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

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

[yankeedame]

Dotty ditties with cringe factor

By Patrick O'Neil
April 21, 2004

LOVE or hate them you can't get these stinkers out of your head.

Blender magazine Blender Magazine has rated We Built This City as the worst single ever constructed in its list "The 50 Worst Songs Ever".

The magazine said the Starship song earned the accolade because it inspired "the most virulent feelings of outrage".

To make the list, each pungent ditty had to be a hit.

Entry was based on unintentionally poor songwriting.

Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder's maudlin duet Ebony and Ivory also featured, as did R.E.M's Shiny, Happy People and John Mayer's Your Body is a Wonderland.

But the inclusion most likely to spark calls of blasphemy is the listing of the Simon and Garfunkel ballad The Sounds of Silence.

"It's the poetry meaningfulness that got our goat," said Blender editor Craig Marks. "With self-important lyrics like, 'Hear my words that I might teach you', it's almost a parody of pretentious '60s folk rock."

Few outside the boot-scooting fraternity would contest the listing of the Billy Ray Cyrus atrocity Achy Breaky Heart at No. 2.

Fallen star Vanilla Ice made it in with perennial dance-floor filler Ice Ice Baby, as did good-times theme song Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin.

Eddie Murphy's ill-advised foray into music, with the 1985 tragedy Party All the Time, was evidence actors other than J-Lo should not sing. It ranked No. 8.

Herald Sun

[AgentEcho]

Along your timeline how about Betty Davis Eyes?

[MagnumRancid]

<> Actually Hot Tuna had been around almost as long as the Airplane as a sideline for Jorma and Jack.

[Freedom4US]

Thanks a LOT.

I had expunged "Lovin You" from my mind completely until you mentioned it. ;)

I'll raise you "Popcorn"... tit-to-tit-to-tip-tip-top..

[mabelkitty]

Nobody mentioned Kiss either. I'm stunned.

Ace Frehley, "Shock Me"

"Back, back in the New York Groove".

What does that mean, anyway?

"Beth" Okay, good song, but basically, "yeah, I married you, but I'd rather get drunk and hang with my friends all night and write music than listen to you moan". Nice guy that Peter Criss.

[fortunecookie]

More shuddering - another I had forgotten.

[Snowy]

I hope your taste is politics is better then your taste in music. Yes and old Genesis rock!

Thank you! :-)

[GSWarrior]

I think that was Caribou.

[hattend]

How high did "My Sharona" by The Knack get?

That song should be banned simply for being crap (then why did I buy the album? LOL!!)

[AgentEcho]

I have the same problem with "Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw"

[Snowy]

"Sussudio" are fine old anthems.

That's Phil. We're talking REALLY old Genesis (hint: Peter on vocals)

[Snowy]

I have the same problem with "Why Don't We Get Drunk and Screw"

My husband too. ;-)

[mabelkitty]

Bread.
Anything by Bread.
Oh, the pain of total recall.

[AgentEcho]

OOPS, Thanks for the correction. I was only 4 in 1974, I was going off of my rock history memory.

[Petronski]

Worst single ever?

It's a massive, multi-way tie:

Any single ever released by Yes or Rush have joined to share a gigantic tie for first place.

[kidd]

"If you like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain ... "

You win.

And thanks a lot for putting that in my head ;)

[hattend]

Any single ever released by Yes or Rush have joined to share a gigantic tie for first place.

Uh oh, I like both of those groups...heheheh

[mabelkitty]

You keep believing that - we all know Sting does.

[BlazingArizona]

I nominate "Knock Three Times", by Tony Orlando.

[dfwgator]

Actually I thought pre-Yellow Brick Road Elton John was pretty good, especially Madman Across the Water and Tumbleweed Connection. But once he let his more flamboyant side come out, that was that.

[MotleyGirl70]

Along your timeline how about Betty Davis Eyes?

YES! How could I forget that one. Kim Carnes

2. impossible to get out of your head

This one fits that criteria. Horrible.

Mickey by Tony Basil

(Oh Mickey, you're so fine you're so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey, hey Mickey)

(Oh Mickey, you're so fine you're so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey, hey Mickey)

Yuk!!!!