Inappropriate songs from not too distant past....

[Boxerfan]

I've a habit of singing old songs and sometimes the lyrics are definitely yeah ummm NO . They seemed innocent-not gonna include purposeful crap like Ted Noballs produced.
I'll start from what I can think of off the top...


All the young girls love Alice -Elton John.

Arizona! - Mark Lindsey

You're 16! - Ringo Star (Don't think he wrote it)

I'm sure there's more & worse. Oh the way we were is not as great as sometimes remembered.

[BusyBeingBest]

1. "Tonight's the Night" (Rod Stewart)--that one sounds a little

icky now to me.

[mr_lebowski]

7. It is kinda icky ... but still great cause Rods voice is so good on it ...

And the melody is good too.

The 70's were pretty libertine.

I miss 'em

[Cartoonist]

2. Dion

The Wanderer
Run Around Sue

Why is it okay for him to run around but not okay for her to wander?

[Mad_Dem_X]

41. Lightning Strikes by Lou Christie

I think that's the name of it. Another song where the guy wants to run around, but expects the girl to wait faithfully for him. ICK.

[exboyfil]

3. Got to have a Chuck Berry song

[Rustynaerduwell]

4. Maybe I'm like the naive innocent he's singing about and not like the cynical singer

but, what's wrong with Arizona?

[Boxerfan]

8. "acting like a runaway child"

I'm pretty sure he was not being literal but that's why I included it-mighta been a mis remember or a stretch I'll admit.

[Rustynaerduwell]

16. I always liked that song- the cynic turning into

the Count of Monte Cristo by song's end.

[exboyfil]

5. If you are into necrophilia

[exboyfil]

6. Stalking is a thing

[exboyfil]

9. Don't forget Acid Queen

or Uncle Ernie

[Mike 03]

10. "Kung Fu Fighting" and "You're Having My Baby"

[Duppers]

29. Always hated "Having My Baby"

[LeftInTX]

37. It's mystery how that thing was a chart topper...

Such a strange song...

[mr_lebowski]

11. That's not the only one on GYBR ...

It's not even the worst.

Of course, I dig this song, but I ignore the lyrics, which are pretty damn distasteful. And course they're Bernie not Elton.

Think he might've ... uh ... BITTER at the time.

But it's damn catchy and it rocks, so ... it's mostly forgiven in my book. I wouldn't play it for my girlfriend, but ... alone? Whatever lol.

[Boxerfan]

14. I'm in agreement on the quality

I have the vinyl from way back when. I started the thread because I started singing all the young girls love Alice and that gave me the idea for a post. It's a great song but uh yeah.

[mr_lebowski]

18. The line about getting help from the social worker before you come by is ... uhhhh ...

Let's just say it's probably the nadir, but there's maybe a couple others in the running

Okay I admit I actually kinda crack up when I listen to it cause it's so over the top bitter.

[Just_Vote_Dem]

12. Venus by Frankie Avalon

The first two lines eek

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

13. Benny Mardones - Into the Night

She's just 16 years old, leave her alone they say....

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

15. Dreams of the Everyday Housewife - Glen Campbell

NOT that there is ANYthing wrong with be a housewife or househusband... and I LOVE THIS SONG!

[phylny]

28. I LOVED this song and then one day I listened and...

EWWWW!

Edited: He explained this song.

https://www.songfacts.com/blog/interviews/benny-mardones

An excerpt:
When it first was released, R&B stations all over America thought I was black. Then they found out I was white and they dropped the record. White radio was afraid to touch it because they thought it was about me dating a 16-year-old girl at my age. So Polydor Records sent out like 3,000 letters to radio stations across the country explaining what the song was really about. And the song got added and almost instantly started playing all over America. People like Tommy Nash in New York at 94 Rock, Kid Leo at WMMS in Cleveland, major, major program directors and DJs started playing the song. That's what really started the magic of "Into the Night."

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

35. Good intentions, but you know Americans don't read past the headlines!

The song MUST stand on its on during the early years.


I would love if we all paid attention and paid attention to the articles afterwards...

but as sadly as it is... instant gratification or hatred is the AMERICAN WAY!

[MustLoveBeagles]

63. The song is widely misunderstood

The song is widely misunderstood and think the video only reinforced that false impression.

[mr_lebowski]

17. This one's fairly un-PC, circa 2020, let's just say ...

But still a killer tune ...

[LakeArenal]

22. In the original is a favorite line...

In the background Rod says, “what’s your name again.”

Rita. Her name is Rita.

[mr_lebowski]

23. He makes it clear that he knows it lol ... but then he forgets ...

I suppose that does kinda go w/the overall theme of the tune.

Nowadays you can't write songs like this ... unless you're hip-hop artist ... they do so ALL the time.

[Clearly fogged in]

19. 2 for from Joe Tex

Ain't Gonna Bump No More
https://m.

Skinny Legs
https://m.

[LakeArenal]

20. Two:

Sister Golden Hair

https://m.

And

Outfield I don't want to lose

https://m.

