Songs that I hate...

[WestwayKid]

I was at the gas station this morning and they were playing "Piano Man" by Billy Joel as I pumped gas and as I was forced to listen to it - I felt this "anger" building inside of me because I hate that song so much. It was a relief to be able to jump back into my car. The song was still going strong as it's like 30 verses long.

I then thought maybe this could be the basis for a fun thread: kick the lifeless corpse of a bad song around (or if you like said song - here is your chance to defend it).

Why do I dislike this particular one so much? I hate his "sing song " delivery. I hate the fact that it goes on forever. The lyrics are terrible. You don't get to change around word order to fit your rhyme scheme. It's not "tonic and gin" it's gin and tonic. In general, the lyrics are insanely boring and lazy: "Now Paul is a real estate novelist, who never had time for a wife...and he's talkin' with Davy, who's still in the Navy and probably will be for life." And what even is a real estate novelist? I'm sure it's some dumb inside joke. I also hate it because it works itself into your brain and then you can't shake it - that stupid humming and "la-la-la-di-de-da" and everything else.

It's simply a very bad song and if I could banish it to the Island of Broken Songs it would forever be purged from the airways!!!

[oliver]

You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon

It just seems like an incredibly smug song full of private jokes that no-one gets. And the video is annoying too.

A few years ago, I had a discussion at work where we tried to come up with the worst songs of all time. The rules were it couldn't be novelty and it must be song everyone knows. We eventually settled on "The Motown Song" by Rod Stewart but I still think You Can Call Me Al is the rightful #1

I should have added that Piano Man is also a strong shout. I want to add "Let it Be" just because I think it's such poor advice most of the time... "oh, I'm behind on the mortgage and the bills are piling up" - "don't worry, do nothing" - but I like it too much musically. I just pretend it's being sarcastic.

[eumaas]

Lover's Rock

[deny]

Three of my favourite songs mentioned already

[WestwayKid]

You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon

It just seems like an incredibly smug song full of private jokes that no-one gets. And the video is annoying too.

A few years ago, I had a discussion at work where we tried to come up with the worst songs of all time. The rules were it couldn't be novelty and it must be song everyone knows. We eventually settled on "The Motown Song" by Rod Stewart but I still think You Can Call Me Al is the rightful #1

I should have added that Piano Man is also a strong shout. I want to add "Let it Be" just because I think it's such poor advice most of the time... "oh, I'm behind on the mortgage and the bills are piling up" - "don't worry, do nothing" - but I like it too much musically. I just pretend it's being sarcastic.

Ha, ha! Agreed! Let it Be is a pretty fantastic song and when I think about it in the context of McCartney trying to deal with/process the breakup of the Beatles - it adds to the meaning for me. That said - can be pretty bad advice most of the time. I'd propose swapping Let it Be for Don't Worry Be Happy because not only does it provide the same awful advice - it's also a terrible song!

I'm a bit torn on You Can Call Me Al. I agree on the smugness and the inside jokes and the overplayed video - but something about the melody is pretty catchy. I'm by no means a fan - but I can tolerate it better than some songs.

[Dr. Medulla]

All of those awful McCartney songs that Inder swoons over.

[Heston]

I can't stand Let It Be, one of my least favourite Beatles songs.

My choice for worst song ever would be Sweating Bullets by Megadeth. Just horrific.

[101Walterton]

Living On A Prayer

I win.

[Heston]

Living On A Prayer

I win.

Nah. I don't like it but I wouldn't jump up to turn the radio off.

I forgot Angels by Robbie Williams, utterly detest it.

[101Walterton]

The Final Countdown

[Inder]

All of those awful McCartney songs that Inder swoons over.

NOW LOOK HERE, SWANSBOY

[Flex]

maybe i'll go with "songs i hate... by artists I otherwise don't mind". I mean, I could list a buncha songs by the Eagles and Jimmy Buffett, but how interesting would that be?

I've name-checked it before, but I hate the Angry Samoans' "Homo-Sexual". Bigoted shit from a band that's otherwise great. I like to think that it's ignorance born partly of its time, but I don't know if they've dropped it from their live sets.

I've gone back and forth on this, but I'm pretty sure I hate the Beach Boys' Student Demonstration Time. I don't mind that it's a riff on Lieber and Stoller's Riot in Cell Block #9 (an amazing song) or it's faux gritty sound, which I actually think fit in well for the band circa 1971. No, it's the horrific, reactionary lyrics by Mike Love which pretty much give up the ghost on where that dipshit's real political sympathies were. Terrible.

I guess this isn't an artist I like in the first place, but the hate glands in my brain trigger as soon as I start hearing "you're beautiful" by James Blunt. Fuckin' awful song that was everywhere for much longer than any of us deserved.

[WestwayKid]

Living On A Prayer

I win.

Nah. I don't like it but I wouldn't jump up to turn the radio off.

I forgot Angels by Robbie Williams, utterly detest it.

I had also forgotten about that song. Agreed. Utter garbage.

[WestwayKid]

maybe i'll go with "songs i hate... by artists I otherwise don't mind". I mean, I could list a buncha songs by the Eagles and Jimmy Buffett, but how interesting would that be?

I've name-checked it before, but I hate the Angry Samoans' "Homo-Sexual". Bigoted shit from a band that's otherwise great. I like to think that it's ignorance born partly of its time, but I don't know if they've dropped it from their live sets.

I've gone back and forth on this, but I'm pretty sure I hate the Beach Boys' Student Demonstration Time. I don't mind that it's a riff on Lieber and Stoller's Riot in Cell Block #9 (an amazing song) or it's faux gritty sound, which I actually think fit in well for the band circa 1971. No, it's the horrific, reactionary lyrics by Mike Love which pretty much give up the ghost on where that dipshit's real political sympathies were. Terrible.

I guess this isn't an artist I like in the first place, but the hate glands in my brain trigger as soon as I start hearing "you're beautiful" by James Blunt. Fuckin' awful song that was everywhere for much longer than any of us deserved.

Yessir! As a Beach Boys fanatic - I can stomach a lot of bad songs without reaching for the skip button (She's Got Rhythm, anyone?)...but Student Demonstration Time pretty much always gets skipped. I hate the dumb megaphone effect on his voice and the way he basically just cops out at the end.

[revbob]

None of us have the time for me to dig too deep on this.
Several artists can spark intense rage no matter what the song. Cue the usual suspects.