# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/41 "2009-09-09T07:17:25Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > I am with you on Yesterday, and maybe Karma Police (I think it’s just overplayed), but I stand by Creep. It’s a fine song, but name me another song in their catalogue that is as well known that is also so bland and derivative . Overrated, I agree about that. But the criteria is for it to be among their worst, and I don’t think it is. I think it is the best song on their entire debut, for instance. > [@Krokodil](#): > > Simon & Garfunkel, “The Sounds of Silence.” Best critique of it: It sounds like bad teenage poetry. And I generally like Paul Simon’s stuff. It does sound like bad teenage poetry. That reminds me of an example from another genre. Dustin Hoffman: The graduate. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/42 "2009-09-09T07:19:37Z")
Devo “Whip It”. ---
**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, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/43 "2009-09-09T07:31:29Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Simon & Garfunkel, “The Sounds of Silence.” Best critique of it: It sounds like bad teenage poetry. And I generally like Paul Simon’s stuff. And what makes it worse: it’s possibly the worst song on that album. I always thought that song was blah, and only really recently really gave the album a listen and realized some of the other tracks are really phenomenal. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/44 "2009-09-09T07:33:57Z")
"Take My Breath Away, " by Berlin, from Top Gun. ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/45 "2009-09-09T07:45:18Z")
It’s a fun song, but “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel is miles away from, say, “San Jacinto” or “No Self Control” (or the entirety of _Passion_). It was a complete departure, which is also why it was commercially viable. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/46 "2009-09-09T07:50:14Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Oh God, I’ve been waiting so long for an OP like this because I have the perfect answer: Steely Dan. The only song by Steely Dan that I EVER hear on the radio is _Do It Again_ and, Jesus Christ, that is easily the single most monotonous, musically uninteresting song in all of their vast discography of work. Gotta disagree here. I find the music complex, multi-layered and catchy, and the lyrics (“_Now, you swear-n-kick-n-baig (beg) us, that you’re not a gambling man…then you find you’re back in Vegas, with a handle in your hand_” and "_Then you love a little wild one, and she brings you only sorrow; all the time you know she’s smilin’, you’ll be on your knees tomorrow_…) are just too clever (the “kick-n-baig” us line) and evocative of the misery of impossible, helpless love (the “little wild one/on your knees” line). My .02, anyway. Come to think of it, I can’t think of a single bad Steely Dan song, although some of their post-2000 work (_Two Against Nature/Everything Must Go_) is a little weak and depressing compared with the work they did in the '70s. ---
**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, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/47 "2009-09-09T08:25:58Z")
The lyrics are interesting (all Steely Dan lyrics are) but come on, compared to _My Old School_, _Kid Charlemagne_ or _Turn That Heartbeat Over Again_ it is sorely lacking in the melodic department. No way should that be THE one song that represents Steely Dan’s whole career to the masses of people. Post 2000 they had some good stuff too, though a little too produced-sounding for me (and that’s saying something, considering Steely Dan.) Best tracks on TAN are West of Hollywood, Negative Girl and Almost Gothic. Best tracks on Everything Must Go are Pixeleen, Lunch with Gina and Slang of Ages. (IMO.) ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/48 "2009-09-09T08:49:26Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Joni Mitchell. I’m not sure what her best-known song is. It might be “Woodstock,” in which case that qualifies. > “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. I think Joni Mitchell’s best known song would be Big Yellow Taxi. It is probably her worst song - which still doesn’t make it _bad_. I think Muskrat Love is as well known as Horse with no name. Hate both songs. Terrible just terrible. I would put forward Imagaine by John Lennon. I’ve always thought it was unbearably smug. & I think Mull of Kintyre is one of the worst songs of all time. & normally I like Wings Fernando by Abba. I know they aren’t cool but I like most of their stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/49 "2009-09-09T08:55:50Z")
> [@Argent Towers](#): > > The lyrics are interesting (all Steely Dan lyrics are) but come on, compared to My Old School, Kid Charlemagne or Turn That Heartbeat Over Again it is sorely lacking in the melodic department. No way should that be THE one song that represents Steely Dan’s whole career to the masses of people. > > Post 2000 they had some good stuff too, though a little too produced-sounding for me (and that’s saying something, considering Steely Dan.) Best tracks on TAN are West of Hollywood, Negative Girl and Almost Gothic. Best tracks on Everything Must Go are Pixeleen, Lunch with Gina and Slang of Ages. (IMO.) I agree it doesn’t have much of a melody. And that it doesn’t rank with the songs you mention. Still, it’s a good song. Even if the question were, “Which song by a group with no bad songs is the least good one,” I would still have trouble naming _Do It Again_ as that song, although for the life of me I can’t think which one I would name. 😃 (The trouble with The Dan for me is that even if it’s a song I don’t particularly like, all I have to do is listen to it a few more times and eventually I wind up loving it. Good music is like that.) Glad to hear you like _Slang of Ages_. I have to admit I haven’t listened to _11 Tracks of Whack_ so Becker’s voice came as a pleasant surprise. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/50 "2009-09-09T13:15:26Z")
