kid Rock, it sounds like he's just praising himself, but then again, many rap songs should be on there because of that, lol ;D

And this one from the 1960s that goes, "I like him, I like him, I like him, and where he goes I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow."

Oh yeah, you ever notice how each of those songs in the top 10 are from the 80's to the 00's?  Makes me wonder...

My nomination for the list would be the song "I've never been to me".  It was done back in the 1970's and was the sappiest piece of fecal material ever commited to vinyl.

Amazingly I heard it today at the barber's.  BLECH!!!!


I agree wholeheartedly.  The other night at a dinner party we we're talking about the worst songs - this one came out on top closely followed by "Run Joey Run" and "Hello This Is Joanie" (anyone remember that little gem!).  IMHO "We Built This City" does deserve a spot on the list.


I remember Run, Joey, Run.  How could they have left that off the worst of list?  But I can't say I remember Hello, This is Joanie.  Maybe I blocked it out!  :D

And this one from the 1960s that goes, "I like him, I like him, I like him, and where he goes I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow."


That's "I Will Follow Him" by Peggy March  ;)

My nomination for the list would be the song "I've never been to me".  It was done back in the 1970's and was the sappiest piece of fecal material ever commited to vinyl.

Amazingly I heard it today at the barber's.  BLECH!!!!

YEAH!
I was going to point out Charlene myself!  "I've Never Been to Me," indeed!!  The song was originally released in the '79, but took its aural ebola all the way to #1 ealy in '82.

Wang Chung's Everybody Have Fun Tonight was supposed to be silly.  It's actually very nicely put together.

Starship---
I can't say We Built this City qualifies for the top 10 worst, but aye-yi-yi, is it ever crummy.  But it's not as annoying as Sara, that's 4 sure!

wait-a-minute!  you're telling me that a great classic song like "we built this city on rock and roll" is considered the worst song in music, and yet, this cow dung by that pop slut britney spears is all great?!?! am i missing something here!  i have had it up to here with that manufactured blonde piece of crap already, with her "tox-ic" and her "baby one more time" and her "opps! i did it again!" nonsense!  that song by jefferson starship is a classic! i think britney and christina should both stay on playboy and give mtv/vh1 back its real music!

Dance Hall Days Wang Chung :P


Howard

Another "worst song" candidate would be Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks.  If it were any sappier you could pour it on your blueberry pancakes.  :P

Amazingly, in the 1980's there was a guy touring the USA, impersonating Terry Jacks.  ::)

I didn't think that song would become a hit.What about that song by Napoleon?


Howard

Do you mean, "They're Coming to Take Me Away..." by Napoleon the XIV?
But that's a novelty song.  I would judge "worst" more specifically as "bad while trying to be good."  If there's a palpably sincere effort to make a serious song while churning out rubbish, then you've got something to work with.

Lyricboy mentioned Terry Jacks' "Seasons in the Sun."  That wasn't a joke.  That wasn't even a producer's hit factory number.  "Seasons in the Sun" tells a from-the-heart story by Terry Jacks.  The death of his friend was a life-changing experience for him, and he wants to share it with YOU!

"I've Never Been to Me" really was a purported feminist anthem, perhaps a sister to Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar."

The Starland Vocal Band ("Afternoon Delights") really did fancy themselves fabulous singers.

Speaking of...
I heard an interview with Barry Manilow recently.  He claims he never intended to become a singer and was never proud of his voice.  Yet he was one of the top-charting vocal acts of the '70s and early '80s, and his niche popularity has not waned in the past 20 years.  Well, no one put a gun to Barry's head, although millions of frustrated radio-listeners wanted to.  I would say he recorded some of the worst.  Worst of his worst, for hits, may have been one of his last visits to the Top 40 in 1984, "Read 'em and Weep."

I haven't seen the Blender Worst 50 list yet, but I am assuming that their selections are limited to rock and Top 40 pop. Having said that, my choice for WORST SONG EVER probably isn't on that list, even though it was a hit back in the 1970's. But here it is:

"Lonely Is A Man Without Love," by Englebert Humperdinck.

