USA TODAY says: 'We Built This City' ranks as the worst record ever

Allhallowsday · April 22, 2008, 02:54:22 PM

USA TODAY says: 'We Built This City' ranks as the worst record ever

"We Built This City is the single worst single ever constructed, according to Blender's ranking of reeking tunes...The magazine's list of "The 50 Worst Songs Ever," which hits newsstands Tuesday in New York and Los Angeles and April 27 nationwide, distills the lamest popular rock-era records into one sonic landfill..."
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2004-04-18-worst-songs_x.htm

**********

Well, these ratbastards know a few stinkers, but apparently lean on extremely well-known songs ( "Sounds Of Silence" is that bad?) or songs of their own era (read: '80s and '90s). What about class-sick stinkers like JAMES DARREN's "Goodbye Cruel World" (#3 1961)?? Or THE LEMON PIPERS' "Green Tambourine" (#1 1967)?? CYRKLE's "Red Rubber Ball" (#2 1966)?? RICHARD HARRIS' "MacArthur Park" (#2 1968) ??

nshumate · April 22, 2008, 03:47:35 PM

Um, yeah. Right off the top of my head, you could bump any two from that list (one of them being the Huey Lewis track) and replace them with Richard Harris's "MacArthur Park" (the "someone left the cake out in the rain" song -- seriously, what the hell?), and The Guess Who's "These Eyes" (otherwise known as "the reason I can't really respect Randy Bachman, no apologies").

Allhallowsday · April 22, 2008, 04:14:13 PM

Quote from: nshumate on April 22, 2008, 03:47:35 PM
Um, yeah. Right off the top of my head, you could bump any two from that list (one of them being the Huey Lewis track) and replace them with Richard Harris's "MacArthur Park" (the "someone left the cake out in the rain" song -- seriously, what the hell?), and The Guess Who's "These Eyes" (otherwise known as "the reason I can't really respect Randy Bachman, no apologies").

Well, we don't agree about "These Eyes", but HUEY LEWIS' contribution could definitely be bumped, for the so-bad-it's-good (okay, it's no-good) "MacArthur Park". And though I don't like it, there are without doubt worst records (that are not "novelty" records) than "We Built This City". It's a sad entry for what was left of the AIRPLANE, sure, but JAMES DARREN's "Goodbye Cruel World" isn't the worst of all?

Torgo · April 22, 2008, 04:30:37 PM

I always thought that Starship's "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" from the Mannequin sequel was an even worse song.

Derf · April 22, 2008, 07:46:14 PM

Yay! Another worthless list! For one thing, including Paul Simon (even early Paul Simon) because of pretentiousness and not including Bob Dylan in the same sentence is ridiculous. I've never understood what makes Dylan so revered; his lyrics are pretty much very shallow dips in the philosophy pool. Simon's lyrics may not always be actually deep, but he is an outstanding sound poet; that is, he creates songs with lyrics that sound like they must mean something, whether or not they actually do. He often wrote lyrics simply for the sound of the words (if I recall my music trivia correctly) rather than for their meaning. The Huey Lewis tune is catchy, as are most of his songs. I'd even almost be willing to defend "Achy, Breaky Heart"--if it had been "Achin', Breakin' Heart," I could've dealt with it, but there's just something a little "eeeewww" about a grown man using teenage girl speak like "achy, breaky." As a result, I loathe the song. I'll also vote for "MacArthur Park," a truly pretentious trainwreck.

In short, lists like this, especially coming from a paragon of reporting excellence like USA Today [/sarcasm], are not worth the time it takes to read them. But I guess they're fun to argue over, and since I fell right into it, "Yay me!"

Killer Bees · April 22, 2008, 08:03:43 PM

I wouldn't say it was the worst song, but it's pretty bad. Grace Slick has a head you just want to punch so she'd shut up.

Rev. Powell · April 22, 2008, 08:07:11 PM

How quickly they forget Terry Jacks "Seasons in the Sun." Mercifully so.

akiratubo · April 22, 2008, 08:39:53 PM

None of the songs on that list are particularly bad.

For my money, it's hard to think of a worse song than Avril Lavigne's "Sk8r B0i".

"Freebird" by Lynard Skynard gives it a good run for its money, though.

"Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee aaaaaaaaaaas a birrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrd nooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww..................."

Allhallowsday · April 22, 2008, 08:54:31 PM

Quote from: Rev. Powell on April 22, 2008, 08:07:11 PM
How quickly they forget Terry Jacks "Seasons in the Sun." Mercifully so.

Quote from: Killer Bees on April 22, 2008, 08:03:43 PM
I wouldn't say it was the worst song, but it's pretty bad. Grace Slick has a head you just want to punch so she'd shut up.

You guys are funny, I'm gonna gib you karma!!

Yeh, TERRY JACKS "Seasons In The Sun" (a record I like, but hey, I also like CHILDREN SHOULDN'T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS...that's why we're all here, correctamundo??!)

Let's not forget "Shannon" (#6 1976) by HENRY GROSS.
Or "Alone Again (Naturally)" by GILBERT O'SULLIVAN He did two of my favorite 70s singles, including: (

) "Clair."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27FP0GTlkWA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_P-v1BVQn8

HappyGilmore · April 22, 2008, 09:00:49 PM

Any "worst of" list that does not include "Crank Dat" by Soulja Boy is not a true worst of. Hell, any true worst of would have to include just about any song released between 2002 and now.

And, Huey Lewis should not be on any worst of list. Dude's amazing.

nshumate · April 22, 2008, 09:07:32 PM

Quote from: Derf on April 22, 2008, 07:46:14 PM
Yay! Another worthless list! For one thing, including Paul Simon (even early Paul Simon) because of pretentiousness and not including Bob Dylan in the same sentence is ridiculous. I've never understood what makes Dylan so revered; his lyrics are pretty much very shallow dips in the philosophy pool.

THANK YOU. I was beginning to think that I was the only one who couldn't see the "obvious genius" in Dylan.

Allhallowsday · April 22, 2008, 09:12:19 PM

Quote from: akiratubo on April 22, 2008, 08:39:53 PM
None of the songs on that list are particularly bad.
For my money, it's hard to think of a worse song than Avril Lavigne's "Sk8r B0i".
"Freebird" by Lynard Skynard gives it a good run for its money, though.
"Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee aaaaaaaaaaas a birrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrd nooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww..................."

Several of the songs on that list are particularly bad, "Freebird" is awesome, and you, sir, are drunk!!

Jack · April 23, 2008, 07:22:27 AM

I didn't really mind that Wang Chung song, and Heart of Rock 'n' Roll is a pretty good song. Ebony and Ivory isn't particularly offensive either. We Built This City - that's just so generic, so run of the mill, so sugary sweet and nauseating. Such a total sell out money grab from a band that was once pretty good.

Can't believe they left this one off the list:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VJ6RUmlbLE#

Mr. DS · April 23, 2008, 11:34:01 AM

I'm glad they have Limp Bizkit's "Rollin". I'd nominate most of their library along with Linkin Park's.

The other day I was talking about the early 90s being a horrid time in music. Stuff like Gerardo and Snow. Then the grunge revolution came and made music intense again. Then it got too instense and you wanted it fun again.

asimpson2006 · April 23, 2008, 12:28:30 PM

I don't agree with Everybody have Fun Tonight being on that list. While it's not the best song in the world, it's still pretty decent. There are far worse songs that could be on the bottom 10, but once the list comes out I will have to look and see how much of it I agree with or not.