# Pop songs that drag on and on **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 17, 2009, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123 "2009-10-17T04:27:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/21 "2009-10-17T23:04:43Z")
A Day in the Life - Beatles. Might have worked at less that 2 minutes (But I doubt it). Imagine - John Lennon. Not only a dirge but a sanctimonious dirge. ---
**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:** [October 17, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/22 "2009-10-17T23:36:31Z")
Another one I just remembered is “Turn the Page” by Bob Seger. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/23 "2009-10-18T01:13:53Z")
I don’t have any problem with long songs like “Edmund Fitzgerald” or “American Pie” because the sheer amount of lyrics makes it easy to keep attention. The ones I dislike are the ones that just repeat a verse (like the 11-minute Dylan song “Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands”) or have an eternal fade (like Elton John’s “I’ve Seen That Picture Too”, where the fade must be half the six minute running time). It’s a shame because both songs would be excellent at half the running time. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/24 "2009-10-18T01:43:25Z")
One Thing Leads To Another - The Fixx. Good Times - Chic. Both of these do, indeed, drag on and on, but I LOVE both songs anyway. Even if they do possibly alter my brainwave… ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/25 "2009-10-18T02:23:18Z")
**Shooting Star** by Bad Company. I never noticed how tedious that song is until I played it on _Rock Band 2_. And the lyrics are super-cheesy. ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/26 "2009-10-18T02:54:47Z")
I hadn’t heard any Amy Winehouse until a couple of days ago I heard the Song **Rehab**. It never ends and is so boring. No…no…no… and I’m asleep, and I think she might be too. (She does have an awesome voice, but give me the Noisettes any day- they have energy.) ---
**Author:** ![stanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@stanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stanger)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/27 "2009-10-18T03:45:56Z")
I know it is considered a great song, but “American Woman” by The Guess Who is the same guitar riff all … the way … through. Way too long of a song. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/28 "2009-10-18T04:46:00Z")
_Nights in White Satin_, Moody Blues. What’s up with that stupid poem at the end? It would have been much better without it. I don’t mind instrumental segments in songs (like _Light My Fire_, for example), you’re right about _Layla_ – the ending doesn’t even match the fucking song. It’s just tacked on at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/29 "2009-10-18T05:09:45Z")
> [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](#): > > A Day in the Life - Beatles. Might have worked at less that 2 minutes (But I doubt it). Yes, and Guernica might’ve made a nice postcard, but the real thing is too big. **elmwood** mentioned Lynyrd Skynyrd in general, but Free Bird is a champion in the “just end already” category. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/30 "2009-10-18T05:23:53Z")
Hmm, my apologies for specifically mentioning a Bad Company song. I missed the two posts that agreed that EVERYTHING by Bad Company is far too long. Free Bird is one of those songs that when you hear it come on the radio you’re all “yeah man, Free bird!” and by then end you’re all “damn, I forgot this song was so long…_click_” ---
**Author:** ![dada2fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ccd318/32.png) [@dada2fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dada2fish)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/31 "2009-10-18T05:27:36Z")
Suzie Q by Creedence Clearwater Revival. That same guitar riff over and over and over and the hook said fifty thousand times, “Oh Suzie Q, baby I love you, Suzie Q.” zzzzz… ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/32 "2009-10-18T05:41:18Z")
I was coming in to mention CCR. They noodle. I hate noodling. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/33 "2009-10-18T06:09:16Z")
Good songs but… David Bowie - Blue Jean David Bowie - Young Americans Glenn Frey - The Heat is On Crash Test Dummies - MMM MMM MMM MMM ---