I had to endure this song as a kid because they always played it on this adult contemporary AM station that my dad would always listen to in the car. I am assuming that most of you haven't heard this song, and you should be thankful for that. I recently had 5 teeth drilled and filled, and I am not exaggerating when I say that I would willingly and enthusiastically undergo that exact same procedure every day for an entire year if it meant that I could erase this song from my memory. So if you've never heard this song, consider yourself lucky and trust me on this one. Don't get all curious and download it just to find out for yourselves how bad it is. This song will get stuck in your head and WILL NOT LEAVE, and if you DO decide to check it out for yourselves, you will probably want to track me down and KICK MY *SS once you hear it. It is that bad, trust me.

(#2: "Sweet Pea," by Tommy Roe.)

has anyone mentioned 'Mandy' by Barry Manilow, yet >:(

utter rubbish

The Chicken Dance  :P ;D


Howard

has anyone mentioned 'Mandy' by Barry Manilow, yet >:(

utter rubbish

Who's Mandy? Mandy Patinkin?
:D

VH1 will air their "50 Awesomely Bad Songs" on May 12th that'll feature Blenders' 50 worst songs.  :-X


IMO, Couldn't VH1 put up their own "Worst Song" list...  ::)
Nevermind.  :P They messed up on "100 One Hit Wonders", "200 Pop Culture Icons", "Top 80 of the 80's", etc.

I would like to see other lists from Blender.

We Built This City is absolute puke, but the worst of all time? 

"I've Never Been to Me" really was a purported feminist anthem, perhaps a sister to Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar."



Careful, Max, It was written by two men!

;)

What I found sad about the list is that not only do I like "We Built This City" but that I liked a lot of the songs.  Does this mean I am really sad??
  Then that means that I must be sad with you.   ;)   

Prolly a conspiracy to discredit the "women's liberation" movement with dopey inanity.
It's like the way I'm beginning to think "John Kerry" is a Republican plant!
:-\\


One reason I decided to re-join the boards after it moved to the new servers was because it wasn't filled with politics like it used to be.

I'm beginning to regret my decision.


Dude, there is such thing as "overkill". ;)

Careful, Max, It was written by two men!

;)


Figures.

Quite a few of the songs on that list are songs I like and I refuse to believe my taste in music is that bad.  Their reasons for listing the songs were weak attempts to explain and justify which didn't work.  The entire list was a feeble attempt to gain some pub....nice try! ;D

Any song by Cliff Richard short of Devil Woman would have best suited this list. His voices strains and he has no range. "We Don't Talk Anymore" is a perfect example. :P

I refuse to believe my taste in music is that bad

You may want to reconsider; it is a possibility for all of us, besides me.

It still baffles me over that Blender list.  I love some of the songs that they apparently do not.  My question is .. how come 'Be Good Johnny' by Men at Work' isn't in that list?  That's like one of the worst songs ever

Blender has articles???  :o

How about Steam "Na,Na,Na(Hey,Hey Kiss Him Goodbye). :P


Howard
Never! That song is cool! I remember hearing that song when it first came out..I was only nine years old, and I thought that song was great. Most kids my age were into the Archies and stuff like 'The Partridge Family' and 'the Banana Splits'..I was into stuff like Steppenwolf, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and the Beatles, because my older sister got me listening to that stuff...I even have the song downloaded and burned to CD as well as on my mp3 player! That song brings back some really fun memories too, staying up all night listening to WFIL 560 and WMID 1340 AM, at my neighbor's house!

We built this city is definitely not the worst song. In fact, I love that song. I actually have some great memories whenever I hear that song. They're goofy memories but It's a goofy song, but not the worst of all time. That song from Dirty Dancing takes the cake in my book..

Blender has articles???  :o


Hard to believe eh? ;D

I haven't seen the Blender Worst 50 list yet, but I am assuming that their selections are limited to rock and Top 40 pop. Having said that, my choice for WORST SONG EVER probably isn't on that list, even though it was a hit back in the 1970's. But here it is:

"Lonely Is A Man Without Love," by Englebert Humperdinck.

