SURVEY QUESTION

What is the most overplayed song on the radio -- a song you used to like, but it just gets played to death, so now you can't stand it? I'm thinking this would most llikely be a "classic rock" song, but I could be wrong. I often am.

UPDATE: Thanks for all the excellent nominations and commentary. I regret that these songs are now stuck in your brain, possibly for weeks, but trust me, it was for a very good cause, although I frankly can't see how you, personally, will derive any benefit. But thanks!

Comments

[Wacked without an H]

Anything by Ricky Ricardo

[Mike Weasel]

Oh boy! This has the potential to be as big as the Bad Song survey!

Hmmm...

I can't think of anything right now. I'll get back to you.

[katherine]

anything by meatloaf.

[rock n' roll chick]

I can't pick just one. But I am truly sick of:

Baba O'Reilly
Light My Fire
Black Magic Woman
Satisfaction

and, of course,

Stairway to Heaven.

Please, God, make them stop playing these.

[SchadeBoy]

Lately, whenever I walk into my local Home Depot, I notice they play a lot of Culture Club. I'm not sure that this really qualifies as an answer to the question, though. I hated them back in the 80's, and they haven't improved with age one tiny bit.

[LMC]

Just seeing the question got "Achy Breaky Heart" stuck in my head. They never (thank heavens!) play it any more, though, so it doesn't count.

I find some (qualified) comfort in the fact that the titles posted here will undoubtedly get some other hideous song stuck in my head. But at least I'll be rid of what I have now ...

[latin boi]

I'll say "Sugar, Sugar" (and now I hate this blog 'cause I'll have that song playing all day in my head.)

[Guin]

I would have to say the Stones' "Start It Up." I suppose at one point it was a decent, rock 'n roll Stones song, but it has just been played to DEATH by every radio station on the planet.

[cuzn ed]

TIE:
Kansas, "Carry on Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind"

Two great songs which classic rock radio has made me hate.

[Jeff]

...anything by The Remainders...

[GDogg]

"Drive My Car" by the Beatles. It was never their best song, but it was inoffensive enough until EVERY freakin' radio station in the western hemisphere sampled the "beep-beep beep-beep YEAH!" part for their traffic reports.

[Sam]

"Smooth" by Rob Thomas and Santana.

I really liked it when it first came out. Now I advocate the death penalty for the DJ playing it.

[slyeyes]

"Picture" by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow. Used to love it!! Now, notsomuch.

[GDogg]

I would also like to second Sam's remarks re: "Smooth."

[barry manilow]

anything by NeilDiamond

oops...forgot, sorry

[superfreak]

"Stuck On You"

Lionel Ritchie

[Lairbo]

Any rock song in heavy use as a commercial jingle. And, of course, the Whitney Houston rendition of "I Will Always Love You (oo-ooo-ooo-oo-ooo-ooo)". Not that I liked it the first several thousand times I heard it.

ps: some years ago, wandering through the shopping area of Knott's Berry Farm (don't ask), I realized that the muzak® wafting around me was a 1001-Strings-with-angelic chorus version of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in The Wall." I've been looking over my shoulder for the 4th Horseman of the Apocalypse ever since.

[original enigma]

As far as the "beep-beep beep-beep YEAH!" goes ...
they've also KILLED the very cool intro of Pink Floyd's "Money."

Just once, I wouldn't mind hearing THE REST OF THE SONG.

[Charlotte]

There's one on hte local easy listening station (not me, my husband) and it's a country song. Something about the way you kiss me? I can't remember the name. I try to change the station when I hear it. Drives me nutz

[Mahatma Kane Jeeves]

That consarned hop-head music all the whippersnappers are listenin' to

[k]

pretty much ANYTHING on ANY classic rock station. I'm convinced that somewhere, someone is selling "six hours of classic rock: just put it on repeat and abandon station" collections.

That said, I am quite willing to string up out back and shoot anyone who EVER plays EVER again "Hotel California," that Steve Miller peaches toker whatever "I'm a suburban white teenager and songs that mention anything to do with pot make me titter" the name of that is, and "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Torture should be involved for anyone who chooses any of the above for KARAOKE.

Especially when the karaoke bar in question happens to be across the street from my house. It's a very good thing I don't have firebombing supplies at hand.

[wiredog]

"Werewolves of London" at Halloween. Otherwise. Hmmm. "Smooth", and "Picture" are right there in the top 10. Hmm. So many choices.

[original enigma]

oh yeah ... and "Butterfly Kisses." it's not just the radio either! isn't there ANY other song that you can find to play at your wedding?

c'mon ... let's get creative here.

