It’s a song about people’s indifference to other people’s tragedies. The suicide of someone they know *becomes *a mundane subject in a dinner table conversation. The song’s narrator is the only one that cares.
Part of the song’s appeal (to some people) is the unexplained things that nobody at the table bothers to ask about. Was the girl seen with Billy-Joe actually the narrator or not? What was the ‘something’ that they threw off the bridge? Why did Billy-Joe kill himself. Some people thought there was a significant and interesting backstory, if only they could puzzle it out from the clues, but in reality even the author didn’t have any answers.
As has been mentioned, the UK charts have always been sales-only, with no airplay component. They include streaming now too, but you could argue (and I would) that that’s analogous to sales rather than airplay, in as much as it reflects listener-dictated consumption, not broadcasters’ decisions.
So that means novelty bollocks is right up there. Some argue that when a novelty record hits No. 1, it’s unfair to the No. 2 record which - on a ‘normal’ week where sales would just be based on music that music fans like - would (and therefore should) be No. 1.
But the chart is just a chart. It’s just a list. It only means “what people bought”, not “what’s definitively, objectively best”.
And people read meaning into it, etc, etc, of course, but it’s not really there. There are all sorts of reasons why people buy records.
But what I’m getting at really is: “We Built This City”?! “In The Year 2525”?! Worst?!! Dear dear dear. If those are your worst Numbers Ones, my friend, you’ve been spoiled. That’s like declaring bootcut jeans the worst legwear in the world, despite the existence of vomit-stained sweatpants with holes worn through the crotch.
Yeah, you’re right. The start of the thread mentions #1 on Billboard or equivalent in “your country”. Sadly I live in the US so this song doesn’t count. Unless some kind kiwi can help me out. (Is kiwi still an acceptable nickname for people from NZ?)
I had heard of “Deteriorata” but never heard it until now. It reminded me of this, which never made the American Top 40 but hit #1 in several other countries.
The Millennium Prayer, UK no 1 as 1999 turned to 2000. Basically, the Lords Prayer, sung to the tune of Auld Lang Syne. The words don’t even fit the tune properly.
I guess a rough equivalent would be me ranting about how terrible “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window” is, despite it’s being popular before my birth and never having had to endure airplay.
“In the Year 2525” is not a good song*; at least it’s not nauseatingly, cloyingly saccharine like multiple other #1s mentioned in this thread.
Since I popped into the dope tonight (a rarity for me), I thought I’d comment on some older comments in this thread. Specifically those referring to Silly Love Songs.
I think the criticism here is ironic (unless I was whooshed by every such poster) as the song was written in response to that kind of criticism. Critics - and John Lennon - had been making fun of McCartney for only writing sentimental pop. So Paul wrote a corny song titled Silly Love Songs because of the criticism.
Not my favorite McCartney song by far (that is Wanderlust) but it does have a great bass-line and nice horns. And it does shoot back at Lennon by asking ‘what’s wrong with that?’
I mean, OK, enough people bought them to make them Number One so that means they had some sort of appeal…but do you insist that Zager & Evans are worse than all of them?
And a “disgrace”? I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask for an explanation.
What people sometimes forget is that 1969 was a time of FM radio Album Rock. The great groups of that era were putting out whole albums of good music and paid little attention to releasing singles. And SINGLE sales were what were used to determine #1 songs. If you listened to FM radio, you heard lots of great music that never appeared on any top music chart.
I once read that writing about music is like tap dancing about architecture.
We all have these songs that just fall flat for us and I think the reason is that the real draw of songs is music—harmony, melody, rhythm, etc. Many people will forgive iffy lyrics if you can still dance to it or whatever. I love me some “Dream Police” by Cheap Trick even if I don’t really get the lyrics. Oh well. But when the radio puts bad lyrics into constant rotation on the station I listen to it can also be unbearable.
NSFW for lyrics: maybe you’ve seen this ad for learning a language. These folks don’t speak English but gee that’s a catchy tune, they think so whatever. Again, NSFW. Banned Commercials - Learn English - YouTube
No, I agree. Maybe not the worst, but i came in to nominate it- "(They Long to Be) Close to You". Because she is singing it* to her brother*- and that makes it really creepy. To me, anyway.
Of course the Op has nailed and disqualified the real two winners, but at least 2525 has some weird going for it.
MacArthur Park, and “(They Long to Be) Close to You” will make me change the station- quick. They still play those tunes. Now sure, we have novelty tunes like Mecos Star wars- but they dont play that anyway. Besides- just now listening- it isnt *that *bad.
