Embarrassingly bad singles

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  • LMcD
    Full Member
    • Sep 2017
    • 8191

    Embarrassingly bad singles

    There are some singles that should arguably never have been released because of their sheer awfulness - in terms of performance or content. The runner-up in my own personal Hall Of Shame of singles that I'm embarrassed to admit to having heard but have not forgotten is the Ipswich Town 1978 Cup Final song, but the winner has to be Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman's (sadly) memorable 'Kinky Boots'. Other nominations welcome and awaited with interest if not enthusiasm!.
  • cloughie
    Full Member
    • Dec 2011
    • 22076

    #2
    Originally posted by LMcD View Post
    There are some singles that should arguably never have been released because of their sheer awfulness - in terms of performance or content. The runner-up in my own personal Hall Of Shame of singles that I'm embarrassed to admit to having heard but have not forgotten is the Ipswich Town 1978 Cup Final song, but the winner has to be Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman's (sadly) memorable 'Kinky Boots'. Other nominations welcome and awaited with interest if not enthusiasm!.
    I would say probably about 80% of singles since about 1978 - cynical moi? I don’t think its just my age but I think pop music at the moment is not very good and I’ve noticed on radio now very few older records are played ie from before about 1975. Is this deliberate ageist BBC policy or is it just that most presenters and producers do not identify with the older stuff as most of them are in their 30s 40s or 50s and play what they have grown up with.

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    • Demetrius
      Full Member
      • Sep 2011
      • 276

      #3
      Originally posted by cloughie View Post
      I would say probably about 80% of singles since about 1978 - cynical moi? I don’t think its just my age but I think pop music at the moment is not very good and I’ve noticed on radio now very few older records are played ie from before about 1975. Is this deliberate ageist BBC policy or is it just that most presenters and producers do not identify with the older stuff as most of them are in their 30s 40s or 50s and play what they have grown up with.
      Originally posted by cloughie View Post
      I would say probably about 80% of singles since about 1978 - cynical moi? I don’t think its just my age but I think pop music at the moment is not very good and I’ve noticed on radio now very few older records are played ie from before about 1975. Is this deliberate ageist BBC policy or is it just that most presenters and producers do not identify with the older stuff as most of them are in their 30s 40s or 50s and play what they have grown up with.
      How many pre 1955 records were played in 1999? Or pre 1935 records in 1979? In my neck of the woods, there used to be a station that called itself Oldie FM and played only 60s to 80s songs. They did great in the 90s and early 00s. Then their audience declined sharply and they had to change their ways and name. So maybe it is also pop/rock music audiences, who at some point in their 60s change their listening behaviour quite a bit (less "Oh, I haven't heard this song in ages, turn it up", more easy listening in the background).

      As to pop music getting worse ... possibly. But one tends to remember the good songs and forget the bad. There was some really shit 60s music, as well.

      Who put the bomp in the bomp bah bomp bah bomp
      Who put the ram in the rama lama ding dong
      Who put the bop in the bop shoo bop shoo bop
      Who put the dip in the dip da dip da dip
      Who was that man
      I'd like to shake his hand
      He made my baby fall in love with me (yeah)

      Gets my vote. Catchy though. But certifiable bad.

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      • cloughie
        Full Member
        • Dec 2011
        • 22076

        #4
        Originally posted by Demetrius View Post
        How many pre 1955 records were played in 1999? Or pre 1935 records in 1979? In my neck of the woods, there used to be a station that called itself Oldie FM and played only 60s to 80s songs. They did great in the 90s and early 00s. Then their audience declined sharply and they had to change their ways and name. So maybe it is also pop/rock music audiences, who at some point in their 60s change their listening behaviour quite a bit (less "Oh, I haven't heard this song in ages, turn it up", more easy listening in the background).

        As to pop music getting worse ... possibly. But one tends to remember the good songs and forget the bad. There was some really shit 60s music, as well.

        Who put the bomp in the bomp bah bomp bah bomp
        Who put the ram in the rama lama ding dong
        Who put the bop in the bop shoo bop shoo bop
        Who put the dip in the dip da dip da dip
        Who was that man
        I'd like to shake his hand
        He made my baby fall in love with me (yeah)

        Gets my vote. Catchy though. But certifiable bad.
        Yes but it was well sung with good harmonies! ...and it kind of tells a story!

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        • pastoralguy
          Full Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 7687

          #5
          There was a single that the late, great Mr. Rae Moore used to play on his early morning Radio2 show called 'Dominio' by a singer called Ann Breen who was best known for singing Scottish 'tourist' type music. This single was her attempt to break into main stream music but was generally rated a flop. Interestingly, it never featured on any of her subsequent cd re-issues!

