Excellent :-)

A big, BIG Aussie CONGRATULATIONS on your hundred, Stu! And what a freakin' brilliant parody to celebrate it with. Check tomorrow's submissions...there may be a little present for you...;-) 555

VERY clever idea, and perfectly written/paced...but you've listed so many of my FAVORITE THINGS...that I wonder just which songs you DO like...; )

This one's on top of the mountain..."Out of the park" witty.....and congratz on becoming a 'New Centurion'

brilliantly written...you managed to fit in many many bad songs.... plus....i love the concept of "unsinging"...very zen...extra credit for using one of my favorite words too...."apoplexy"......5s plus

Congratulations on reaching 100 with an incredibly well written sendup!

congratulations on hitting 100. Three 5's for a thourghly delightfully done parody.

555. Red ladies... ugh >shudder< Thanks ever so much for unsinging that one.

City construction - If you're talking about Starship's song about that then it's one I love to hate.

Actually, I like a lot of those songs... but this was a freakin' classic. A fine way to hit triple digits. Congratulations.

I got almost every reference in this parody and agree 99%-"Islands in The Stream" isn't bad. High 5s and congratulations on the century. Best line: Hell, I'd have to quote back the whole parody.

This was brilliant! "Romantic muskrats and gadda da vidas" had me howling. Congratulations!

I'm talking to you Stuart: this is great! 5s

I was late up this morning - just got here

thanks Adam :-)

thanks Kristof - I shudder to think what your gymnastic brain is conjuring up

thanks heaps Arwen - I knew I'd be listing some peoples' FAVOURITE songs (and from past experience esp. yours) but I stand by my selection. btw my bottom comment was very tongue-in-cheek - in fact I googled about a dozen "worst songs" lists to make sure the songs were universally disliked, and then I chose the ones I agreed should be on those lists, although I'm actually fond of McArthur's Park and Jolly Holiday, and only put them in for the pacing

thanks AFW, on both counts :-)

thanks alvin - I think I managed to get 36 songs into it overall

thanks Rex and carol :-)

I'm with you on "Lady In Red" Y.A.D. - that made the final draft without dropping a set

ditto Peter with "We Built This City" which is in my top 3 worst (a real switch-the-radio-channeller")

thanks Michael, and sorry! - see my lame excuse to Arwen above ;-)

thanks Red Ant - I'm perfectly happy with a 99% match-up ;-)

thanks Mason - maybe if Iron Butterfly had have sung Muskrat Love there wouldn't have been a problem

LOL John Barry - I was hoping you'd have a look!

Great job on hitting so many bad songs!

This is one song that shouldn't go unsung... 5-5-5

thanks PMS and MrMac!

A fine 100th, Stu. "Don't Worry, Be Happy" is the first song I can ever remember, so obviously that was the catalyst in my current tastes in music... 555.

Great work Stu, and congrats! "Songs that ask ME if I think Rod is sexy" made me laugh just that little bit more, with the capitalization. Perfect!

my, what a youngster you truly are Luke - I can see how that song has deeply impacted on you ever since

thanks Pippin - and yes, I mean really, doesn't he realise he's singing to Macho Stu?

Very good parody and very good list, Stu, except that you omitted the Bee Gees. I like "unthere."

Missed this one yesterday... nicely written.

Absolutely brilliant, and especially loved the third line. :-)

thanks, JJ - yes, how did I miss a Bee Gees one? - might have to do another version to correct that crime of omission ;-)

thanks Serafina, I always appreciate your kind comments :-)

thanks Merry! that was almost the first line I wrote, and one of my faves!

Stuart: Any excuse to Arwen is bound to seem lame in her regal presence. Ant: "Islands In the Stream" was recently voted by CMT (Country Music Television) viewers as the greatest country duet of all time, even if a lot of people misheard it (You remember misheard lyrics, don't you?) as "Islands of Ice Cream."

Awww...I love how Mr. Pacholek can find a way to compliment me even when I really have nothing to do with the parody or its artist. That, my friends, is how you get me to love you...; )

I too would like to echo Arwen's statement by formally and categorically DENYING that she and I have anything to do with each other outside a mutual and professional respect

I caught this through the comments... (does that sound like it ought to be a "heard it through the grapevine" parody?) - brilliant, Stu. Favourite line: "I Write The Songs" isn't boast but confession

Yes!!! Very very good. But really, what does everyone have against "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"? I love that song! And "Joy To The World" isn't half bad either. And you forgot the most heinous excuse for a song on the face of the planet..."Lovin' You" by Minnie Riperton.

