# Top 5 worst pop/rock songs of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097 "2003-11-30T19:41:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/41 "2003-12-01T02:11:05Z")
As of 6:00PM PDT the top 5 stand at: We Built This City by Starship Seasons In The Sun by Terry Jacks Honey by Bobby Goldsboro Joy To The World by Three Dog Night MacArthur Park by Richard Harris Check out the voting at the link provided above. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/42 "2003-12-01T02:16:57Z")
this is difficult. I may substitute later. Play That Funky Music White Boy-? Candy Man-Sammy Davis Jr. I’m Different Today -John Travolta(its hilarious really! listen and laugh) Sweet Child of Mine-? (someone killed a cat! it sounds like it!) Delta Dawn-Helen Reddy ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/43 "2003-12-01T02:18:15Z")
My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston I Only Want to Be With You - Hootie and the Blowfish I’m A Slave 4 U - Britney Spears Nookie (or whatever it’s called) - Limp Bizkit ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/44 "2003-12-01T02:50:41Z")
**Don’t Cry Out Loud** - _Melissa Manchester_ What’s wrong with this song? Everything! **I Know What Boys Like** - _The Waitresses_ Flat monotone voice, lame music, even lamer lyrics. **Mr. Roboto** - _Styx_ I love a lot of other songs from Styx, even have most of their albums, but this song is unbearable. **Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car** - _Billy Ocean_ I was in high school when this came out, and everyone I knew, including myself, made fun of this song. **Macarena** - _Los Del Rio_ 'nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/45 "2003-12-01T02:52:44Z")
Not including obviously ‘novelty’ songs: I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston Until The End Of Time - 2Pac Save Your Love - Renee & Renata Mr Writer - Stereophonics Real Things - Javine (Worst lyrics ever. Honestly.) There’s blatantly more that I just didn’t think of, mind. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/46 "2003-12-01T02:54:01Z")
P.S I think ‘It’s Been Awhile’ is by Staind. ---
**Author:** ![AuntPam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@AuntPam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntPam)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/47 "2003-12-01T03:16:35Z")
Only FIVE?!? Geez, I was a DJ in the late 60s, early 70s; I can name dozens… Okay: THE WORST: Sentimental Lady by Fleetwood Mac – three verses and an endless chorus OFF-KEY throughout!!! My teeth ache just thinking about it after all these years… Close to You by The Carpenters. Feelings (it doesn’t matter who sang it; no one could make this song good.) Sometimes When We Touch by Dan Hill. Ballad of the Green Berets by (I think it’s Barry Sadler). Some of the nominees suggested by others above are actually quite good musically although the lyrics show a strong…aaah…cannabinoid influence. I grant you “Joy to the World” doesn’t make any sense. But WTF. It’s fun anyway. I’d include Dust In the Wind due to sophomoric lyrics, but a beginning guitar player’s just gotta have one song where he or she can practice Travis picking. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/48 "2003-12-01T03:23:12Z")
Sylvia’s Mother - Dr Hook and the Medicine Show (I’m suprised that no one’s mentioned this one yet.) Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks MacArthur Park - Richard Harris Afternoon Delight - Starland Vocal Band Watching Scotty Grow - Bobby Goldsboro It’s hard to stick with just five! ---
**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:** [December 1, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/49 "2003-12-01T03:43:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pkbites \* > \*\* > Does it surprise anyone that the majority of songs we’re all listing here are from the 70’s? \*\* Probably has as much to do with the age of the respondents to this thread as the quality of work from the 70s. ---
**Author:** ![Lando\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f17d59/32.png) [@Lando\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lando_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/50 "2003-12-01T03:47:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rubystreak \* > **Are you whooshing us here? Bob Marley wrote “I Shot the Sheriff” and it’s a fine, fine song. But hey, it’s your vote.** Damn, my first post and I screwed up. I meant to say cover the song. Don’t get me wrong, I like Bob Marley. He had dozens of powerful and evocative songs, but the cover version just loses that feeling. ---
**Author:** ![doctordoowop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@doctordoowop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doctordoowop)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/51 "2003-12-01T04:00:02Z")
Aunt Pam- that’s Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler-show the poor guy some respect.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/52 "2003-12-01T04:00:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AuntPam \* > **… > Sentimental Lady by Fleetwood Mac…** While Bob Welch was a member of Fleetwood Mac at one point, this was a solo effort and will be noted as such. I’ll have a new update at 9:00 PDT. ---
