# What are the most desperate hit songs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 14, 2005, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962 "2005-02-14T03:41:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/21 "2005-02-14T16:36:19Z")
Was Kenny Rogers’ Ruby (Don’t take your love to town) a hit? Because damn that’s a desparate song if I ever heard one. ---
**Author:** ![RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RancidYakButterTeaParty)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/22 "2005-02-14T17:00:41Z")
How about “_I see a Darkness_” by **Johnny Cash**? “_Hurt_” **Trent Reznor** , sung by Johnny made it more desperate. A great desperate song, but not a hit, would be “_New Drink for the Old Drunk_” by **Crooked Fingers**. Lyrics like these make the point: “Well they kicked you around like a rodeo clown, and it echoed through town they were beating you down, and as they spread the word that you liked how it hurt, all at one you were cause for a pitiful cure.” ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/23 "2005-02-14T17:05:17Z")
[ul] [li]_Bohemian Rhapsody_ (Queen)[/li][li]_Janie’s Got a Gun_ (Aerosmith)[/li][li]_Jeremy_ and _Black_ (Pearl Jam)[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/24 "2005-02-14T17:29:17Z")
One of my favorite songs is “Saturday Night Special” by Conway Twitty. It starts out pretty damn desparate, but has an interesting ending. Not to be confused with the Lynyrd Skynyrd song of the same title, it sounds at first glance like it’s anti-gun or anti-capitalist. But it turns out to be decrying heartlessness towards one’s fellow man. I’ve placed the lyrics in spoilers because I couldn’t summarize it effectively, but didn’t want to spoil the ending in case you want to hear the record first. [spoiler]I was there to buy a pistol, she was there to hawk her ring The broker in that pawn shop deals in almost anything He’ll pay you for your misery or he’ll sell you someone’s pain And that twinkle in his greedy eye, means your loss will be his gain [REMAINDER OF LYRICS DELETED BY MODERATOR – SEE NOTE BELOW] [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/25 "2005-02-14T17:39:17Z")
> [@BurnMeUp](#): > > Was Kenny Rogers’ Ruby (Don’t take your love to town) a hit? Because damn that’s a desparate song if I ever heard one. His ‘Lucille’ also showcases depseration, but in a third-person perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/26 "2005-02-14T18:14:14Z")
“There’s a Tear In My Beer” - Hank Williams (the title says it all.) “Car On a Hill” - Joni Mitchell (Poor two-timed Joni is waiting up all night for a boyfriend who never shows; she keeps waiting to hear a car drive up the hilly street she lives on, and park, rather than just drive by.) “Eat for Two” - 10,000 Maniacs (Preachy message song told at the POV of a pregnant teenager.) “Wake Up Little Suzy” - the Everly Brothers (Teenage couple - early 1960s - went out on a date one night, had sex, then fell asleep. They wake up in the morning, and start to panic - "What are we gonna tell your mama? / What are we gonna tell your pop? / What are we gonna tell our friends when they say “ou-la-la?” And while I can’t recall the name of the song or the band that did it, there was some horrible dirge from the early 1970s describing a car accident victim’s POV as he’s pulled from the wreckage of a car, sees his dead girlfriend’s mangled body, realizes he’s lost an arm, and ultimately dies. The band was a one-(MINOR) hit wonder, and were a shrill Black Sabath ripoff. Does anyone else remember this? ---
**Author:** ![RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RancidYakButterTeaParty)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/27 "2005-02-14T19:27:56Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > And while I can’t recall the name of the song or the band that did it, there was some horrible dirge from the early 1970s describing a car accident victim’s POV as he’s pulled from the wreckage of a car, sees his dead girlfriend’s mangled body, realizes he’s lost an arm, and ultimately dies. The band was a one-(MINOR) hit wonder, and were a shrill Black Sabath ripoff. Does anyone else remember this? Are you thinking of _Last Kiss_ originally done by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers and popularly covered by Pearl Jam? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/28 "2005-02-14T19:29:24Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > Have you seen _Sordid Lives_? Brother Boy really tears it up on Til I Can Make it on My Own. If we lived in a just universe, Leslie Jordan would at lease have gotten an Oscar _nomination_ for that movie. (“Shoot her Wardell… shoot her in the hay-ud.”) ---
**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:** [February 14, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/29 "2005-02-14T19:44:25Z")
**Art Vandelay** : That sounds like **D.O.A** by _Bloodrock_. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/30 "2005-02-14T19:50:16Z")
> [@bluecanary](#): > > **Art Vandelay** : That sounds like **D.O.A** by _Bloodrock_. That’s it! I recognize both the song & band names. Yeah, boy what a hideous (but memorable) song that was…ick! ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/31 "2005-02-14T20:29:54Z")
Girl - Beatles _She’s the kind of girl who puts you down when friends are there, You feel a fool. When you say she’s looking good, she acts as if it’s understood. She’s cool, cool, cool, cool, Girl! Girl!_ 😛 ---
