How Did THAT Song Become a Hit?

Songs you still can't believe became hits... Preferably those written in the 60s/70s also for longevity purposes.

 

It wasn't until I read "Hit Men", that I put 2 and 2 together.....

 

(You’re) Having My Baby - Paul Anka

Absolute rubbish.

 

Bloodrock- DOA.

Laying here looking at the ceiling
Someone lays a sheet across my chest
Something warm is flowing down my fingers
Pain is flowing all through my back

I try to move my arms and there's no feeling
And when I look I see there's nothing there
The face beside me stopped it totally bleeding
The girl I knew has such a distant stare

I remember
We were flying along and hit something in the air
I remember
We were flying along and hit something in the air

Then I looked straight at the attendant
His face is pale as it can be
He bends and whispers something softly
He says there's no chance for me

I remember
We were flying along and hit something in the air
I remember
We were flying along and hit something in the air

Life is flowing out my body
Pain is flowing out with my blood
The sheets are red and moist where I'm lying
God in Heaven, teach me how to die

I remember
We were flying along and hit something in the air
I remember
We were flying along and hit something in the air

 

R. Dean Taylor- Indiana Wants Me

Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
I wish I had you to talk to

If a man ever needed dyin', he did
No one had the right to say what he said about you
And it's so cold and lonely here without you
Out there the law's a comin'
I'm gettin' so tired of runnin'

Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
I wish I had you to talk to

It hurts to see the man that I've become
And to know I'll never see the morning sunshine on the land
I'll never see your smiling face or touch your hand
If just once more I could see you, our home and our little baby

Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
I wish I had you to talk to

I hope this letter finds its way to you
Forgive me, love, for the shame I put you through and all the tears
Hang on, love, to the memories of those happy years
Red lights are flashin' around me
Yeah, love it looks like they found me

Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
I wish I had you to talk to
Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there
Indiana wants me, Lord, I can't go back there

(Sirens and fades out)

 

Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty"


Everybody, get on the floor, let's dance
Don't fight the feeling, give yourself a chance
Shake shake shake, shake shake shake
Shake your booty, shake your booty
Oh, shake shake shake, shake shake shake
Shake your booty, shake your booty
Oh, you can, you can do it very well
You're the best in the world, I can tell
Oh, shake shake shake, shake shake shake
Shake your booty, shake your booty
Oh, shake shake shake, shake shake shake
Shake your booty, shake your booty, oh yeah
Shake shake, shake shake
Oh, shake shake, shake shake
Oh, shake shake shake, shake shake shake
Shake your booty, shake your booty
Oh, shake shake shake, shake shake shake
Shake your booty, shake your booty
Oh, shake shake, shake shake
Shake your booty, oh, son't fight the feeling
Shake shake, shake shake
Shake your booty, oh, give yourself a chance
Shake shake, shake shake
Shake shake, shake your booty
You can do it, do it
Shake shake, shake shake
Shake your booty, come on, come on now
Shake shake, shake shake
Shake your booty, ooh
Shake shake, shake shake
Shake your booty, ooh
Shake shake, shake shake
Come on your booty
Shake shake, shake shake

For the time 1976 we wore that poor 45 out to a cinder. A fun record for the time I admit I still like the music but the lyrics hah...

 

How can you say that about the man who wrote She’s a Lady, One Man Woman and the English lyrics to My Way??

Do you doubt that Paul Anka is humble and has a deep respect for the opposite sex?

 

"You Light Up My Life" by Debby Boone

Listen, nobody probably loves a sappy over produced love song more than me, but this horrid, crappy produced piece of drivel, is still a head scratcher to me. Debby barely had an interesting voice to start with, the flutes couldn't even come in together at the first chorus and this song as a song is so damned sugary sweet, that it's almost like being drown in syrup. This one once again proved that anybody can have a #1 record and that most will accept anything.

 

Songs like "Convoy" and "Rubber Duckie" almost made sense, but listening to this crap today, I may have to agree that this song wins the "Grammy Turd" song of eternity!

 

They should have saved "That's The Way (I Like It)" for a year & released it after 'Shake'. Then the whole concept makes perfect sense.
At least it does to me. Years ago, I even printed authentic jukebox title strips with both songs & myself as the artist.
I used them to give my phone number to ladies I met & usually the joke was appreciated.

 

Hungry Heart. I can't believe that awful song was a hit. It's like Up With People or some such garbage.

 

One of Bruce's most interesting tracks in my opinion, as it was clearly different than EVERYTHING else that he does over and over again. You either didn't appreciate his Jersey nod to Dion & The Belmonts or Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, or that it was a song by Bruce that actually had a straight forward "commercial" melody? Perhaps you didn't care for how after recording it, they decided to change the pitch to a higher key, thusly making it sound more like Jackson Browne than Bruce Springsteen?

The original pitch, as it was originally recorded, heard here, bringing the real Bruce to the song ...

 

This is what I thought of about a millisecond after I read the thread title. There are other songs that can be considered for worst or most objectionable song of all time, but has there ever been a blander or less interesting song?

 

This was a weird tune to make it to the top of the charts:

Napoleon XIV - "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha Haaa!"

 

I love "Emotional Rescue", but it astonishes me that the song made the Top 10. It's so completely off-the-wall in multiple respects, it almost feels like a novelty song. Even with the Stones' brand recognition, I'm genuinely surprised that enough people dug it to put it comfortably in the top 10.

I suppose "O Superman" by Laurie Anderson is another shocker -- one of those things that could only have happened at a particular time and place -- but then again, the success of Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek" (a very similar song in some ways) suggests otherwise!

 

Well......I like it....

 

A low point from the man who helped invent rock and roll.

 

Not that I dislike or think they are bad songs, but both of the Ohio Players #1 singles, "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster". I could understand hitting #1 on the R&B charts, but surprised they hit #1 on Billboard's Hot 100.

 

John Lennon liked this song, too. I do not - those keyboards are too cheery. Bruce' vocals sped up by a machine, too.

I do like the song "The River" very much. Bruce did a show the night Lennon was murdered and it's on YouTube.

 

Most of Black Lace's catalogue. I particularly loath 'Agadoo'. And 'Superman'. Public hanging's too good......etc etc... (Deep breaths....deep breaths...)

 

On behalf of my country, I would like to apologize for this.

 

"Pop Muzik" by M

Utter crap.

 

He's had lower points.. Beyond disgusting - and on YouTube! But I don't think I'm allowed to post them.

 

I have the original 45rpm single on Rare Earth records which I purchased when the song was first released. I can easily see why it was a hit record!