# Music acts where their best-known song is among their worst? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 8, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338 "2009-09-08T21:08:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/21 "2009-09-09T01:19:19Z")
I don’t know if you could call it their “worst” song, but Fleetwood Mac’s _Don’t Stop_ is arguably their best-known song **and** is the one I always skip over whenever I play _Rumours_ or some compilation or other. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/22 "2009-09-09T01:32:09Z")
Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping.” Practically the only song they did that ever got exposure (in the US at least), but easily one of their worst. Catchy, sure, but they’ve done catchier songs with better melodies and much more interesting lyrics. I realize they’re not everybody’s cup of tea by any stretch, but they’ve certain done better. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/23 "2009-09-09T01:46:25Z")
> [@Commander\_Keen](#): > > I’m guessing a lot of people were exposed to Sonic Youth for the first time by way of Kool Thing being on Guitar Hero 3, which is a shame because that song is terrible. But then they put Teen Age Riot on Rock Band 2 which is good because that song is better than all the other songs in that game combined. I can’t really tell the different sometimes between Teen Age Riot and PDA, which both have sort of a generic hardcore melodic punk riff to em, not that there’s anything wrong with a little of that sometimes. My opinion is that Jagged Gorgeous Winter does what those other songs try to do (at least with their guitar hooks,) but in a unique (if less punkish) way. But I agree that Teen Age Riot is better than average for a Sonic Youth song. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/24 "2009-09-09T01:49:45Z")
Kenny Loggins has a handful of nice songs under his belt and yet I imagine the main thing he’s known for is _Danger Zone_. Likewise Crash Test Dummies, who were starting to get a following in the early 90’s playing interesting alternative songs. Then they made _Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm_. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/25 "2009-09-09T01:54:17Z")
How about “Short People” for Randy Newman and “Brand New Key” by Melanie Safka? Actually both of them are good songs, but they’re also novelty-ish songs that really fooled the public into ignoring their more serious work. (Newman once complained “the first sentance of my obitiuary will read ‘Randy Newman, Oscar winner and composer of Short People’.”) Harry Nilsson’s version of “Without You” also isn’t very indicative of his work. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/26 "2009-09-09T01:54:57Z")
Chuck Berry. “My Ding-a-Ling.” Top that! ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/27 "2009-09-09T01:59:45Z")
Pink Floyd’s biggest hit is “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II).” It has a few things going for it – David Gilmour’s vocal and guitar solo, and a nicely venomous chorus you can shout along with – but there’s barely enough music in it to fill even two and half minutes, and the drumming, like most of the drumming on _The Wall_, is tepid and bland. And of course it has those kids on it. All in all, a far cry from “Shine on You Crazy Diamond.” ---
**Author:** ![Commander\_Keen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Commander\_Keen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_Keen)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/28 "2009-09-09T02:35:11Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I can’t really tell the different sometimes between Teen Age Riot and PDA, which both have sort of a generic hardcore melodic punk riff to em, not that there’s anything wrong with a little of that sometimes. > > My opinion is that Jagged Gorgeous Winter does what those other songs try to do (at least with their guitar hooks,) but in a unique (if less punkish) way. But I agree that Teen Age Riot is better than average for a Sonic Youth song. I dunno, I think PDA is a decent song but nothing special (also I don’t like Paul Banks’ voice). I think Teen Age Riot has one of the most iconic and memorable guitar riffs around to say nothing of the great vocal melodies and awesome intro. ---
**Author:** ![Trick\_Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Trick\_Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trick_Rider)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/29 "2009-09-09T02:49:54Z")
_The Police - Every Breath You Take_ Insanely popular song, too bad it’s trash. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/30 "2009-09-09T02:50:10Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I don’t know if you could call it their “worst” song, but Fleetwood Mac’s _Don’t Stop_ is arguably their best-known song **and** is the one I always skip over whenever I play _Rumours_ or some compilation or other. Interesting. If someone stopped me in the street and said, “Quick, name 10 Fleetwood Mac songs,” I don’t know if I’d have even come up with _Don’t Stop_. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/31 "2009-09-09T02:52:59Z")
Joan Osborne’s one big hit is “One of Us.” (You know, what if God was one of us?) Easily the worst song on a great album. Joni Mitchell. I’m not sure what her best-known song is. It might be “Woodstock,” in which case that qualifies. The Monkees, “I’m a Believer.” Catchy, but they got a lot better after Don Kirschner stopped feeding them pap. “A Horse with No Name” is not the worst America hit. Their second single, “I Need You” has that distinction. “Horse” is just insanely catchy, which is why it gets in peoples’ heads, but that not a bad thing. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/32 "2009-09-09T04:07:18Z")
“Bang on the Drum All Day” by Todd Rundgren. 31 albums and this wretched, throw-away tune is the one that gets on commercials and movies and is played at every sporting event? ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/33 "2009-09-09T04:09:21Z")
Good God, yes, perfect answer. ---
**Author:** ![Trick\_Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Trick\_Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trick_Rider)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/34 "2009-09-09T04:18:12Z")
_Free Fallin’ - Tom Petty_ It’s a good song, but go listen to _You Wreck Me_ and say _Free Fallin’_ is better. ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/35 "2009-09-09T04:26:09Z")
_Cheap Trick - The Flame._ I dunno it it’s their worst song, I don’t think I’ve listened to it the whole way through. But more than once I have heard people talk about Cheap Trick being a “one hit wonder” because of this song. _Ween - Push th’ Little Daisies_. OK, they have other songs almost as irritating as this but it is definitely down there with their worst. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/36 "2009-09-09T04:26:50Z")
311 has only really had 2 big hits this decade - _Amber_ and a cover of The Cure’s _Love Song_. I wouldn’t put either inside the top one hundred 311 songs. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/37 "2009-09-09T04:33:11Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > My second, and more controversial, pick is _Yesterday_ by the Beatles. Trite lyrics (and the original lyrics were far worse!), a stupid rhyme scheme (ABBB???), and overuse of a minor key make this song one of the most overrated in rock history. I’m not much of a fan of _Michelle_, either, for basically the same reasons. Neither “Yesterday” or “Michelle” were released as singles because the Beatles didn’t think they were representative of their overall sound. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/38 "2009-09-09T04:40:24Z")
If _Yesterday_ wasn’t released as a single, how did it hit #1 on the singles charts in the US? (It wasn’t released as a British single, true. At least, not until 1975.) ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/39 "2009-09-09T05:20:56Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > The Pixies, _Here Comes Your Man_ and Radiohead _Creep_. > > Ok, neither of these songs is really all that bad, but they are certainly these bands best known songs, and neither one is all that good either. Ha. Interesting, I always associated the Pixies with _Where is My Mind_ before I really knew them myself. I’ll mention Metallica’s _Nothing Else Matter_ here, for my greatest amusement. See, I remember my first Met’ concert ever, which happened around the time the Black Album hit the radios with that song. The crowd was 90% old metalheads, 10% screaching teenage girls. The teenage girls seemingly crowded around the stage. The band came on stage, and the screaching got louder. Then the band opened up with a souped up _Battery_, and the screaching… it got ghastly silent 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/40 "2009-09-09T05:23:51Z")
Simon & Garfunkel, “The Sounds of Silence.” Best critique of it: It sounds like bad teenage poetry. And I generally like Paul Simon’s stuff. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338.md?page=3)