|
Post by doofus67 on Jun 2, 2019 1:52:34 GMT -5
Of Helen Reddy's three #1's on the Hot 100, "Delta Dawn" finished the highest on the applicable year-end chart (#14 for '73). Sure, the chorus is catchy and memorable as heck. But, to stretch the song to the then-standard 3:15, that chorus had to be repeated soooo many times!
Which of Helen's hits is my favorite? Her third and final #1, written by the late, great Alan O'Day: "Angie Baby." It has a story line like many big hits in '74, and a cool bass line too.
|
|
|
Post by doofus67 on Jun 2, 2019 2:14:58 GMT -5
Bette Midler's highest charting hit on the Hot 100 was a too-often-recorded "standard," and not the best version. (That would be the one by Lou Rawls.) In '89, we got stuck hearing more of her "Wind Beneath My Wings" than we could stand, then watched it win Grammys for both Song and Record of the Year. Yawn.
This thing is just oozing sap. The songwriters lose me at "it must have been cold there in my shadow." Not-so-fun fact: Gladys Knight & the Pips changed the title to a slightly less distinctive "Hero."
My best Bette: "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," produced by some dude named Barry Manilow.
|
|
|
Post by 1finemrg on Jun 2, 2019 6:41:01 GMT -5
Three Dog Night. Just cannot tolerate "Joy to the World." Talk about your head scratchers. How was this song a hit at all, let alone a huge #1? The lyric writer had to have been smoking something. And don't get me started on that alternate title. This is the second most commonly misquoted title in music history, IMHO. Doofus Actually I shared your sentiment doofus67 about "Joy To The World", until I picked up a little bit of history behind the song. Now whenever I hear it, the song amuses me. Allegedly the line "Jeremiah was a bullfrog" was a reference to a good friend of songwriter Hoyt Axton. John Jeremiah played piano for the trio Aliotta, Haynes, and Jeremiah. While they never charted on the Hot 100, their song "Lake Shore Drive" is beloved in Chicago music history. Hoyt also wrote "Never Been To Spain" for Three Dog Night, as well as Steppenwolf's "The Pusher" and Ringo Starr's "No-No Song" When Hoyt went to #1 with "Joy To The World" in 1971, he joined his mother Mae as the only mother/son tandem to compose #1 hits. Mae wrote "Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel". Guess all that history as well as the sarcastic tone that Hoyt put into his songwriting makes me appreciate his humor and actually enjoy listening to "Joy to The World" on occasion.
|
|
|
Post by Hervard on Jun 2, 2019 10:58:45 GMT -5
"All Night Long (All Night)" by Lionel Richie would be one.
Some of you might think that "Another One Bites The Dust" by Queen would be another, as that is definitely their biggest hit (due to its long chart run), but I dislike "Body Language" even more. Thank God that one didn't become one of their biggest!
|
|
|
Post by doofus67 on Jul 4, 2019 20:36:58 GMT -5
"All Night Long (All Night)" by Lionel Richie would be one. You know, I always thought of "All Night Long" as a fun, upbeat, catchy change of pace for Lionel. Which it is. But what drags it down is his insistence on singing in that Jafakin' accent. Oh well. No mistakin', it brought home the bacon.
|
|
|
Post by jlthorpe on May 10, 2020 16:38:20 GMT -5
Another example I thought of was Eurythmics. I like, to some extent, about half a dozen of their Top 40 hits. But "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)", while I don't dislike it, falls below those other songs.
|
|
|
Post by at40nut on May 12, 2020 3:09:03 GMT -5
I thought of Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam's "Head To Toe" as one of their songs I didn't really care for. My favorite from them was 1989's "Little Jackie Wants To Be A Stat".
|
|
|
Post by matt on May 14, 2020 11:32:58 GMT -5
Another example I thought of was Eurythmics. I like, to some extent, about half a dozen of their Top 40 hits. But "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)", while I don't dislike it, falls below those other songs. "Sweet Dreams" is one of my favorite songs of the 80's -- love hearing that song any time it comes on. I thought of Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam's "Head To Toe" as one of their songs I didn't really care for. My favorite from them was 1989's "Little Jackie Wants To Be A Stat". While Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam aren't my favorite bad, I have the opposite opinions -- "Head To Toe" is one of my favorites, but "Little Jackie" is not. My least favorite from them would probably be "All Cried Out" however.
|
|
|
Post by keithr63 on May 17, 2020 0:37:12 GMT -5
I agree with the previous posts about Styx,REO and Journey and add Night Ranger’s Sister Christian and .38 Special’s Second Chance( by far their worst song).I was so happy when Don Barnes rejoined 38 and Max Carl left. Oh and any sappy song by Bryan Adams
|
|
|
Post by at40nut on May 17, 2020 6:11:15 GMT -5
Another 80's band to include on this list is Loverboy. "Lovin Every Minute Of It" was their highest charting single, but there were several other songs that were better IMO. "Turn Me Loose" and "Working For The Weekend" come to mind.
|
|