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_...

[Winter2025VA]

AI Overview!

Retiring songs is subjective, but common candidates often cited for retirement parties or overexposure include overly ubiquitous tunes like Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" (due to baseball) and Pharrell's "Happy", while some debate iconic but perhaps overplayed tracks like John Lennon's "Imagine" or Don McLean's "American Pie"; others suggest retiring certain rap genres or specific emotional songs like "You Light Up My Life" for sheer annoyance. 

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[EricC28201]

In the 'Okay Song But Heard It Too Much' catagory:

Rikki Don't Lose That Number - Steely Dan

[Winter2025VA]

Eric @EricC28201 , I hope you will stop by again 🙃

➡️[*** ERIC 

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@EricC28201 wrote:

In the 'Okay Song But Heard It Too Much' catagory:

Rikki Don't Lose That Number - Steely Dan.

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[BeatleloverKT]

Hey ya! Outkast 

[MaVolta]

It’s really tough for bands to give up their signature songs, buhhht . . .

Do I really need to hear Deep Purple sing Smoke on the Water, again?

Or do I really need my beloved Scorpions to Rock You Like A Hurricane?

But concert goers expect to hear them . . . Always!

[EricC28201]

Anything by System of a Down

This is predicated on the understanding that 'Retired' means relegated to a historical archive.

This music should only be played so younger generations can be told, "We finally chose to evolve past a culture that does this to fellow human beings, and we never want to go back,".

[Winter2025VA]

Eric @EricC28201 , I hope you will stop by again 🙃

➡️[*** ERIC 

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@EricC28201 wrote:

Anything by System of a Down

This is predicated on the understanding that 'Retired' means relegated to a historical archive.

This music should only be played so younger generations can be told, "We finally chose to evolve past a culture that does this to fellow human beings, and we never want to go back,".

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[BeatleloverKT]

Walking on sunshine, Katrina&the Waves

WAY overplayed back in the day

[MaVolta]

I don’t go to sporting events anymore, but when I did, these songs were ubiquitous. 

We Will Rock You - Queen

We Are The Champions- Queen

Bang The Drum All Day - Todd Rundgren

I do hope they have moved on! 😂

[MaVolta]

And add -

Y M C A - The Village People

to that list! 

[BeatleloverKT]

ANY song by the group Rush 🤮🤮

[EricC28201]

Basketball Jones - Cheech & Chong

Even if it was made with good intentions, it's too easily taken out of context...and it sounds awful...just grates against the senses especially the ears.

[KellytheBelly]

Personally, I think this song stinks! 👇 lol Okay by me to never hear it again. 😉

John Fogerty - Centerfield  (Yuck!)

P.S. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy baseball, just NOT this song. lol

[JerryD108191]

Unfortunately for you, "Centerfield" is widely considered the second greatest song ever written about baseball, and as its composer, Fogerty is the ONLY musician to have ever been enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

So the likelihood is that baseball fans will be enjoying the song at seventh-inning stretches for decades to come...

[SereneSeagull]

Yep!  I’d agree @JerryD108191 .

 Retiring songs to me, is like banning books. I think this thread, (before coming unearthed), was buried for a reason!  lol 😎

[LeeS4949]

I couldn't agree more. I'm a huge John Fogerty fan but please John,what were you thinking????

[BeatleloverKT]

The final countdown, Europe 🤮

[MaVolta]

@BeatleloverKT  - That one could also go on my sporting events list! 😂

[Raynyky]

Hey Jude and Let it Be .

I use to love them but Paul has sung them one too many times. 

[Winter2025VA]

@Raynyky , I hope you will stop by again 🙃

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@Raynyky wrote:

Hey Jude and Let it Be .

I use to love them but Paul has sung them one too many times. 

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[BeatleloverKT]

Hollaback girl, Gwen Stefani

Way overplayed and just a lousy song….

[MaVolta]

Pretty much any song by Foreigner. They were so overplayed back then, and I don’t listen to them any more. These days, those songs sound dated.

[EricC28201]

Foreigner was one of those bands I struggled to find a song I liked...I think I found one, but I don't remember.

[BeatleloverKT]

What does the fox say, The Foxx and a bunch 

of other just as terrible artists

Out of all the songs out there about animals, this

is just about the worst 🤮

[EricC28201]

When I was younger,

Dizzy - Tommy Roe

was a favorite song of my brother...he had the 45rpm single...this is another one that was okay at first, but now...I don't and won't ever miss it.

[Vexed]

Yeah and "Like a Virgin". Seriously 🙄

[Winter2025VA]

Lol @Vexed 😂

➡️[*** 

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@Vexed wrote:

Yeah and "Like a Virgin". Seriously 🙄

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[MaVolta]

🤣🤣🤣

[BeatleloverKT]

You’re (having my baby) Paul Anka

I’m sure it’s been mentioned way back but I was actually horrified when I first heard this song, which

was way overplayed. To this day, I still find it just as horrible of a song