[Beejay]

"I Will Always Love You" Celine Dion from Titanic move tops my list

[Mike]

"Pulling Mussels" by Squeeze. This is just about the only Squeeze song I ever hear on the radio. It's not bad, but if I were going to pick one representative song by the group, that wouldn't be it. And I never want to hear it again.

[Guin]

I rescind my Rolling Stones "Start It Up" vote in favor of Peter Gabriel wailing about "CLIMBING UP SALISBURY HILL." That is CLEARLY the only song he ever wrote in his life. I HATE that song. Who CARES about Salisbury Hill, and why the hell did he have to immortalize it in song anyway?

Thank you.

[funniegrrl]

Funny, I rarely hear any of the songs mentioned here on the radio, so they don't qualify in my book.

However, I liked Maggie May the first 20 years of its life, liked it quite a bit. But they can stop playing it now. Really.

I would also have to say that any of John Cougar (oh, all right, *Mellencamp*) qualifies. I really don't want to hear Jack and Diane ever again in my whole life.

[GDogg]

Mike,

Agreed, not to mention that it's one of the worst pop-song titles of all time.

[lurker]

Layla.

It's the only Clapton song many "Classic" (shudder) rock stations seem to have in their libraries.

[Polly]

70's: Anything by the Carpenters, Dave.

80's: "Pour Some Sugar On Me"

90's "Wind Beneath My Wings"

[slyeyes]

has clumpy or chumpy or whoever noticed that we've stuck to the thread for 25+ posts now?

*will try to not to hold it against "k" for dissing Hotel California -- but it will be tough*

[Lairbo]

elle
I second your emotion re Mr. Z.

Speaking of wedding tunes, at a friend's wedding years ago, the groom went up to the band at the reception and told them that if they played "Color My World" he wasn't going to pay them. (They didn't. He did.)

And, back to the topic, let me add everything by Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago.

[Boo Augustus]

Anything on the play list for the syndicated morning talk show Bob and Sheri. Stupid whiny contemporary adult rock Alanis Crow Avril.

[James]

"Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger. For as much effort as the guy puts into singing it, it is amazing how through extreme overplay it has ceased to be able to evoke any emotion whatsoever from the listener. "Ain't got the same soul"... indeed.

[Wes]

Hotel California. Why anyone would enjoy a song that doubles as a horror flick is beyond me. Of course a lot of things are beyond me...

[Mahatma Kane Jeeves]

"Silly Love Songs" by Paul McCartney or Wings whichever - wait, never did like that one

[mudstuffin]

Nobody mentioned "the Boss" yet.

"Born to Run" - I'm running to change the station
"Blinded by the Light" - I'm blinded by the tears brought on by dry-heaving
"I'm Going Down" how can you do that and sing at the same time?
"Born in the USA" - BOOOORED in the USA!

This guy has a vocal range of three notes and has made gazillions singing! There is no justice in this world I tells ya!

[original enigma]

okay ... another icky wedding song for you. at my brother's wedding reception the "band" (i use that term loosely) sang "Friends in Low Places" ... THREE TIMES!!! it was what they made the bridesmaids and groomsmen dance to.

that's another song i'd rather not here every time i turn on the country station.

[mudstuffin]

Oh! oh! oh! that awful song by Clapton about his dead kid! Tears in Heaven! Ew!

Whiter Shade of Pale! Barf!

[original enigma]

wow, mudstuffin.

you just wiped out my mother's two all-time favorites in a single post.

[pogo]

Since I have pretty much quit listening to music on commercial radio, I don't have this problem much. Occasionally though I'm stuck and have to fall back on the Classic Rock station.

I vote for Steve Miller's "Jet Airliner".

Many good suggestions already mentioned here, some I disagree with, and happily a number of them I have never heard of. (It's an age thing probably)

[Angie]

For a while there, I worked at a newspaper that played classic rock over the speakers. I swore if I ever heard "Year Of The Cat" again, I was going to go down to the radio station and strangle whomever was playing it. (Side note-which would have been interesting in that my fiance was a DJ there.) But "Year Of The Cat" was never that good.

A second for: "I will Always Love You," and "Smooth."

Oh, and don't kill me here, but "Money" by Pink Floyd. I love Pink Floyd, but pop culture's kinda killed this song for me.

[shauna]

Hey Sam and GDogg....it's not the fault of us poor disc jockeys that a song you hate gets played a million times. These days, we have practically no say in what is programmed. (sniff)

[Marty]

I recently heard "Sweet Home Alabama" and though at the time that I'd heard it a few too many times (and I grew up in Alabama).

[LMC]

I'm with original enigma -- I'm TIRED of "Friends in Low Places" (I used to love it).

