What Songs Would You Retire?

[nyadrn]

Should "American Pie" be put out to pasture? Has John Lennon's "Imagine" been imagined one too many times? What songs would you retire?

If I hear that song one more time!
I was at a restaurant recently when "Cats In The Cradle," a mid-'70s song by Harry Chapin, came on. It's the one about a dad too busy for his son, and ends with the son growing up to be too busy for his dad. Anyway, the thought hit me, "Do I really ever have to hear this song again?" It's a well-crafted tune, but please: can't we just retire it?!

And so a show is born. On this edition of All Songs Considered, "Hallelujah! The Songs We Should Retire."

http://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2017/10/10/556692186/hallelujah-the-songs-we-should-retire?utm_...

[nyadrn]

Thank you for all the responses so far.  Really entertaining 

 @c875302b @ed28849526 @smetro @barbarae470981 @jsarnow 

[ph1494]

nyadrn: Fun topic! I've been checking for new replies a couple of times a day/evening. I'm loving the comments. Thanks for starting the thread! -- Patricia

[barbarae470981]

Who let the dogs out!!! 

[ed28849526]

woof

[ed28849526]

"(You're) Having My Baby" - an oldie that Paul Anka should NEVER have recorded. Can't dump this one fast enough.

[MaVolta]

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@ed28849526 wrote:

"(You're) Having My Baby" - an oldie that Paul Anka should NEVER have recorded. Can't dump this one fast enough.

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That's maybe the worst song ever! And I nominate this one as a close second - 

If I Were A Carpenter (and you were a lady, would you marry me anyway, would you have my baby) - Bobby Darin

[wmslc1961]

At least in the song he suggest getting married first. 

[jsarnow]

     I was leaving my girlfriends house before going off to the military and "My Baby does the Hanky-Panky was playing on the radio. If I hear this song again, it will be one time too many. John

[dorkmeyer]

Right---and what subsequently made it much worse was when the drill sergeant made you sing that cadence song with the line "Ain't no use in goin' home, Jody's got your girl an' gone."

[df57951929]

Anything by Adele!  Way overplayed!

[smetro]

Could do without Que Sera Sera (or whatever) - do not hear much anymore (thankfully!) but when a big hit..oh, boy..!

[retiredtraveler]

Everything by Barry Manilow

[nyadrn]

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retiredtraveler wrote:

Everything by Barry Manilow

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Barry is going to be pretty upset when he hears this. He is busy right now.  

He is with "Lola, she is a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there
She can merengue and do the cha-cha
while she tries to be a star........ get ready for it......... 

At the Copa (copa) Copacabana
(copacabana)
The hottest spot north of Havana (here)
At the Copa (copa) Copacabana
Music and passion were always the fashion
At the Copa ...
They fell in love (copa)
(copacabana)

Read more: Barry Manilow - Copacabana Lyrics | MetroLyrics

[retiredtraveler]

"....He is with "Lola, she is a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there
She can merengue and do the cha-cha
while she tries to be a star........ get ready for it......... ".

I'm going to shut down my PC. It's infected with the most stupid song I've ever heard next to Tiptoe through the Tulips (Tiny Tim).  It needs a file purge and rest.................

BTW: Blinded by the Light needs to be purged too. Ok, I'm going to now listen the The Planets, by Holst.

[nyadrn]

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retiredtraveler wrote:

"....He is with "Lola, she is a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there
She can merengue and do the cha-cha
while she tries to be a star........ get ready for it......... ".

I'm going to shut down my PC. It's infected with the most stupid song I've ever heard next to Tiptoe through the Tulips (Tiny Tim).  It needs a file purge and rest.................

BTW: Blinded by the Light needs to be purged too. Ok, I'm going to now listen the The Planets, by Holst.

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What.  No kudos?  

I had forgotten Tiptoe.  You are probably right about that one but Blinded by the Light?   Hmmmmm

Havd you forgotten They're Coming to take you away?

 https://youtu.be/xyXCkjMBK70

[smetro]

Yeah, "Tiptoe was stupid...still think for sheer stupidity a line like "I left my cake out in the rain..." etc. from MacArthur Park is the dumbest by far, however.  Just sayin'!

[MaVolta]

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@nyadrn wrote: 

I had forgotten Tiptoe.  You are probably right about that one but Blinded by the Light?   Hmmmmm

Havd you forgotten They're Coming to take you away?

 https://youtu.be/xyXCkjMBK70

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Tiptoe deserves to be buried and forgotten! I believe it's been retired, and I hope no one ever tries to revive it!

I do remember They're Coming to Take Me Away (ha ha). It was retired, with good reason, for being politically incorrect, of course.

The songs that usually tire me are show tunes. I'm not a big fan of either film or Broadway musicals to begin with, so I don't care for most of the music that goes along with them. There are a few exceptions (Memory from Cats is one), but they can canister most of them for my part!

On the other hand, I would never consider retiring a Beatles song, or songs like Imagine by John Lennon. In fact, I think Imagine is as appropriate for today's world as it was when it was written.

[wmslc1961]

How is They're Coming to Take Me Away (ha ha),  politically incorrect? It's just a song!

[MaVolta]

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@wmslc1961 wrote:

How is They're Coming to Take Me Away (ha ha),  politically incorrect? It's just a song!

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It was heavily criticized for making light of mental illness, and many stations quit playing it for that reason.

[MaVolta]

80's disco

[ASTRAEA]

@MaVolta - I like show tunes; at least for the older shows where you can actually remember the music & lyrics years later! Like "To Dream the Impossible Dream", from "Man of La Mancha".

[bgsdaughter]

I agree! they just don't write them like they used to! That's what makes a great song a standard. You can appreciate the music and lyrics.

[MaVolta]

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@ASTRAEA wrote:

@MaVolta - I like show tunes; at least for the older shows where you can actually remember the music & lyrics years later! Like "To Dream the Impossible Dream", from "Man of La Mancha".

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@ASTRAEA - Yes, Man of La Mancha is another exception for me. I especially like I Don Quixote, as well as The Impossible Dream and Little Bird Little Bird.

Man of La Mancha and Cats are my two favorites from the musicals genre. There were musical tours that came through here many years ago, so I was able to see both of them. 

As you mentioned in your earlier post, people naturally gravitate to the music they like, and avoid what they do not. There are some modern tunes that I hear while out shopping that I have come to enjoy, and others that I hope never to hear again!

[smetro]

OMG!  "Man of La Mancha" (which I like) made me think of "MacArthur Park" - stupidest song, ever...!

[Epster]

Pretty much anything by Coldplay. They just bore me to tears. I don't know why.

[patrickk964312]

not the original singer!

[nyadrn]

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patrickk964312 wrote:
not the original singer!

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Not what original  singer?   What are you responding to?

[pr9908]

Frank's version or Donna's?

[nyadrn]

This is probably on several lists and is another of my nominees

Wreckx-N-Effect* - Rump Shaker

[MaVolta]

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@nyadrn wrote:

This is probably on several lists and is another of my nominees

Wreckx-N-Effect* - Rump Shaker

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I don't know that one, but safe to say, I won't venture to find out!