[mr_lebowski]

21. WRT the Ringo song ... not every song is meant to be from the perspective of the person singing it

I'll leave it at that.

[FuzzyRabbit]

24. The worst one of all: He Hit Me (And It Felt like a Kiss)

Produced by Phil Spector, of course.

[Boxerfan]

25. Yikes...

Put that one out of my mind. Back when men were men & sheep were nervous.(sarc.)

[wnylib]

32. Reminds me of another song

Johnnie Get Angry by Joanie Sommers.

Refrain:
Johnny get angry, Johnny get mad
Give me the biggest lecture I've ever had.
I want a brave man. I want a cave man.
Johnny show me that you care, really care for me.

[malthaussen]

47. Yeah, those two go together like ham and eggs. n/t

[LeftInTX]

58. It didn't bother me

Johnny is not paying attention to her. He is showing no emotion and she's hurt.

She's gonna break up with him with hopes that he does something...

BTW..I'm a she...and I used to be able to relate to this song. I used to break up with my on again/off again boyfriend.

[wnylib]

62. It bothered me a lot.

Lectures and anger from men don't appeal to me. In my experience, that's a sign of possessiveness and entitlement rather than affection.

I don't get the impression in the song that he is ignoring her. The impression I get is that she feels that he is not responding strongly enough to her attempts to provoke reactions from him.

[malthaussen]

46. And Written by Goffin/King

The Crystals were pretty unenthusiastic about the song (as is obvious from the performance), but what the hell, they had a contract.

-- Mal

[LeftishBrit]

51. Yes. that's awful

[ms liberty]

26. Alice is a great song and not at all inappropriate

Unless you're singing it out loud at work. Then yea, most workplaces wouldn't be cool with it. It's a song about a young woman experiencing the gay, party life of the time period in which it was written.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

27. My Sharona - that one isn't even subtle.

[TexasBushwhacker]

40. Yeah, Sharona Alperin was 17 when Doug Forget met her

He was 25, so yeah, a little icky. They were together for 4 years and stayed lifetime friends. She's a successful real estate agent in LA. Her website is mySharona.com.

[mopinko]

30. joe jackson- is she really going out w him.

i liked him a lot till that song.
there is a line about gorillas.

[Generic Brad]

44. That is like an incel anthem

Last edited Sat Nov 14, 2020, 03:43 PM - Edit history (1)

Pair that with Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl" and you have a twin set of inappropriate 80's hits.

[mopinko]

45. yup.

my ex never got why i turned on him.

[struggle4progress]

31. Run for your life

[LeftInTX]

38. This

I was like 10 years old and I'm like, "What is this?"

[Mad_Dem_X]

42. OMG, yes

I LOVE The Beatles, but this song...nope.

[LeftInTX]

56. They also had lots of preteen fans

This one was just creepy

[gratuitous]

59. That and the Guess Who's Don't You Want Me

I suspect the song is meant as a parody of the sentiment, but it's still not a very nice lyric even if the runaway doo-wop is highly danceable.

[wnylib]

33. From outside the rock genre there's

the song from the Sound of Music, "I am Sixteen, Going on Seventeen" that is nauseating for the portrayal of naive young female needing an experienced male.

Dean Martin used this song on his show in what passed then for a comedy routine, but would never be aired on a network station today. On the show, a very naive looking teen girl sang the song while the much older Dean Martin held a martini glass and leered at her with a grin and raised eyebrow that clearly sent a message of, "Fresh meat."

[Totally Tunsie]

34. "Have some Madiera, my dear...

I have a small cask of it here."

[Boxerfan]

36. How could I forget the Doors classics.

[TexasBushwhacker]

39. I'm not sure I'd put "You're 16" in the creepy category

You have to remember that The Beatles were VERY young when the band formed. John and Ringo were 20, but George was only 17! I just look at it as a fun pop song about young love.

[Doc_Technical]

43. Dusty Springfield *❈* Wishin' And Hopin'

[malthaussen]

48. "Go All the Way" by the Raspberries is unsubtle

-- Mal

[IcyPeas]

49. Gary Puckett & the Union Gap - Young Girl

[IcyPeas]

50. The Police - Don't Stand So Close to Me

[LeftishBrit]

52. One of the creepiest

[LeftishBrit]

53. Another creepy one is 'Young Girl'

[LeftInTX]

57. I really did not find this offensive...I was 12 when I heard it

I figured I was a bit "too young" for Gary Puckett..

And it was sort of like, "don't worry about growing up too fast".

[JustGene]

55. A little older

[MustLoveBeagles]

60. I actually like most of these songs

Most wouldn't be able to be released today without an outcry.

[Tikki]

61. Ah...the Los Angeles music scene in the late 70's (very early 80's)....

"...you wear that mini-skirt...Do anything for 50 bucks
Hooker, Hooker... Standing in front of Poseur..STOP...."
Very edgy lyric for a 13 year old to be vocalizing.

"... I got a girl a twitchin' girl
I keep her cool in a dream world...."

Tikki