Bits in songs that make you cringe

[HolidayAtNight]

Inspired by the thread the other day about "More Than Words" by Extreme. Like many posters, I hadn't heard the song in years, so went to listen to it. It was all going well until the bit when he sings "Hold me close don't EVAH LET ME GO" and I had to turn it off immediately.

What bits of songs do you find jarring and/or embarrassing? I have so many, but will try to choose a few. Lines where they've had to awkwardly shift the words around or use old-fashioned vocab/syntax to make them fit are definitely among the worst offenders.

In "Upside Down" by Diana Ross: "Respectfully I say to thee..." Whyyyy

In "A Spaceman Came Travelling" - the bit where he sings about a baby's cry and then the guitar imitates a newborn crying. This might be the worst one.

In "Come On Eileen" - "You in that dress, my thoughts, I confess, verge on dirty" Just no. The awkward old-fashioned phrasing, and the way his voice goes when he sings "dirty". Unbearable.

Victoria Beckham ft Dane Bowers- Out of Your Mind. Enough said on that one.

I just heard Justin Timberlake’s Rock Your Body and I cringe when he sings about his plans to “have you naked by the end of this song” 🤮

Tammy Wynette married four times, she would know. Stand by your man my arse.

I do unironically think it’s a belting tune though.

Me too I actually love country music, the old stuff was very much a sign of the times, especially the likes of Loretta Lynn etc

Great song but this line in Red light spells danger by Billy Ocean. It goes:

"An' now I'm like a child again
Calling out his mama's name"

What child calls their mum by their name? "Sharon! I need my nappy changed!"

🤣🤣🤣🤣

I had a listen to the song and loved the lyrics

Its a catchy tune

@GinToBegin Ha ha! I actually love the song itself, but totally agree about the horrible horrible way he says "Debussy." Makes me feel sick. But the rest of the song, absolutely triumphant!

"He brought out the woman in me,
So many times, so easily."
🤮 from All I wanna do is make love to you.

No wonder Heart themselves refuse to perform it live.

Maybe it's seen as standard North American language - or maybe their pedants hate it too?!

I love the Jim Steinman song Surf's Up, but that too has the irritating How hard do I gotta try?

Ah, I hadn't even thought about Lola, although that was a lot less subtle about the subject matter - to an adult mind, at least.

No, it's definitely the right song:
Desmond stays at home and does his pretty face
And in the evening she's a singer with the band

Molly stays at home and does her pretty face

That’s the first verse, and the later in the song it changes to Desmond

I came here to quote this lyric.

Most of Never Ever by All Saints, starting with "uh need to know wot uh dun wrong" said so seriously

God yea terrible isn't it ! Loved that film so much though

Love this thread lots of LOLS

So it does!

The chorus is sublime though!

Can't bear any song with naff croony spoken bits. Eg Sandy by John Travolta, Lonely This Christmas by Mud, When a Child Is Born, Johnny Mathis etc. The cheese factor is just too strong for me to stomach.

Also, Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke which is just plain rapey....

@xsquared oh my God, I forgot about Heart!

The bit about walking in the garden and planting a tree makes me heave..

I love Queen but the whole of I want to break free makes me cringe. Especially the video and the following lyric:

I’ve fallen in love
Ive fallen in love for the first time
And THIS time I know it’s for real
I’ve fallen in love

makes no sense!!!

Alec
I think that Queen were making the point that he'd never been in love before ( not properly anyway !) so it was the first time being really in love! That's what I take from that
Although it goes on about ' being free' so maybe they don't want to be in love ?
It is a confusing song

And why does he pronounce love as laaauuuve at the end of that section about falling in love? 😃 Brian May’s little guitar solo mimicking the vocal line is also quite cheesy.

I think he wants to break free from the unsatisfactory relationship he’s currently in so he can be with the new person he’s fallen in lauuuve with.

The video to ' I want to break free' did not go down well in America apparently! Not impressed with it at all over there.
I thought it was great , but the actual song is annoying!