# Top Ten Guilty Musical Pleasures **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2006, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932 "2006-02-24T16:29:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/41 "2006-02-25T01:03:01Z")
> [@ddgryphon](#): > > Hey, joke 'em if they can’t take a F—. A few years ago, one of the local stations had a countdown “the” worst songs. I am guessing they limited it to rock and roll of the 60’s to 80’s. My co workers thought is immensely funny that I knew most of these songs and liked them. The worst song on thier list was the Curly Shuffle, which I think is great fun. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/42 "2006-02-25T02:14:42Z")
Er, I think it would be easier to list my cool albums than to list my uncool ones. My cool musical pleasures: 1. Nope. I got nothing. I just looked at the MP3s in my most recent playlist: Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, George Michael, George Strait, The Thorns, La Traviata, Matchbox Twenty, James Taylor, Mahalia Jackson, A Girl Called Eddy, Eva Cassidy, Guster, John Denver, Howard Jones, George Gershwin, and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. ---
**Author:** ![Tevildo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Tevildo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tevildo)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/43 "2006-02-25T02:51:07Z")
> [@Little Plastic Ninja](#): > > Folk. Particularly olde Englishe trad folk. Particularly Steeleye Span. o/“Rave on, rave on and tell me…” 🙂 A-hem. That being said. I must confess to owning the “Schanppi” album. I think that counts as 10 spots in anybody’s money. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/44 "2006-02-25T02:53:27Z")
My whole music collection is composed of guilty musical pleasures. I’m glad to know I’m in good company with the love for Donovan, though! ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/45 "2006-02-25T02:57:12Z")
Amateurs. The Partridge Family. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/46 "2006-02-25T03:03:09Z")
Rather than thinking of them as Guilty Pleasures I prefer the term “currently out of fashion.” In no particular order: _Daydream Believer_ - **Monkees**. Actually, if you listen closely, you’ll realize it’s by Davey, with backgrounds by Davey. Nesmith and Tork were in their “but we’re real musicians” snit, and wouldn’t record. The producers simply told Jones, “we’d like you to record this…or lose your worker’s visa.” _Eleanor_ - **Turtles**. They owed the label a final album, they didn’t care, and the came up with “you’re my pride and joy, et cetera.” _Walking in Sunshine_ - **Katrina and the Waves**. No inside story, just really infectious 80’s pop. _Waterloo_ - **Abba**. Really infectious 70’s pop. _Adelaide’s Lament_ from _Guys and Dolls._ Lyric gymnastics. _In the Mood_ - **Glenn Miller**. Why, out of all the Big Band-era music produced, I love this particular song, I don’t know. So sue me. _Stayin’ Alive_ - **Bee Gees**. Of course, I also thought _Saturday Night Fever_ was a pretty good movie even without the music. ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/47 "2006-02-25T03:09:49Z")
Don’t really like anything that I’m ashamed to admit to, but I guess here’s stuff that I might get made fun of for somewhere: Cyndi Lauper (Time After Time, Girls Just Wanna Have Some Fun, etc.) Suzanne Vega (Luka, Tom’s Diner, etc.) Barry Manilow (Mandy) Dolly Parton (I Will Always Love You, Jolene, etc.) Michelle Branch (forgot the names of the songs) Sarah McLachlan (a lot) Pat Benatar (We Belong, Shadows of the Night) Jewel (Down So Long, etc.) Enya Natalie Merchant (My Skin, etc.) By the way, some of the stuff I’ve seen listed here I can’t imagine how they can be considered “guilty” since I’ve always thought of them as fairly well respected (like Donovan, Duran Duran, Prince, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/48 "2006-02-25T03:28:16Z")
The Cowsills! ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/49 "2006-02-25T03:34:58Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Though people may be surprised at my liking for 30s composors like Harry Warren, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter, but if anyone thinks they’re bad music, they’re fools. Dang skippy! I’m with ya all the way! There’s tons of great music from their era. My guilty pleasure is John Denver. Can’t hear one of his songs without wishing he was still alive to sing and write more. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/50 "2006-02-25T03:48:43Z")
I don’t feel bad about any of the artists I like, but the B-52s are closest to what the OP is talking about. Their first album is very good. People might also be surprised that I like the Beastie Boys as much as I do, but they have a great sense of humor. ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/51 "2006-02-25T04:10:16Z")