Excellent job on an excellent choice for your #100 here, Stu...I've been mostly absent from the site of late due to...well, due to lots of things...and I probably won't be able to spend a whole lot of time here for the next few months...now & then, pretty much...But, I managed to catch this one because I looked at the Author listing and saw that Kristof had just reached #200, so I looked up what he posted for THAT...which mentioned and honoured YOU for your 100th...which led me HERE...Glad that it did...good stuff...5's ~ ~ ~

I'm a late bum on this one. Congratulations Stu. And good work on a well-paced, well-versed and very clever parody. I also liked the 'isn't boast but confession' line. It's a little too elitist for my tastes, which I can forgive. I apologize, but I will have to deduct one point from funny because you WENT OUT TO CHECK the boards and see if people agreed with your selections. Very good lyrically, though.

thanks 2nz, but you're not quite right. As I said above, I went to Google first, to get a running start on ideas, because it's hard to think of 36 songs you hate just off the cuff - so that helped me get an initial list of songs I personally hated, which I THEN whittled down to the ones that fit and paced properly - and therefore because they're songs that are famously despised worldwide across all demographics, I disagree that it's elitist ;-)

thanks Paul, as long as the path got you here, I'm happy :-)

thanks Cat, and ditto with "Lovin' You" except it did make for a great scene in that National Lampoon movie where Beverly D'Angelo managed to hit the high note without even trying

thanks Phil - that grapevine/comments sub IS a good idea

Stu, I must also apologize for missing your 100th parody party when this posted. Absolutely brilliant work here too, trashing so many trashworthy songs in one fell swoop. Keep 'em comin' my friend. I'm a big fan.

[SOTM] I really really liked this one! Top stuff! 555+

(SOTM) A lot of work was put into this one...and just enough subtle hints for each song that I got most of the jokes. (I didn't get "city construction and Claire" however). Some may debate the quality of some of the songs you cite, but you state the case well, and, well, dammit, it works. Very good. 555

(SOTM) a great parody mate. 5s all da way

thanks Rick - I saved you a piece of cake!

good on you, DAK - thanks

thanks Agri, you're right! - and they were personal choices, despite my tongue-in-cheek post-comment - btw "city construction" = "We Built This City", "Claire" = "Claire", the weepie by Gilbert O'Sullivan

thanks Josh 2, esp. for da 5s ;-)

(SOTM) As I've found out recently, making fun of music can be a tricky thing, from a few angry comments to "one" person who decided to pay a visit to no less than a dozen of my parodies. Must mean I'm doing something right. Back to this, you have identified a whole bunch of awful music, but I digress on the "perfect harmony" line; after hearing a bunch of partygoers the other night trying to karaoke there is something to be said for perfect harmony. There were enough bad songs left out though I think a sequel is in order in the future, say around 100 parodies from now. ;-)

thanks Jack - the "perfect harmony" reference ties in to the New Seekers' "I'd like to teach the world to sing - in perfect harmony" - which oughta be unsung in perfect harmony - as it expresses pretty similar mawkish sentiments as your fave "It's a Small World After All" which would definitely make the sequel....;-)

Those songs they might unsing... But please, please sing this one!!!

Anyone who dislikes "Imagine" is clueless and/or heartless. Now that we've got that on the table, this is a lovely list of gripes, very cleverly pieced together. And the "I Write the Songs" line is one of the best I've ever seen. As for the Bee Gees, you've got them covered with "Islands in the Stream"; they wrote it and it's on their latest hits collection and their VH-1 "Behind the True Storytellers" (or whatever it's called).

(SOTM) I can recognise some of the songs you wish to unsing. In-A-Gadda-A-Vida, and the infamous Achy Breaky Heart. Nice job!

