Monday, February 17, 2014

George Washington Crapped Here



Okay, that's not true. George Washington did not crap here. But Mick and Keith sure did.

My weekend listening marathon included a Rolling Stones bootleg with Keith Richards versions of songs from "Voodoo Lounge." This reminded me of how much I loathe "You Got Me Rockin'." This song epitomizes everything the post-Exile Stones haters complain about. (By the way, the topic of the Stones, whether they should hang it up and just how good or bad their post-"Exile" work really is, has been discussed on these pages more than anything else since Burning Wood began.)

Jagger's delivery of some of his worst lyrics is dreadful. It's more like Richard Belzer's impersonation of Jagger.

"Ah wuz a butcha..cuh-uh-up mee."

The stale "HEY HEY...YOU GOT ME ROCKIN'" refrain must have sounded like a good idea for about 12 seconds during rehearsals, with the Glimmer Twins attempting to create a stadium standard. Sadly, they were right. How this song ever became a hit and concert staple is beyond me. They even pulled it out during the "12-12-12" concert. 50 years worth of catalogue in a 10 minute slot and they choose this lame excuse for a song.

"You Got Me Rockin'" wouldn't have been considered good if Mick and Keith wrote it when they were 15.  If they had played it for Brian Jones, he would cracked them over the head with his dulcimer.

Have I mentioned how much I abhor this song?



What one song by a favorite band or artist absolutely makes you ill?

It doesn't have to be "the worst song." I think "Sparks Will Fly," also from "Voodoo Lounge" is far worse than "You Got Me Rockin'." It just doesn't bother me as much.

The other one that came to mind was "The Money Shuffle" off of Richard Thompson's "Dream Attic." Certainly not anywhere near as ubiquitous as "You Got Me Rockin'," or as offensive. But RT's phrasing and melody on the chorus really makes me cringe.






33 comments:

Anonymous said...

any number of Cheap Trick songs, but I'll go with "The Flame."

Also, Steve Earle's "Taneytown" which, like "Got Me Rockin'" inexplicably became a live staple for a long time. It's like a faux Steve Earle song.

sclinchy said...

"Live and let Die". It's a terrible song, and I wince every time I hear the line "In this ever changing world in which we live in".

Anonymous said...

Even worse: The brilliant Tom Stoppard, either misguided or more likely ill-advised, used "You Got Me Rockin'"(if I remember correctly) at a climactic moment of his otherwise fine play "Rock 'n' Roll." Almost ruined the evening.
George

Lesley said...

Great topic!! If I can get the pilot light in my brain lit will try to come up with something worth hating, but right now I'm just thrilled Live and Let Die was proposed. "In this ever-changing world in which we live in" really IS about as dumb as it gets. Talk about seeing the man behind the curtain (need another syllable to makes this scan... hmmm)... Heads toward the lyrical invention of the Mr. Ed theme, which relies almost entirely on a single rhyme (horse/course) so relentlessly that when we get "endorse" it's a huge relief...

Sal Nunziato said...

I think "Live & Let Die" worked great as a Bond theme, if not so much as a Macca tune. It also hurts less if you hear the lyrics as "in which we're living."

William Repsher said...

It's hard to narrow down with artists like Richard Thompson or Elvis Costello as they have hundreds of songs, save to say each album, at least half of it feels so "samey" compared to other albums -- not bad enough to be bad, nowhere near as good as they're capable of -- that it all sort of sticks together in this large mass of "sort of OK" music I have little urge to hear again.

I used to have a large list of songs I hated by artists I loved, but since the digital age and the explosion of musical quantity, I have so little time or inclination to listen to music I don't like, as I don't even have enough time to listen to music I like. So when someone who likes hiphop tries to take me down for not giving it a chance ... I don't even have enough time to give a full chance to music I know I will like. And with how long artists hang around now, there's so much good and bad music mixed in with their entire catalogue that I can't fathom it all. Good example is how we were taught Satanic Majesties was the worst the Stones could possibly come up with ... but compared to Dirty Work?

Mark Pollock said...

About half of Working on a Dream, but the biggest cringe is "Outlaw Pete" -- the music is fine, but man, those lyrics.

Jeff in Denton TX said...

For me, it's a different Stones track--"She's So Cold." I know you like it, Sal, since you've included it in mixes before. I'm not exactly sure why I don't like this track--I just don't. Maybe it's because whenever I called in to request "She Was Hot," (which, to be honest, I mostly liked because of the music video featuring the late, great Anita Morris) the DJ always played this instead.

Also, The Who's "Athena"--the band's last Top 40 hit, yet tellingly left off of every one of the band's gazillion compilation albums.

Sal Nunziato said...

Jeff, have I put "She's So Cold" on mixes before? If I did, my apologies. I really don't like that tune and like you prefer "She Was Hot."

And yeah, "Athena" is a real STINKER!

Chris Collins said...

I feel exactly the same way you do about "You Got Me Rockin'", but I must secretly admit to liking Charlie's drumming on "Sparks Will Fly".

And I never hated "Outlaw Pete" the way a lot of people do. In fact I don't mind it at all. But I LOATHE "Queen of the Supermarket". Loathe.

Does "Simply Having A Wonderful Christmastime" count?

kevin m said...

Don't Kill the Whale by Yes makes me cringe everytime.

Christine said...

Another One Bites the Dust; Silly Love Songs; Ebony and Ivory; China Girl, I'm in You; Draw the Line; Athena; Who are You?--all "me want to put my finger through my eye, into my brain, and swirl it around!"

Anonymous said...

OK, but if we're gonna go with more mainstream songs RS songs that suck, I gotta put "Angie" up there. And I love the Stones.

vanwoert said...

