# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/61 "2009-09-09T17:02:07Z")
Aerosmith’s _I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing_. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/62 "2009-09-09T17:10:07Z")
“One Week” by Barenaked Ladies. Sort of representative of some of their fun live-show improv, but nothing like the rest of the rest of their catalog. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/63 "2009-09-09T17:24:36Z")
B-52’s - Love Shack Beck - Loser Beastie Boys - Fight For Your Right Depeche Mode - People Are People Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge Agree with Radiohead’s Creep. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/64 "2009-09-09T17:43:21Z")
Several of my choices (_Take My Breath Away_, _Every Breath You Take_, _Don’t Want To Miss a Thing_) have already been posted. Part of the problem is the suits in the music biz that decide which song will finally become a group’s “breakout single”, and it invariably is some putrid pop pap throwaway song unworthy of the artist’s talent. One that hasn’t been mentioned yet: **U2** ’s “With or Without You”. On a list of U2’s 50 best songs, this would rank about 75th, IMHO. But the ultimate example: _Stairway to Heaven_! The only good thing about this song is that they never released it as a single, so people were forced to buy the album to hear it, exposing them to all the actual good songs on it. Now maybe it’s just the overexposure factor, but compared with _Communication Breakdown_, _Kashmir_, _When the Levee Breaks_, or even _Hot Dog_, _Stairway_ is an absolutely execrable hunk of shite. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/65 "2009-09-09T17:45:46Z")
I’ve never liked Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” much. Their other hits like “Lithium” and “All Apologies” were superior. ---
**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, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/66 "2009-09-09T18:01:49Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > I’ve never liked Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” much. Their other hits like “Lithium” and “All Apologies” were superior. I agree with that. That is supposed to be my generation’s song and to this day I do not understand what’s so special about it. I could name a dozen better Nirvana songs off the top of my head, and I’m not even really much of a Nirvana fan. ---
**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, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/67 "2009-09-09T18:31:36Z")
You might not like it so much, but calling Smells like Teen Spirit, critics #4 song of all time ([acclaimedmusic.net](http://acclaimedmusic.net)) a worse song than, say Endless, Nameless or Hairspray Queen is totally ridiculous. > [@Red\_Skeezix](#): > > The Clash- Rock the Casbah Good suggestion ---
**Author:** ![JCorre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@JCorre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCorre)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/68 "2009-09-09T18:44:46Z")
The Police - “Roxanne” Jane’s Addiction - “Jane Says” ---
**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, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/69 "2009-09-09T18:55:30Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > 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!) Yep, I mean that album. I’ve never actually heard the original version. I’m actually not the one who called “Silence” bad teenage poetry. I’m not a big fan of the lyrics (I see it as a little overwrought and a touch patronizing), but I also find it dull musically. In my opinion, the other tracks on that album tend to either have a more interesting lyrics (especially “Leaves That Are Green” and “April Come She Will,” two of my favorites) or more interesting musically. Perhaps I’m hard on “Sounds of Silence” due to overexposure, but I’ve just always thought it was much less interesting than much of their other work. ---
**Author:** ![mo50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@mo50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mo50)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/70 "2009-09-09T19:18:09Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > The Grateful Dead’s “Touch Of Grey” was what jumped out to me as well; While I wouldnt consider it among thier worst (there are at least a dozen “worse” to my ears than TOG) it is certainly not representative of thier unique sound, and was kind of a throw-away that somehow caught the general listening audiences’ ears. > > When it was performed live it could sprout wings on occasion, but it never seemed to be a true favorite of most serious Deadheads, or seemingly of the band themselves… gotta submit “Casey Jones” for consideration. Just heard it too freaklin much on what used to be called AOR radio back in the 80’s. It was pretty much the only Dead song you’d ever hear on the radio before “Touch of Grey” came along. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/71 "2009-09-09T20:45:18Z")
I would nominate Frank Zappa. One of the greatest musical geniuses ever, wrote so many amazing songs in a wide variety of genres…and most people know him, if at all, for “Valley Girl”?:smack: Or if not, “I’m the Slime”:smack::smack: or “Dancin’ Fool”?:smack::smack::smack: As far as the above, I think “Touch of Grey” is a perfectly respectable Dead tune. I wouldn’t say it’s one of their best, but it’s way better than, say, “Pride of Cucamonga” or (shudder) “Sunrise”. As far as songs which showed up in the setlist a lot, I would take it over “Liberty”. The studio version of “Rock the Casbah” is indeed a strong contender for suckiest Clash song, but I was surprised to hear the recently released live version from Shea Stadium 1982. It actually sounded like punk rock! ---
**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, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/72 "2009-09-09T21:25:19Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > I would nominate Frank Zappa. One of the greatest musical geniuses ever, wrote so many amazing songs in a wide variety of genres…and most people know him, if at all, for “Valley Girl”?:smack: Or if not, “I’m the Slime”:smack::smack: or “Dancin’ Fool”?:smack::smack::smack: You forgot “Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow.” ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/73 "2009-09-09T21:30:26Z")
And you couldn’t have let me remain in that blissful state? ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/74 "2009-09-09T21:37:21Z")
