40 Hit Songs With Hilariously Awful Lyrics
You’re in the car or office when a hit song comes on the radio; it’s a catchy ditty and it instantly has you humming along or tapping your feet. But then you hear something truly awful: as excruciating as nails on a chalkboard, it’s so bad that it stops you in your tracks. Yes, you’ve heard a terrible or nonsensical lyric. But don’t fret – you’re not suffering alone. Many acclaimed music critics and music aficionados feel exactly the same sense of grievance towards these songs. Read on to discover some of the most frustrating phrases of all time: how many of them do you know?
“De do do do de da da da. Is all I want to say to you.”
The Police have their fair share of memorable songs. The English rock trio fronted by Sting churned out hits such as “Walking On The Moon,” “Message In A Bottle” and “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” But among those undeniable catchy singles is the nonsensical “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da,” which contains some of Mr. Gordon Sumner’s worst lyrics. “De do do do de da da da. Is all I want to say to you.” Oh do buzz off with that gobbledygook, Sting.
“I’ve got nothing to say, I’ve got nothing to say, I’ve got nothing to say.”
The Strokes were hailed by many as the vanguard band for a rock ‘n’ roll renaissance when they emerged from the New York scene in the early noughties. But by their third record First Impressions of Earth numerous critics began to argue that they had run out of ideas. And nowhere was this more evident than on “Ask Me Anything.” The Mellotron-heavy track had frontman Julian Casablancas singing “I’ve got nothing to say, I’ve got nothing to say, I’ve got nothing to say” over and over. Why bother then?
“Now you get to watch her leave out the window. Guess that’s why they call it window pane.”
Back in 2010 “Love the Way You Lie” was a major hit for rapper Eminem, reaching the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 and staying there for seven weeks. But although the song – which featured a powerfully sung chorus from Rihanna – was a huge success, it also contained some of Slim Shady’s worst lyrics. A case to point being the clunky homophone pun in the line “Now you get to watch her leave out the window. Guess that's why they call it window pane.” No it isn’t, Em.
“Only time will tell if we stand the test of time.”
Van Halen were the kings of late ’70s and early ’80s rock excess. Eddie Van Halen was a bona fide guitar god, and their theatrical singer David Lee Roth oozed sex appeal. But lyrics were never the band’s strong point. And never was this more apparent than on the hit “Why Can’t This Be Love?” The song actually includes the line “Only time will tell if we stand the test of time.” A good job they had plenty of hooks, then.
