Henry’s Music Blog

No one has the exact same taste as anyone else. This is a fact. Not even The Beatles are universally loved at this point in time. So I know that next to no one will fully, or even partly, agree with this list. But these are my opinions, and no one will change these choices. But please wait to send your hate-filled comments until the article is finished. So, lets begin this list.

10. Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinéad O’Connor

First things first, I do not hate this song. In fact, I actually kind of like it. Overrated doesn’t mean bad. But this is a song that has been brought down by its legacy. It’s just never moved me like its done with so many other people. To me, it’s always been a good song, and nothing else. It’s mostly that I don’t think anyone can really cover Prince.

9. Louie Louie - Kingsmen

This is another song that I don’t hate, but also has never really done anything for me. However, it is much easier to know why this song is still one of the most wildly loved songs of the past century. Without this very song, Garage Rock & Punk would not exist. First of all, The Who did it a lot better a few years later. Secondly, forebearers are almost never the best. The Jazz Singer is not the best “Talkie” ever made. This is a song that has been taken over by influence and the controversy surrounding the supposed lyrics.

8. Ramble On - Led Zeppelin

I know that a lot of people would probably choose Stairway to Heaven for a Led Zeppelin choice, but I actually like Stairway to Heaven. Instead, it’s Ramble On that I can’t listen to. Led Zeppelin were best when they were either Zeppelining old blues tunes, or when they were breaking new ground for future artists. But Ramble On does neither. Instead, it’s a lifeless song with none of the powerful drumming of John Bonham, and terrible lyrics about The Battle of Evermore. Without Ramble On, Led Zeppelin II would be an absolutely perfect album. In fact, if they switched Ramble On and Immigrant Song of III, it would fit perfectly.

7. Welcome to the Jungle - Guns ‘n’ Roses

Appetite for Destruction is the purest form of pure Rock ‘n’ Roll. And Welcome to the Jungle is one of the purest forms of everything that rock music stood for; sex, sex, and more sex. But that doesn’t make it a good song. To me, Axl Rose has always had an intolerable voice, but it is remarkably shrill and painful here. And there isn’t a sign of the amazing guitar of Slash, instead playing the most basic guitar work in Hair Metal, a genre based on style, not substance. Is it a good opener for the album? Absolutely. But that doesn’t make it a good song.

6. Strawberry Fields Forever - Beatles

Yep, I’m targeting the Beatles. Try and stop me. Now, I still really like the Beatles. You basically have to. But their legacy does not excuse Strawberry Fields Forever, an aggravating slog of a song. To put it simply, the song doesn’t go anywhere in its whole 4 minute run. The song mostly shows that John making the “edgy” songs, as is commonly generalized, doesn’t necessarily mean quality. Penny Lane by Paul is much more nostalgic and sweet. Even its influence is inexcusable. It gave us Prog Rock. Not even good Prog, like Close to the Edge Yes. It gave us slow, meandering, boring Prog, like Tales from Topographic Oceans Yes.

5. Don’t Stop Believing - Journey

Why is it that we constantly still allow this song to thrive, well past its expiration date? Journey was probably the worst of the Arena Rock boom, with stupid anthems of every cliche still being called classics, when they’re all pure crap. But Don’t Stop Believing sticks out.  It’s impossible not to hear it at least once, due to being an irremovable part of pop culture. But why? Is it the overly power ballad-y piano? The repetitive bass line? The this-is ripped-straight-from-the-guide-lines Arena Rock solo? Steve Perry’s awful voice that feels like mayonnaise in my ears?

4. I’m Waiting For My Man - Velvet Underground

This is another song that’s called the “blueprint for punk”. And Velvet Underground can walk in some great genres, and leave unscathed in their experimentation. But this version of punk is not one of them. Instead, Lou Reed and Pals constantly smash against your head in their incessant slamming of the same notes, with a change overly boring for a band like the Underground. Lou Reed somehow sounds more bored than usual. I didn’t know that was possible.

3. Hound Dog - Elvis Presley

I hate Elvis. There, I said it. His music is simply not interesting to me, and the fact that he’s basically Pat Boone with fans that are still alive doesn’t help matters. So this place is essentially for his whole catalog. But Hound Dog exemplifies this. With the most boring beat possible, nothing interesting in the music at all, and Elvis’s entire persona makes this the perfect choice for all of Elvis’s tired catalog. Although the song is worth it for the performance where he sings to a basset hound.

2. Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen

Born in the USA is possibly the most overrated album of all time. But that’s a topic for another time. Right now, what we have is the title track, considered the embodiment of everything Springsteen has. It’s got a famous main riff, rebellious lyrics, a powerful theme, an excellent performance from Bruce, and was misinterpreted to be patriotic. But do you want to know what has all of that, plus dignity? BORN TO RUN, ONE OF THE GREATEST SONGS OF ALL TIME. I apologize for yelling. But really, the song is a retread of everything Born to Run had, without any of the brains. I love Springsteen, but the whole album is a step in the wrong direction for him.

1. Blowin’ in the Wind - Bob Dylan

Yep. I went there. This song is, quite frankly, absolutely terrible. I understand that this was a very important song when it came out, back around when everyone was protesting the Vietnam War. But songs like For What It’s Worth and Fortunate Son are still absolutely fantastic songs. Blowin’ in the Wind has absolutely nothing going on. With a folk guitar pattern that sounds like every other folk song ever written, it must be Dylan’s voice, like the voice of an angel. You people crack me up some times. This is probably Dylan’s worst performance ever, at his most nasal, it’s no wonder why it’s called one of the greatest songs ever written.