Skip to main content
Search
Services
ENTERTAINMENT

The worst songs: What you've said

By Todd Leopold
CNN

YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS

Neil Sedaka
Paul Anka
Bobby Goldsboro

(CNN) -- In this week's Eye on Entertainment column, I proposed my nomination for worst song of all time -- "Honey," by Bobby Goldsboro -- and added some suggestions by CNN.com staffers.

(Read the original column here.)

I also asked CNN.com users to submit their nominations, with reasons, to be compiled in a future story. Here are some of the nominations we've received so far:

"Laughter in the Rain," Neil Sedaka (1974): "I picture a zombie-eyed high school sophomore scribbling out the lyric just before she drops off to sleep in Biology class. She can't wait to show it to the other girls at cheerleading practice ... 'strolling along [country] roads with my baby, it starts to rain etc., etc., you know what's next' ... I think my breakfast is strolling along up my throat." -- Dave R.

"Timothy," the Buoys (1971): "Who in their right mind writes a song about cannibalism?" -- Randy B.
[Editor's note: Rupert Holmes, author of "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)," of course. Incidentally, a couple e-mailers have said that "Timothy" is revealed to be a mule in a "complete" version of the song; the lyrics to the hit version, however, are ambiguous at best. On Songfacts.com, Rupert Holmes himself saysexternal link it was about cannibalism, so anyone who claims to have heard a version about a mule may have somehow heard an altered version -- or perhaps an urban legend started by the record label.]

"Yummy Yummy Yummy," the Ohio Express (1968): "I would rather listen to an endless loop of the Barney song." -- Bruce E.

"Lonely Boy," Andrew Gold (1977): "His biggest problem seems to be that he had a sister. If said sister had been Karla Homolka, THAT would have been a problem." -- Golf Widow
[Editor's note: Karla Homolka was convicted of assisting her husband, Paul Bernardo, in kidnapping, raping and murdering teenage girls in the early '90s.]

"Muskrat Love," the Captain and Tennille (1976): "Actual muskrats are more lovable than the song." -- Amy F.
"Even the title was horrible. ... Your parents probably liked it. I think that's the song they play in hell." -- Phil P.

Air Supply's hits (1980-1986): "Our retired neighbor once blasted the 'Best of Air Supply' CD for an entire day, at top volume, while he was doing his yardwork. Why would an otherwise decent 65-year-old man do such a thing? ... After an hour of this insipid crap, I was actually on the phone to my husband at work, begging him to let me put our house up for sale." -- S.G.P.

And the last word, for now:

"There has been so much hideous crap released by record companies that choosing the worst song is like choosing the world's prettiest snowflake. It can't be done. The competition is too great. Good luck anyway. (Just to make sure it's represented, I'll nominate Paul Anka's "[You're] Having My Baby.") -- Tim W.

(Return to "The worst song of all time.")

Story Tools
Subscribe to Time for $1.99 cover
Top Stories
Get up-to-the minute news from CNN
CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.
Top Stories
Get up-to-the minute news from CNN
CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.
Search JobsMORE OPTIONS


 
Search
© 2007 Cable News Network.
A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map.
Offsite Icon External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pipeline Icon Pay service with live and archived video. Learn more
Radio News Icon Download audio news  |  RSS Feed Add RSS headlines