# Hit Songs in Bad Taste **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 30, 2019, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784 "2019-05-30T16:39:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/201 "2019-06-06T15:12:39Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > Almost everything on Bloodhound Gang’s “One Fierce Beer Coaster” is in bad taste. Not just that album…‘bad taste’ is kind of their thing. It was never a single, so it couldn’t be a hit (although the album was, so it kinda counts?), but A Lap Dance is So Much Better When the Stripper is Crying is hard to beat for blatant bad taste. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/202 "2019-06-06T15:43:54Z")
_Goodbye Earl_ by **The Dixie Chicks** is about a woman killing her abusive husband. So wrong on both sides. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/203 "2019-06-06T16:51:18Z")
Maria Muldar’s [Midnight At The Oasis](https://genius.com/Maria-muldaur-midnight-at-the-oasis-lyrics) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/204 "2019-06-06T18:01:14Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Maria Muldar’s [Midnight At The Oasis](https://genius.com/Maria-muldaur-midnight-at-the-oasis-lyrics) I’m missing the bad taste I think. It appears to be a simple song of seduction. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/205 "2019-06-06T18:16:14Z")
I know your Daddy’s a sultan A nomad known to all With fifty girls to attend him They all send him Jump at his beck and call That’s not offensive? And talking about camels in a sex song? ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/206 "2019-06-06T18:48:24Z")
I think it’s stretching it to call a pastiche of Arabian “exotica” offensive…I always loved that song, the breezy beat and lilting vocals are catchy as hell. However the thing that annoys me about it is the line “cactus is our friend.” First of all, a cactus won’t be found in an Arabian desert with camels and sultans and shit, that plant only exists in the Americas. Second, “cactus is our friend” is just a stupid-ass line. If it only showed up once in the song, it would be excusable, but she says it over and over again throughout the song. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/207 "2019-06-06T19:13:37Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > That’s not offensive? Not really, no. > [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > And talking about camels in a sex song? Again, not really. The song is set in a desert oasis. It’s like talking about cars in a song set in New Jersey. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/208 "2019-06-06T21:07:30Z")
Apologies if I missed this being mentioned earlier, but one of the first “bad taste” hits I thought of when seeing this thread (and Mrs. J. concurred) is “They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa!” by Napoleon XIV, a hilarious sendup of mental illness. Goes well with [this Fuzztones classic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTqH0xsgNL8).\* \*improved immeasurably by having Spanish subtitles. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/209 "2019-06-06T21:28:14Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Apologies if I missed this being mentioned earlier, but one of the first “bad taste” hits I thought of when seeing this thread (and Mrs. J. concurred) is “They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa!” by Napoleon XIV, a hilarious sendup of mental illness. > > Goes well with [this Fuzztones classic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTqH0xsgNL8).\* > > \*improved immeasurably by having Spanish subtitles. This song(and a few others mention in this thread) was never a hit. There is a lot of crap that is in bad taste out there…but I’m looking for the stuff that floated to the top. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/210 "2019-06-07T03:24:19Z")
Yeah, bad behavior by the subjects of the song don’t necessarily make the song in bad taste. Bad taste doesn’t mean illegal or immoral necessarily. Farts and poops are bad taste. I wouldn’t be embarrassed to listen to say Folsom Prison or even Sex Pistols singing God Save the Queen with my grandmother. Most of say Sublime or Bloodhound Gang, Granny would ask “what does that mean?” I wouldn’t be comfortable explaining oral sex to my grandmother. That’s sort of my bad taste line. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/211 "2019-06-09T04:36:53Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > I wouldn’t be embarrassed to listen to say Folsom Prison or even Sex Pistols singing God Save the Queen with my grandmother. Most of say Sublime or Bloodhound Gang, Granny would ask “what does that mean?” I wouldn’t be comfortable explaining oral sex to my grandmother. That’s sort of my bad taste line. Well if the criterion is “Songs I don’t want to listen to the Gramdma” (May they RIP), then I’d put “You Oughta Know” and “Crazy Bitch” near the top of the list. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/212 "2019-06-09T18:11:02Z")
