DISQUS

DwDunphy · 1 year ago

And here I thought I was just being contrary. I really don't like The Doors, from Morrison's barking to Manzarek's tweety little organ to just how incredibly stupid so many of their songs are. Mr. Mojo Risin' = Boner... I get it already...

jefito · 1 year ago

The Doors are the most overrated band in rock history.

David_E · 1 year ago

THANK you.

(Though Oasis thanks you, too.)

Darrin · 1 year ago

Great post.

PS Lets get Randy Newman in the hall of Fame already!

drcastrato · 1 year ago

i might catch some shit for this, but... my wife and i decided the top 4 overrated bands have got to be The Doors, The Dead, The Boss, and The Eagles.

JonCummings · 1 year ago

You're three for four with me--I wouldn't include Springsteen. Maybe Coldplay.

Elaine · 1 year ago

I'm with you on all 4. Though there are some Eagles & Boss songs that I like, they're still so overrated as bands. And don't get me started on CCR. Talk about voices being fingernails on a blackboard. I shudder to even think about Fogerty's singing voice. Same for Bob Dylan. Sometimes when he sings, he sounds like a neutered male alley cat.

ldp · 1 year ago

THANK yew for your comments about CCR.

Dylan is Pave-friggin'-rortti in comparison to Fogerty.

But that's just me...

Old_Davy · 1 year ago

I'm gonna jump on this Doors-bashing bandwagon, but must admit that "Hello I Love You" may be my favorite Doors track because it's just a little over 2 minutes long. By the time you really start to get sick of it, it's over already.

revme · 1 year ago

Yep -- that sounds about right. Maybe not the Eagles, just because, I don't know, are they really that highly rated? Although, maybe so, since when their new record came out, everyone was basically crapping themselves, even though it's... you know... the fucking eagles.

ken · 1 year ago

Dr. Castrato, I know where you live!! Bruce Springsteen DOES NOT belong on any 'overrated' list anywhere. Overplayed? Yes. Overrated? Never/.

MatthewBolin · 1 year ago

Fitting that this list contains three members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame who do not deserve to be in there: Percy Sledge, DC5, and the Doors.

I mean...really? the DC5? And yet the Monkees still can't get any love; and neither can Tom fucking Waits and Randy fucking Newman?!

GrayFlannelSuit · 1 year ago

I have to disagree with the "Hello Goodbye" inclusion. While this is by no means even in my Beatles top 40, it's got to be better than a lot of #1s from the decade. Also, there was a recent Target commercial that featured an acoustic version of the song. It made me realize that once you strip away the studio embellishments, it really is a very pretty melody. Another McCartney winner.

I also disagree with the Doors blurb, but I'm admittedly a fan. Also, anyone who writes them off because of Morrison's bad poetry hasn't listened to very much of their stuff.

Finally, THANK YOU for including Percy Sledge. What a totally overrated song! What kills it most of all for me is when that obnoxious horn section blasts in with the mics turned up to 11. Ugh.

DwDunphy · 1 year ago

Y'know, of all the things I dislike about The Doors, Morrison's bad poetry is the least of these. After all, I like Yes.

We shall commence throwing stones at each other now.

GrayFlannelSuit · 1 year ago

You'll get no guff from me on Yes love. Although I would argue that their one Anderson-less album (Drama) is one of their top 3 records.

Beau · 1 year ago

The great book Worst Rock & Roll Records of All Time also gives the Doors a good ripping. I halfway agree. I think "Five to One" and "Riders on the Storm" should be enough to warrant cutting them some slack.

"Hello Goodbye" is harmless fun, and it's a great song to sing to your kids. "I say yes, you say no, but you're going to the potty right now or we don't go." Or something like that.

I don't mind seeing sacred cows mocked, but Percy Sledge? Come on, man. Percy was already the accidental victim of an In Living Color parody -- I believe Jim Carrey's dead-on Michael Bolton impression accused Bolton of taking a song from "a long-dead brother." Percy's still around. And probably still sings that song better than Bolton.