In fact, while I'm up, I am TIRED TIRED TIRED of anything at all by Garth Brooks. The man has retired! Retire his stupid songs too! I am so sick of "And the Thunder Rolls". Blech!

[Rachel]

My top picks (or bottom picks, or whatever):

Hey-Yah (Outkast)
A Little Less Conversation (Elvis)
Picture (Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock)
My Heart Will Go On (Celine Dion, and whatever MORON decided to remix it to a dance beat)

And that one by The Eurythmics (I think, anyway) that goes "Walkin' down your street again, blah blah blah... and I miss you like the deserts miss the rain". Deserts don't miss the freakin' rain, lady. I swear that I will choke the next person who plays that song.

[Lou Bricant]

You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - The Righteous Brothers.

Stand By Me - Ben E. King

Every Breath You Take - The Police

Take It Easy - The Eagles
Desperado - Eagles

Everything I Do, I Do It For You - Bryan Adams

If the House is a Rockin'... The Rock Bottom Remainders

[Chaz Stevens]

I would like to use my 4 votes (I live in Broward) for the Living Proof by Cher.

Realizing ofcourse that this song is definitely not a classic, not rock, and come to think of it, not even music, I do think it's really overlived its stay -- much like Cher.

[SchadeBoy]

Regarding wedding songs...I think The Chicken Dance qualifies here. EVery time I hear that thing I cringe and leave the room.

[Chaz Stevens]

Rita writes: "I dislocate my finger"...

Suggestion: Stop pulling your finger so much. Try Beano.

[Stephanie K]

It would have to be "Stairway to Heaven". Now, I do like the song, but it is played ALL of the time, especially on classic rock stations, who don't seem to be aware that Led Zeppelin recorded a LOT more stuff.

[mudstuffin]

ABBA anyone?

[EC, NC]

I guess "Heart of Gold" must have been good at one time...many, many repititions ago
*sigh*

[Kat M]

Classic Rock - Stairway to heaven & that song by Joe Walsh - "my Mazarati does 185... I lost my license, now I don't drive..." WAIT - who could forget the mother of all over-played songs - FREEBIRD!

Young-uns' Hip Hop - Yeah! by Usher

Most over-played political convention song (Non-partisan, of course!) - Celebrate - Kool & the gang (that is who sings that, right?)

[Rachel]

Oh, Lou, you totally hit the nail on the head with Every Breath You Take! I HATE having hear that song OVER and OVER. It was good the first few times, but jeez, do I have to listen to it everytime >I take a breath?

Also, it never ceases to amaze me that people STILL comment on how Sting sounds like such a stalker when he sings that song. IT'S WHAT THE SONG IS ABOUT!!!! AGGGGGH!!!!

*Rachel runs into a wall and crumples to the floor*

[GDogg]

Shauna:

Oh sure...take the "I vas only followink orders!" defense...

[original enigma]

SPEAKING OF CHER ...

what is up with that HORRIBLE "do you believe in life after love" song?!?

yech!

[Cheesewiz]

Peaceful Easy Feeling is neither.

[mudstuffin]

BTW I think it's a reflection of God's sense of humor or irony or whatever (or perhaps He's getting back at me for some slight) but my kids like disco. Really.

[ja well no fine]

Well...I have two candidates, both absolutely horrible!! . "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and "Ebony and Ivory". I would have to run screaming from the room if I heard either one. Shopping malls are the worst offenders. EUCHHHHHH...

[benny p]

If anything by Ronnie James Dio gets played on air, it's once to much. Rainbow in the Dark made me angry the first time i heard it, and it didn't get any better the next 40!!!

[drakej]

Down here in Texas all I hear on the classic rock station is AC/DC and ZZ Top. I can handle the ZZ Top, but have gotten very sick of AC/DC.

[Chaz Stevens]

Original Enigma: That would be the song Living Proof by Cher. I take it that you are voting for that?

Good.

So, take my four votes and we'll add in your (n) votes -- n being greater than 1 if you live in Florida.

I feel the momentum building on this.

[Rachel]

Thanks djtonyb. Now I have a band to stalk so that I can burn down their houses. THEN they'll know what it's like to miss the rain!

*evil laugh*

[Clay]

When a Man Loves a Woman
by PERCY SLEDGE
I mean... come on - no contest.

[ReignOfTerra]

I live in Germany, and whenever a group of Germans (or Austrians or Swiss -- basically any large group of white people lacking rhythm) get together to drink, they will undoubtedly break into a bad rendition of the Drifters' song, "Hey Baby."

This is a particularly common occurence at events such as Oktoberfest. It's painful.

[Deb]

Anything by REO Speedwagon.

