# What's the worst song ever that reached #1? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 6, 2020, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-song-ever-that-reached-1/851170 "2020-04-06T04:28:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-song-ever-that-reached-1/851170/241 "2020-04-18T04:13:25Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > This deep into the thread and nobody’s named “Billy, Don’t Be A Hero”? #1 both in the U.K. and the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974.\* > > _Billy, don’t be a hero > Don’t be a fool with your life > Billy, don’t be a hero > Come back and make me your wife_… Yeah, I hate that song. But it was a strong antiwar song, so it was popolar. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-song-ever-that-reached-1/851170/242 "2020-04-18T04:23:05Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Personally, I would exclude novelty songs from contention. While they can be highly annoying when played incessantly, they were never intended to be good songs. They’re really just jokes set to music. I think they’re in a different category from the other songs mentioned in this thread, in which the performers were actually trying to produce something good. It’s like comparing _Sharknado_ or _Snakes on a Plane_ to _Showgirls_ or _Battlefield Earth_. I concur. Novelty songs are in a special category. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-song-ever-that-reached-1/851170/243 "2020-04-18T04:27:34Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > ANYTHING by Helen Reddy belongs in the same pot! The same goes for Dolly Parton. Yeccch! :mad: _9 to 5_ begs to disagree. Mind you, some of her songs are quite glurgy. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-song-ever-that-reached-1/851170/244 "2020-04-18T04:42:50Z")
> [@Yorkshire\_Pudding](#): > > I like MacArthur Park. I like Break My Stride, Sugar Sugar, Chirpy-Chirpy Cheep-Cheep, We Built This City, Good Morning Starshine and Angie Baby. Possibly others in the thread too, but I can’t be arsed scrolling to remind myself… Sugar sugar is one of those songs that I like if played very rarely. If played too often, it becomes horrid. MacArthur Park is not even a song, since he doesnt \*sing. \* Not to mention it would depress a hyena. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-song-ever-that-reached-1/851170/245 "2020-04-18T04:45:32Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Written by a man, of course. > > Nitpick: her name is spelled Deniece. Her brother is Denephew? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-song-ever-that-reached-1/851170/246 "2020-04-18T04:51:44Z")
> [@Kryten](#): > > The absolutely worst song that actually made it to number 1 on the Billboard pop charts in 1958 is The Purple People Eater by Sheb Wooley. Novelty song. I kinda like it. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-song-ever-that-reached-1/851170/247 "2020-04-18T07:39:43Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > _My Ding-a-Ling_, for two reasons > > 1. It’s a terrible piece of crap, the kind of thing that’s sung at frat parties > > 2. It’s Chuck Berry’s only #1 song, which represents all the injustice in the world 1. Hi Opal 2. Worst of all it edged out Bill Withers **Use me** from making #1. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-song-ever-that-reached-1/851170/248 "2020-04-18T13:07:24Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > _9 to 5_ begs to disagree. Mind you, some of her songs are quite glurgy. _Au contraire_. _ **9 to 5** _ proves my point to the _n_th degree. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-song-ever-that-reached-1/851170/249 "2020-04-18T13:19:41Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Here are ten weird #1 hits: > [https://www.houstonpress.com/music/the-top-10-weirdest-us-no-1-hits-6497014](https://www.houstonpress.com/music/the-top-10-weirdest-us-no-1-hits-6497014) > > _Batdance_. really.:eek: Why is _ **Miami Vice** _ on that list? That theme rocks! When it comes to _ **Batdance** _, I automatically think of **this** : [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/rfTVtuHFYGs/maxresdefault.jpg "The Batusi") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfTVtuHFYGs) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-song-ever-that-reached-1/851170.md?page=12)