Walrus XTREME · 1 year ago

Very nice list. I must admit, I expected you to beat up on the early 60s a bit more. Especially "Mr. Custer" by Larry Verne. I totally expected that one to show up. How the HELL did that get all the way to the top of the charts?

Matt · 1 year ago

The Dave Clark Five catalog is out of print out of spite. Apparently Dave Clark (the drummer) owns all the masters and for some reason will not release them to avoid having to pay the other members of the band. There was a 2CD hits collection that was in print for a short period in the 90s,. plus I've heard that you can get their stuff quite easily through :::ahem::: other means. I don't think they belong in the R&RHOF (not that it's not a joke to begin with), but you can do a lot worse for a second-tier British Invasion band. Herman's Hermits or Freddie & the Dreamers, anyone?

JonCummings · 1 year ago

If you offered me one disc for a desert island--"DC5 Hits" or "Best of the Hermits"--I'm taking the Hermits every time. I'd still wind up jumping off the cliff eventually, to be sure, but I'd rather climb the mountain to the sounds of "I'm Into Something Good" or "There's a Kind of Hush" or even "Henry VIII" than "Bits and Pieces" or "I Like It Like That" or "Over and Over."

Freddie, you can keep.

revme · 1 year ago

I am very happy that it seems other people are completely and utterly baffled at DC5's entry into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. What, they want to let marginally talented people know that they have a chance at pseudo-stardom too, providing they poorly rip-off another, better band?

MatthewBolin · 1 year ago

I think that if a Beatles song HAD to go on here, I'd put "Love Me Do", which even Lennon & McCartney didn't think was a very good piece of work. Hello Goodbye actually has some pretty interesting word interplay, esp. the "call and response" part by John in the last verse. And the arrangement is totally boss, with a great as usual George Martin string composition.

Some 60s #1's I personally would have put in place of "Hello Goodbye" (the only one of the ten I'd argue about):

First of all, how about either of the two #1's that followed it: "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)" and "Green Tambourine"? Holy crap, they make the Beatles song seem like Chekovian melodrama in comparison. I think the "with Glas-ses!" tag is played in an endless loop by the U.S. military to drive dictators out of their palaces!

Also, just from a ridiculousness standpoint, there's 1969's "In the Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus)" by Zager & Evans. Ooh! It's the future! And it's soooo creepy!

You're right that there's nothing wrong with the single-edit of Light my Fire that topped the charts (the album version with the masturbatory organ dirge is another story), but what about the one that proceeded it?--"Windy" by the Association, or their prior #1 "Cherish", both of which I believe were from the movie "Generic 1960s Happening Good Times Film" (or at least should have been, from the sound of it). Good Lord, they sounded like a "rock" band formed under duress by Mitch Miller.

And finally, since I'm going to stick to the 2nd half of the 60s of this comment will be longer than the original post, what about the freaking "Ballad of the Green Berets" in 1966? Proof that, no matter what year it is, there's a large number of households where dad still controls the stereo system.

JonCummings · 1 year ago

Stop it! Stop it now! How can you dis "Green Tambourine" (those echo effects!) or the frickin' Association (those boss harmonies)! "Judy in Disguise" is one I considered--definitely in the top 15 worst. But I still think "Hello Goodbye" is worse. (Paul is DEFINITELY going to hear from me again in the '70s list, at least once if not twice.) I welcome your disagreement, though.

For me, "Green Berets" survives the cut toward the Bottom 10 not only because it's an interesting artifact of the time, but because of Bill Murray (I'm pretty sure I don't need to elaborate).

MatthewBolin · 1 year ago

It's a fine line overly-saccharine pop walks with me. Or to quote Spinal Tap, "It's a fine line between clever and stupid".
I love "Sugar Sugar", hate "Green Tambourine"
I love "Dizzy", hate "Judy in Disguise"
Would have been pissed if either of the formers were on this list, would have said "Yeah, I can dig that", if the latters were.

Also, I thought it was Bill Shatner, not Bill Murray; or am I thinking of an entirely different usage than you?

