Songs Too Earnest to Take Seriously

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Some years ago, a friend (now, alas, deceased) and I made a playlist of "songs too damn earnest to take seriously," I don't remember the contents very well, but I'd like to sort-of recreate it, and I'm recruiting the lot of you to help.

The first two chosen, the ones that inspired us to make the playlist, were "One Tin Soldier (Theme from Billy Jack)" and "Billy, Don't Be a Hero."

Fellow PE'ers -- what other songs would you recommend?

[SteveSly]

Some years ago, a friend (now, alas, deceased) and I made a playlist of "songs too damn earnest to take seriously," I don't remember the contents very well, but I'd like to sort-of recreate it, and I'm recruiting the lot of you to help.

The first two chosen, the ones that inspired us to make the playlist, were "One Tin Soldier (Theme from Billy Jack)" and "Billy, Don't Be a Hero."

Fellow PE'ers -- what other songs would you recommend?

That "Proud To Be An American" song by Lee Greenwood comes to mind.

[JKL2000]

Some years ago, a friend (now, alas, deceased) and I made a playlist of "songs too damn earnest to take seriously," I don't remember the contents very well, but I'd like to sort-of recreate it, and I'm recruiting the lot of you to help.

The first two chosen, the ones that inspired us to make the playlist, were "One Tin Soldier (Theme from Billy Jack)" and "Billy, Don't Be a Hero."

Fellow PE'ers -- what other songs would you recommend?

I'd think you'd include "The Night Chicago Died," unless it's too damn peppy!

[MudShark22]

That "Proud To Be An American" song by Lee Greenwood comes to mind.

On my radio show in college, I mashed this up with the shortened / campled version (used by Ice-T in Shut Up Be Happy) of Jello Biafra's "Message from our Sponsor" opener from his No More Cocoons LP.
I have that cassette somewhere......

Yes IMO, Lee fits the bill here...

Death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit.

[taliesin]

Terry Jacks "Seasons in the Sun".

[moecurlythanu]

Nothing wrong with "One Tin Soldier."

[SteveSly]

On my radio show in college, I mashed this up with the shortened / campled version (used by Ice-T in Shut Up Be Happy) of Jello Biafra's "Message from our Sponsor" opener from his No More Cocoons LP.
I have that cassette somewhere......

Yes IMO, Lee fits the bill here...

Death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit.

That sounds like a great mashup!

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

All good suggestions! Though I don't think I could stomach actually listening to "Seasons in the Sun." Gawd, I hate that song.

Nothing wrong with "One Tin Soldier."

Nope. Nothing at all. Nor with the other songs on this thread so far, except, of course, for ...but you know.

[JJ88]

There were definitely quite a few of these mawkish things in the 70s. 'I've Never Been To Me' springs to mind, especially that hysterical spoken word bit. 'No Charge' is another one...probably a few country ones actually.

In the 60s, I've always loathed 'In The Year 2525'. That thing just drones on and on (I'm aware of the irony of saying that on here), it might as well be 2525 by the time it's finished. And 'Where Do You Go To My Lovely' (was that a US hit?) for the same reasons- it's dreary. And there's the whole pseudo-sophistication of the lyric, bleurgh.

'Deck Of Cards', that one is just too much.

Some might say 'Macarthur Park' but I like that one so there.

[moecurlythanu]

Though I don't think I could stomach actually listening to "Seasons in the Sun." Gawd, I hate that song.

Like that one too. Tbh, I like everything Poppy Family related (except the stupid name) that I've heard so far.

[JJ88]

Actually Bobby Goldsboro has a few entries in this 'hall of shame'. 'Honey' and 'Summer (The First Time)'. I can't bear either of these. He has a few earlier 60s ones that are good like 'Little Things'.

[bigbassdrum]

Trying to parse the wording 'too earnest to be taken seriously' - songs where the singer over-emotes? Too serious of a subject?

I kinda liked 'Ballad of the Green Berets' when I was a kid; I also remember a song called 'D.O.A.' by Bloodrock

[SteveSly]

Some might say 'Macarthur Park' but I like that one so there.

You beat me to it as I was just going to mention "Macarthur Park". Comedian Andy Kaufman used it's lyrics to audition for Saturday Night Live back in the day. Taken out of context with the music the lyrics are pretty bad:

[veteranof1000psychicwars]

"Lightning Strikes" by Lou Christie. I could never tell if he was being serious with that one.

