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_...

[DarcyFarrow]

Songs that have been rewritten to be used in a commercial, e.g. Pilot's "Magic"--> "Ozempic"

[millineutron]

I haven't read through all these yet, so these might have already been mentioned, but "Angel of the Morning" has always been an annoying song that somehow manages to be sappy and pathetic at the same time. Not judging anybody, just don't even like anything about the way it sounds, to be honest.

Also, a few years ago my husband requested that I make him a doo wop mix CD, with songs I picked out with his approval before adding to the list. (He doesn't do Spotify.) He loves that CD and plays it over and over, which I'm glad, but every time it gets to "Silouettes" by the Rays, I start thinking crazy thoughts like, "What? Is this dude stalking his girlfriend, walking by her house late at night? And then he thinks he sees her with somebody else, so he's about to go bust her front door down? And then when it turns out he was just on the wrong block, he goes directly to her actual house and then TELLS HER that he almost went violent on the wrong house ... is this like a thinly veiled threat?"  Let's please retire that one, whoever is in charge of universal playlists!! (Or else just use it in the sound track to a horror flick!)

[JohnD131536]

Mandy - Barry Manilow

[DarcyFarrow]

My Humps (Black Eyed Peas) and any other songs featuring "lady lumps," "junk in the trunk" or "coco puff"

[BobH07]

I wouldn't retire any music. Every song, every type has different meaning to different people.

Who are we to judge!

[tinyrey]

Let me see. Oh yeah, Last Kiss. Pearl Jam version makes me want to throw up in my mouth. 

[DarcyFarrow]

Me and Mrs Jones (Billy Paul) and Run to You (Bryan Adams)--just a personal reaction, but songs that celebrate infidelity creep me out

[eg177]

Alone Again Naturally by Gilbert O'Sullivan

It's message is SO negative!

[DarcyFarrow]

"You're Having My Baby"

(worst reason for having kids:  "what a lovely way of saying what you're thinking of me")

[CarrieandLaith]

Lonely Boy by Andrew Gold...seriously???!

A first-born son feels displaced by a baby sister and causes him to spiral out of control!

Pllllleeeassse!

[ciptra38]

Who Let the Dogs Out; anything by Katie Perry; Sexual Healing (Marvin Gaye); 

[infraredman]

"Cat's in The Cradle" by Harry Chapin and "Seasons in The Sun" by Terry James.  Nice songs but just too depressing.

[WebWiseWoman]

"Sound of Silence" -- Simon and Garfunkel

The cover by Disturbed is so honorable, no one else imho could do it justice...

#VegasStrong

[MaVolta]

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@WebWiseWoman wrote:

"Sound of Silence" -- Simon and Garfunkel

The cover by Disturbed is so honorable, no one else imho could do it justice...

#VegasStrong

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@WebWiseWoman - I tried your link but it didn't go to the song. Here is the official version on youtube. It's worth a listen. Starts out a little creepy but he does make it unique. However, being a huge S&G fan, I won't be ditching my original recording. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Dg-g7t2l4

[ip3285]

I'd retire all Rap, although I don't consider it music.  I realize "to each his own" but I feel sorry for those who consider that music and who haven't been exposed to the real thing.

[jcuffari]

Rap / hip hop evolved in neighborhoods where music education had been removed in curricula, so it arose as a natural expresison of rhythm and poetry. By every definition of music, it is indeeed both absolutely music and a legitimate cultural art form. (I'm a published songwriter and musician)  You may not like it, but that's simply subjectivity at play. 

[drbeef]

RAP is Repulsive and not Music!!! Very Vulgar at Times and I wouldn't let Children go Near That!!! Look at the World---Do Yu Like It???

[dl73698250]

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@drbeef wrote:

RAP is Repulsive and not Music!!! Very Vulgar at Times and I wouldn't let Children go Near That!!! Look at the World---Do Yu Like It???

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A lot of rappers don't like it either. A lot of protesters on the street are less musical. Do you think protesters like to protest just for the fun of it? Maybe they do. It is what it is. It's not all bad.

[ASchell280]

Although I love Boston and feel like a traitor, I have to nominate Sweet Caroline sung by Neil Diamond and anyone else. I never could stand that song and during baseball season it is ubiquitous in Boston. Hate. That. Song.

[InsertCleverNameHere]

You Light Up My Life by Debbie Boone makes me want to hurl myself off a bridge.  Ditto Billy Don't Be a Hero, Tie a Yellow Ribbon, and The Night Chicago Died.  Also, anything by Air Supply or Journey will have me retching within nanoseconds.

[DED46]

I liked Journey's "Wheel in the Sky." Other than that, I completely agree with all of InsertCleverNameHere's selections, and I'd add anything by Christopher Cross or Olivia Newton John. 

[LogicsHere]

There are two songs I could do without and they are "Michelle" by the Beatles and "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green.

[eg177]

Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Alone Again Naturally" is a real downer. I change the station every time it is played.

[ip3285]

There are two songs that I think are just plain dumb:  One is "Where the boys are" by Connie Francis and the other is "Rubber Biscuits".  I'm sure there are more, but these two happen to be on a set of CDs with music of the 50s and 60s so they're mixed with several songs that I enjoy, which means I can't get rid of the annoying ones. 

[2Papa]

Caravan by Thelonyis Monk.  I’ve had it in my mind for weeks and it won’t go away!

[tinyrey]

All Carpenters music. 

[wmslc1961]

They have some of the greatest music. Don't take that away from us, ever.

[alexandralouise]

As we are approaching the Holiday Season, the song that jumps to mind for interment is "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer."

[pr9908]

Yes!  Dump it!