I’ll second your seconding. Or something like that.
When the remaining three Beatles were looking for a producer to help them take John’s scratchy demo tapes and craft them into actual songs, they turned to Jeff Lynne. I think that says quite a bit.
Back to the thread topic: I abhor Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May”. I’m not even sure I can articulate why, but I simply hate everything about it.
Every. Single. Song. By. The. 'Stones. No exceptions whatsoever.
And throw in *American Pie *as well.
If every single recording of these songs just suddenly disappeared, I can’t imagine anyone missing them. And it’s not that I’m sick of hearing them on the radio; I don’t normally listen to a station that would play them.
No, it’s not hilarious. It’s so bad I wish I could think of a way to tie it to Hitler, just so it would have some humor to it. Journey was my sister’s favorite band, so I know all of the damn lyrics, and I almost always have a song running through my head. Now, it’s Journey. I’m off to listen to some John Phillip Sousa arrangements to wash it out of my head.
Honestly, the vast majority of the music on “classic rock” stations (especially '70s rock): muddy, plodding boogie/hard rock/blooze/Southern rock is my least favorite type of music (well, and the corporate rock of Journey/Styx/Foreigner/Boston that gets played on the same stations). I’m just glad I came of age when punk and new wave were breaking - I can’t imagine a sadder high school life than one where Lynyrd Skynyrd or Eric Clapton was the soundtrack.
But to throw in a new one, KC & the Sunshine Band’s Celebration. Everyone seems to love this song for parties, but to me, the “We gonna celebrate your party for you” line just reeks of arrogant “cooler-than-thou” party-crashers telling other people what to do.
I don’t know if it qualifies as a classic, but “And When I Die” by Blood, Sweat, and Tears sends me into blind rage. I have no use in general for that band after Kooper left, but that one song is the one that puts me into full on stabby mode.
“Low Rider” - even if it wasn’t played to death and a completely fucked out movie/TV cliche, it’s still a shitty song.
And speaking of War, “Why Can’t We Be Friends” sounds like it was written and performed by 13-year-olds, and the fact that it was a hit is only further proof that everybody is an idiot.
Are their songs really that beloved? Most critics rightfully give them low marks.
(slight hijack) Yesterday I happened to see the pregame show for the Indiana Pacers-Miami Heat basketball game. An Indiana fan in the background kept holding up a sign that said “Heat fans love Nickelback.”