# This song proves I am a musical idiot **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 7, 2002, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240 "2002-10-07T18:28:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/1 "2002-10-07T18:28:12Z")
If you were to pick the one genre of music most associated with me, you would say “Classic Rock”. CCR, Hendrix, Beatles, Doors. Those are my kinds of bands. For years, I have heard the song “Horse with No Name.” As a listener of classic rock radio stations, I have heard that song countless times. Up until about a week ago, I have always labored under the illusion that Neil Young sang that song. I mention that to a friend as we are discussing favorite songs by certain artists at which point I am informed that is actually America singing that song. I am a big, big dope. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/2 "2002-10-07T18:56:09Z")
Well, at least _the Simpsons_ are brilliant, if nothing else. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/3 "2002-10-07T19:01:36Z")
Hey, how many ppl thought that John Fogerty was singing “There’s a bathroom on the right” when he was actually singing “There’s a bad moon on the rise?” How many have confused Bob Seeger and Bruce Springstein? How many times have the Beatles and the Rolling Stones been confused with each other? It’s just Classic Rock. Nobody’s ever suggested that it be used as a measure of intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/4 "2002-10-07T19:05:25Z")
Don’t feel too bad. I thought the same thing about this song for a long time. In fact, I started a thread a few months ago (I don’t have any patience for the hamsters right now, so I’m not going to attempt searching it) in which people posted the titles of songs they thought were done by someone else. The one song I was wrong about for the longest time was “No Sugar Tonight” by The Guess Who. For the longest time I thought this was a Creedence Clearwater Revival song. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/5 "2002-10-07T19:10:41Z")
…and I’m sure loads of people thought “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” was CCR instead of the Hollies. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/6 "2002-10-07T19:19:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Knowed Out \* > \*\*How many times have the Beatles and the Rolling Stones been confused with each other? \*\* Aw, they’re easy to tell apart. When Beatles die, they _stop moving._ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dead0man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@dead0man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dead0man)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/7 "2002-10-07T19:20:04Z")
Don’t worry **Mullinator** , you are not alone. I have the song in my MP3 collection and it is labeled as a Neil Young song. ---
**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:** [October 7, 2002, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/8 "2002-10-07T19:31:39Z")
A lot of people commented on the similarity in sound ever since “Horse with No Name” was released. Neil Young never wrote anything that lame, but it does sound something like him. ---
**Author:** ![Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8797f3/32.png) [@Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ins_Outs_What-have-yous)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/9 "2002-10-07T20:59:00Z")
**An Arky** : > [@](#): > > …and I’m sure loads of people thought “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” was CCR instead of the Hollies. M father is in one of those loads. I broke the news to him just a couple months ago. **flodnak** : > [@](#): > > When Beatles die, they stop moving. Hehe…so true. Even 20 years ago Keith Richards looked like death warmed over. Until recently, I thought the song “All Right Now” was by **Bad Company** , but actually it was a song by **Free** which had the same frontman, Paul Rodgers. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/10 "2002-10-07T21:10:42Z")
Shoot, I didn’t believe that _Dream On_ was by Aerosmith. [sub]and I still don’t.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/11 "2002-10-07T21:53:02Z")
For years, I thought the Knickerbockers’ “Lies” was by the Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/12 "2002-10-08T01:40:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*A lot of people commented on the similarity in sound ever since “Horse with No Name” was released. Neil Young never wrote anything that lame, but it does sound something like him. \*\* Ever listen to **Trans, Arc or Journey Through The Past?** Those are all _really_ bad albums. I’m talking throw them on the CD player when you want people to leave the party bad. And what is so lame about **A Horse With No Name**? The lyric is quite good, as it tells an actual story instead of bleating about the usual sex,drugs etc, and the instrumentation fits the song. The fact that it was used as an anthem of sorts during the Gulf War shouldn’t be held against it. ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/13 "2002-10-08T02:01:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WSLer \* > \*\* > And what is so lame about **A Horse With No Name**? \*\* Really awkward sentence structure, perhaps? “On the first part of the journey I was looking at all the life There were plants and birds and rocks and things There was sand and hills and rings The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz And the sky with no clouds” " 'Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain" 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/14 "2002-10-08T02:04:54Z")
Oh, and I forgot to mention the constant repitition of the obvious: “The heat was hot and the ground was dry” In a desert? You think? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/15 "2002-10-08T03:19:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MisterThyristor \* > \*\*Oh, and I forgot to mention the constant repitition of the obvious: > > “The heat was hot and the ground was dry” > > In a desert? You think? 😛 \*\* Antarctica is considered a desert by climatologists(SP) and it’s pretty damn cold. Plus while yes, deserts are quite hot during the day, they can be quite cold at night. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/16 "2002-10-08T03:57:34Z")
Yes, but in that case, you could say “the desert was hot”, “the air was hot”, “the day was hot”, **anything** but “the heat was hot.” What on earth is the heat supposed to be, if not hot? The first time I ever really listened to the lyrics was during a scene in “Air America” where it’s being sung (badly) by a group of Laoatian (?) waiters. I assumed the “ain’t no one for to give you no pain” was meant as a joke about foreigners mangling English. Imagine my surprise. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/17 "2002-10-08T05:08:03Z")
So you’ve had the artist who recorded a strangely popular song wrong for many years, so what? How’s this for musical idiocy, for years I thought: “Baker Street” was a Steely Dan song for some reason. “PsychoBabble” by The Alan Parsons Project was a Pete Townsend solo song. “Don’t Call Us” was by Aerosmith instead of Spooky Tooth. Brownsville Station’s “Martian Boogie” was by Pat Travers since it sounded so much like “Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights)”. “Renegade” was by Bad Company (a common mistake, in my experience) instead of Styx. It was really by Styx right? Stupid DJs, identify the artist some time, instead of telling me you have another looooong set of Bob Seger coming up. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/18 "2002-10-08T06:39:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > \*\*For years, I thought the Knickerbockers’ “Lies” was by the Beatles. \*\* Until about two months ago, I thought they sang Johnny Rivers’ “Secret Agent Man” D’oh! ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/19 "2002-10-08T11:28:55Z")
I don’t know who sings _anything_. If I had a nickel for ever time someone says “You don’t know \”… A couple years back some organization listed the top 100 rock songs of all time (or most important, or whatever - another millenium thing). Way up there in the top 10 was some tune named _Smells Like Teen Spirit_. **You** know _Smells Like Teen Spirit_, right? Of course you do. EVERYone knows _SLTS_ except, of course, for me. Ditto for the band Rush. Someone posted a poll on another message board and I finally had to look them up to see what the hell they ever sang. The one thing I like best about [amazon.com](http://amazon.com) is their little RA sound clips; it lets me dopeslap myself in private. ---
**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:** [October 8, 2002, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240/20 "2002-10-08T12:50:43Z")
Word up: \*\* Les Miserables \*\* was NOT written by Andrew Lloyd Webber of \*\* Cats \*\* and \*\* Phantom of the Opera \*\* fame. Really. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-song-proves-i-am-a-musical-idiot/131240.md?page=2)