# Songs that make you want to stick pencils in your ears **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 27, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163 "2019-06-27T16:21:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/1 "2019-06-27T16:21:41Z")
Also known as the “Working My Way Back to You Babe” Award. There is nothing redeeming about that song, and it makes me want to poke out my eardrums. Damn The Spinners for that piece of misogynistic crap. Second in line is Air Supply’s “I’m All Out of Love.” ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/2 "2019-06-27T16:37:50Z")
Thanks for the opportunity to get these two off my chest. Bryan Adams - (Everything I Do) I Do It For You Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/3 "2019-06-27T16:44:18Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Also known as the “Working My Way Back to You Babe” Award. There is nothing redeeming about that song, and it makes me want to poke out my eardrums. Damn The Spinners for that piece of misogynistic crap. > > Second in line is Air Supply’s “I’m All Out of Love.” First of all, “Working My Way Back To You” is by the Four Seasons (1966). The Spinners simply did a cover that, if I remember right, was packaged with “Forgive Me Girl”. You may be remembering some of the conjoined lyrics. Second of all, how in the world is the song mysogynistic??? It’s about a man who is explaining how he was a complete jerk in his treatment of his girlfriend, and now wants to get her back by doing the right thing and being the sort of guy she’d want. If that’s demonstrating hatred of women, I think we could use more such “hatred”. :rolleyes: Third of all, I’m not sure why these songs make you want to put pencils in your ears. I will grant that “All Out Of Love” was extremely over-played at the time (it came during a particularly bad time of my life romantically, so I associate the song with the break-up). But it’s not a horrible song by any means, just a bit on the sappy side. Songs that make me want to stick pencils in my ears are songs that have horrible lyrics, or have one of those nasty ear-worm tunes that you just know you’re going to be singing in your mind for the next four days, despite not being all that much a fan of the song. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler is on the list for me, because after seeing the literal video parodying it, I cannot hear it without thinking about how stupid the video was. I’m sure others will come along with some good examples. Fourth of all, you should get the names of the songs right. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/4 "2019-06-27T16:59:26Z")
“You’re Beautiful” and “Nine Million Bicycles in Beijing.” Both of which were played _ad nauseam_ on adult contemporary stations at around the same time. Yecccch! :mad: ---
**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:** [June 27, 2019, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/5 "2019-06-27T17:01:06Z")
The Spinners’ version of “Working My Way” isn’t my favorite song, but I’d take it over the Four Seasons’ version any day of the week. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/6 "2019-06-27T17:05:33Z")
“Dame Tu Cosita” by El Chombo. Apparently, this came out in the late 90s, but was resurrected by some minion of Satan last year. It only barely broke the Top 40 in the US, but it hit #1 on the Latin charts. Drives me up a wall, and I have two kids, ages 5 and 3, who love it. Also, “Hey There Deliliah” by the Plain White T’s makes me uncharacteristically stabby for some reason. Luckily, the popularity of that one has waned quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/7 "2019-06-27T17:08:12Z")
Anything by _Imagine Dragons._ I _ **HATE** _ this ‘band’. They make me Imagine Silence. I wish they would Imagine Talent. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/8 "2019-06-27T17:12:20Z")
“Cherish” by The Association. Anything by David Lee Roth where he makes that [stupid screamy sound](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v9hlxMZUQQ) of his. Actually, I want to stick pencils in _his_ ears when I hear this sound. “Havin’ My Baby” by Mac Davis. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/9 "2019-06-27T17:14:55Z")
Paradise by the Dashboard Light. It might not be a “pencils in ears” song, but it definitely a “gopher” song. I gopher the knob as soon as it comes on. Fortunately, the need to do that has virtually gone to zero thanks to iTunes. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/10 "2019-06-27T17:22:08Z")