When I was 16, my best friend's boyfriend put "I Can't Fight This Feeling" on his stereo and made a pass at me. It didn't work. But anytime I hear Speedwagon -- because it's all the same song anyway -- whoosh I'm back in August 1985.

[Mahatma Kane Jeeves]

How 'bout the worst phrase ". . .if this everchanging world in which we live in," from "Live and Let Die" (sorry Sir Paul) - I like the rest of the song

[original enigma]

chaz -

see? that's how much i hate the song. i didn't even know it had a name ...

sorry, no FLA votes here. i do have friends in Key West though. that should count for something.

[Bella]

"Forever Young" by Rod Stewart. Is there an hour that goes by without that song being played?!?

[Clay]

.. but Foreigner blows, too.

[Jess S]

I agree with Smooth.... would also like to nominate McArthur Park... I HATE that song!

[Rachel]

Dave, I think this comment thread is the fastest growing one in the history of your blog.

Although, you said it yourself - song badness is an issue that Americans (and Canadians like myself) care very deeply about.

[Chaz Stevens]

Rita: since surgery, I can no longer burp.

Suggestion: Tell them to remove the stiches from your mouth.

Question: Can you tell me the name of your Doctor? I think that my GF could use a couple of them there stitches. Not for burp control, but rather blather control.

[Erica]

I was gonna say "Smooth," and I'm ecstatic that other people already said it. I thought it was just me.

A few years ago, when I still worked and listened to the radio, the station I had on would play "Smooth" and that "All Star" Smashmouth song a thousand times a day. There was no "no-repeat" policy, so every new DJ shift change brought the same songs back to the fore. Bleah.

[BigD]

My choice is Yes - all their songs sounded the same to me.

[Rachel]

Chaz, if you want to shut her up, just play pretty much any one of the previously mentioned songs.

Especially "My Heart Will Go On".

That oughta do it!

[that guy from '85]

Deb,

sorry about that.

but DANG you were hot!

[Kat M]

Got a Fl vote here - and can we count the hurricane as a vote too?

[Chaz Stevens]

Here here.

Say No to Yes.

[Miko]

I used to kinda like Linkin Park. Past tense. The stations I listen to overplayed their stuff so freaking bad, that I can't listen to it anymore.

A classic rock station here ruined "Crosstown Traffic" by Jimi Hendrix. I love Hendrix's music, the man was fantastic, but please stop using it for your traffic report, I beg you!

[Rachel]

What about that *NSync song "Bye bye bye"

Anyone else want to make them say goodbye forever when they hear that?

[Peri]

When I worked in an office where someone insisted on having the radio on it seemed like every time I took my fingers out of my ears the song they were playing was 'Killing Me Softly'. Hate it, just hate it. Always have.

What song did you hear, Dave, that brought all this on?

[mike]

Almost anything by by Five for Fighting, especially "100 Years" and their song about Superman.

[Bella]

And ANYTHING by the Spice Girls! I can't believe they still get air time...

[Chaz Stevens]

Hey, any word from the Department of Patrick Ogle if he likes *NSync? His Mom seems to portray him to be a swell fellow.

[Rachel]

mike - I think the one you're talking about is called "Superman".

I agree. Dude's voice is like a 12-year-olds.

[Rachel]

Who the heck is Patrick Ogle? And why would he, or anyone, like *NSync?

[Federal Duck]

A rare choice, but ranking #1 on my all-time annoying song list: *drum roll*

- I'll Be There For You (The damnable theme song to damnable Friends). The radio played it completely to death, and then kept going for well over a year after it was dead.

[Miko]

and I'll second the vote against AC/DC. "Big Balls" makes me want to heave. Their only good song was "Ride On", and they NEVER play that here.

[Clay]

ou! ou! (hand reaching up in the air)

You gotta hand it to John Thorogood and the Destroyers for "Bad to the Bone"

"b b b b b baaauuuud ... bad, to the bone!"

[Rachel]

100! Record time!

[Bella]

Three words:

"Baby Got Back"

[blurkerdude]

*comes out of blurkdom with easel. Puts Exhibit #1 on easel.

"....a song you used to likeb, but it just gets played to death, so now you can't stand it?"

Note...not songs that you never never liked in the first place.

*returns to blurkdom*

[eclipse]

Bu-bu-bu-bu-BUP-BUP, my Sharona!

[Peri]

Well. I guess that puts me in my place.

[Leetie]

Squeeze - Pulling Mussels??? No way was that overplayed. How about "Tempted?" BLECK!

[Charlotte]

Does anyone else keep hearing these songs in their head everytime they read the title?
It's like a bad radio connection!

[Lou Bricant]

"mmmm.... bop""

[Corey]

"Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin