Worst song you have ever heard?

Subject: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Helen
Date: 30 Apr 21 - 11:30 PM

Hi all,

I know this will spark up some "interesting" discussions, but I was at a cafe and heard this song.

Personally, I'd be prepared to say it is - this is my opinion only! - the worst song I have ever heard:

Beat Happening - "Other Side"

To explain, my personal preference criteria always revolve around musical elements like melody, harmony if any, musical arrangements, accompaniment, rhythm, the instruments which are used in the piece etc.

I rarely relate initially to lyrics unless I like the music to start with and listen enough to "get" the lyrics.

(Note: I am dyslexic. That may or may not explain why I have trouble hearing lyrics, so don't even think about having a go at me about leaving lyrics out of my personal criteria. Like Popeye, I yam what I yam.) LOL

So that song comes at the top of my awful list. In my opinion, it is boring, repetitive, the singing is flat, and the accompaniment is very mechanical and unmusical. Out of all that, singing below pitch probably ticks my "worst" category the most.

Feel free to disagree with me, but I'd also be interested in what you consider to be the worst song you have every heard and how you made that decision.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 01 May 21 - 01:21 AM

sounds ok to me,,

average enogh for indie, nothing special, but certainly not amongst the worst..

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Jos
Date: 01 May 21 - 02:52 AM

I wouldn't go overboard with the criticisms. It's dull and dreary. I don't hate it but I would be happy never to hear it again.

For me, the worst song ever is 'Sunshine Mountain'.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Helen
Date: 01 May 21 - 03:11 AM

Jos, I haven't heard that song. Is it this one:

'Sunshine Mountain'

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Jos
Date: 01 May 21 - 03:37 AM

Yes, that's the one.
Whenever I have come across it, it would be in a room or pub full of people. One person would stand on a chair and sing until they got to "You and I". They would then point to another person, while repeating "You and I", until that person stood on a chair and the song would be repeated with them both pointing to a victim. This would be repeated until everyone was standing on a chair - even those who obviously didn't want to join in were forced to, by being pointed at and harangued by the whole crowd, who would not stop until they triumphed.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Helen
Date: 01 May 21 - 03:47 AM

Oh my! I think I would start slinking towards the door as soon as I heard the first line.

My experience of The Other Side song is not as bad as that. It is just on a repeat playlist at a cafe we visit a lot, so in the last few months I've heard it way more than I want to. It's made worse by being partially drowned out by surrounding noises so the only words I hear repeated ad nauseum are "the other side, the other side...." in that droning toneless voice.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 01 May 21 - 04:09 AM

For me, the worst song is the one that is being played over the supermarket tannoy. I don't care if it is the best song ever written - I don't want to hear it while I am shopping. Context is everything.

DC

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 01 May 21 - 04:41 AM

The worst songs to me are the ones which seem to involve somebody banging 4-in-a-bar on a big cardboard box in the back of a boy-racer mobile.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Helen
Date: 01 May 21 - 04:51 AM

Or, fat B****rd, when there is only one melody line repeated every single line of the song. I keep saying to my Hubby that I wonder whether some young people even know what music is.

I must be getting old. :-)

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Helen
Date: 01 May 21 - 05:09 AM

Sorry, I should narrow the field of the young people I was referring to when I said " I wonder whether some young people even know what music is". I mean the ones who listen to the current popular genres where the music appears to be electronically generated or manipulated, and the beat is repetitive and the vocalist seems to be talking more than singing.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 May 21 - 06:11 AM

That bloody McCartney frog one. Now come on, people...

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 01 May 21 - 06:42 AM

' You're Gorgeous ' when I was working inside, the Radio was always on a pop station [ keep the morons happy ] and this bloody thing seemed to get played every other song. fucking hated it, still do.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Lighter
Date: 01 May 21 - 07:11 AM

"Jingle Bell Rock."

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 May 21 - 07:19 AM

Phew!....got away with that one!

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: GUEST
Date: 01 May 21 - 07:29 AM

The worst songs to me are the ones which seem to involve somebody banging 4-in-a-bar on a big cardboard box in the back of a boy-racer mobile.

We used to go to the theatre with a friend, then in his 80s. One evening a car went past as we were waiting to cross the road, with the bodywork going "boom, boom, boom...".