MatthewBolin · 1 year ago

Ah right, they BOTH did something with it.

JonCummings · 1 year ago

"Sugar Sugar" and "Dizzy" are undeniable! They're colossal totems of bubblegummy goodness. I would probably count "Dizzy" among the 10 BEST #1s of the '60s.

GrayFlannelSuit · 1 year ago

If my guess is correct and you're going to go after "My Love," allow me to intercede on its behalf. It may be cloying, but it has to escape your '70s list on the strength of the guitar solo at least. Now if you want to nail "Silly Love Songs," be my guest.

JonCummings · 1 year ago

I'll briefly note your objection (internally), but I'm pretty sure "My Love" is going down. "Silly Love Songs" may catch a break, but it may not. I'm not sure I've ever heard the guitar solo on "My Love"--I'm usually in the bathroom by then, wretching. But I suppose if that solo "does it good to" you, then oh, whoa, I'll have to give it some consideration...

DwDunphy · 1 year ago

Was "Judy In Disguise" meant as some sort of response to "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"? This is not a justification or anything because, if it were true, that would make it the lamest tat-for-tit since Joey Dee said, "I'll show that Chubby Checker! Mine is gonna be the PEPPERMINT Twist! How ya like them apples?!"

ron · 1 year ago

Yeah I love that line in "Cherish" that goes something like:
"I wish that I could mold you into someone who would cherish me as much as I cherish you".
Ok man just stay away from my sister, CREEP!

Mike · 1 year ago

Glad to know someone else doesn't "get" The Doors (or Dylan, as a commenter mentioned below). I just thought it was because I was black, but then what would my excuse be for liking...well, all the other rock bands that I like?

Not the biggest fan of "When a Man Loves a Woman" myself, but I wouldn't necessarily consider it a bad song. Same goes for "Hello Goodbye" and "Love Is Here & Now You're Gone". You've gotta hear The Jackson 5 cover of that song. Talk about high camp! Talk about Michael Jackson sounding exactly like Diana Ross on 45!!

Sara · 1 year ago

No it is not a bad song. Of course Bette Midler seemed like an odd choice. It was a MAN singing about his WOMAN! Michael Bolton's version was great. But when is Michael McDonald ever gonna record this?

mojo · 1 year ago

Doors were a misunderstood gaggle of performance artists...performing poor art. Overrated. Jim Morrison was the Justin Timberlake of the LSD generation.

DwDunphy · 1 year ago

Here's some heresy - I think JT has more potential than Jim ever had... He just needs to make an ALBUM album.

mojo · 1 year ago

also, as this discussion omits him, are we to say Pat Boone was underrated? Or did he not have any #1s that were that bad?

JonCummings · 1 year ago

Pat had one #1 in the '60s, "Moody River" in '61, and I have to admit that it's not terrible. It's not a rock'n'roll ripoff, it's not a maudlin ballad; it's a countryish story-song in the tradition of "El Paso," and it's got a nice piano hook. Having dealt with Pat already in the '50s, I thought I'd leave him alone this time. Like I said in the post, I didn't want to load up the list with too much pre-British Invasion trash.

Pico · 1 year ago

Good luck trying to distill your seventies list down to just ten songs. I feel for ya, man.

JonCummings · 1 year ago

I don't know. I think the '70s are going to be tough for exactly the opposite reason. I was a kid in that decade, so there are lots of songs that I would hate if they came around now, but I feel I need to honor the fact that I loved them then.

The '70s were a crazy decade--probably the one with the largest number of different acts hitting #1, because there weren't too many superstars getting 10 or 12 #1s (like Elvis, the Beatles, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Whitney, Mariah, Puff Daddy/P Diddy/whoever the fuck he is, etc., etc.

We'll see how it goes. The list isn't done yet. I'm sure there will be lots of debate.

Elaine · 1 year ago

I'm sure you'll do a great job. Are you going to include or ignore the nutbar kitsch/novelty category? Maybe there were fewer than I'm thinking...

