I had a conversation the other night with several people about the best bands of all time. Naturally, style preferences come into play when discussing music, but I think music always makes for great conversation. Unfortunately, even some of the better bands over the years have fallen into the trap of the horribly cheesy song. There are a few requirements for the Horribly Cheesy Song: 1. It has to have been a popular song, 2. It has to be horribly cheesy. (Granted, cheesy is a very subjective term, but it still applies for most people). All bands have probably had cheesy songs at some point, but many may have not made the mainstream charts.
I am partial to U2 (as always) and my point behind them is that in almost 30 years, U2 has avoided the horribly cheesy song. They have varied in music choices, ranging from ballads to political music to techno, etc. Yet even when making a song for the Horribly Cheesy "Batman Forever," they still made a good song (Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me).
As for the example of the classic good band that fell into the Horribly Cheesy Song trap: Aerosmith. We all remember the "I don't want to Miss a Thing" for "Armageddon" in the 90's. I mentioned Aerosmith to a person in our discussion and she looked at me as if I just taken her money. Then, I immediatley sung the first few lines from the song and she had to admit that I had a point.
So, I will pose the question to you. What good bands do you know of that have fallen into the Trap of the Cheesy Song? Post comments and I will probably compile a list of the top winners. I also will appreciate comments on the cheesiest song ever.
Side Note: The discussion began with the proclamation (by me) that Patrick Swayze may be the cheesiest guy ever. Not only was he in Dirty Dancing, he sang the song from the movie: "She's Like the Wind." Obviously, no mention of Swayze needs to be made, as we all know how cheesy he is.
12 comments:
No one puts baby in the corner. Leave Patrick alone!!
Hanson's "Mmmbop"
Oh wait, you said "good" band, didn't you?
two things.
one, don't ever disrespect the swayze. just back away.
two, U2 has never made a cheesy song? wow, someone is being very subjective and generous to their favorite band. bono has written countless cheesy songs that you need to be confronted with. here they are:
1. "vertigo" (how to dismantle an atomic bomb) to me, easily the cheesiest song they have ever released. just because itunes shoved this song down our throats relentlessly for about 6 months doesn't take away from this being a god-awful song in almost every way. 1...2...3...14! god awful. the song makes me want to puke.
2. "wild honey" (all that you can't leave behind) let me give you the opening lines: "IN THE DAYS WHEN WE WERE SWINGING FROM THE TREES. I WAS A MONKEY, STEALING HONEY FROM THE SWARMING BEES." speaks for itself on the cheese factor.
3. "all because of you" (how to dismantle an atomic bomb) i must go back their last album yet again because about 1/3 of it is cheese (and i am being generous). wow, what a real rock ballad gem.
4. "babyface" (zooropa)
5. "the playboy mansion" (pop)
i know how you u2 fans try to act like these albums never happened, but they did. i actually think POP is sooooo underrated as an album. their are some great songs on there that are ignored. u2 fans often act as though "all that you can't leave behind" came after "achtung baby."
6. "elevation" (all that you can't leave behind) i know this one must hurt you just like vertigo, but if you can't see the cheese factor in this song, you are lost. "A MOLE DIGGING IN A HOLE, DIGGING UP MY SOUL NOW GOING DOWN, EXCAVATION ... HIGHER NOW IN THE SKY. YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I COULD FLY SO HIGH. EL-E-VA-TION! (cheesy scream) WAOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!!"
those are just 6 off the top of my head. if i did a little more digging, i would find many many more. you mention the swayze as being cheesy. bono is a cheese master with a messiah complex. this guy has a bad case of taking himself way too seriously, which further translates into cheese city.
to show you that i can be objective with my own favorite bands, i will share with you the hottest new cheesiest song in the country. my 3rd favorite band is MY MORNING JACKET (1. radiohead and 2. wilco). after releasing one of the greatest albums i have ever had the pleasure of owning ("Z" 2005), they just released one of the more anticipated follow up albums this week ("evil urges"). they promised, as always, to further evolve in their sound ... but this was not what we expected. please download the biggest WTF moment of 2008. the song is titled "highly suspicious". i immediately wrote a scathing review on itunes (by sicpups if you want to look at it), raking one of my beloved bands over the coals. please, go now and listen to the song. you will feel like less of a human being. it is even more disturbing coming from one of the most influential alt-country/rock bands in indie music.
forgive my display name. i use it for my english blogs for my high school students.