Reg watched it pass, then said "My grandson's got that tune in his car".

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 01 May 21 - 08:03 AM

I listened to the two songs that were highlighted. The first struck me a neutral I didn't like, or dislike it. Sunshine Mountain really is terrible. It reminds me of some of the patronizing kids songs they made us sing when I was dragged to Sunday School. I, personally, feel like leaving the area, or changing the station when I hear the disco classic Celebrate. As soon as the phrase "come on" happens I wish I were elsewhere. Another nomination from me would be that horrible song justifying William Calley's Vietnam massacre that was on the radio in the early 1970's.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: GUEST,Roderick a. Warner
Date: 01 May 21 - 09:40 AM

With so much good music to listen to (for me, anyway) difficult to think of bad stuff. ‘Little Boxes’ might fit the bill, patronising dreck. Anything by Pete Seeger. Or drippy Paxton songs.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: The Sandman
Date: 01 May 21 - 09:47 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-t7lH0Uzu0

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 01 May 21 - 10:09 AM

Songs I would get up to skip on vinyl include Wimoweh and Scarlet Ribbons. Kansas City and Who killed cock robin I could skip when putting the record on as they were first.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Daniel Kelly
Date: 01 May 21 - 10:23 AM

"Anything by Pete Seeger"

Surely you jest Sir, the man was a treasure to humanity.

The worst song to me is any song where the singer's ego vastly outstrips their talent.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 01 May 21 - 10:23 AM

I don't quite understand, Dick. As you have linked, without comment, to a 53 minute film, are you putting forward a particular song (e.g. 'Ground Hog', used in the opening sequence) or Appalachian music in general as examples of the worst song you have ever heard?

DC

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 May 21 - 11:01 AM

A blatantly subjective topic like this doesn't really belong in the Music section, it is guaranteed to offend people and start squabbles.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 01 May 21 - 11:10 AM

Above the line, surely?

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: gillymor
Date: 01 May 21 - 11:19 AM

The one Neil Diamond performed on The Last Waltz. If ever a performer and a song were out of place...

Also I agree about "Little Boxes". Snotty, elitist tripe.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 01 May 21 - 11:37 AM

A blatantly subjective topic like this doesn't really belong in the Music section

Nonsense! What is the point of a Music section, if you can't discuss music there?

DC

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 May 21 - 11:50 AM

It's an invitation to gore oxen, not "discuss."

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 01 May 21 - 12:31 PM

If you do a search on "worst", you will find a whole host of threads above the line, covering things like 'worst singing accent', 'worst instrument', 'worst single line', 'worst country & western title', 'worst performance', 'worst cover' and many more.

Each of these would have been subjective but they remain in the music section. What makes this thread any different?

DC

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: The Sandman
Date: 01 May 21 - 12:51 PM

i put it up because it is a wonderful film and i thought someome should be positive in this thread

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Raggytash
Date: 01 May 21 - 01:03 PM

Just about anything I have ever written!

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Jeri
Date: 01 May 21 - 01:34 PM

It's music, but it's also BS.
It's also definitely trolling. You ever wonder why nobody seems to like discussing things they CARE about?
Maybe it's because someone else will come in and rip it up, because that's what Mudcatters enjoy. If people on the web are into folk music (maybe), and fighting about it, Mudcat is where they come.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Helen
Date: 01 May 21 - 02:52 PM

Phil Cooper, there is a situation in a very good documentary series which was produced by and aired on Australian ABC TV. It's called The Recording Studio . There was an episode where a group of people sang Celebrate, and then the song Happy to an older man who has made a massive amount of blood donations over 60 years which have save the lives of over 2 million unborn babies because he has a particular blood characteristic which counteracts the Rhesus factor in pregnancy.

Instead of choosing a song which the man liked or could relate to, the mostly young people in the group/choir sang Celebrate, and Happy and the man looked bewildered and then a little pained, but the good intentions of the choir overtook the poor choices of songs.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Helen
Date: 01 May 21 - 03:00 PM

Also, in starting this thread I thought that by discussing the elements of songs which don't do it for us, we can also focus on the elements which do make a song great, in the opinion of each of us.