Hanson, “Mmmbop.” ---
**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, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/75 "2009-09-09T21:47:16Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > 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. You see, this is the thing about the guests not having their location up. I’m from NZ. Fernando was a big hit here. I wikied & see it only made 13 in the USA. > **[Fernando (song)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_%28song%29)** > > "Fernando" is a song written by ABBA members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and their manager Stikkan Anderson. It was originally recorded for their fellow group member Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who included it on her second album Frida ensam (1975). Anderson wrote the Swedish lyrics to Lyngstad's version. It was released in January 1976 via Polar Music as a radio-only single in Sweden and a physical release in Norway. > In 1976, ABBA would later re-record "Fernando", with re-written English lyric... ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/76 "2009-09-09T22:49:07Z")
This thread demonstrates two things: “Talking (writing) about music is like dancing about architecture.” and “90% of everything is shit.” The Grateful Dead’s best known song is 'Truckin". “Do It Again” is a great song. 😛 “Muskrat Love” was written by Willis Allen Ramsey (and actually fits the OP). Ya’ll forgot FZ’s “Montana”. A lot of the examples given here sound more like songs that are more “atypical of their respective bands style” than actual “bad songs”. “I loved Extreme, but then they pulled that “More Than Words” crap out of their ass.” Sorry, that doesn’t make it a bad song. “Queensryche was a great band!! So what the hell was that “Silent Lucidity” bullshit??!!” God forbid that a band try something different or new. (just two random examples, not meant to single out any particular post or poster) Personally I feel that very few songs will fit both elements of the OP; “best known song” AND “among worst songs the band recorded”. The first requirement means using some kind of chart position or other “sales-based” criteria (and, because of the second quote above, means fuck-all to me.) The second requirement is pure subjectivity (and means even less to me). Another point; while record company executives (suits) may determine which song a new act will release as a single (and almost always retains some right to decide what constitutes a “greatest hit” on a compilation release), nobody tells an Aerosmith or a U2 or a Led Zeppelin which song to release. Not after they have proven themselves to be money-makers (or unless they have really stupid management). ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/77 "2009-09-10T01:21:59Z")
> [@DfrntBreign](#): > > Personally I feel that very few songs will fit both elements of the OP; “best known song” AND “among worst songs the band recorded”. The first requirement means using some kind of chart position or other “sales-based” criteria (and, because of the second quote above, means fuck-all to me.) The second requirement is pure subjectivity (and means even less to me). I know what you mean - many of the songs nominated are tiresome from over-exposure, but not “bad” songs by any measure. Except for Todd Rundgren’s “Bang On The Drum All Day”. It really is a moronic song. Trite, with stupid lyrics from a truly great lyricist, a simplistic beat from an artist known for [odd time signatures](http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=39800581). It really does suck, and the thought that it’s the _only_ thing many people know him for really galls. ---
**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 10, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/78 "2009-09-10T01:36:33Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > I’m actually not the one who called “Silence” bad teenage poetry. You’re right; it was another doper two posts above yours who seconded the “bad teenage poetry” remark, and I conflated that response with yours. I beg your puddin’. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/79 "2009-09-10T06:25:53Z")
Until very recently, Muse’s biggest hit and best-selling single was “Starlight” (and it may yet remain that), which is also one of the most divisive songs in their catalogue amongst the fans on Muse.mu, and that’s saying something. 😉 While some fans love it (as you would expect for a #1 hit on several European/other international charts), probably most of the fans who’ve loved Muse since their Showbiz and Origin of Symmetry days dislike it with an intensity ranging from “wretchedly imitative of Coldplay at their most milquetoast” to “we gotta beef up NASA’s/ESA’s budgets and get serious about conquering space so that we can reach the nearest supermassive black hole and pitch all copies of this song into it”.\* As for the caveat above, Muse may have a bigger hit with their latest album’s first single, the Dr. Who-, Gary Glitter-, and soccer hooligan-referencing “Uprising,” which has already hit #1 on a chart measuring radio play in the USA (a precedent for them in this country). “Uprising” isn’t as divisive a track as “Starlight,” but according to a song poll, about one in four fans aren’t exactly crazy about it, either. Personally, I think “Uprising” is pretty good, if not great, but I usually skip past “Starlight” with a speed approaching 300 million meters per second. - Fan quotes are simulated, but the sentiments are real enough. ---
**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 10, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338/80 "2009-09-10T14:41:15Z")
Green Day- Good Riddance (Time of your Life). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-acts-where-their-best-known-song-is-among-their-worst/509338.md?page=5)