**Author:** ![angelicate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@angelicate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/angelicate)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/32 "2005-02-14T22:07:33Z")
How about the Cardigans’ **Lovefool**? Sample lyrics: “Lately I have desperately pondered, spent my nights awake and I wonder what I could have done in another way to make you stay Reason will not reach a solution I will end up lost in confusion I don’t care if you really care as long as you don’t go” [REMAINDER DELETED BY MODERATOR] Or \*\*White Flag \*\* by Dido “I know you think that I shouldn’t still love you, Or tell you that. But if I didn’t say it, well I’d still have felt it where’s the sense in that?” [REMAINDER DELETED BY MODERATOR] ---
**Author:** ![violacrane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c57346/32.png) [@violacrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/violacrane)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/33 "2005-02-14T22:58:18Z")
**R. Dean Taylor** Gotta See Jane: > [@](#): > > Red light, green light, > speeding through the dark night, > driving through the pounding rain > I gotta see Jane ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/34 "2005-02-14T23:15:55Z")
How about “She doesn’t dance” in the category of ‘desperate denial?’ > [@Mark McGuinn](#): > > …She was kissin’ him all over > The way she never kissed me > I knew it was her in a heartbeat > But I knew it couldn’t be > > …Her hair would be up > The way that I love > Never so down and crazy > Believe me I know my baby > And she doesn’t dance > > …When they walked out together > I just sat there all alone > I thought God I hate that woman > But I love the one at home > > – more snippage – > > It’s like a bad movie > That’s lasted too long > It’s all about her > But it has to be wrong As far as ‘white flag’, maybe we’re reading it differently, but the only part of that song I thought was pitiful was that she wasn’t fighting… the ‘I’m promise I’m not trying’ bit and… > [@](#): > > And when we meet > Which I’m sure we will > All that was there > Will be there still > I’ll let it pass > And hold my tongue > And you will think > That I’ve moved on… The parts about saying what you feel even if the other person thinks it’s wrong, and never falling out of love… maybe I’m still naive enough to think that’s oddly romantic. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/35 "2005-02-14T23:34:57Z")
Don’t know how much of a hit it was, but the first thing that occurred to me was Sheryl Crow’s “[Strong Enough](http://www.sherylcrow.com/lyrics/strong.html)”, the chorus of which is: > [@](#): > > Lie to me > I promise I’ll believe > Lie to me > But please don’t leave ---
**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:** [February 15, 2005, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/36 "2005-02-15T00:29:03Z")
Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds” ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/37 "2005-02-15T00:49:54Z")
I’m reaching a bit deep into the archives here, but: _All for Leyna_ by Billy Joel A sample: I’m failing in school Losing my friends Making my family lose their minds I don’t want to eat I don’t want to sleep I only want Leyna one more time ---
**Author:** ![Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grits_and_Hard_Toast)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/38 "2005-02-15T01:28:25Z")
> [@Art Vandelay](#): > > “Wake Up Little Suzy” - the Everly Brothers (Teenage couple - early 1960s - went out on a date one night, had sex, then fell asleep. They wake up in the morning, and start to panic - "What are we gonna tell your mama? / What are we gonna tell your pop? / What are we gonna tell our friends when they say “ou-la-la?” I always thought of this as a sweet, innocent song. Thought they were good kids, went to the drive in, actually tried to watch the movie, but it was so boing they fell asleep. Never thought they actually “did it.” Wake up little Suzie, wake up, wake up little Suzie, wake up We both fell sound asleep, wake up little Suzie and weep The movie’s over, it’s four o’clock and we’re in trouble deep CHORUS Wake up little Suzie, wake up little Suzie Well, what’re we gonna tell your mama, what’re we gonna tell your papa What’re gonna tell our friends when they say ‘ooh la la’ Wake up little Suzie, wake up little Suzie Well, I told your mama that you’d be in by ten Well, Suzie baby, looks like we goofed again Wake up little Suzie, wake up little Suzie, we gotta go home Wake up little Suzie, wake up, wake up little Suzie, wake up The movie wasn’t so hot, it didn’t have much of a plot We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shotCHORUS Wake up little Suzie And I would have to give a mention of Patsy Cline. I Fall to Pieces Crazy Walking After Midnight She really knew how to do desperate. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/39 "2005-02-15T01:29:10Z")
How about McArthur Park by Richard Harris. His cake is out in the rain and he’ll never have that recipe again…Ohhhhhh Nooooooo… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962/40 "2005-02-15T01:34:36Z")
Five years from now She sits at home Feeding the baby, she’s all alone Can I make it any more obvious? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-desperate-hit-songs/289962.md?page=3)