# 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:** 11\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/81 "2008-03-03T03:10:40Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Miskatonic] “Lovin’ yo-oo is easy 'cause you’re byooti-fulll” [/QUOTE] I will defend this song on the following grounds: 1. Minnie Ripperton was a total babe. 2. At the end, she’s singing to her two year-old, Maya (Rudolph, of SNL fame). 3. Maya Rudolph is a total babe. Full pardon from the governor…case closed! ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/82 "2008-03-03T03:11:26Z")
People, we’ve done this before. I know, and you know, that there is only one song that holds this position. I give you [“Dear Mr. Jesus.”](http://www.dayofthechild.org/dc98/lyric.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/83 "2008-03-03T04:00:02Z")
[QUOTE=lobotomyboy63] I will defend this song on the following grounds: 1. Minnie Ripperton was a total babe. 2. At the end, she’s singing to her two year-old, Maya (Rudolph, of SNL fame). 3. Maya Rudolph is a total babe. Full pardon from the governor…case closed! [/QUOTE] I’m sending in the National Guard to stop this travesty…that song is a danger to eardrums and spinal cords. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/84 "2008-03-03T07:09:58Z")
[QUOTE=ArizonaTeach] I think he’s referring to… [/QUOTE] One of the most perfect opportunities for song parody, and “Weird Al” _nailed_ it. Easily among the best of his parody songs. [VIDEO!!!](http://youtube.com/watch?v=dpDckbqhpW8) ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/85 "2008-03-03T19:06:23Z")
[QUOTE=lobotomyboy63] I will defend this song on the following grounds: 1. Minnie Ripperton was a total babe. 2. At the end, she’s singing to her two year-old, Maya (Rudolph, of SNL fame). 3. Maya Rudolph is a total babe. Full pardon from the governor…case closed! [/QUOTE] I did not know this (the daughter part). I was wondering why she got to do so many of the black female characters (she’s good too). I defend this song too on the grounds that: 1. I love sappy, melodramatic songs and this sure is one, that make you want to cry. 2. Riperton has the same first name as my mom ands he died a few years after my mom. 3. I’ll always associate the sadness of her and my mom’s death and this song. So there. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/86 "2008-03-03T21:47:36Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Miskatonic] I’m sending in the National Guard to stop this travesty…that song is a danger to eardrums and spinal cords. [/QUOTE] 5-4 and I see your National Guard and raise you a full battalion. Don’t make us get out the starship cruiser! Actually today I was in Walgreens and I knew we had left one out when it came across the store speakers: _And sometimes when we touch The honesty’s too much_ I actually said “NO!” out loud. ---
**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:** [March 3, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/87 "2008-03-03T23:11:43Z")
[QUOTE=Chris Moise] It’s an autobiographical song based on a period in composer Jimmy Webb’s life when he lost a great love of his life. At the time Webb lived near MacArthur Park in Los Angeles and he and his love used to go there together. In the song he is going back there alone after she has gone, thinking about where they went and what they did, replaying everything in his head and mourning the loss of the relationship, wondering if he’ll ever love anyone as much or if this was love of his life. People tend to take the line “Someone left a cake out in the rain” a little too literally, it is just symbolic of something wonderful and sweet that has been destroyed because of neglect. The lyrics can be a little overly romantic and overwrought, but that just captures the way love and loss can be blown completely out of proportion by the person involved. Hope that helps. The songfacts website is a festival of misinformation. Nope. See above. It also has nothing to do with Hashish. Webb has discussed this many times in interviews. [/QUOTE] Thanks for this! That’s 3 different interpretations I’ve heard so far. This one, the wedding one and one that says it’s an environmental protest song. Doesn’t matter. It’s still the cheesiest. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/88 "2008-03-04T00:09:04Z")
_Don’t Give Up On Us Baby_, David Soul. Cheesy lyrics and sung by someone whose primary career is (was) acting. Love it though. ---
**Author:** ![Ellef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8dc957/32.png) [@Ellef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellef)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/89 "2008-03-04T06:11:35Z")
[QUOTE=Nzinga, Seated] Dammit, I just realized my post was clear as mud. I mean they did a take on the MacArthur Park song. [/QUOTE] I was kinda hoping it was _Disco Duck_, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2008, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/90 "2008-03-04T09:46:42Z")
Ernie, Who Drove The Fastest Milkcart In The West. ---
**Author:** ![daere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@daere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daere)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664/91 "2008-03-05T19:28:45Z")
Two of the cheesiest songs that popped into my head were from when I was a young girl. _Wildfire_ by Michael Martin Murphy (Wiiiiiiiiiiiiild-fire) already metioned by **Xema** and ~drumroll~ _Coward of the County_ by Kenny Rogers. My friends and I _loved_ that song when it came out – but at least we had the excuse of being young and pre-teen girls. That song spent 2 weeks at Number 1 – what was everybody else’s excuse? Oh, and **Mr. Miskatonic** , what’s really fun is discovering _Punk Covers_ of some of these songs. Talk about cognitive dissonance… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-cheesiest-song-ever-and-yet-it-was-a-hit-twice-what-does-it-mean/439664.md?page=4)