Let us not forget the classic "Summertime Girls" by LFO and pretty much anything Nick Lashay has ever been involved with. LOL!
I agree with Mandy. Dirty Dancing is a great coming-of-age movie. And Patrick is great. I like that song and that movie. Plus you are picking on a guy who is battling cancer. Geez, what kind of guy are you?
Mike, do not act like you did not reword "She's Like the Wind" to "I'm Like the Wind" where Patrick talks about how the girl is out of his league.
Second, I will not deny that U2 has made cheesy songs. But none of the songs are "Horribly Cheesy" as defined as being popular and again cheesy. "Wild Honey" was not a huge hit. I did get tired of the incessant pumping of "Vertigo" on the iTunes commercials, but I think our dislike stems from being over-exposed. I disagree that "All Because of You" is cheesy, just saying... "Baby Face" and "Playboy Mansion" are in the same category as "Wild Honey."
I definitely agree that the 90's provided some good albums and I still think "Discotheque" is a decent song. My favorite song from the decade may be the combination of u2 and Johnny Cash in "The Wanderer," (Zooropa) followed closely by "Staring at the Sun."
I will agree that Elevation is one of U2's cheesiest songs, but I do not think it qualifies as a "Horribly Cheesy" song. I would probably say the same about your song from "My Morning Jacket." I will have to check it out.
Wow, how did this turn into a U2 defense? I do have to say, Mike, that you were the one to reintroduce me to U2 from the 90's.
Mandy and Jenn, sorry about the Swayze comments, but he is the cheesiest guy ever. I do hope he beats cancer and I wish him the best, but he is still cheesy. And, we are talking about his cheesiness from his pre-cancer days.
I guess I am that kind of guy. Sorry.
From my brother Rodney:
I have put too much time and thought into this list.
Hips Don’t Lie – Shakira (#1 cheesiest song ever)
My Humps – Black Eyed Peas
Barbie Girl – Aqua (Jon’s favorite)
Achy Breaky Heart – Mylie’s dad
Mmm Bop – Hanson
Blue – (I can’t remember who did this song)
Too Legit to Quit - MC Hammer
All songs by N’Sync
From my brother Jon:
First of all Rodney has each of these CD’s. I at least only bought the one cheesy song. And Jeff, while I do love U2, you cannot the Cheesy if not totally weird Zooropa era. Also, we all remember the song One. While it was a good song, it fits the cheesy mold and then outdid itself with the Mary J. Blige duet a few years ago.
Thanks Rodney, we all appreciate you sharing your iPod playlist with us.
Jon, first of all, One is from Achtung Baby, the album many rate on the same par as The Joshua Tree. I love "One" as a song and I think they won a grammy with it. Aqua never won a grammy with "Barbie Girl." The Mary J. Blige duet was a little much, but I enjoyed it the first few times.
"You gave me nothing, now it's all I've got." Lines like that do not appear in horrible cheesy songs.
Keanu Reeves is way more cheesy than Patrick...at least Swayze was in Roadhouse.
Which would make "Point Break" the cheesiest movie ever.
What about this one "American Girl"??? Not sure who it's by but it plays over the Musaq at work and drives me nuts! LOL!!! That along with "Girls Just Wanna Have Funnnnn...." THEY JUST WANNNNNNA THEY JUST WANNNNNNNNNNNAAANNANAAA!!!
Aweful....... simply aweful! LOL!
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