JonCummings · 1 year ago

I'm not sure what you'd call "nutbar kitsch/novelty"--though whatever you call it, that's a great thing to call it--but if you're talking about stuff like "The Night Chicago Died" or "Billy Don't Be a Hero," I noted at the end of this post that I have a HUGE weakness for that stuff. It's what I cut my teeth on. I was 8 years old in 1974, and there's a whole lot of stuff I thought (and still think) was awesome that probably falls into the "you had to be there" category. There was a lot of that stuff, and I'll probably take some heat for some of the stuff I don't include, but if it's not there it will be because I actually like it, not because I'm ignoring it in order to bash an icon...like maybe I did a few times on this list...

Elaine · 1 year ago

Oh, no, I didn't mean it that way. I meant kitsch/novelty, as in "Disco Duck" or "Convoy." And I meant nutbar as in, sane adults of the period made those songs popular and profitable.

I, too, have a great fondness for "The Night Chicago Died," and "Billy Don't Be A Hero." We must be of about the same age. I also loved "Playground in my Mind," and Bee Gees records. I turned 3 in 1970 and ended the decade in junior high. My mom says I used to lip synch and dance to "Kodachrome" in the front seat of the car. Bench seat, no carseat.

I think I just meant to ask if you were going to skip the obvious horrible ones, is all.

JonCummings · 1 year ago

Good point. "Disco Duck" is blatantly obvious. "Convoy" is a bit tougher for me; I grew up in the South, and that whole CB culture was huge--plus I like the girl voices on the chorus.

Breadalbane · 1 year ago

Okay, okay, so you wanted to stay with 1964 or later, which leaves out The Singing Nun. Fair enough. (Although the Connie Francis hit is from '62, and the Chubster's from '61) But that still leaves

Ringo - Lorne Greene
Mr. Lonely - Bobby Vinton
I'm Telling You - Freddie & The Dreamers

...all of which are worse than most of what's on this list.

I'll grant you that they're not worse than "Honey", though.

Lyle · 1 year ago

Great list, except I would not include Percy Sledge, one of my favorite soul singers whose song opened the door for lots of great music from Memphis. I would throw in Herman's Hermits. By the way, I read that Roy Orbison asked Bobby Goldsboro and his band to back him up and Bobby wound up touring with him for 2 1/2 years before Bobby went solo.

Fred · 1 year ago

Okay, I guess the point was that the songs had to be songs that reached number one on the charts. I am not sure many of the bad songs mentioned in the comments actually would qualify. I am not sure my entry would qualify either, however, in my mind it is one of the worst songs from the sixties and although it may have never been a number one in the sixties it probably is one of the most played songs from the sixties today , and since it was released, More than any of the ones listed. My entry is Louie, Louie, by the Kingsmen. This song should have never been played then and should never be played again. Are we still straining to hear the bad words? Rap gives us plenty of those.

Sara · 1 year ago

What no MacArthur Park? Or is that for the 1970's. Richard Harris was no singer.

Fred · 1 year ago

There's NOTHING wrong with the Dave Clark Five being in the Rock Hall, and nothing wrong with either 'Over and Over' or 'Sheila' by Tommy Roe. Gimme a break. You want a crap #1 from that era-why not 'Winchester Cathedral' or 'Green Tambourine' or '96 Tears'?

As for citing David Marsh-he's one reason why pomous asshats from Rolling Stone are essentially ignored now. Thank-GOD.

JonCummings · 1 year ago

Really? "96 Tears"? I can understand the annoyance factor on the other two, but "96 Tears"? One of the great Hammond organ parts in history--yet one that you can easily replicate on your Casio? One of the great all-time band names? Are you sure you're playing your copy at the proper speed?

MD · 1 year ago

You're an astounding idiot.

K.D. · 1 year ago

Cumming is full of Shit, He wouldn't know music if it fucked him up the ass

CMH · 11 months ago

Doors Rule. Ur a moran, F*ck face. Who puts out a 10 worst of anything anyway? grow some and then talk.

namedsas · 1 month ago

Doors are the greatest you fuck!