# Iconic bad song of the decade **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560 "2010-07-13T17:37:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jrepka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee59a6/32.png) [@jrepka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrepka)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/1 "2010-07-13T17:37:54Z")
In the thread **Air Supply -v- Simon and Garfunkel** someone mentioned, in passing, the Paul Simon credit/infliction on society/war crime popularly known as _Red Rubber Ball_. It brought to mind a list my brother once compiled in collaboration with some friends called “Iconic Bad Songs of the Decade.” Note that nominated songs can’t just be bad, we’re not _just_ looking for examples of bad/trite/lazy songwriting – in order to qualify the song must be A) a big hit; and B) representative of the worst cultural and musical trends of that decade – the kind of song that the Candides among us can listen to at the time and declare: “this is, indeed, the best of all possible decades!” here are my candidate songs: 1960s – Red Rubber Ball 1970s – Sometimes When We Touch -or- Escape (The Pina Colada Song) 1980s – Sunglasses at Night 1990s – Breakfast at Tiffany’s 2000s – ? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/2 "2010-07-13T17:48:49Z")
Are you talking 2000-2009? I suspect most people will say _Tik Tok_ if you include 2010. _Who Let the Dogs Out?_ was released in 2000, so that’s my suggestion. 😃 Oh, oh, whatever T-Pain’s most popular song is. _Who Let the Dogs Out?_ was annoying, but it didn’t piss off nearly so many people as auto-tuning did, which T-Pain popularized. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/3 "2010-07-13T18:01:39Z")
My Humps ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/4 "2010-07-13T18:19:16Z")
Mambo No. 5 for the 90’s. It was released in 1999. I hate that song with a passion of a thousand suns. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/5 "2010-07-13T18:20:48Z")
“Don’t Worry, Be Happy” for the 80s. ETA: or “The Final Countdown”. Equally bad, but in a totally different way. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/6 "2010-07-13T18:22:17Z")
I concur with Tik Tok. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/7 "2010-07-13T18:24:25Z")
“Bad Medicine” by Bon Jovi for the 80’s. God, I hate that song. “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” by Aerosmith for the 90’s. God, I hate that song. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/8 "2010-07-13T18:24:29Z")
> [@jrepka](#): > > here are my candidate songs: > > 1960s – Red Rubber Ball > 1970s – Sometimes When We Touch -or- Escape (The Pina Colada Song) > 1980s – Sunglasses at Night > 1990s – Breakfast at Tiffany’s > 2000s – ? All certainly worthy contestants, but I have a few other contenders: 1960s - “Eve of Destruction” by Barry McGuire. Bad lyrics, bad singing, bad song, Number one on the Billboard charts. 1970s - “Seasons In the Sun” by Terry Jacks is herewith summarily decreed the worst song of that decade and no dissenting opinions shall be tolerated. So let it be written, so let it be done. 1980s - “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler. Sample lyric: “We’re livin’ in a powder keg and givin’ off sparks…” The prosecution rests. 1990s - “Hands” by Jewel. Sample lyric: “These hands, they are my own. They are not yours, they are my own.” Really, Jewel? 2000s - I’m tempted to vote for “All the Single Ladies” by Beyonce. But that may just be my annoyance at how overplayed it got. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/9 "2010-07-13T18:27:00Z")
1960’s - _In The Year 2525_ (Zager and Evans) 1970’s - _I Think I Love You_ (Partridge Family) 1980’s - _Walkin’ on Sunshine_ (Katrina and the Waves) 1990’s - _Believe_ (Cher) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/10 "2010-07-13T18:28:52Z")
> [@bup](#): > > 1980’s - _Walkin’ on Sunshine_ (Katrina and the Waves) This one’s been redeemed by the wait-that’s-not-their-REAL-name value of the band’s name, in retrospect. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/11 "2010-07-13T18:29:18Z")
> [@jrepka](#): > > . . . [Someone] mentioned, in passing, the Paul Simon credit/infliction on society/war crime popularly known as _Red Rubber Ball_. 😕Sounds like a simple breakup song to me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/12 "2010-07-13T18:30:20Z")
1960’s: “Sugar Shack” I can’t remember who did it and I don’t care 1970’s: “Muskrat Love” by the Captain & Tennille 1980’s: “Ebony & Ivory” by Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. Rarely has such talent produced such shit 1990’s: “Butterfly Kisses” by Bob Carlisle 2000’s: ? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/13 "2010-07-13T18:37:03Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > 1980s - “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler. Sample lyric: “We’re livin’ in a powder keg and givin’ off sparks…” The prosecution rests. Along with a rather bizarre [video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=840B27zYfOk&feature=related). The [literal video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj-x9ygQEGA) makes more sense. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/14 "2010-07-13T18:46:14Z")
> [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](#): > > 1960’s: “Sugar Shack” I can’t remember who did it and I don’t care > 1970’s: “Muskrat Love” by the Captain & Tennille > 1980’s: “Ebony & Ivory” by Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. Rarely has such talent produced such shit > 1990’s: “Butterfly Kisses” by Bob Carlisle > 2000’s: ? Darn you to heck, The Peyote Coyote! I came in here to nominate “Sugar Shack”! (Number 1 in 1963 for the Fireballs) For the 1970s I nominate “Afternoon Delight”, while noting that, somehow, the 1970s seem to have an overabundance of iconic bad songs. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/15 "2010-07-13T18:48:16Z")
For the 1960s, I nominate _Sugar Sugar_ ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/16 "2010-07-13T18:49:54Z")
My nom for the 70s would be “Come Sail Away,” though pretty much anything else by Styx will do. ---
**Author:** ![cdsilv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cdsilv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdsilv)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/17 "2010-07-13T19:03:31Z")
So bad it’s been forgotten, but was all the rage at the time - ‘Macarena’. (90’s) ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/18 "2010-07-13T19:05:04Z")
> [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > I concur with Tik Tok. I would have agreed but this choice has been usurped by Katy Perry’s California Girls (which sounds a lot like TikTok). ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/19 "2010-07-13T19:07:11Z")
1970s Smoke on the Water 2000s Womanizer (Britney Spears) ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560/20 "2010-07-13T19:15:51Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > This one’s been redeemed by the wait-that’s-not-their-REAL-name value of the band’s name, in retrospect. What does this mean? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-bad-song-of-the-decade/546560.md?page=2)