Top 7 Worst Protest/Cause Songs (PVT*)

PA Times | 5/23/06 | Senor Pissanto

[pissant]

The world is full of bad songs and horrific singer-songwriters. Just tune in to any radio station, be it country, top 40, "classic rock", or alternative and you are bound to have your ears offended in short order.

But there is NOTHING more irritating than hearing some lunatic, left-winger try to elevate the pop song into some kind of overt, intellectual commentary on the evils of America or the glory of being a hippie. Sure, some artists managed to cut a decent song. I still like the Mommas and the Poppas "California Dreaming", for example. But the whole genre wreaks to high heaven.

The List:

7. We are the World -- Various Artists. An utterly hideous attempt to feed starving Biafrins. If these idiots would have just given the money it took to assemble, to produce, and advertise this turd and donated it to the charity, it would have saved us alot of misery.

6. White Bird -- It's a Beautiful Day. Sappiness, your name is White Bird. Don't even know what the song is about exactly. I turn the station too fast.

5. Sky Pilot -- Eric Burden and the Animals. While I generally liked this band, this song is unlistenable, and unintelligible.

4. What's Goin On -- Marvin Gaye. In my estimation, this was the beginning of the downfall for a talented Motown star. It was apparent that he had no clue of "what's goin on".

3. Big Yellow Taxi -- Joni Mitchell. I liked Joni's early, breezy brand of folk pop. Her album Blue is still likable. The problem is not the tune here, it's the insipid lyrics. Uhg.

2. Eve of Destruction -- Barry McGuire. Complete idiocy. Apparently influenced Algore and John Kerry. Apparently that was a long "eve" he was carterwauling about.

1. Imagine -- John Lennon. This was proof to me that Paul McCartney was the real talent in the Beatles.

[pissant]

That was awful. And some idiot did a remake a few years back, if I recall.

[Petronski]

For the umpteenth time, What's Going On sucks!

You must be tone deaf.

[Petronski]

Any song containing the line "And the sign said long-haired freaky people should be shot on sight." is an obvious Grade A turkey.

[uncitizen]

It hasn't been and won't be a "hit". LOL

No doubt about that. No matter how many morning shows and late night shows they go on.

BTW, i'm curious how the Blixies went over last night on Letterman. They probably had a very accommodating audience.

[pissant]

Is that the guitar player for Springsteen?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

What was that awful caterwauled song about killing your neighbor in the name of heaven?

[Petronski]

One Tin Soldier rides away...

[pissant]

No, his singing is tuneful, but it's crappy lyrics and "evocative" sound don't sit well..

[AmishDude]

I have to agree wholeheartedly with 7, 4 and 1. We Are The World was insipid and self-indulgent. What's Goin' On? was the kind of helpless stupidity that you'd expect from somebody who was much younger than Gaye.

McCartney's weakness was his bubble gum lyrics and Lennon's big signature solo song has some of the most juvenile lyrics around.

[pissant]

I refuse to watch letterman. the unfunniest guy in show biz.

[pissant]

I have no idea. LOL

[Petronski]

Listen children to a story that was written long ago
'Bout a kingdom on a mountain, and the valley folk below
On the mountain was a treasure buried deep beneath a stone
And the valley people swore they'd have it for their very own.

(Chorus:)
Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of heaven, justify it in the end
There won't be any trumpets blowing, come the judgment day
On the bloody morning after - one tin soldier rides away.

So the people of the valley sent a message up the hill
Asking for the buried treasure, tons of gold for which they'd kill
Came an answer from the kingdom: "With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain, all the riches buried there.

Chorus

Now the valley cried with anger, mount your horses, draw your sword!
And they killed the mountain people, so they won their just reward
Now they stood beside the treasure on the mountain dark and red
Turned the stone and looked beneath it -
"Peace on Earth" was all it said.

Chorus

[mak5]

Yes, guitar player in the E Street Band and Silvio Dante on the Sopranos.

[Hugin]

I love Bob Dylan, but Masters of War is just dreadful.

[pissant]

Thank you. You too recognize #4 as the waste of vinyl it was.

[handk]

1. Imagine -- John Lennon. This was proof to me that Paul McCartney was the real talent in the Beatles

Well then, what about Ebony and Ivory?

Personally, I like Imagine; I just ignore the lyrics. Musically, it's a great song, and one I can play on the piano!

[pissant]

I had no idea he made solo music. Glad I didn't.

[DesScorp]

He is indeed Springsteens's guy. And if you read his comments about the VOA album on his website, you see just how disgusting his politics are. See, he's not an American as much as he's a...wait for it.....Citizen of the World. He goes on to call our soldiers in the 80's "mercenaries", and mocked Reagan's defense budget, basically insinuating that there was no foe (gues that lovable, cuddly Soviet Union wished us all the best, eh Stevie?). He may be talented, but his views are repulsive.

[dead]

Check out this snippet of lyrics from “I Ain’t Marching Anymore” by Phil Ochs:

It's always the old to lead us to the war
It's always the young to fall
Now look at all we've won with the sabre and the gun
Tell me is it worth it all

For I stole California from the Mexican land
Fought in the bloody Civil War
Yes I even killed my brother
And so many others
And I ain't marchin' anymore

For I marched to the battles of the German trench
In a war that was bound to end all wars
Oh I must have killed a million men
And now they want me back again
But I ain't marchin' anymore

For I flew the final mission in the Japanese sky
Set off the mighty mushroom roar
When I saw the cities burning
I knew that I was learning
That I ain't marchin' anymore

C’mon, you can’t beat that for cliché ridden saccharine schmaltz.

If I was that crappy a songwriter, I’d hang myself. Which is exactly what Phil Ochs did.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

That's it. Even in my bubblegum years I found it nauseating.