Actually, I like a lot of these songs--there's a lot of great pop craftsmanship here. I wouldn't want to listen to all of them back to back--but in small doses, I think they're safe to consume without fear of insanity or diabetes.

"I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor
Hey this got me through a 4 year divorce. I would drive my LeBaron convertible with my friends and we would sing this at the top of our lungs.

Uh yeah, we did get stopped once, but heh, my brother is deputy chief of police in that suburb.

I don't know what you're worried about, those songs aren't as bad as this one I like...gulp....."Mandy" by Barry Manilow

I agree with Ed; I don't think any of these songs are all that bad.
Even "Come On Eileen" ("Sod Off, Eileen") isn't really bad, it just annoys me.

And no songs I like are bad. By definition ;)

I smiled repeatedly as I spotted many of my own quilty pleasures on the list.

Add Gary Glitter's History of Rock & Roll, Vehicle by Tower of Power, and anything by the Stylistics.

Good to see some Aussie stuff.

Chrissie Amphlett from the Divinyls (now living in New York) was awesome live. The band was part of the great pub rock era in Oz in 70's @ 80's that produced AC-DC, Men at Work, INXS etc.

The good days.

I loved the inclusion of Elvis' A Little Less Conversation. My personal favorite of his.

But the one I sing in the shower each time the holiday season rolls around:

"You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch..."

"Wild Thing" as performed by Sam Kinneson, but only the video version. And I have to confess that I really did like "Rock Me, Amadeus" back in the day. Finally, who doesn't like to shout out the line "Good Heavens, Miss Yakamoto! You're beautiful!" from Thomas Dolby's "Blinded By Science" every now and then?

'When the Rain Comes Down' by John Taylor of Duran Duran fame. Used once on Miami Vice, it always makes me want to drive and shift a little faster...

And 'I Knew The Bride' is pure pleasure.

"Dancing Queen" by ABBA.

I like KC and the Sunshine Band "Do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight".
Actually I love DISCO. You know how hard that is being a hetrosexual right winger?

Actually the theme song to The Grinch Who Stole Christmas was sung by Thurl Ravenscroft, the voice of Tony the Tiger as well.

I don't know that it's a "bad song", but it's from a cheesy artist: Phil Collins.

Anyway, combine "In the Air Tonight" with that episode of Miami Vice when it served as the theme song. That is what you call synergy, baby!

Walk the Dinosaur by Was/Not was
Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi
Starship Troopers by Yes
Sususudio by Phil Collins
Rico Suave by Gerado
Rythym of the Night by DeBarge

Stephen, I strongly disagree with the notion that Sweet Home Alabama belongs on this list. It's fabulous.

Agree definitely with Freedom 90, and loved the video, probably because I could congratulate myself as hip for knowing all the supermodels' names.

My No. 1 would be "Could this be the Magic" by Barry Manilow.

I notice your list is alphabetized by first name of artist. Just taken from MP3 list, or is there more to it? Will there be 50 more with N-Z?

"Shame"

by Evelyn Champagne King

And I can't wait to hit Kazaa tonight with your list in hand.

SHAMELESS BLEG:

Since there are music fans posting here, I'll take a flyer and see if anyone can answer this for me. I'm looking for a George Strait song about drinking a bottle of Jim Beam in the shape of Elvis, and pouring the contents into a Flintstones jelly jar. The chorus goes something like, "I pulled the head off Elvis, and filled Fred up to his pelvis, Yabba Dabba Do, the King is gone, and so are you."

Anyone know where I can find it?

How about "I Like it Like That" by the Blackout All Stars....

I admit it. The Beach Boys', "California Girls" makes me cry. It is the essence of lost youth, energy, innocent fun. Something that only happens before adulthood and responsibilities come our way. It's not a bad thing when they do, but that song reaches way back to a time when we didn't have all these problems. They were there, we just didn't realize it yet.

I would have very much liked to be a California girl, but alas I was already a Connecticut mother of three when that song came out. As for all the other songs on these lists, I may recognize a half dozen of them. They are all way after my time.

My favorite is Jo Stafford's rendition of Hank Williams's "Jambalaya." I doubt anybody who reads the VodkaPundit ever heard of it or Jo Stafford.

"The King is Gone (So Are You) is the song you are looking for, Beth. It's by George Jones.

I know I'm going to be drawn and quartered for this (figuratively, I hope) but I would submit about 80% of the songs produced by the most overrated but self-promotion-savvy band of all time, the Beatles.

