I love this song. My junior high school spanish teacher had a second job working at Disneyland. Chuck Berry was scheduled to perform. A la Ed Sullivan and the Doors, he was asked not to perform My Dingaling. He played it anyway.
The original from 1952(!) is actually a pretty fun novelty song. The problem is Chuck drew it out way way too long–it’s over 11 minutes long in its full version!
No hate yet for Debby Boone’s 1977 stinker “You Light Up My Life?”
In my high school days, if me droogs and I felt disrespected in a pizzaria or burger joint, we’d load quarters into the juke and cue that sucker up a few dozen times just before leaving.
First song I thought of. Although I love some bubblegum pop, I hate that song.
Sugar Sugar was 1969’s #1 song of the year in the Billboard Charts. That New Year’s Eve my friends and I were listening to KLIV’s countdown and when we heard the Archies come up in that final spot we couldn’t believe it. I mean, come on, consider the competition! Billboard 1969 Hot 100.
The first Boomer was born in 1946, kid. Blame Woody Woodpecker in 1948 on the “Greatest” Generation. Like everything else people now blame the Boomers for.
The pre-Beatles charts produced lots of r’n’r classics, some gorgeous songs, and tons of novelty tunes at number one, plus treacle so bad it makes “Billy, Don’t be a Hero” sound like Dylan.
1960 alone saw “Running Bear” by Johnny Preston; “Teen Angel” by Mark Dinning; “Alley Oop” by the Hollywood Argyles; “I’m Sorry” by Brenda Lee; “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini” by Brian Hyland; and “Mr. Custer” by Larry Verne all hit number one. So did Percy Faith’s version of “Theme from A Summer Place,” which is gorgeous but also one of the most syrupy songs ever to top the charts. And you can either count Chubby Checker’s “Twist” among the worst or greatest of hits.
Honestly, why anyone was surprised when the British Invasion took over the charts in 1964 baffles me. You can argue forever about all the hidden classics but the stuff that was most played and most heard was 90% crud.
I went back to the lists between 1970 and looked at random years up until 2010 or so. A lot of stuff I don’t love, some I’ve never heard of, but then I saw it. That crap titled At This Momentby some twat named Billy Vera. Jayzus, even his name pisses me off:mad:
I agree that there are plenty of songs being mentioned that don’t bother me at all, and certainly nowhere close to the dreck that is ATM.
I agree with you about “Sometimes When We Touch.” Uuurrrrggghhhhhh. However, I’ve always loved “Electric Avenue”, which only made it to #2 in the U.S. (The album it was from was one good song and the rest was filler, unfortunately.)
I’m pleased to see that posters have - in the main - shown good discipline in NOT posting links to these horrors. In the last few posts there has been a little laxness - come on guys, we need to keep it together on this one!
For completeness, I researched 40 years of UK Number Ones (giving up as this millenium broke and I became irrelevant). And no, there was nothing worse than Mr Blobby. But Long Haired Lover From Liverpool by Little Jimmy Osmond was every bit as bad.
Other dishonourable mentions:
Puppy Love - Donny Osmond (helluva family achievement)
The Streak - Ray Stevens
No Charge - JJ Barrie
Earth Song - Michael Jackson*
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.
Several worthy contenders so far. I’ll vote for the first one that popped into me head: Sugar Sugar. But many of the ones already suggested are just as bad.