"Old Time Rock and Roll" hate the song, love Bob Seger. "We Are The Champions" hate the song, love Queen. And wow, I love "Angie"

Sal Nunziato said...

Yeah, I kinda love "Angie," too.

OldRockr1 said...

Waitin' On A Suuny Day...I don't quite know why but I absolutely hate it. Bobby Jean is another one Bruce clearly loves to play that sends me running for a bathroom break. Judging by crowd response I am in the minority on those.

Love the Dead...hate Dark Star.

Great post today.

Sal Nunziato said...

I accepted "Waitin On A Sunny Day" for its sentiment in the wake of 9/11. Now, with the children's singalong, I run screaming. And "Bobby Jean?" Man I am with you, OldRockr. It's relentless.

A walk in the woods said...

I'm actually OK with "You got me rocking" but thank you Mark for mentioning "Outlaw Pete" - wow, what a turd of a song. It's really part of the reason I had a hard time getting back on the Bruce train in this late-period resurgence.

Of course, there's Dylan's "Knocked Out Loaded," every song on it. I am a Dylan faNATic and once made a 14-CD mix of his best, willfully trying to put something from every era, and that is the single only LP of his I could not find one single song to use.

sclinchy said...

Wow, you brought up Dylan, how about "Catfish"? It's on an old Kinky Friedman record. If you don't know it, it's about Catfish Hunter. Honest.

Anonymous said...

"Got Me Rockin'" is definitely down there (even though my wife likes it), along with "My Love", "Waitin On A Sunny Day" and "Stairway to Heaven".

Anonymous said...

I'll go with "Start Me Up" as an annoying Stones song.

Anonymous said...

I never liked Miss You.... Do You Think I'm Sexy is a better written song.

Dave said...

I have a particular distaste for songs that don't fit sonically nor lyrically with the rest of an otherwise great album. An obvious example is "Within You, Without You" on Sgt. Peppers ("She's Leaving Home" also takes me away from the rest of the album).

The Beach Boys' "Sloop John B" is a better record, but it kills me that it's in the middle of "Pet Sounds" and doesn't fit in any way. Brian insists that this was always going to be a part of PS, but I'm not sure I believe it.

Even more jarring to me is how "Friends," a superb, underrated album by the Beach Boys, ends with the instrumental "Diamond Head" and then "Transcendental Meditation," marring the carefully constructed suite of songs that have the "how did they do that?" coherence of the second side of "Abbey Road."

Bill said...

Interesting Richard Thompson choice. Can't say that one rubs me the wrong way that say, "Business on You" does from You? Me? Us? Check it out for yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC_YxqTUXmE

The Elvis Costello song that has always rubbed me the wrong way is "Dr Luther's Assistant." It really showcases all the negatives that some people throw Elvis' way.

Bill

buzzbabyjesus said...

William Repsher wrote my comment for me:

It's hard to narrow down with artists like Richard Thompson or Elvis Costello as they have hundreds of songs, save to say each album, at least half of it feels so "samey" compared to other albums -- not bad enough to be bad, nowhere near as good as they're capable of -- that it all sort of sticks together in this large mass of "sort of OK" music I have little urge to hear again.

I used to have a large list of songs I hated by artists I loved, but since the digital age and the explosion of musical quantity, I have so little time or inclination to listen to music I don't like, as I don't even have enough time to listen to music I like. So when someone who likes hiphop tries to take me down for not giving it a chance ... I don't even have enough time to give a full chance to music I know I will like. And with how long artists hang around now, there's so much good and bad music mixed in with their entire catalogue that I can't fathom it all. Good example is how we were taught Satanic Majesties was the worst the Stones could possibly come up with ... but compared to Dirty Work?

Unknown said...

How about "All Of My Love" by Led Zeppelin? Or maybe the entire "In Through The Out Door" album?
I spotlight this song because it was a radio hit. Fer Gawd's Sake, WHY!!!
I get that Plant's son died, but that was a weak remembrance of him, and the album was clearly tossed off with little, to no, effort from the band's strongest songwriters, Page and Plant. Disappointing end...

Ken D said...

While not exactly the question you asked, I'll add that even though I'm a fan of bluegrass, nothing pops the balloon on an otherwise good show than hearing the familiar start of another what's sure to be 8 to 10 minutes of "Orange Blossom Special."
Enough already.

Anonymous said...

I'm late to this discussion, but can't believe no one mentioned "Squeeze Box." Lame hooks, cheesy, smirky lyrics. Ugh. Someone else mentioned "Who Are You," another improbably popular stinker, but I can't imagine hating that more than "Squeeze Box."

Every band has bad songs, but it's the one's that become hits that really grate. "The Long and Winding Road" is for me another one. Yes, a better song than "Within You, Without You," or "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," but far more offensive for being a standard.

Bruce H.

PS: I didn't you "You Got Me Rockin'" was a hit. Depressing.

PPS: "I Just Called to Say I Love You."

Gene Oberto said...

Sorry for coming to the party late. I had trouble coming up with something. Now I have and here it is.

Is there anything more teeth grinding aluminum foil, ear holding, finger nail on a blackboard than our Todd's "I Was Born to Synthesize?"

Not for me, and he's got a few.

Christine said...

"Anonymous" please tell me you didn't mean "Angie" when you said "Angie!" Songs like that give us a reason to live!

charlie c. said...

Honey Don't
THat's my final answer.

mauijim said...

Field of opportunity off Comes A time is so awkward after the beauty of already one which has brought tears on. WTF? motorcycle mama isnt much better I should skip both and get to 4 strong winds which is a much better followup to already one

Jonathan F. King said...

"Let It Be." Edges out "The Long and Winding Road," barely. To paraphrase Sly Stone at Woodstock: "If it was bad in the past, it's still bad."