(SOTM) Still excellent :-)

thanks Matthias - sorry for the late reply but I'm in Spain and there are hardly any internet cafes

Spaff! whoa! heartless AND clueless! and a significantly missing "imho." Them's angry words, Spaff. I can't believe I tapped into such anger just by disliking a song you like - and I'm surprised someone with your smarts simply assumes it's because I don't share Imagine's heart (which of course I do - who doesn't? - who doesn't want a brotherhood of man?) and meaning (which of course I do - what clues are there to miss?) - but I'm glad for the opportunity to rattle on again about this, like I have before on another Imagine thread.....
*takes lecturn, clears throat* Ich bien ein huge John fan! - he's my favourite flawed genius, and Plastic Ono Band is one of my top ten albums - but he could also be simplistic, naive, blinkered and ill-considered (esp in his post-Beatles "Yoko and me" "Paul's a bastard" days, which was when Imagine was written) War doesn't happen because there's not enough people wanting peace. Lying in bed for a week and chanting "Give peace a chance" or " War Is Over" or "Imagine there's no bad people" is just pie in the sky. "Imagine" any of John's slogans being trotted out strategically during the Middle East peace talks - or Hitler or Saddam or Dubya saying "Y'know, John just might have a point" - John had the chance to be a statesman for world peace and blew it by reverting to sloganism and naive populist feel-good (but beautifully-written) melodies - altho I loved them at the time. What a waste.
But, despite your anger with me, I still love and look forward to your stuff spaff! War is over, If you want it, brother ;-)....oh, and thanks for the nice things you said :-)

thanks bobpie and thanks Adam :-)

Anger? I got none o' that, s2art.

Given your elaboration, perhaps neither "heartless" nor "clueless" applies in your case. I think, instead, that you're using "Imagine" as a straw-man representative of Lennon and the Woodstock generation; the song is the embodiment of your frustration that the Fab Four, et al., were unable to save the world. (If so, I recommend "Give Peace a Chance" as an even easier target.)

Let it go, bro. "Imagine" is pop-rock at its finest. How can you NOT love the song's brilliant subversiveness? It is radical political philosophy set to a melody so sweet that it gets played at the weddings of suburban conservatives. Who sing along. (And who can blame them? The song is simply beautiful.) There has never been another top-five single with as much light and weight.

Finally, "IMHO" would have been inaccurate, because what I said was fact, not opinion. (The preponderance of empirical data indicates that people who dislike "Imagine" truly *are* clueless and/or heartless. Except maybe you.) Also, it wasn't humble.

well IÂ'll interpret the "perhaps" as concession enough, but my feelings towards the song arenÂ't as complex as you suggest. It has just come to irritate me over the years. IÂ'm not frustrated. I never expected the Fab Four to save the world. IÂ'm not interested in finding easy targets, and I have nothing to let go. I agree itÂ's beautifully-written, as IÂ've already said above, but I agree with your description of it as light and weight - to the point where IÂ'd combine those two words for even more accuracy....and I canÂ't argue with all that empirical data. And of course Rolling Stone 500 has it as their second or third best song of all time.

But I say "Imagine all the people accepting others opinions - yoo hoo...." and you seem to be respecting mine now, so all we need is love - peace man - and ah, woodstock!

SOTM - Stuart. What a piece of litany you've developed here. I can concur on some of these listed as well.

(ABC) Although I don't agree with your list, Stu...(both Micky and Rikki are classics IMHO)...I respect your right to publish it, and make me laugh my socks off.

(SOTM) Funnier than hell ('cause hell ain't funny). I'm surprised you didn't pick a bunch of N*SUCK songs to put on your "unsung" list.

What the hell was I smoking yesterday? Above entry should read SOTM, not ABC. Sheesh...:-0

(SOTM) "unthere" ... I'M NOT WORTHY! I'M NOT WORTHY! That one word makes the parody, IMHO.

Spectacular in every way Imagine-able. I mean, "Ribbons of yellow provoke my aggression"? "Keys on a keyboard with no racial issues"? Too many great lines for a mere TMGLTM. And the little mini-debate with Spaff was a great bonus. I totally agree. With both of you, on every point.

I'm not sure if 'elitist' is the right word, but for a guy like me who was born in a decade after most of these songs were written, it's hard to appreciate your subject matter.

It's still very clever and very well written, and in addition you inspired me to go search for the text-book definition of 'elitist', so you should be proud.

been away so sorry for the politeness delay

thanks Tim and Kristof and mustang!

I was very pleased that "unthere" came to me from nowhere, JD - thanks!

thanks Claude, in every way Imagin-able (all the good ways that is ;-))

thanks 2nz - I think the word you were kindly trying to avoid using was "arrogant" and it IS arrogant by definition to be so critical, but I claim it's a contrived arrogance because it was a necessary approach once I got the idea

(SOTY 05) see above

(SOTY 2005) I knew that "perfect harmony" was tied to "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing"; I heard the Coca-Cola parody of that song as a kid; it sucked too. What I meant was that after hearing a karaoke as off-key, off-pitch, dissonant and cacaphonous as I did any harmony would have been good. To Spaff: I have no problems with "Imagine" lyrics-wise; it needs a better tune though. "..set to a melody so sweet.."; too sweet.

