# The cheesiest song ever and yet it was a hit twice. What does it mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 29, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664 "2008-02-29T18:55:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/1 "2008-02-29T18:55:35Z")
McAuthur’s Park. Is it about a park in the rain? A Martha Stewart disaster? Please 'splain it to me. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/2 "2008-02-29T19:09:52Z")
[http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1875](http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1875) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/3 "2008-02-29T19:11:18Z")
According to composer Jimmy Webb, it’s about a wedding in the park that didn’t happen because the bride didn’t show up. And “I’ve Never Been to Me” is the cheesiest song ever. ---
**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:** [February 29, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/4 "2008-02-29T19:13:18Z")
[QUOTE=An Gadaí] > **[Error 404 (Not Found)](https://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1875)** [/QUOTE] I like how they say that _Hey Jude_ “came out shortly before” Donna Summer’s _MacArthur Park_. I guess those 11 years just flew by for the author - must’ve been that crazy '70s lifestyle. ---
**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:** [February 29, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/5 "2008-02-29T19:16:38Z")
I heard a story that the songwriter tried to compose the worst piece of music ever. Probably apocryphal, but that didn’t prevent me from mentioning this “fact” when an old friend and business partner once declared this his favorite song of all time. 😉 ---
**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:** [February 29, 2008, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/6 "2008-02-29T19:17:10Z")
[QUOTE=JohnT] I like how they say that _Hey Jude_ “came out shortly before” Donna Summer’s _MacArthur Park_. I guess those 11 years just flew by for the author - must’ve been that crazy '70s lifestyle. 😉 [/QUOTE] The “Hey Jude” reference is on a different bullet point (although, not technically bullets here as they are separated by colors), and refers to the original release of MacArthur Park, not the Donna Summer version. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/7 "2008-02-29T19:18:24Z")
[QUOTE=JohnT] I like how they say that _Hey Jude_ “came out shortly before” Donna Summer’s _MacArthur Park_. I guess those 11 years just flew by for the author - must’ve been that crazy '70s lifestyle. [/QUOTE] Not that these “facts” are always accurate, but I’m guessing this one is referring to the Richard Harris version. And “Watching Scotty Grow” is the cheesiest song ever, followed closely by “Playground in my Mind” (my name is Michael, I have a nickle…). ---
**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:** [February 29, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/8 "2008-02-29T19:19:45Z")
Yeah, y’all are right. My bad. ---
**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:** [February 29, 2008, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/9 "2008-02-29T19:21:58Z")
I’m shocked, SHOCKED to find that the public likes cheesey entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/10 "2008-02-29T19:56:13Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] I’m shocked, SHOCKED to find that the public likes cheesey entertainment. [/QUOTE] I think it’s because the cheesier the song, the more fun it is to sing in the shower. ---
**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:** [February 29, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/11 "2008-02-29T19:58:12Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Rieux] And “I’ve Never Been to Me” is the cheesiest song ever. [/QUOTE] I bought it for my daughter after we discussed it on the boards the other day. She likes it too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/12 "2008-02-29T19:58:13Z")
A friend of mine wrote a breakup song whose chorus ended with the line “She won’t have to worry 'bout the cake in the rain.” I always used to kid him for pretending he knew what the hell that meant. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/13 "2008-02-29T20:11:05Z")
“She’s Havin’ My Baby” is the correct answer to the cheesiest song ever, closely followed by “Chevy Van.” ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/14 "2008-02-29T20:16:18Z")
[Theme song for Monroe, Wisconsin’s Cheese Days festival](http://www.cheesedays.com/song.htm) ---
**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:** [February 29, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/15 "2008-02-29T20:24:25Z")
We were having a barbecue at my sister’s house, and it began to rain. My mother, worried about the food out there, said “I left the cake out in the rain!” My wife and I started saying, together, as if rehearsed: “I don’t think that I can take it, 'cause it took so long to bake it, and I’ll never have that recipe again!” Then I ran out for the cake. My mother didn’t recognize the reference, and thought we were nuts. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/16 "2008-02-29T20:42:27Z")
You’re all delusional! The cheesiest song ever is Bobby Goldsborough’s “Honey”, followed closely by Terry Jacks’s “Seasons in the Sun”. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/17 "2008-02-29T20:44:11Z")
[QUOTE=JohnT] I heard a story that the songwriter tried to compose the worst piece of music ever. [/QUOTE] The same songwriter composed “Rosecrans Boulevard,” which makes even “Macarthur Park” look good. Not only are the lyrics dumber, but they don’t even bother to rhyme. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/18 "2008-02-29T20:49:20Z")
_Patches, I’m dependin’ on you, son…_ ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/19 "2008-02-29T21:03:22Z")
Do you know what would make that song a lot better? Dinosaurs! ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/20 "2008-02-29T21:07:21Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] You’re all delusional! The cheesiest song ever is Bobby Goldsborough’s “Honey”, followed closely by Terry Jacks’s “Seasons in the Sun”. [/QUOTE] Those are correct. And they are followed closely by Sammy Davis, Jr’s “Candy Man”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664.md?page=2)