What is the most overrated song you can think of?

[Patty]

The Doors’ “Light My Fire” & “Touch Me Babe.” Idiotic lyrics, idiotic melodies. Never got why the French so revere Jim Morrison.

 

[BigJackBrass]

Wonderwall.

And every other song by the humourless third-rate Beatles impersonators, but mostly Wonderwall.

 

[Wiggy]

Since this has morphed into which artist is overrated: anything from the "Sir" Paul McCartney solo era.

 

[eternal tinkerer]

At the risk of sounding like an old fart, a lot of pop music since the early 2000's.

How about in particular - pop music of the early 2000's? Most of what was on the radio was just awful.

 

[Brian PacNW]

I went to an all-time best rated songs list and found one that stood out.

Macarena

 

[Mike $]

The Doors’ “Light My Fire” & “Touch Me Babe.” Idiotic lyrics, idiotic melodies. Never got why the French so revere Jim Morrison.

Both of those songs were written by guitarist Robby Krieger, not Jim Morrison. Jim wrote the cool ones. Break on through, Five to One, Riders on the Storm, People are Strange, Unknown Soldier....etc...etc...The French are smarter than you think. (No coward jokes please, it's been done to death)

 

[captain-janeway]

Anything by the Beatles. They just irritate me. Unfortunately their songs show up in most playing groups.

 

[captain-janeway]

At the risk of sounding like an old fart, a lot of pop music since the early 2000's.

I'm the same way with songs past the neo-traditional country time. That's when everything went to country pop and all beer and truck music with male singers .

 

[captain-janeway]

I pick Jolene, by Dolly Parton and the host of imitators who have covered it. How many times does she have to repeat one name in a song? Honorable mention goes to Vincent Black Lightning which goes into the "why am I listening to this song, and will it ever end?" category.

That catchy hook is why everyone can sing it. I'm still trying to figure out the guitar riff at the beginning for uke.

 

[mikelz777]

Anything by the Beatles. They just irritate me. Unfortunately their songs show up in most playing groups.

I really find this difficult to fathom, especially when their music changed so much in their seven or so years so there's such a variety. I can understand not liking some Beatles but not liking any Beatles?!! Whatever genre one would place them in their music would be amongst the best in that genre. It's like saying I don't like pizza or ice cream!

 

[Joyful Uke]

According to wiki, this reached #4 on the charts in the US, (and did well elsewhere, too.) Really?? LOL.

 

[Joyful Uke]

Anything by the Beatles. They just irritate me. Unfortunately their songs show up in most playing groups.

Just curious how much of their catalog you've listened to. There is a lot of variety, but people who have only heard some of the more "famous" songs might miss out on some very inventive music, especially in context of their time.

But then again, if they irritate you, I can understand that you're not wanting to do a deep dive of their music. Sometimes I do when I think I don't like an artist that is popular because I'm trying to understand what I'm missing. Sometimes it turns out that they really aren't for me, but sometimes I discover some great music.

 

[bbkobabe]

Does overplayed = over rated? The more a song is liked the more it gets played but I'm trying to think of a song or songs that are over rated that aren't over played.

For Hotel California, both apply perfectly.

 

[peanuts56]

Most overated? Anything by Led Zeppelin.

Robert Plant's Voice - nails on a blackboard, whether Zeppelin, The Honeydrippers, or his recordings with Allison Krause. I didn't even know it was him, but had that visceral reaction where i just wanted to puncture my eardrums.

Right with you on that. Zeppelin are the biggest frauds. Plant sounds like his shorts are too tight. Page uses a violin bow and everyone thinks he's a genius.

 

[peanuts56]

MacArthur Park

I like this piece a lot. Jimmy Webb does it in his live shows on piano. It's really simplified.
Second City TV did a hilarious skit involving this song.

 

[peanuts56]

For Hotel California, both apply perfectly.

Hotel California to me is an American version of Stairway To Heaven. Both bore me to tears.

 

[Ms Bean]

The Doors’ “Light My Fire” & “Touch Me Babe.” Idiotic lyrics, idiotic melodies. Never got why the French so revere Jim Morrison.

I love both of these, but 'Touch Me Babe' is definitely of of my personal favourites!
(And Patty, I confess that I still have the JM poster from my student room rolled up and stored away, together with the Steve McQueen/The Great Escape one.)

 

[Ziret]

I’ll go to my undisclosed location right after I post this, but the US national anthem. America the Beautiful would have been better for so many reasons.

 

[AZChris]

We are the World.

I agree with Joe T regarding the IZ version of Over the Rainbow with the butchered lyrics.

 

[Larry U]

I’ll go to my undisclosed location right after I post this, but the US national anthem. America the Beautiful would have been better for so many reasons.

I agree. It's a terrible tune, almost impossible to sing with any skill, and the lyrics are banal, at best. We can do much better.