C'mon. Maxwell's Silver Hammer? Happiness is a Warm gun? Mean Mr. Mustard? I may enjoy listening, but I'm honest enough to admit that these are far, far more gawdawful than most of those mentioned above.

I think most boomer-aged Americans would be forced to admit the reason they like the Beatles is because of what they represented, not because of their music.

No person need be hesitant about admitting to liking The Stylistics, or anything of that oeuvre. For an excellent appreciation, the soundtrack to the movie "Jackie Brown" is worthwhile. Bobby Womack's "Across 110th Street" is one of my favorite all-time tunes. For something completely different, the disc also has Johnny Cash singing "Tennessee Stud"; fabulous!

Now, for a true source of shame, I have enjoyed Frankie Valli's "What a Night". I slink away......

On the karaoke circuit, the B-52's "Love Shack" qualifies as a guilty pleasure. It's one of the longest hit songs in the repertoire and gives the male voice little to do, but I always enjoy watching women have fun with it! On the other hand "Killing Me Softly" makes me cringe, as it refuses to make a quick and graceful exit.

C'mon, Steve, a lot of those shouldn't cause any guilt. Take the Carole King song; it's fantastic!

One of the great things about living in the 21st century is that we can leave behind the childish musical cliques of the 20th century that said you couldn't like this or that music if you were born after such-and-such date, or you couldn't like this musician without being an "old fogey", or it's a contradiction to like this genre here AS WELL AS this other genre over there.

It's all just 20th century music now.

Musically, Love Will Keep Us Together by the Captain and Tennille is indistinguishable from Motown. Does that make you less ashamed of liking it?

I've heard of Jo Stafford, erp, but I grew up on Hank and Frank.

And now that I look back, I think one of the reasons I thought Spanish was easy to learn was that I would sing along w/Astrid Gilberto's album w/the Girl from Ipanema on it. Some of the songs were partially in Portugese.

Saw her live, too, and she didn't sing it. That was a waste of money and time.

And God help me, I still think a lot of songs from Saturday Night Fever are great. Movie's terrible.

When you hear it, just imagine it's song by a row of elegantly dressed gorgeous black ladies.

And forget the guy in the funny hat. He's not there, just 5 goddesses in cocktail dresses, OK?

Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart."

God help me.

for Beth & her shameless Bleg:

The King is Gone and so are you George JONES http://www.allcountry.de/History/Archive/George_Jones/G_Jones_Songbook/GJonesSong08/body_gjonessong08.html#THE KING IS GONE

God. "Don't Wanna Fall In Love" and "Freedom 90" are classics! George Michael's philosophical breakdown still makes the hair on my arms stand up.

Guilt? Possibly, but I just prefer to call them Songs I Don't Listen to When Anyone Else Is Around. Besides lots of the ones mentioned already: Have You Seen Her by the Chi Lites, Me and Mrs. Jones by Billy Paul, I Ran by A Flock of Seagulls, Little Red Corvette by Prince, Love Rollercoaster by the Ohio Players and by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

In an odd coincidence, I'm listening to the 12" mix of 'Bela' right now...

Teehee... *any* cheezy 70s love song... I am mad for them!

Examples:

"Operator" by Jim Croce
"I Wanna Make It With You" by Bread
"Just You and I" by Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle
"Sweet Life" (I can't remember the artist, though - I think he was a 'one-hit wonder')

Thanks, Steve-o, for the walk down Bad Song Memory Lane...!

It's shocking how many of those songs show up on my own MP3 playlist.

You've got "I Touch Myself" by The Divinyls, but another good "guilty pleasure" song by them is "Pleasure And Pain." It highlights Christina Amphlett's voice even better than their more famous track.

Also..."I Know There's Something Going On," by Frida (after she left ABBA and went solo...produced by Phil Collins, and I think he played drums on this track). And "Send Me An Angel," by Real Life (more Aussies!); I have 3 versions of that song in my playlist (the original, the '89 remix, and the '89 dance mix).

Oh, and another "Send Me An Angel," the one by The Scorpions. Different song entirely. And Madonna's "Frozen." And the cover of "Master and Servant" by Locust (off the "For The Masses" Depeche Mode tribute album). And "You Can Do Magic," by America (that one was a favorite of my mom's).

I could go on...

"Don't pay the Ferryman" the artist escapes me at the moment.

God, I love Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet band!! I love Seger's lyrics!

