Shuck and Jive


Tuesday, September 25, 2007

What Are the Worst 70s Songs Ever?

I think it is time to settle this. What were the worst songs of the 70s? So far, the nominees are:

  1. (Escape) The Pina Colada Song
  2. Muskrat Love
  3. Feelings
  4. You Light Up My Life
  5. Afternoon Delight
  6. Disco Duck
  7. Crazy Horses
  8. My Sharona
  9. Only Women Bleed
  10. Celebration
  11. Run for the Roses
  12. Convoy
  13. Hooked on a Feeling
  14. Freebird
  15. The Night Chicago Died
  16. You Make My Pants Wanna Get Up and Dance
  17. Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road
  18. Feel Like Makin' Love
  19. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia
  20. (Shake, Shake, Shake), Shake Your Booty
  21. Don't Go Breakin' My Heart
  22. I Feel Love
  23. Billy Don't Be a Hero
  24. That's Rock and Roll
  25. I Was Made for Dancin'
  26. Big Balls
  27. Saturday Night
  28. ???
Make sure you watch the videos! Add your nominations and we'll have a big vote! Nominations close at noon Thursday!


  1. * Afternoon Delight

    * anything by the Osmonds

    * Disco Duck

  2. Thanks Alex!

    Very bad selections.

    Keep 'em coming!

  3. only women bleed by alice cooper

    my sharona!! that's a classic!

  4. Although the list seems spot on, I'd nominate "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang. I was so absorbed with changing the channel when it came on that I accidentally plowed my '80 Chevy Chevette Scooter into the back of a VW bug. So I had the distinction of crashing the 8th worst car of all time because I was trying to get the ninth worst song of all time off my radio.

    As for that list, "Feelings" gets my vote. Thank God I barely remember the 70s!

  5. My Sharona? That's a great tune! I would take that one out and put "Run for the Roses" in there. "Convoy" might not be a bad addition to the list either.

  6. Well, there's some bad selections listed, but don't forget:

    *Hooked on a feeling (which I checked and apparently David Hasselhoff did a recent remake of (???))

    And we've by and large left rock out of the loop, for a good reason, but I have to throw this one in the ring:


    I just don't think I can take a full hearing of Freebird ever again; I don't have that kind of time on my hands anymore. I could probably listen to it again if I could run to the store and pick up a few things during the guitar solo I suppose...give me My Sharona any day over Freebird though.

  7. Wonderful nominees!

    I didn't know the world had so many Knack fans. I think the Freebird nominee is going to raise opposition Bobby!

    Keep 'em coming. Nominations close at noon Thursday!

  8. There were two versions of "Hooked on a Feeling" in the 70's. There was the original B.J. Thomas version, which I thought wasn't bad, and then there was the "Blue Swede" version (Boom Chuckalucka) which definitely belongs on this list.

    Can I nominate some more? How about "The Night Chicago Died"?

    You know, a couple of the songs that are now on this list I actually kind of liked. But I won't say which ones.

  9. Well, I just did a little internet research and discovered that the B.J. Thomas version was a hit in 1969, so it has to be the Blue Swede version for this list.

  10. I think the Freebird nominee is going to raise opposition Bobby!

    Ha! Probably; it is considered a rock classic I know; partly my bad attitude comes from living in East Tennessee, where the local radio stations played this tune mercilessly in the 70's, 80's, 90's, and they may still be to this day but I don't listen to the radio for music much anymore. Back in the old days, we were more or less hostage to the radio stations; no internet or cable channels and such to turn to. So I've had it with Freebird. What, is that wrong?

  11. Seeker,

    Go right ahead, nominate away. You are picking some good er bad ones.


    It is OK for you to have had it with Freebird. Jesus loves you.

    I had to add the Dr. Hook song. Although, in general the good Dr. was one of my favorites.

  12. Freebird?

    Are you guys on crack?

    One of the great epic southern rock offerings in history and you put in a category with My Sharona? It's not the song's fault the radio over-exploited it for so many years. Freebird is still one of the most intense Rock n Roll experiences there has ever been, if you really love the music and don't just listen to it for background music that is.

    I see, my friends, that you are in dire need of rock n Roll education.
    Eat some shrooms before you go if possible. :P

    The rest of the list is pretty good. Please add Loudon Wainwright III's "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road". That tune annoyed me for decades.

  13. Definitely Afternoon Delight.

    As to My Sharona, Weird Al's take off, My Bologna was much better.

  14. Now, Bob...

    What does a Pastor know about afternoon delight?

    :D :D

    Sorry, I crack myself up sometimes.

  15. All right, I have a confession to make.

    I actually kind of like the song "Afternoon Delight".

    Skyrockets in flight...aaaaaa=aaaa=aaaafternoon delight!

  16. Afternoon Delight? Hmm. I don't know about that Mystical, but I respect that you showed the courage to come out and say it. I should qualify my endorsement of My Sharona; I just find it more tolerable than Freebird, that's all. I would also take Pina Colada over Freebird, so there's another guilty admission from me.

    But, I have another bad song entry:

    *Feel Like Makin' Love

    Who doesn't cringe when that comes on the radio?

  17. People, People, People!! Have you forgotten "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia"? "Shake Your Booty"? "I Need Love" by Donna Summer? "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart"? and just about everything off of "The Bitch Is Back" except "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"?

    Oh, and let's include every sound uttered by Shawn Cassidy and Leif Garrett (no relation!.
    Thanks goodness I got here when I did!

  18. Dude, thanks for bringing all those "great" songs to my memory. I'd have to go with "Disco Duck."

    But I'd also have to toss in "Billy Don't be a Hero."

    And "Convoy" and My Sharona" are timeless classics. As is "The Night Chicago Died."

  19. Nice choices. Thank you much. I had to add Big Balls by AC/DC just because my niece (who is now nearly 30) sung that for kindergarten show and tell:

    "I've got big balls.
    You've got big balls.
    He's got big balls.
    She's got big balls.
    But we've got the biggest balls of them all!"

  20. "Big Balls" is one of the greatest songs in the history of rock and roll!!!!

  21. tn420

    Why do you think ministers take a day off during the week when the kids are in school? ;)

  22. Oh and I should have also said:


    I can't believe that was inflicted on us!

  23. What about bad songs done really well? "MacArthur Park" is a really dumb song (I heard an interview with the guy who wrote it, and he said the lyrics are essentially an inside joke), but when Donna Summer belts it out, it's amazing (you just have to ignore the words).

    Donna herself is a mixed bag. "I Feel Love" is robotic (though there was a fairly good techno remix in the 90s), "Love To Love You Baby" is creepy, "Last Dance" is another one with weird lyrics but sounds great.

    One of the weirdest oeuvres is her duet with Barbara Streisand, "No More Tears/Enough is Enough". I'm still wondering what the record producers' meeting went like.