So as a counterpoint to my initial suggestion of a worst song, this is my suggestion for a beautiful, and brilliantly arranged song:

AU Abdel Gadir Salim - Bassama

For me it is one of those songs which stops me in my tracks. I love the melody, the singing, the instruments, the rhythm, the emotion, the way the music builds as the song progresses, and yet I have no idea what the lyrics are because it is in Arabic.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 01 May 21 - 03:01 PM

... it is a wonderful film and i thought someome should be positive in this thread

Yes, I agree about the film but, as it is thread about the worst song you have ever heard, it would have helped if you had said that you were presenting a positive aspect. I am easily confused.

It seems to me that you often start threads with links without comment. Sometimes they can be interesting but often I am left wondering why the topic has been raised or, at least, why it is significant at that time. It would help an old guy out if you could give some sort of clue.

DC

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: meself
Date: 01 May 21 - 03:38 PM

"My Way". No explanation needed.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Helen
Date: 01 May 21 - 04:04 PM

Yes. No explanation needed.

However I have heard one version which I can listen to. I know a lot of people don't like the Gipsy Kings but I love their instrumental prowess and arrangements and rhythm and feeling/passion for the music.

A Mi Manera [My Way]

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Lighter
Date: 01 May 21 - 04:10 PM

Wot, no gangsta rap titles?

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Helen
Date: 01 May 21 - 04:16 PM

Yeah, well, how much time do you have? LOL

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 May 21 - 06:40 PM

Maybe I'll vote for God Bless America as the worst song ever written. It certainly irritated Woody:

Woody was irritated by Irving Berlin's "God Bless America," sung by Kate Smith, which seemed to be endlessly playing on the radio in the late 1930s. So irritated, in fact, that he wrote this song as a retort, at first sarcastically calling it "God Blessed America for Me" before renaming it "This Land Is Your Land."

So the worst song ever inspired one of the best songs ever. I like it!

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Helen
Date: 01 May 21 - 07:20 PM

Oops! Phil Cooper, I just realised that the Celebrate song I was thinking of is different to the one you mentioned.

The one I meant is called Praise You, by Fatboy Slim:

We've come a long long way together
Through the hard times and the good
I have to celebrate you baby
I have to praise you like I should

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Lighter
Date: 01 May 21 - 08:17 PM

Woody never heard gangsta rap.

Or "Jingle Bell Rock."

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 May 21 - 09:13 PM

Lucky boy Woody! :-)

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Rusty Dobro
Date: 02 May 21 - 03:27 AM

Thanks, Helen, for the introduction to Abdul Gadir Salim - marvellous.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Helen
Date: 02 May 21 - 04:16 AM

Thanks Rusty Dobro.

I have had a 3 CD set called Africa Never Stand Still since it was released in the early '90's and I've listened to them a lot over the decades, but not so much recently. When I played the CD's again I was reminded how much I love that song, but there are a lot of other tracks in the set which are also outstanding.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 May 21 - 07:11 AM

summer holiday by cliff pilchard

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 May 21 - 07:16 AM

It's all a question of taste. Absolutely no point in discussing and will only cause animosity as someone's favourite is slagged off by someone else.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 02 May 21 - 07:45 AM

Amen, Dave.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 02 May 21 - 07:57 AM

DtG - Precisely..

It's clearly evident from some expected obvious nominated records
that so many old mudcat folkies
have had a far too restricted exposure to wider music than their own narrow preferences...

As always, lazy ignorance breeds snobbery and prejudice...

.. they have no idea of what truly terrible songs are lurking in the record collections
of music lovers who have listened mote extensively to a much wider range of music...

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: JHW
Date: 02 May 21 - 08:03 AM

Checked I hadn't already posted this. At some folk club with a upstairs room accessed like a loft someone sang something so bad that I left mid-song. Something I have never done ever before or since. What song? No idea, not worth remembering.

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Malcolm Storey
Date: 02 May 21 - 08:49 AM

Anything by the Pretenders - even if it might be a decent song!

Subject: RE: Worst song you have ever heard?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 02 May 21 - 09:08 AM

Thanks for illustrating my point so well, Malcolm. I don't know if your post was tongue in cheek. I don't have any axe to grind for or against the Pretenders. It doesn't matter. In one short sentance you may have alienated or upset people who are big fans on the Pretenders. Personal tastes are strange and, well, personal!