Uh-oh, it looks like Red Ant just landed himself in the "clueless and/or heartless" category. 'Tis a shame; he was showing such promise.

Still lovely, s2art. Splendidly assembled. I agree with all the kudos and will add more for injecting Air Supply into the middle of "I've Never Been to Me." Here's how much of a music geek I am, though: I get all of your references but don't know whether the second line is about "Holly Jolly Christmas" or the Mary Poppins song, or whether "Fly on broken wings" refers to "Blackbird" or the Mr. Mister song that TOTALLY RIPPED IT OFF. Careful, though; if you say that "Blackbird" should be unsung, that would put TWO White Album songs on your list. Such sacrilege coupled with your "Imagine" dis would equal a Spaff coronary.

Actually Spaff, since I prefer my MB handle "Stu" to my more formal amiright "Stuart" I'm quite voluntarily "artless" - and wouldn't have minded being accused of THAT at all ;-)

and also, I might explain that honoring the idea and polishing the parody were my aims here and not to represent THE 36 songs I hate most. There would be 1000s of songs that I at least mildly don't care for, and these are just 36 of those - just the 36 that paced the best, as I've explained earlier above somewhere

In fact, as I also said, I actually don't mind "Jolly Holiday" by Boney M (quite a catchy tune) but I don't love it, so that went in, and that pretty well sums up my available-to-include criteria

As for Blackbird, thankfully I'm able to avoid a "clueless-heartless" attack there at least, because I've always loved it, and it was the highlight of a Wings concert I went to in 1975. The "Broken Wings" line definitley refers to the breathily sentimental Mister Mister over-production.

And the second line, as I just said, refers to Boney M's "Jolly Holiday" - although maybe I would be less harsh if it had have been "Jolie Holiday" - and I have very fond childhood memories of the entire Mary Poppins soundtrack, so I would never have dissed one of them)

...and thanks mate for noticing the tucked-in Air Supply dig :-) (sappy Aussie crooners, no less - "Air Brushed" would have been a better moniker)

Apparently I'm clueless then, Spaff. TOS was released several years before I was born, and I didn't even hear it for the first time until several years after Lennon's death - obviously my age has much do to with presumed cluelessness. I'm not saying it wasn't a great song or in any way putting down John Lennon; the lyrics were fine, just that given the music with which I grew up (mostly hard rock/metal and alternative/grunge) listening to the tune of "Imagine" has me imagining a more rocking beat. I parodied "Imagine" to that effect; apparently 15 or so other people on this board are "clueless and/or heartless" as well. Perhaps they appreciated my imagination. I invite you to take a look at it and give me your opinion.

I've always understood 100% what your aims were with this, s2 (minus the art). Honestly. I get it. This is, as I've said repeatedly, a great parody. What makes it great is not just the humor and the skill involved in assembling it, it's also that the subject matter invites debate. The truth is, whether anyone else likes or hates the same songs I like or hate isn't important to me; it's simply a fun topic. So I hope that neither you nor Red Ant thinks I'm serious when I call you brainless and/or heartless for disliking "Imagine." (But I would recommend a thorough medical examination just to be on the safe side.)

Hey, Jack. I didn't see your comment until after I posted my last one. Obviously I suck at conveying a playful tone. So let me just state this for the record: I don't actually think that either of you is clueless and/or heartless.

NOW THEN. NOBODY BETTER MAKE FUN OF "LA MACARENA" OR I WILL KICK SOME ASS.

whoops, I think the Boney M song's title was actually "Hooray Hooray" so my second line referred to the "jolly joliday" lyric that occurs in the chorus

no worries, Spaff, with all the other stuff - people get defensive about songs they hold dear (esp. ones that are played at weddings of nearest and dearest) and so they should! I think your only problem was that the words you chose, ie. "clueless" and "heartless" are hard to interpret in the humorous way you intended - but it's all gone way thru to the keeper (a quaint Aussie cricket term) AFAIC

(this was also one of those rare ones you do quite easily and quickly, and you expect to be a one-dayer, then it somehow grows legs and reaches a wider audience - I'm dumbfounded as to how well this one has been received and scrutinised - happily dumbfounded of course!)