> [@Manwich](#): > > _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. Really? They’ve never heard “Surrender” or “I Want You To Want Me”? Do they only listen to Wuss Radio? ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/51 "2009-09-09T13:39:30Z")
The Clash- Rock the Casbah Nine Inch Nails - Closer ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/52 "2009-09-09T14:13:02Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > You’re wrong about the rhyme scheme: it’s AAAA in the verses and AABAAB in the bridge. What does “overuse of a minor key” even mean? The song itself is not in a minor key; it’s in F major. Someone who claimed to “know music” once told me the song was in a minor key. I’m not all that surprised that she’s wrong. I still think it’s overrated. AAAA is even worse than what I wrote. But I guess it’s moot. The arguments over which Beatles song is best-known kind of silly in this case, where 95% of music listeners know most of the hits. Call it a twenty-way tie for first. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/53 "2009-09-09T14:18:42Z")
> [@maplekiwi](#): > > I think Muskrat Love is as well known as Horse with no name. Hate both songs. Terrible just terrible. Uh, Muskrat Love is by Captain & Tennille, not America. However, it definitely meets my criteria. ---
**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, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/54 "2009-09-09T14:21:05Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Uh, Muskrat Love is by Captain & Tennille, not America. You’re both right; both acts recorded it. (Though I’m more familiar with the Captain & Tennille version myself.) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/55 "2009-09-09T14:26:52Z")
\*\*Red, Red Wine \*\*by UB40. Went to see them a couple months ago and when they started up with this one, Nigel and I looked at each other instantly and said “this would be a good time to get a drink”. It could simply be that it’s overplayed but it’s been my least favorite for as long as I’ve been listening to them. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/56 "2009-09-09T14:28:25Z")
Definately not their biggest hit ever but _Queen’s_ **Another One Bites The Dust** which hit billboard #1 in the US on the best selling Queen album in the US is among the worst Queen songs IMHO. Even now when listening to a Best Of or Greatest Hits album by them I usually skip over this track. ---
**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, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/57 "2009-09-09T14:44:15Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Definately not their biggest hit ever but _Queen’s_ **Another One Bites The Dust** which hit billboard #1 in the US on the best selling Queen album in the US is among the worst Queen songs IMHO. I would think “We Will Rock You” has to be the worst Queen song, and a strong contender for the best known. (Hey, they don’t clap “Bohemian Rhapsody” at sports events!) ---
**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, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/58 "2009-09-09T15:29:16Z")
> [@maplekiwi](#): > > Fernando by Abba. I know they aren’t cool but I like most of their stuff. You really think _Fernando_ is Abba’s best-known song? I remember songs like _Dancing Queen_, _Mamma Mia_, and _Money, Money, Money_ getting far more airtime on the radio. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/59 "2009-09-09T15:37:49Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > 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’.”) I haven’t heard (or even thought of) _Short People_ in ages. _I Love L.A._ was played at sporting events in Los Angeles, and maybe still is, so it has certainly had more staying power. And among his soundtracks are _You’ve Got a Friend in Me_ and _When She Loved Me_ from both “Toy Story” movies. The first sentence of his obituary depends on who writes it; there’s a lot to choose from. Warren Zevon has done a lot of songs better than _Werewolves of London_. I think the whole basis for this thread might not be a coincidence. I have long believed in a gateway theory of music, similar to the idea that marijuana is a gateway drug. We are not born with our artisitic tastes fully developed. We need something simple and catchy, easy to understand, to get us hooked on music. That explains the popularity of Britney Spears, or the Spice Girls, or Abba (and lots more), but they are a vital part of the process. We need that awakening; “if this is out there, just think how much more is out there!” But we all splinter off in different directions, alternative, punk, prog-rock, new age, hip hop, jazz, funk, whatever; so none of those ever have the same massive popularity. So if that’s true of music as a whole, maybe it’s true for individual acts; what’s popular isn’t what’s best, just what’s easiest to like. ---
**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, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/60 "2009-09-09T16:13:33Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Simon & Garfunkel, “The Sounds of Silence.” Best critique of it: It sounds like bad teenage poetry. And I generally like Paul Simon’s stuff. > [@typoink](#): > > And what makes it worse: it’s possibly the worst song on that album. I always thought that song was blah, and only really recently really gave the album a listen and realized some of the other tracks are really phenomenal. I’m puzzled by this comment. By “that album” I assume you mean _Sounds of Silence_ (and not _Wednesday Morning 3:00 A.M._, on which the song first appeared). It seems to me that Simon’s lyrics on there are pretty much of a piece, and if you consider “The Sound of Silence” “bad teenage poetry,” I’d expect you to consider it _all_ bad teenage poetry. “I Am a Rock” is particularly blatantly rooted in adolescent angst, which is precisely why the song resonated so strongly with me at the age of 12 that I made _Sounds of Silence_ my first album purchase ever. (And the wonderfully overwrought “Blessed” turned out to be the same but even more so!) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338.md?page=4)