Friday, October 07, 2011

Worst of the 80's

Rolling Stone conducted a poll of its readers to find out what the worst songs of the 80's were. Ready?

10. Rick Astley - 'Never Gonna Give You Up'
No real argument here, it's not a good song. However, it really isn't any worse than most of the awfulness that was popular around '88 and '89. My guess is it stands out now because of the rick-rolling craze.
9. Taco - 'Puttin' On the Ritz'
This wouldn't have gotten my vote. It's certainly not a great song but it isn't bad. In fact, it has some good ol' nostalgia going for it.
8. Toni Basil - 'Mickey'
I'll disagree here too. This song still has wonderful pep and energy. Would not have gotten my vote.
7. Bobby McFerin 'Don't Worry Be Happy'
I have dim memories of this song being overplayed back in the day but it doesn't bother me now. Sorry, not on my list.
6. Falco - 'Rock Me Amadeus'
This song has been in heavy rotation on the '80s channel that I listen to lately. Not once has it bothered me.
5. Men Without Hats - 'Safety Dance'
C'mon, this is a great song! Well, maybe not great but certainly fun and listenable.
4. Wham! - 'Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go)'
Another fun and upbeat number. I've got it on my iPod as we speak. Jitterbug.
3. Chris de Burgh - 'Lady in Red'
Um, not a great song but certainly not that objectionable. The first slow song on the list. Wouldn't have even been on my radar as far as bad songs go.
2. Europe - 'The Final Countdown'
Ok, this is a bad song. If it came on the radio while I was driving I'd change the channel. Now it really only works as a punchline from 'Arrested Development'.

and . . .
1. Starship - 'We Built this City'
A truly dreadful song and a worthy choice for worst. Ick. No disagreement here. What makes it worse is that somehow this held the number one spot on the charts. So what did they miss? Even just sticking with other number ones, well, the most obvious:

New Kids on the Block - 'Hangin' Tough'
Milli Vanilli - 'Blame it on the Rain'
Cheap Trick - 'The Flame'
Dionne Warwick - 'That's What Friends are For'
Peter Cetera - 'Glory of Love'
Bon Jovi - 'You Give Love a Bad Name' (can't stand this one)
REO Speedwagon - 'Can't Fight this Feeling Anymore'
Tears for Fears - 'Shout' (and this is a band that I like quite a bit)
Tina Turner - 'What's Love Got to Do with It'

There are probably more earlier in the decade but nothing that stands out as truly bad. My list for the 70's would be much, much longer . . .

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't believe that a mag that built itself on rnr should even indulge this musical hatefest.Be careful RS.Next they will talk you into declaring that Rock is Dead.Then so will be your mag.Don't forget where you came from and what you stand for.

Peder said...

Anon, they've been becoming more and more irrelevant over the years. They'll go through a huge die off in readership over the next couple of decades. That will probably spell their end completely.
You raise an interesting question though. Should a music magazine bother voting on 'worst' songs? I'm sure they thought it was harmless but you're probably right.

Meigan said...

Cuz your friends don't dance and if they don't dance then they're no friends of mine.

Ha! Interesting post. How can you not like Shout? I'd almost put Everybody Wants to Rule the World before it.

Love my D-squared, but I'd add The Reflex to the list.

Peder said...

Meigan, I simply love 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World'. It's one of THE songs of summer for me. 'Shout' is just too guttural for me. And it was overplayed. And primal scream therapy turns me off.
And I love 'the Reflex'!

Alfred T. Mahan said...

Bertie Higgins' "Key Largo" has to go in there, Peder.

An absolutely wretched song that pollutes the legacy of a great film noir.