Second Place
http://www.inthe00s.com/index.php/topic,15147.0.html

Well, I had forgotten I had read and voted on this before (memory is one of the first things to go...I think...maybe...did someone tell me that? dunno)...anyway, I voted again - this time from work - It's still a very good piece of work ~ ~ ~

You forgot "Seasons in the Sun"and the so-bad-it's-a-guilty-pleasure song "Billy Dont Be a Hero", but it still gets 5s from me!

I totally agree on both, Jack - thanks :-)

Hey, what's wrong with "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy, I've Got Love In My Tummy"???... Congrats on working in so many, most on my worst list too; one not yet commented on above (I think) is "Black And White" (sneaky reference -- love it!)... Happy New Year, Mate, and Five Betty Davis Eyes to ya!

it doesn't surprise me we're on a bad-song-list wavelength TT - ditto for the Betty Davis ("knows just what it takes to make a pro blush" - bleah) Eyes, but again you bamboozle me, this time with the Black and White ref that I didn't realise I'd cleverly snuck in (psst, where?) - and HNY to you too!

It's me -- I mean, it's I -- who's bamm - booze - led, cuz the first song that came to mind on seeing non-racial keyboards (as Claude Prez did note) was "Black and White", by 3 Dog Night ("The ink is black, the page is white..." etc. Barrfff!) instead of "Ebony And Ivory". I drunk you I was told -- but it's New Beer's Eve... and how's about doin' a parody of "Black And White" now?

Also meant to laud you for "melted cakey", but you and I have discussed the "melted cakey" song, elsewhere, haven't we? (coughMcArthur'sMarkcough)

Wow, I'd never seen this one before. You've razzed some sentimental faves of mine as well as some downright good tunes (IMO), but this is inventive, clever and bloody impressive nonetheless.

Re. Spaff's 'broken wings' "ripoff" comment: master songwriter Jimmy Webb ("Witchita Lineman", "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", "Galveston", "MacArthur Park" - heh) once ran into the guys from Mister Mister right around the time they were basking in the glow of their big hit, and gently but sternly chastized them when in mid-conversation, he realized they hadn't been well-versed enough in their craft to be aware that their 'take these broken wings' hook echoed a line from one of the most famous songs in the pop music canon (or so he claims, as I recall). It's a lesson I personally always took with a grain of salt, since when I'd get an idea for a parody, I'd often make the conscious decision NOT to check and see if anyone had already used that title/idea. Anywhoo... Webb's songwriter memoir 'Tunesmith' can give you a real appreciation of the craft of songwriting - lyrics and melody...

(ABC) A classic in the MacArthur Park of Parodies! I still don't know what "city construction" and "Claire" refer to.

I don't know what "Claire" refers to but "City Construction" could be a referance to "We Built This City On Rock N' Roll" by Starship (Known for being the most annoying song of all time, although I beg to differ on that one claiming that "Sexyback" is the most annoying song of all time). This is a Stuart classic, and a very difficult contender in this round.

Yeah

(ABC4-T) See above!

Kinda impossible to forget this parody (and the comments). Still brilliant work, Stu, and one of my favorites by you.

(ABC4T) Stu - I do not know how I missed this but by the dates in the comments I would suspect it was during my 2 plus year absence from the site. Funny thing though - more than a few of your wishful unsung songs I have done parody on. Maybe it takes bad OS's to make it worth the time to spoof it. This is an amazing piece of work here Stu. I hope no one ever unsings this parody. Well done!

This is just fantastic, Stu.
It's interesting to be in the position where, as I attempt to come-up with new stuff for the comps, you are able to reach back and retrive a masterpiece like this. Looking at this parody, and the comments, I am going to state that, IMHO,this comes from the "Golden Age" of amiright. That's not to say that there isn't still great stuff being written, but it seems that more of the "cornerstone" writers were active then.
Also, I guess I connect with these "traditional" parodies more than some of the newer stuff. Anyway, great job !!!!

ABC- I could definitely think of many more songs you can add to be unsung. "Afternoon Delight" comes to mind. Very funny and well done, Stu.

(ABC) I know I've read and commented on this before. . .maybe I just didn't see it in the sea of other comments. "Songs that ask ME if I think Rod is sexy" -hahahahahah