**Author:** ![Priam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/77aa72/32.png) [@Priam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Priam)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/53 "2003-12-01T05:06:34Z")
Lightning Striking Again - Lets hear it for moronic testosterone-induced mysogynistic lyrics! Butterfly Kisses - I like sentimentality as much as the next person, but PUH-lease Umm… I think its called “Already There”. That one crap song about a guy far away from his family but he’s “already there” ad nauseum. Yeah. Destroy that thing. Thats only three but its late and I don’t have the energy to think up any more. Oh! How about pop songs I should dislike but don’t? “Its All Coming Back To Me” ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/54 "2003-12-01T05:10:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rico \* > \*\*While Bob Welch was a member of Fleetwood Mac at one point, this was a solo effort and will be noted as such. I’ll have a new update at 9:00 PDT. \*\* Actually, every time I’ve ever heard the song played on the radio it’s allways been attributed to Fleetwood Mac. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/55 "2003-12-01T05:11:24Z")
9:00PM PDT Update: 1. We Built This City - Starship 2. Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks 3. (tie) Honey - Bobby Goldsboro 4. (tie) I’ve Never Been To Me - Charlene 5. (tie) Joy To The World - Three Dog Night 6. (tie) MacArthur Park - Richard Harris 7. (tie) Ring My Bell - Anita Ward 8. I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston 9. Feelings - Morris Albert 10. Billy Don’t Be A Hero - Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods 11. (tie) Afternoon Delight - Starland Vocal Band 12. (tie) I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing - Aerosmith 13. In The Year 2525 - Zager and Evans 14. (tie) Horse With No Name - America 15. (tie) I Shot The Sheriff - Eric Clapton 16. (tie) Midnight At The Oasis - Maria Muldaur 17. (tie) The Final Countdown - Europa I’ll update again tomorrow. Keep the turkeys coming! ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/56 "2003-12-01T05:37:54Z")
**I’ll Be** - Edwin McCain: Easily my #1. I hate a lot of songs, but very few can send me into a murderous rage like this one. It makes me shudder just thinking about its vomit inducing chorus and the creepy looking moron that wrote it. **It’s My Life** - Bon Jovi: So. Incredibly. Bad. It absolutely boggles my mind that anyone on earth could produce a song this horrible. If someone took all the evil ever to exist in the universe and someone put it into musical form, it would be this song. I mean, this is my least favorite _Bon Jovi_ song. That’s like saying it’s my least favorite Nazi death camp. **Never Again** - Nickelback: It’s like the school photographer taking Lisa Simpsons’ picture when she has her braces on. “There is no God!” **Beautiful** - Christina Aguillera: I can handle songs composed entirely of clichés, but this is just too much. Christina’s wailing doesn’t help matters. **Faith** - Limp Bizkit (I have no idea how to spell their name): It takes an incredible level of badness to make a George Michael song even worse than it already is, but if anyone could have done it… ---
**Author:** ![BrandyFine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrandyFine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandyFine)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/57 "2003-12-01T05:50:43Z")
There are some really good songs on this thread :madface: Ok 1. We Are the World - various idiots “USA for Africa” 2. Elvira - Oak Ridge Boys 3. TAINTED LOVE - Soft Cell 4. Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton 5. Macarena - who knows ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/58 "2003-12-01T06:23:59Z")
I must be out of touch with reality - I meant PST - standard time - daylight savings time ended a month ago. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/59 "2003-12-01T06:30:23Z")
_True_ - Modern English _Seasons in the Sun_ - Terry Jacks _Epic_ - Faith No More _Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald_ - Gordon Lightfoot _MacArthur Park_ - Jimmy Webb ---
**Author:** ![Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raymond_luxury_yacht/32/4099_2.png) [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raymond_Luxury_Yacht)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097/60 "2003-12-01T06:34:37Z")
1. that song from \*Titanic[/] 2. that song from _The Bodyguard_ 3. “I’ve Got My Mind Set on You” by George Harrison. I believe that line was used almost 20 times. 4. “We Built this City” 5. some song about walking 500 miles. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-5-worst-pop-rock-songs-of-all-time/216097.md?page=4)