I had to endure this song as a kid because they always played it on this adult contemporary AM station that my dad would always listen to in the car. I am assuming that most of you haven't heard this song, and you should be thankful for that. I recently had 5 teeth drilled and filled, and I am not exaggerating when I say that I would willingly and enthusiastically undergo that exact same procedure every day for an entire year if it meant that I could erase this song from my memory. So if you've never heard this song, consider yourself lucky and trust me on this one. Don't get all curious and download it just to find out for yourselves how bad it is. This song will get stuck in your head and WILL NOT LEAVE, and if you DO decide to check it out for yourselves, you will probably want to track me down and KICK MY *SS once you hear it. It is that bad, trust me.

(#2: "Sweet Pea," by Tommy Roe.)
OMG, I remember that song! My mom loved to listen to Engelbert Humperdinck, and I had to endure lots of his crappy music..."Release Me", "Winter World of Love", and "After the Lovin'"...I had the thought about 'accidentally' smashing the albums...my mom would have beat my little butt if I did!

"I Like Dreamin'", forget the guy's name who sings it, and (I'd better duck after someone reads this one)"I'm In You" by Peter Frampton should have been on the list,so should Mr. Mister's "Broken Wings", with 'Achy Breaky Heart' at number one!

I just found this list now, and I have to say I agree with most of it, except for "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" by Wang Chung. That falls in the deliberately cheesy category, I think. Though I'm a massive Madonna lover, I have to agree "American Life" is a horrible song. The reason I think it should rate so high is that it comes from such an excellent artist, and it's like a betrayal. I've heard the "Sounds of Silence" criticism before, and by extension the criticism of Simon and Garfunkel as irritatingly pretentious. But their music is too charming for me to consider anything they did that horrible. Definitely, some of the Rolling Stone's later output belongs on there, as do bad music classics like "Cherry Pie." I think Aqua's "Barbie Girl" should count as a cheesy-by-design song, it's very camp, as should "Hot Hot Hot." So is "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred.

I was just looking at the VH1 countdown. I definitely think everything Ricky Martin has ever done should be on that list, as should everything by the Backstreet Boys and CrazyTown. "We Didn't Start the Fire" is definitely baaad. I think stuff like "Complicated" or "Skater Boy" by Avril Lavigne belongs on there, though, as does most stuff by Nelly. We've definitely had some pretty bad music in the past ten years.

Speaking of low-lying dreck from the '70s..."Seasons in the Sun" by Terry Jacks, "The Loco-Motion" by Grand Funk, "Billy, Don't be a Hero" by Paper Lace, "Kung Fu Fighting" by Carl Douglas, anything by Ringo Starr or Paul McCartney non-Beatles from the '70s, stuff by say John Denver and his ilk, Olivia Newton John, some of the worst disco, alot of Barry Manilow/Neil Diamond/Neil Sedaka stuff, "Let Your Love Flow" by the Bellamy Brothers, "Afternoon Delight" by the Starlite Vocal Band, "You Light Up My Life" by Debby Boone, some Jim Croce stuff, and just innumerable stuff from the '70s belongs on the list. The '70s got so irredeemably, unforgiveably cheesy towards the middle of the decade. I think the '70s needs its own 50 worst songs list, actually.

How about "Feelings" by Morris Albert? Ugh!

Also, some '80s and early '90s dance music and techno, the more obscure/somewhat successful stuff, is irredeemably crappy.

"Getcha Head In The Game" and the rest of the junk from "High School Music"

It isn't THAT bad. I could think of a lot worse.

How about Steam "Na,Na,Na(Hey,Hey Kiss Him Goodbye).

Hey, that's a classic!  :D

"Torn Between Two Lovers" should be on that list! Yecch! And so should Foreigner's "I Wanna Know What Love Is", both songs make me wanna take the radio and smash it...