          The song consists of a woman singing an anguished plea to a lover who appears to have run rings round her and is generally playing hard to get. The 'lover' is represented by an odd, discombobulated voice who seems to enjoy mocking her discomfort.

          Last Wednesday, I posted off an Lp of Alan Loveday playing the Beethoven violin concerto to be transcribed to cd. I couldn't resist asking the transcriber to make me a cd copy of this 45 rpm single! Should be interesting.

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          • MickyD
            Full Member
            • Nov 2010
            • 4734

            #6
            Originally posted by LMcD View Post
            There are some singles that should arguably never have been released because of their sheer awfulness - in terms of performance or content. The runner-up in my own personal Hall Of Shame of singles that I'm embarrassed to admit to having heard but have not forgotten is the Ipswich Town 1978 Cup Final song, but the winner has to be Patrick Macnee and Honor Blackman's (sadly) memorable 'Kinky Boots'. Other nominations welcome and awaited with interest if not enthusiasm!.
            Somewhere on cassette, I have an old Capital Radio programme by Kenny Everett called 'The World's Worst Wireless Show' in which he nominated the top 30 worst singles of all time. 'Kinky Boots' featured on it, but it was nothing compared to the awfulness of the likes of Hughie Green and Eamonn Andrews, to name but a few! It makes for entertaining listening.

            Comment

            • LMcD
              Full Member
              • Sep 2017
              • 8191

              #7
              Originally posted by MickyD View Post
              Somewhere on cassette, I have an old Capital Radio programme by Kenny Everett called 'The World's Worst Wireless Show' in which he nominated the top 30 worst singles of all time. 'Kinky Boots' featured on it, but it was nothing compared to the awfulness of the likes of Hughie Green and Eamonn Andrews, to name but a few! It makes for entertaining listening.
              Ah yes...Eamon Andrews's 'The Shifting Whispering Sands'.
              I recently played an audio cassette of the programme which Ken Bruce presented on Radio 2 the day after Ray Moore died. Although he was a great presenter IMO, perhaps it would be kinder not to say too much about 'My Father Had A Rabbit', especially as performed by RM and assorted straw-chewing yokels on 'Top Of The Pops'.

              Comment

              • Nick Armstrong
                Host
                • Nov 2010
                • 26461

                #8
                Not sure what counts as a "single" but this one from William ("Captain Kirk") Shatner is one of the most excruciating things ever committed to any recording medium:

                "...the isle is full of noises,
                Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
                Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
                Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

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                • MrGongGong
                  Full Member
                  • Nov 2010
                  • 18357

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Caliban View Post
                  Not sure what counts as a "single" but this one from William ("Captain Kirk") Shatner is one of the most excruciating things ever committed to any recording medium:

                  That is much better than the original IMV
                  (though maybe not as good as the Kate Bush version ?)

                  His Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is also worth checking out

                  Comment

                  • Lat-Literal
                    Guest
                    • Aug 2015
                    • 6983

                    #10
                    "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead. It's a failed attempt at prog rock. In "Belfast", Boney M are under the impression that the city in the title is a country. McCartney's Double A side "Give Ireland Back To The Irish" was, at best, ham fisted. Britney Spears's "Hit Me Baby One More Time" and The Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up" are both excruciatingly embarrassing as well as objectionable. The enunciation in the Rolling Stones' "Angie" beggars belief. And I was never very keen on Peter Shelley's "Love Me, Love My Dog" even if it preceded the Buzzcocks.

                    Last edited by Lat-Literal; 19-01-19, 20:02.

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                    • cloughie
                      Full Member
                      • Dec 2011
                      • 22076

                      #11
                      You could say whatever song he sang William shat(o)n’er.

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                      • Edgy 2
                        Guest
                        • Jan 2019
                        • 2035

                        #12
                        Remember this ?,IIRC it was voted the worst ever at one time,can there have been worse since ?

                        “Music is the best means we have of digesting time." — Igor Stravinsky

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                        • pastoralguy
                          Full Member
                          • Nov 2010
                          • 7687

                          #13
                          I have a wonderful cd of Bill Shatner and Leonard Ninmoy 'singing' various standards. To be fair, Ninmoy isn't bad but Shatner's rendition of 'Mr Tambourin Man' which makes one fear for the safety of said percussionist should Captain Kirk actually encounter him at close quarters!

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                          • pastoralguy
                            Full Member
                            • Nov 2010
                            • 7687

                            #14
                            And not forgetting Janie Jones 'Witches' Brew!'

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                            • MrGongGong
                              Full Member
                              • Nov 2010
                              • 18357

                              #15
                              Why should this be "embarrassing" ?
                              It's folk music from Sheffield

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