# The most cringeworthy moment in pop music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 11, 2016, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258 "2016-10-11T17:48:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/81 "2016-10-15T23:28:09Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > [Found it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M4_Ommfvv0). The horror begins at 2:12 Regarding Van Halen in Hot Fot Teacher: you realize they are laughing at themselves, right? It’s a goof. You really think they were trying to look serious?! 😕 ---
**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:** [October 16, 2016, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/82 "2016-10-16T03:01:31Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > [The video for “Muskrat Love” (God help us all).](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgCk3bnvO5Y) The “mating sounds” solo at 2:10 is arguably the lowest point of Western civilization. This. Literally, this. There is a reason why the 70s has the reputation it does. Lots of great music, but a whole lotta shit, and there is nothing more embarrassing than the moment when Darryl Dragon said “You know what this track needs? Rat sex sounds!” And “Float On” is a great smooth soul track. The guy opens the song by telling us his astrological sign and, to this Aries, nothing is more 70s than that. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/83 "2016-10-16T04:11:19Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Agreed. I always assumed it was intentionally ridiculous/pathetic. > > Welp, I made it to the ripe old age of 33 without ever seeing ‘‘Dancing in the Street’’ or ‘‘Muskrat Love.’’ > > I don’t even. > > (I can forgive Bowie & Jagger. They are clearly having way too much fun.) > > I’ve got an obscure one by Paula Cole: [Hush, Hush, Hush.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPNjvvUkmuo) One of the most beautiful, heartbreaking songs I have ever heard in my life (it’s about a man comforting his gay son as he dies of AIDS)… > > Long white arms losing their strength and form > Sixty year man on twenty year old skin > Skeleton, your eyes have lost their warmth > Look to your father for some support > Hush, hush, hush > Says your daddy’s touch > Sleep, sleep, sleep > Says the hundredth sheep > Peace, peace, peace > May you go in peace > > …is utterly fucking ruined by one of the worst Peter Gabriel interludes I have ever heard. (The horror starts about 2:00 in.) There are no bad Peter Gabriel interludes sir. And he _makes_ that song, he doesn’t ruin it. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/84 "2016-10-16T08:15:59Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > What the…I can’t…but…why would…just who thought that was a good idea? > > I actually cringed. I happened to listen to some old Van Halen songs recently, and I was surprised by the awfulness of Roth’s singing. He was terrible but I don’t think I noticed it much at the time. I showed that to a co-worker of mine and she was, like, back in the day, I was really trying to get backstage and collect some of that, but all of a sudden, I’m really glad I failed. ---
**Author:** ![SantaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@SantaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SantaMan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/85 "2016-10-16T08:31:55Z")
[Cherish](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hysdyVGpsE) by the Association is cringe worthy for different reasons. The singers and the accompanists are just enough out of tune from each other to make my ears hurt. This really pisses me off, because the song and harmonies would be great - if they were in tune. Grumble Grumble… ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/86 "2016-10-16T13:13:01Z")
Cherish was the first “real song” that I remember liking when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/87 "2016-10-16T13:19:56Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > Cherish was the first “real song” that I remember liking when I was a kid. For me, it was their song Windy. Their syrupy-sweet harmonies and arrangement have become a cult-snob thing known as Sunshine Pop, with Curt Boettcher as a lead player: [Curt Boettcher - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curt_Boettcher) As a kid, I just thought it was good - but Bill Withers’ Lean on Me was my favorite 😉 In terms of cringe-worthy, I heard the **Doors** song **Touch Me** , with its Bad 60’s horn charts build up to Mr. Mojo Risin’s Las Vegas debut lyric “c’mon c’mon c’mon touch me babe.” I love me some Tom Jones, but not coming from the so-called Lizard King. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2016, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/88 "2016-10-16T14:14:04Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Mr. Mojo Risin’s Las Vegas debut lyric “c’mon c’mon c’mon touch me babe.” Everyone always blames Mr. Mojo Risin’, even when the song is by Igor Beer-Biker. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/89 "2016-10-16T15:12:49Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Everyone always blames Mr. Mojo Risin’, even when the song is by Igor Beer-Biker. Is that an anagram for Robbie Krieger? I think so…and yes, he wrote it, but it is dreck regardless and hearing Jim all posey and dangerous launching into the lyrics is pure schmaltz to my ear. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/90 "2016-10-16T16:09:57Z")
