"We Built This City" voted as the worst single ever

News.Com.AU | April 21, 2004 | Patrick O'Neil

[HighWheeler]

You must have been in one of the worst high schools in America, so bad so that "Blinded with Science" could be rated good by comparison. ;o)

[-YYZ-]

Yeah, that's her. She can really wail. I do have one B52 disc in my collection, I think the name of it was "Cosmic Thing", which had the songs you mentioned.

[rintense]

The B-52s are one of the best, most original bands ever! Met them on three different occasions... good (and hysterically funny) people.

[Mike Bates]

These guys must never have heard Neil Diamond's "I Am, I Said."

Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

[MagnumRancid]

<<"I'll also have to give a close second to Joan Baez' "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." That one just makes me cringe, especially when she sings about "a couple of light-years ago".>>

Uh.. the words "a couple of light-years ago" is from "Diamonds and Rust", not "The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down". It is lame, though.

[7thson]

I once had a pair of pants like Shatner is wearing in this picture. I have a picture with me wearing them and one of my older brothers, upon seeing it, remarked that the circus was in town. Even I laughed!

[alnitak]

Tracy Chapman, "Fast Car", because it makes me want to slit my throat.

[Betis70]

Oops, maybe that should be EP. I forgot about all those different album designations. One of our submarines I liked best of all.

[Smedley]

My votes for worst songs:

Muscrat love
Billy, don't be a hero
Puff the magic dragon
Disco Duck
RAP

[Snowy]

Peter Gabriel is good.

This is the correct answer. ;-)

[TheBigB]

Aaaah, Paper Lace and Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods!

How 'bout "Hooked on a Feeling" by Blue Swede? Oogah-Chagah, Oogah-Chagah...

[-YYZ-]

Hey, I know Elton John is a big flamer, and he was really more of a Mod, but "Saturday Night ('s alright for fightin')" is a pretty good song.

[SamAdams76]

"We Built This City" was a huge hit during the summer/autumn of 1985 I believe. That was one of the first songs to have variations specific to the city it was played in, making it seem to the radio audience that the song revolved around them. For example, Boston radio stations got a version with references to Boston. Chicago radio stations got a version with the references changed to Chicago. And so on. It's an annoying practice that still continues today, most recently with that country song "I Wanna Do It All."

I thought "We Built This City" was an annoying song back then but I like hearing it today because it brings back memories of more innocent times.

One really annoying song around the same time was "One Night In Bangkok" by Murray Head. In fact, a lot of annoying songs were put out during the middle 1980s. "Der Kommisar" by After The Fire and "Our House" by Madness to name a couple more. Also that "99 Luftaballoons" by Nena and "Pass The Dutchie" by Musical Youth.

Someplace in hell, there is a jukebox that plays nothing but this horrid 1980s music.

[TheBigB]

Heh, heh...

[codyjacksmom]

Yeah!!!! I put in the CD, open the windows and the sunroof, bury the volume...and cruise. (I use cruise control or I go just as fast as the music) My favorite is the Greatest Hits. It totally rocks!!!

[Moonman62]

What, no mention of 'Macarthur Park'?

Someone left a cake out in the rain I don't think that I can take it 'Cause it took so long to bake it And I'll never have that recipe again

Probably the dumbest lyric ever!




Sinatra did a short version without the acid lyrics. I actually like the versions with them better.

[mabelkitty]

In all seriousness, I watched his
Behind the Music special, and I thought the way they had him all dolled up was kinda creepy. It was like they were pandering to a nasty element that liked young kids. Now here, I was actually a kid when he was popular, and I got an odd vibe from it.

/seriousness

He needn't worry about that now, as his look has become that of out of work day laborer.

[Charles Martel]

Everything has its niche - Mr Roboto was perfect for that VW commercial.

[rintense]

The best B-52s album is 'Wild Planet'. 'Devil in My Car' is just classic. Highly recommend it- its usually one of those super saver CDs.

[alnitak]

Heh. When I was in high school I actually managed to chat up a couple of girls based on the fact that I knew the lyric at the end of Love Shack was "Your tin roof? Rusted?" when no-one else seemed to be able to make it out! Good times.