**Author:** ![BomTek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bomtek/32/21364_2.png) [@BomTek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BomTek)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/34 "2009-10-18T11:33:50Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > **Harry Chapin** -_Taxi_ You bite your tongue! 😛 I like most of Harry Chapin’s longer songs because, like \*\*install \*\*said earlier (about other artists/songs), they have enough lyrical content to keep them interesting. “Taxi” is the easiest to pick on, IMO, purely because of the “Baby’s so high that she’s skying” part. Never liked that much. As for my own contribution to this thread… I love me some Kiss (although that fades with every minute they continue to refuse to hang it up), but “Rock & Roll All Nite” goes on way, WAY too long in most of its iterations, particularly live. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/35 "2009-10-18T12:46:31Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > I can think of a couple rock songs off the top of my head that just seem to drag on and on: “Yellow Ledbetter” by Pearl Jam and **“Can’t You See” by Marshall Tucker Band**. They aren’t necessarily longer than most other songs, but they just have no real rhythm to them and move very slowly. Trying to listen to them is a very tedious task. Blasphemer. **Blasphemer!** (video, obviously) ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XoCmkXXuakE/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/XoCmkXXuakE?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque That song is a southern rock masterpiece. To answer the OP, any song that you don’t like seems to drag on and on. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/36 "2009-10-18T14:40:01Z")
U2, i still havent found what Im looking for, I’m looking for the end of that song. In the name of Love (?title) In the name of evan almighty end this song already SHinedown - Second Chance - SOmetimes Goodbye is a second chance to hang around for 18 chorus’s. Hello! Mom and Dad hung up a long time ago! I am chela who’s kids pop rock radio station gives me earworms that pester me all night long. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/37 "2009-10-18T14:44:27Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I don’t mind instrumental segments in songs (like _Light My Fire_, for example), you’re right about _Layla_ – the ending doesn’t even match the fucking song. It’s just tacked on at the end. The ending is my favorite part of _Layla_! It’s just another cheesy love song otherwise. I’m a big fan of that sort of thing in general. I love how old Black Sabbath songs seem to stop in the middle and play the instrumental part to _another_ song before they get back to finishing the song they started. It’s just a great little break for variety that makes their 7-9 minute songs tolerable. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/38 "2009-10-18T14:50:16Z")
[Quote: Originally Posted by MadTheSwine Harry Chapin-Taxi > [@BomTek](#): > > You bite your tongue! 😛 > > I like most of Harry Chapin’s longer songs because, like \*\*install \*\*said earlier (about other artists/songs), they have enough lyrical content to keep them interesting. “Taxi” is the easiest to pick on, IMO, purely because of the “Baby’s so high that she’s skying” part. Never liked that much. I’d rather bite my ears off.He even made a follow up to this song which I discovered the other day.Which I promptly turned off. ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zwZrYFJVz74/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/zwZrYFJVz74?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque How do I make the link say something else again?..I forgot how. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/39 "2009-10-18T15:09:18Z")
Notice the link is highlighted after you paste the URL? TYpe in the words/phrase you want to show. Personally I like most of the long drawn out ending of those classic (60’s/70’s) 5 minute rock songs, and usually get mildy upset when the radio station cuts it off prematurely. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123/40 "2009-10-19T05:20:17Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > **Layla** by Eric Clapton (or “Derek and the Dominos” or whatever.) Gah, I’ve never understood the adulation for this song. Endless, just endless. Amen to that. The moronic never-ending first part is followed by the fairly pleasant but repetitious never-ending “coda.” Ironic that it’s the only song that ever got Duane Allman any airplay. > [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > I suppose the full-length version of “Ina-Gadda-Da-Vida” (23 minutes) doesn’t count as ‘pop’? Closer to 18 minutes. It counts as “pop” to me, heard it a several times on AM radio in '68. Yes, the full length version. My two contributions would be “Hey Jude”, which is pretty lackluster for a Beatles song anyway, and that self-indulgent second part is just horrible. Might have been ok if it had faded out after 30 seconds. And “The Boxer” by Simon&G. The song is great, musically and lyrically, but that idiotic lie-la-lie (or whatever) goes on far too long, ruins my enjoyment for what came before. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-that-drag-on-and-on/514123.md?page=3)