Being the sick individual I am, I actually like some of these songs. and no one’s mentioned the ones I really hate. Like Terry Jacks’ _Seasons in the Sun_, which sounds as if he recorded it, made it into a vinyl record, drilled a new hole for the spindle off-center, then re-recorded it from the lopsided disc. And that’s only the style, not considering the lyrics. Or Bill Withers’ _Ain’t no Sunshine_, in which he repeats the word “I know” 26 times in a row, which makes me want to scream “Hit Bill Withers - he’s stuck!” (Acording to the Wikipedia entry, he wanted to write more lyrics instead of repeating all those "I know"s, but pro musicians talked him out of it. They should be hunted down and killed.) If you want really bad songs, check out these books: > **[Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Barry%27s_Book_of_Bad_Songs)** > > Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs is a 1997 humor book written by Miami Herald columnist Dave Barry, chronicling the results of his bad song survey. The survey started when he wrote a column about a song he thought was particularly bad (Neil Diamond's "I Am...I Said"), and he got such a response that in addition to a follow-up column, he decided to write an entire book about the results of the survey. > The book opens with a warning that it will "put bad songs into your head", and suggests that it i... > **[Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs: Dave Barry: 0050837190337: Amazon.com: Books](https://www.amazon.com/Dave-Barrys-Book-Bad-Songs/dp/0740706004)** > > Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs \[Dave Barry\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs ---
**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:** [June 27, 2019, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/11 "2019-06-27T17:24:45Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > “Havin’ My Baby” by Mac Davis. That was Paul Anka. Mac Davis’ big one was “Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me.” ---
**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:** [June 27, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/12 "2019-06-27T17:28:31Z")
There are really too many to mention but I’ll add _Love Will Keep Us Together_ and _Muskrat Love_, the Captain and Tennille twofer, and \*Feelings \*by Morris Albert. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/13 "2019-06-27T17:28:57Z")
I forgot to include the other book > **[The Worst Rock n' Roll Records of All Time: A Fan's Guide to the Stuff You Love...](https://www.amazon.com/Worst-Rock-Roll-Records-Time/dp/0806512318)** > > The Worst Rock n' Roll Records of All Time: A Fan's Guide to the Stuff You Love to Hate \[Jimmy Guterman, Owen O'Donnell, Kensington\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The Worst Rock n' Roll Records of All Time: A Fan's Guide to the... ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/14 "2019-06-27T17:32:00Z")
Can’t believe The Archies’ ‘Sugar Sugar’ hasn’t yet been mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/15 "2019-06-27T17:33:24Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Can’t believe The Archies’ ‘Sugar Sugar’ hasn’t yet been mentioned. I actually love that song! Perfect piece of bubblegum pop. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/16 "2019-06-27T17:38:22Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > There are really too many to mention but I’ll add _Love Will Keep Us Together_ and _Muskrat Love_, the Captain and Tennille twofer, and \*Feelings \*by Morris Albert. Oh, please! “Muskrat Love” is awesome! You have to just get all smiles when you hear the muskrats giggling. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/17 "2019-06-27T17:39:48Z")
Here’s an interesting list. I’m happy to say that I haven’t heard the majority of the songs on the list. And I should probably keep it that way. > **[List of music considered the worst](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_music_considered_the_worst)** > > This list consists of albums or songs that have been considered the worst music ever made by various combinations of music critics, television broadcasters (such as MTV and VH1), radio stations, composers and public polls. > The following songs have been named by critics, broadcasters, composers, and listeners as the "worst ever". Examples of sources include VH1's "50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs Ever" and Blender magazine's "Run for Your Life! It's the 50 Worst Songs Ever!". > In 1953, following t... ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/18 "2019-06-27T17:55:54Z")
About 33 years ago, when I was in my teens, I realized that my life would be greatly improved if I never heard “Free Bird” ever again. And that very day, I made a rule that I would go to whatever lengths necessary to prevent being exposed to it. As a result, I’ve only had to suffer it about once per decade since then. I admit, “Free Bird” is not the very worst song in the world. The worst is obviously “Muskrat Love”,\*\* DSYoung\*\*! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/19 "2019-06-27T18:37:35Z")
Anything by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap - too skeevy for words. And easily half of the songs listed already - some I’m not familiar with and there are a couple I actually like. No accounting for tastes, huh? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163/20 "2019-06-27T18:37:49Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Oh, please! “Muskrat Love” is awesome! You have to just get all smiles when you hear the muskrats giggling. 😃 I prefer “Hamster Love,” myself. :o [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VomUk3m4Pf8/hqdefault.jpg "hamster love") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VomUk3m4Pf8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-make-you-want-to-stick-pencils-in-your-ears/836163.md?page=2)