(Side note before we get started here: I had never seen this music video before I clicked on it to put in this post. I’m alone in my room right now, and when Travis entered on a horse I confusedly said “What??” to no one at all. It got weirder from there.)
So in case you didn’t watch or have already forgotten Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show (which is entirely possible, because zzzzzzzzz), a Spongebob Squarepants ‘Sweet Victory’ lead-in turned into a poorly animated comet going through the stadium, which turned into Scott starting his first verse on ‘Sicko Mode.’ The song is Scott’s most popular yet, reaching number 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in December and becoming a meme of sorts in conjunction with Sheck Wes’ ‘Mo Bamba,’ both of which were highjacked by white college dudes looking to get hype with their bros.
This got me thinking about other songs that have been run into the ground over the years. There are certain songs that, while great, have been run into the ground over time by ballpark DJs, radio hosts, and bros in pastel shorts with the aux cord. I did some contemplation and came up with the Top 5 Most Tired* Songs of All Time:
*I don’t think any of these songs are bad. As a matter of fact, most of them are,,,actually good. I’ve simply heard them (and continue to hear them) so much that I have fatigue when it comes to each one. I’m sure if I could take a few months off of hearing all of these songs and then heard them again, I wouldn’t feel the same way toward them.
*I also didn’t include songs that got run into the ground and then went away over the years, like the Plain White T’s ‘Hey There Delilah’ or Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines.’
5. Billy Joel – Piano Man
This song lands in the top 5 for several reasons. I think what bothers me the most is that it’s not even close to being Billy Joel’s best song. Also, it’s one of those songs that makes people want to put their arms around each other and sway, which is a no-go for me because I generally don’t like being touched. However, it’s not as tired as the rest of the songs on the list.
4. Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas is You
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t include a Christmas song on this list because they only have a limited run throughout the year and so they have an excuse to get played a million times. But this is no ordinary Christmas song. People (especially white girls) play this song all year round, and I am officially tired of it as of Christmas 2017.
3. Bon Jovi – Livin’ on a Prayer
This is the worst song of the five on this list, IMO. This is a lot of people’s go-to karaoke song, which I don’t really understand because it’s difficult to sing and also way overdone. Also a big favorite of stadium DJs trying to pump up the crowd during a boring regular season game in any sport.
2. Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
Although it’s popular pretty much everywhere, this song is another favorite of stadium DJs, becoming a staple at Boston Red Sox and Penn State football games. It’s catchy and easy to sing along to (including the instrumental), but I’ve heard it played so much that I’ve become numb to it. ‘Sweet Caroline’ almost took the top spot on the list, but it got squeezed out by…
1. Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’
The cream of the crop when it comes to songs that have been run into the ground, through the Earth’s crust and into the upper mantle, is ‘Don’t Stop Believin’.’ This song experienced a resurgence with the 2005 World Series champion Chicago White Sox, who used it as the team’s anthem throughout their championship run, and hasn’t slowed down in the decade and a half since. People love to scream-sing it and play air guitar to the solos. It’s a good song, but goodness gracious if I hear it one more time my head might explode.
Well, that’s it for me here. Want to tell me how correct I am and absolutely nothing else? Tweet at me or comment below!
ReJoyce 