[bfd]

Hmmm...Songs too earnest and the face of Andy Kaufman led me to this...the delivery of the final line about "flying so high when he's stoned" is pure..Shatner.

[JJ88]

"Lightning Strikes" by Lou Christie. I could never tell if he was being serious with that one.

I like that one, and even if I didn't it's fairly short anyway.

Trying to parse the wording 'too earnest to be taken seriously' - songs where the singer over-emotes? Too serious of a subject?

I think at worst it's a combination of both.

[pb2015]

If we're listing all of the ridiculous A.M. pop songs, "Once You Understand" by Think.

[JKL2000]

There were definitely quite a few of these mawkish things in the 70s. 'I've Never Been To Me' springs to mind, especially that hysterical spoken word bit. 'No Charge' is another one...probably a few country ones actually.

In the 60s, I've always loathed 'In The Year 2525'. That thing just drones on and on (I'm aware of the irony of saying that on here), it might as well be 2525 by the time it's finished. And 'Where Do You Go To My Lovely' (was that a US hit?) for the same reasons- it's dreary. And there's the whole pseudo-sophistication of the lyric, bleurgh.

'Deck Of Cards', that one is just too much.

Some might say 'Macarthur Park' but I like that one so there.

Windmills Of My Mind
Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

[llanwydd]

Joe Hill
Ode to Billy Joe
Richard Corey
Patches

[Progbear]

All good suggestions! Though I don't think I could stomach actually listening to "Seasons in the Sun." Gawd, I hate that song.

Agreed, but it was a long road from the source material to Terry Jacks' abomination. Please don't blame this one on Jacques Brel, "Le moribond" was actually quite a deep, bitter song about a man calling out his unfaithful wife, his duplicitous "best friend" and the hypocritical priest on his death bed.

The first nail in the coffin was the translator of the original text to English, pop-poet and songwriter Rod McKuen. Now, as much as folks love to skewer McKuen these days, he had a genuine love of Jacques Brel and his songwriting, and wanted to do his work justice. You can hear that in the original version (by the Kingston Trio), which retained the bitter taste of the original. However, McKuen couldn't resist leaving his stamp on the material, adding cheesy "poetic" touches like the infamous "starfish on the beach" line, which I assure you was not in the original.

I don't know if I can lay all the blame on the song's metamorphosis into its heinous final form at Terry Jacks' feet. I'd not at all be surprised to learn that some suit at Bell Records insisted that he change the more unsavory lyrics, resulting in the maudlin drivel we all know and loathe. However, I can partially blame Terry Jacks, if only for him clearly not showing faith that DJs would play the right side of the record by placing a deliberately execrable song ("Put the Bone In," which surely must be one of the worst pop songs ever written) on the flip side.

[Halmyre]

Actually Bobby Goldsboro has a few entries in this 'hall of shame'. 'Honey' and 'Summer (The First Time)'. I can't bear either of these. He has a few earlier 60s ones that are good like 'Little Things'.

'Honey' is truly dire. The line about "then one day the angels came and took her"; someone interpreted that as Honey running away with Hell's Angels, this being preferable to living with her arsehole of a husband who "laughed till he cried" when "she slipped and nearly hurt herself".

OTOH, 'Summer (The Last Time)' has an atmospheric vibe about the musical arrangement that compensates for the cheesy lyrics.

[Lopez]

For me, it's the song "Today" by the New Christy Minstrels. I used to really like this number when I was in grade school. Now, mostly, I can't stand large ensemble folk music (so nicely parodied in A Mighty Wind).

[MudShark22]

Tie A Yellow Ribbon

Death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit.

[Mister Triscuits]

I can partially blame Terry Jacks, if only for him clearly not showing faith that DJs would play the right side of the record by placing a deliberately execrable song ("Put the Bone In," which surely must be one of the worst pop songs ever written) on the flip side.

He actually did get airplay for that side...on the Dr. Demento Show.

'Honey' is truly dire. The line about "then one day the angels came and took her"; someone interpreted that as Honey running away with Hell's Angels

I always thought it meant she had been traded to Los Angeles.

[veteranof1000psychicwars]

[QUOTE=JJ88;1263391]I like that one, and even if I didn't it's fairly short anyway. [QUOTE]

I actually like Lightning Strikes also. I just have never been able to tell if Lou is being "earnest", or if he is parodying it.