# Bands ruined by one song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2001, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-ruined-by-one-song/93010 "2001-11-12T23:52:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-ruined-by-one-song/93010/81 "2002-08-20T03:21:00Z")
The modern rock station I listen to seems to think “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” is the only song the Clash ever recorded. The DJs will go on about how great the Clash were and how influential they were…and then they play this. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-ruined-by-one-song/93010/82 "2002-08-20T05:07:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WordMan \* > \*\*Hmmmm, the first example that comes to mind is “Invisible Touch” by Genesis. \*\* That’s odd. I was going to cite **Genesis** , but I never heard this song of which you speak. I was a big **Genesis** fan in the 1970s, when they had Peter Gabriel. The first two post-Peter albums were pretty good too. But in 1978 when they came out with “Follow You, Follow Me” it was obvious they had drastically abandoned their classic sound and were giving the finger to their old fans. They lost me from that point on. I tuned out. So I have no idea what Genesis did after that. “Follow You, Follow Me” is the point where they sold out and is the song that ruined the whole thing. The old **Genesis** (1969-1977) still kicks my aesthetic butt. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-ruined-by-one-song/93010/83 "2002-08-20T05:26:43Z")
> [@](#): > > I nominate “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by the Clash. Definitely not representative of their music up to that point, but sadly was one of their most heard songs, at least here in the States. It was pretty much all downhill after that, although I am not seriously suggesting this song was the cause. Actually, I love the first five seconds or so of this. That little thing on the guitar, whatever it is. And from the same time, there’s always “Rock the Casbah”. Of course, after _Combat Rock_, there was just _Cut the Crap_, of which I’ve never really heard anything better than “well, it’s not all as bad as everyone says.” ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-ruined-by-one-song/93010/84 "2002-08-20T11:48:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by waterj2 \* > \*\* > Actually, I love the first five seconds or so of this. That little thing on the guitar, whatever it is. And from the same time, there’s always “Rock the Casbah”. Of course, after _Combat Rock_, there was just _Cut the Crap_, of which I’ve never really heard anything better than “well, it’s not all as bad as everyone says.” \*\* I thought of “Rock the Casbah” too, but whatever its other faults at least it has a sort of larger geopolitical theme going for it. Unlike “SISOSIG”, most of their earlier work had some political or social subtext. SISOSIG to me sounds almost like a novelty song. I have _Cut the Crap_ on vinyl, and, well, its not as bad as everyone says. The single “This is England” has its merits. **widdershins** , that has almost exactly been my experience as well. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-ruined-by-one-song/93010/85 "2002-08-20T21:04:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dr. Rieux \* > \*\*I refuse to buy the premise that one song–or two, or even an album–can “ruin” an artist. \*\* Actually, sometimes one single can break a band. In the 1970s, Paul Young was fronting an edgy rock band, the Streetband, that was entering its “emerging” stage with quite a loyal fan following. Their popularity was growing by leaps and bounds on the rowdy rock scene, but then, as a lark, they recorded a goofy novelty tune called “Toast.” In 1978 it zipped up to #18 in the UK, but it was radically different than their usual genre. When they tried to tour, they’d get audiences expecting them to be lighthearted, fun band à la Barenaked Ladies – they were nothing of the sort. Too many people were attending gigs (and buying albums) on the basis of “Toast.” Such disappointment to “Toast” fans resulted in bad press and poor concert reviews (and people who were really disappointed with the album). Meanwhile, they were so overshadowed by the success of the goofy tune, that records labels in their true genre lost interest because Streetband had developed such a reputation as a “novelty song” band. They lost established fans who thought they’d changed format. The band tried to steer back on course and tough it out, but they weren’t able to successfuly break free from the “Toast” stigma. Paul Young went on to a much more successful solo career with the 80s pop album _No Parlez_, but did say that releasing “Toast” was career suicide for Streetband and turned the promising band into one-hit-wonders. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-ruined-by-one-song/93010.md?page=4)