Bad Moon Risin' - I think by Three Dog Night

Bobby Darin's Mack the Knife with "that body, just ooooooozin' life ..."

Dory Previn - Down Where the Iguanas Play

Oh, and yes, the Beach Boys. She Had Fun, Fun, Fun 'Til Her Daddy Took The T-Bird Away

Paul Simon Call Me Al

Bob Marley - Redemption Song

And - total cringe ... Moonlight Lady by Julio Iglesas.

Least favourite - John Lennon's Imagine. I hate that whiney, preachy song.

"Don't Pay the Ferryman" was by Chris DeBurg, who also did "Lady in Red"

I hate myself for liking Huey Lewis and the News.

Lynn -- "Sweet Life" is by Paul Davis. Not quite a one-hit wonder. He also had "65 Love Affair," "I Go Crazy" and "Cool Night."

Dawn byt the Four Seasons. But you gotta play it loud. REAL loud.

Of course, I'm from Jersey, which means I like my bands to look like gangsters.

"Afternoon Delight" by the Starland Vocal Band
"She's a Bad Mama Jama" by Carl Carlton

"Bad Moon Risin'" is by Creedance Clearwater Revival, and it is one of John Fogerty's best. As far as Three Dog Night tunes, I was always unguiltily fond of "What Does it Matter?", the one that starts with:

Well, I've never been to Spain
But I kinda like the music

Well, one of my "guilty" songs isn't because of the song, but where I first heard it.

"At This Moment" by Billy Vera and the Beaters.

On the Michael J Fox sitcom, "Family Ties"

Great song. Brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. Hey, even big, tough Texans have a soft side!

Since this is turning into a nostalgia-fest (geez, people nostalgic about the music of their youth? who'da thunkit?), I may as well mention this.

I haven't yet, because I do not consider it a bad song, and have no feelings of guilt. (I don't consider it a serious song, either.)

"I Wanna Be a Cowboy" by Boys Don't Cry.

How come the current 80's nostalgia wave never gets that song played on the radio??? It was wacky and fun.

I wrote about one of these sorts of songs almost a year ago.

The original "I Will Survive" is an execrable abomination. The remake by Cake, on the other hand...

Nobody's mentioned Belinda Carlisle yet...two of my guilty pleasures are "Heaven is a Place on Earth" and "Circle in the Sand".

OK, you can stop laughing at me now.

You want Musically Incorrect try this list:

Moody Blues
Elton John
The Monkees
Niel Diamond
Gordon Lightfoot
John Denver
Carole King

Frankly, the typical pop critic wouldn't know good music if you played Mozart for him.

Dude, those are great songs. You are supposed to like these songs. Being too hip is very unhip.

So many...... This popped in my head though.

Mexican Radio by Wall of Voodoo

You can't touch this - MC Hammer

Anything by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, especially "Young Girl". And the execrable "Stony End" by Barbra Streisand. I can't stand these songs but they're so full of hooks that if I ever hear them, it takes days to wipe them from my brain (again).

"You Spin Me 'Round Like a Record" by Dead or Alive

Actually, the song that begins "Well I never been to Spain" is titled "Never Been to Spain" and was written by Hoyt Axton, whose corpus of work is definitely one of my guilty pleasures.

Another? Two words: Meat Loaf. Always loads o' fun on the karaoke circuit.

Drop Queen in your portable CD player and walk a few miles while all around you are searching for the straight jackets. Then cool down to Beth by Kiss.

Inna gadda davida, Iron Butterfly

17 minutes from Hollywood and Highland to Florence & Crenshaw.

Never could make the light at Highland & LaBrea, tho. Too afraid of tipping the bus thru an off-camber left turn.

Heh.

Picking Up the Pieces -

theme song from the movie Swingers

Borderline - Madonna. I have a soft spot for Madonna's first album.

From the Eurotrash department we have:
I Melt With You - Modern English.
99 Luftballoons - Nena

And..
Rio - Duran Duran. I see there are a few DD entries. Not surprising.

"You dropped a bomb on me" by The Gap Band
>Shame

"Take on me" by Ah-Ha. The perfect example of a video having nothing to do with the lyrics yet enhancing the song.

"Your Kiss is on My Lips"

Hall & Oates

i am so ashamed of myself.

"McArthur's Park" by Donna Summer; I don't know why, for God's sake it's about a stupid yellow dress, and a cake. But I love it!

We didn't start the fire - Billy Joel

One many would include but I consider the best parody song ever made.

Barbie Girl - Aqua