> [@Randolph](#): > > What, that works. > You big fuckin’ jerks. It’s not that it doesn’t rhyme; it does. It’s that the rhyme is so painfully forced. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/91 "2016-10-16T18:09:51Z")
Most may disagree, but I thought this was one of the wonderful, uplifting moments in the pantheon of pop music history: (things really heat up from :47 to 1:04) Unfortunately no link, but if anyone caught Robert Palmer performing \*I Didn't Mean To Turn You On\* on Merv Griffin in '84, then you missed something that I can only describe as execrable to the point that you would've wanted to attack him with mini-drones, like in Stephen King's short story \*Battleground\* (despite there being no drones in it). Anything involving the demonstrably barf-laden Bronski Beat was simply an affront to pop. Especially seeing that Jimmy Somerville puke-nuts throwing jizzing (? \< or hopefully I was seeing things) coconuts from a tree in one of those videos that I just really can’t bother ferreting out right now. At least it’s not like we’re all ganging up on the 80’s or anything. ok - something non-80’s, then: _Two Virgins_ Bill Shatner/all those other doofi attempting spoken word recordings Lee Hazelwood vehemently thirding _Muskrat Love_ hi-jinks. diarrhea synth sounds at end of _Dream Weaver_ elsewhere-mentioned _Abra-dabra_ - this song used to put me in brief psychotic breaks back in grade 11, resulting in property damage and slight pulmonary aberrations. I, like, could _really_ go on… ---
**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 16, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/92 "2016-10-16T18:19:27Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Is that an anagram for Robbie Krieger? I think so…and yes, he wrote it, but it is dreck regardless and hearing Jim all posey and dangerous launching into the lyrics is pure schmaltz to my ear. Nitpick: _Robby_ Krieger ---
**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:** [October 16, 2016, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/93 "2016-10-16T18:57:13Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Nitpick: _Robby_ Krieger He’s credited as Robby on some albums and Robbie on others. On _The Soft Parade_, the album that includes “Touch Me,” it’s spelled Robbie. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/94 "2016-10-16T19:57:49Z")
\*\*Biffy \*\* - any thoughts on the song? Cringe-worthy? ---
**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:** [October 16, 2016, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/95 "2016-10-16T22:03:16Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > \*\*Biffy \*\* - any thoughts on the song? Cringe-worthy? Nah, just a particularly minor entry in the Doors canon. Cringe-worthy is when a drunken Morrison changed it onstage to “Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on now _suck_ me babe!” ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/96 "2016-10-16T22:26:40Z")
After Bob Saget left “America’s Funniest Home Videos”, he did some profanity-laden HBO specials. There was something very incongruous about him dropping F bombs right and left. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/97 "2016-10-16T23:46:36Z")
Cat Stevens" _Moon Shadow_, with the abysmal lyrics: “If I ever lose my mouth, lose my teeth both north and south…” ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/98 "2016-10-17T00:06:31Z")
NM. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/99 "2016-10-17T00:07:42Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > I’d like to nominate almost anything involving my previous neighbour Simon Fat Fuck Le Bon. [Funny you should mention him.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mINh8ZOWSLw) Queen showed everybody how great a band can be that day. Simon Le Bon showed everybody what studios are for. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258/100 "2016-10-17T00:12:59Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > What the…I can’t…but…why would…just who thought that was a good idea? > > I actually cringed. I happened to listen to some old Van Halen songs recently, and I was surprised by the awfulness of Roth’s singing. He was terrible but I don’t think I noticed it much at the time. I assume you’ve heard Roth’s isolated vocals from _Running With the Devil_? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IArxakPsPE0/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGHIgUCg6MA8=&rs=AOn4CLDwF4l2HOszdUFhpsOodsaG4F060Q "david lee roth running with the devil (vocals only) 1978") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IArxakPsPE0) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-cringeworthy-moment-in-pop-music/768258.md?page=6)