[The Cover of the Rolling Stone](https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/drhook/thecoveroftherollingstone.html) mentions pills and " little teenage blue eyed groupies/Who do anything we say." And just how did Cocaine Katy get her nickname? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/213 "2019-06-09T19:41:22Z")
Obviously, then to fit in with the other recommendations here, I nominate Louie Louie by the Kingsmen. \*Another factor in the success of the record may have been the rumor that the lyrics were intentionally slurred by the Kingsmen—to cover up the alleged fact that the lyrics were laced with profanity, graphically depicting sex between the sailor and his lady. Crumpled pieces of paper professing to be “the real lyrics” to “Louie Louie” circulated among teens. The song was banned on many radio stations and in many places in the United States, including Indiana, where it was personally prohibited by Governor Matthew Welsh.[30][31][32][33] These actions were taken despite the small matter that practically no one could distinguish the actual lyrics. Denials of chicanery by Kingsmen and Ely did not stop the controversy. The FBI started a 31-month investigation into the matter and concluded they were “unable to interpret any of the wording in the record.”[3] Ironically, however, drummer Lynn Easton later admitted that he yelled “Fuck” after fumbling a drumstick at 0:54 on the record.[20][34][35]\* [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1RZJ4ESU52U/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgXShQMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDaC-tvrNAbdbXBbzKWqQdLroCg-w "The Kingsmen - Louie Louie") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RZJ4ESU52U) ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/214 "2019-06-10T01:21:26Z")
> **[Are the Lyrics to 'Louie, Louie' Obscene?](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/louie-louie/)** > > Rumor: The lyrics to the song 'Louie, Louie' are really obscene. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/215 "2019-06-10T02:19:12Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > [Are the Lyrics to 'Louie, Louie' Obscene? | Snopes.com](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/louie-louie/) Lyrics dont have to be “obscene” to be in “bad taste”, and I cited that they werent obscene already. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/216 "2019-06-10T02:32:20Z")
How about **Run To You** by Bryan Adams? A love song to a guy’s homewrecker skank mistress. 😛 **Me and Mrs. Jones** is kind of similar but nowhere near as sleazy sounding. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/217 "2019-06-10T04:12:37Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Lyrics dont have to be “obscene” to be in “bad taste”, and I cited that they werent obscene already. Just providing the link, dude. It gives a lot of interesting info. I remember the rumors myself. The lyrics sung at drunken frat parties made as much sense as the record version. No one ever heard the same thing twice was my take at the time. Who the fuck are you, and look I’ll pay you for it, what the fu… \* were much easier to actually hear \*Van Halen - Everybody Want Some . ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/218 "2019-06-10T05:41:32Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > How about **Run To You** by Bryan Adams? A love song to a guy’s homewrecker skank mistress. 😛 > > **Me and Mrs. Jones** is kind of similar but nowhere near as sleazy sounding. Mary MacGregor: “Torn between two lovers, feelin’ like a fool Lovin’ both of you is breakin’ all the rules Torn between two lovers, feelin’ like a fool Lovin’ you both is breakin’ all the rules.” Ya think? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/219 "2019-06-10T14:14:42Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > This song(and a few others mention in this thread) was never a hit. There is a lot of crap that is in bad taste out there…but I’m looking for the stuff that floated to the top. “They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!” [made it to #3 on the singles chart](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They're_Coming_to_Take_Me_Away,_Ha-Haaa!). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784/220 "2019-06-10T14:39:19Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > “They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!” [made it to #3 on the singles chart](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They're_Coming_to_Take_Me_Away,_Ha-Haaa!). #3 on Billboard’s Hot List? I apologize-I didn’t know it was that popular. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hit-songs-in-bad-taste/834784.md?page=12)