**Ezekiel Saw the Wheel**. First of all, I don’t even get it because I never listened in Sunday school so that’s bad. Second, it’s the ultimate musical expression of the depths of human dorkiness. I like the one by the Kingsmen best but I usually like all versions of it. I sing along to it in my Jubilee voice. The fact that I have a Jubilee voice makes me feel an emotion much more complex and dark than mere guilt so I only unleash it in the car. Almost all my guilty pleasure music is a guilty pleasure because it makes me helplessly undignified and not because I think the artist is a jerk or something. There’s not really anything particularly uncool about Sundown by Gord Lightfoot but why do I have to put it on repeat and invent a terrible dance for it? Maybe music is just a guilty pleasure for me in general. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/52 "2006-02-25T04:59:12Z")
> [@Tikki](#): > > My guilty pleasure is John Denver. Can’t hear one of his songs without wishing he was still alive to sing and write more. Amen to that. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/53 "2006-02-25T05:35:32Z")
> [@ddgryphon](#): > > I love to celebrate the offbeat, the “oh, that’s not cool” world of Mohammed Rafi’s 60’s pop insanity. What are you referring to, his Shammi Kapoor work? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/54 "2006-02-25T06:50:15Z")
> [@anyrose](#): > > The Cowsills! I wonder if you were with my sisters trying to mob (I mean meet 😉 ) them at a Korvette’s appearance? This would have been around 1969 or 1970. They were the big Teenie bopper band at the time. Jim ---
**Author:** ![ayalabmaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@ayalabmaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ayalabmaj)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/55 "2006-02-25T10:15:16Z")
> [@ddgryphon](#): > > I know that there is no true cool, but I love to celebrate the offbeat, the “oh, that’s not cool” world of Mohammed Rafi’s 60’s pop insanity. The whole point is to celebrate what you love, regardless of what people think. Isn’t that the guy with the song in _Ghost World_? “Jaan Pehechaan Ho?” I love that song? Wait… that’s from the '60s? Also, I got to ask, in what world is a song that was in the opening scene of the ultimate hipster movie considered a “guilty pleasure,” or “uncool.” Next you’re going to tell me the Free Design aren’t cool. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/56 "2006-02-25T14:37:06Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > I wonder if you were with my sisters trying to mob (I mean meet 😉 ) them at a Korvette’s appearance? This would have been around 1969 or 1970. > > They were the big Teenie bopper band at the time. > > Jim ☹ my mom wouldn’t let me go. But my folks did get to see them in Vegas and got their autographs for me (they once called me their little Susan since I sang all the time - but I told them I didn’t like that name 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/57 "2006-02-25T14:58:05Z")
It’s been a tough year for the Cowsills. Barry was lost either because of or incidental to Katrina, and Billy just passed away, apparently from a myriad of health problems. And of course their mother, who sang on their early hits since Susan was only a small child, passed away in 1985. I loved their well-known stuff but didn’t know until just recently that they also sang the theme to _Love, American Style_. ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/58 "2006-02-25T17:14:29Z")
> [@II Gyan II](#): > > What are you referring to, his Shammi Kapoor work? Yes, that period! ---
**Author:** ![blacktarrant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85e7bf/32.png) [@blacktarrant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blacktarrant)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/59 "2006-02-25T17:42:33Z")
I’ll jump in on the John Denver bangwagon as my first post, but have to admit that I prefer him singing with Muppets. My prized CD is John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together. Also on my potentially guilty pleasures list: The Village People, the Disney disco album which included Disco Duck, Bee Gees, Air Supply, The Monkees, Bing Crosby, Placido Domingo, some Lords of Acid, and a buttload of disco. ---
**Author:** ![Hugh\_Jass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932/60 "2006-02-25T17:44:16Z")
No mention yet of Neil Sedaka? I likes me some Neil (Sedaka). I also really like sea shantys. Somehow, I had never heard “Drunken Sailor” until this past year. It led me to look into a bunch of other sailor songs. I love that stuff. Related to sea shantys, I like the Irish Rovers. Yes, that means I like the Unicorn Song. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-ten-guilty-musical-pleasures/345932.md?page=4)