Rock's Most Overrated Songs

[R. Evans]

That reminds me, 'Bat out of Hell' (the song, not the album) belongs in my Academy of the OverRated. Though I do rate Jim Steinman as a songwriter, but there was a time where even a slightly dribbly fart from Mr Meat's derrière would be heralded as a mini-symphonic masterpiece, no questions asked.

That's twice today dude. You're killing me!

 

[Riff Raff]

The Oxford online dictionary defines 'overrated' as: an adjective meaning, 'have a higher opinion of (someone or something) than is deserved: an overrated player'. Most dictionaries, inc. OED, will define over-play as the verb, overplay, which is not helpful.

To measure the extent to which a rock song is held in a higher opinion than is deserved is difficult to the point of impossibility and therefore, as has already been mentioned, is highly subjective. For example on what basis is the opinion measured? Is it musical dexterity, artistic feel, style, popularity, radio airplay, sales, marketing, ubiquity, live performances, the judgements of journalists, the opinions of rock stars, or a combination of these? Added to this, is how do we collect the data? Which brings to mind who, why and where?

The disproportionate extent of radio airplay could be relatively easy to survey, but on what grounds should it be measured, by sales, popularity, media hype, media promotion and the like? There are rock songs which gain cult popularity despite sales. There others which gain popularity over an extended period of time.

Don't forget FM radio in the US is a different set-up to radio broadcast in the UK and continental Europe. Sweet Home Alabama and Freebird may have had frequent airplay in the US, but they were hardly played here in the UK. Their popularity grew by word of mouth and an underground following. They also had very tentative press coverage, if any. Indeed, they are still neglected here; I remember Street Survivors being in the sales bins at the time the key musicians were killed in an air crash.

In the UK a combination of press opinion and record sales are often taken as arbiters of good taste, which seems highly unreliable. However, if a song is widely held in high esteem, such as Black Dog or Stairway to Heaven, (in a way which has a ring of truth) why shouldn't it be highly rated? They are not my cups of tea, but that is not the point. The same could be said for enormously popular and big selling records like Born in the USA, Frampton Comes Alive and The Wall. The only proviso I would add here is when a song from a particular genre is rated at the expense of others, ie punk rock over progressive rock, or when the song just advocates killing cops, beating women and whatever else.

One of my favourite quotes is from Robert Graves who said Shakespeare is a very good poet despite everyone saying he is. This (as very good songs) applies to The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and others. I love some of them, but not necessarily all. That doesn't make their songs overrated in my opinion.

Apologies for making this verbose, but, finally, isn't this a negative thread which invites negative comments? Sorry Bruce, but couldn't one person's fun be another's inflammatory remark, especially as what constitutes 'overrated' rock songs is difficult to define?

So far I think this thread has been fine, people have been pretty civil about other peoples chosen over rated titles. As long as everyone knows they shouldn't take what other people choose so seriously no flame wars should come about.
People will debate over others choices but as long as it is just that and not personal I am fine with it.

 

[R. Evans]

Okay, since it's now been established that this is fan-based overrated I'm cutting loose.

The End by the Boors (Doors)- what an overblown, pretentious, narcissistic piece of shit this is. Could we be anymore self-involved?

Give It Away by Red Hot Peppers (Assholes par excellence)- How in God's name was this a hit? Seriously have you listened to this excrement? And if you have more than once, why? Why?

God Of Thunder by Kiss (Piss)- Number 2 in the personal list of worst songs of all-time. (Don't worry #1 is on the way) I ride to work with a guy who has Sirius and we listen to the Boneyard on nights when I can wean him off of Rightwing Bullshit radio. And this is heard within 15 minutes of tuning in. I hate it!

Do Ya Think I'm Sexy by Rod Stewart- If he had started with this I wouldn't hate it so much. But in his previous life as a rocker rather than a panderer, he actually had some killer songs. No artist fell as far from songs like Handbags And Gladrags, Cut Across Shorty, Reason To Believe, Mandolin Wind, and others to this utter piece of shit. It's almost as if it's not the same guy. I think this Rod is Pod Rod. You know Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and all that. The absolute most disappointing release from an artist who's better than that.

Freebird by...ah skip it. I never liked it and I'm sick of it. Warren Zevon said it best in Play It All Night, sarcastically I might add, "Play that dead band's song again". Actually please don't!

Hey you asked for it, you got it.

 

[Riff Raff]

Okay, since it's now been established that this is fan-based overrated I'm cutting loose.

The End by the Boors (Doors)- what an overblown, pretentious, narcissistic piece of shit this is. Could we be anymore self-involved?

Give It Away by Red Hot Peppers (Assholes par excellence)- How in God's name was this a hit? Seriously have you listened to this excrement? And if you have more than once, why? Why?

God Of Thunder by Kiss (Piss)- Number 2 in the personal list of worst songs of all-time. (Don't worry #1 is on the way) I ride to work with a guy who has Sirius and we listen to the Boneyard on nights when I can wean him off of Rightwing Bullshit radio. And this is heard within 15 minutes of tuning in. I hate it!

Do Ya Think I'm Sexy by Rod Stewart- If he had started with this I wouldn't hate it so much. But in his previous life as a rocker rather than a panderer, he actually had some killer songs. No artist fell as far from songs like Handbags And Gladrags, Cut Across Shorty, Reason To Believe, Mandolin Wind, and others to this utter piece of shit. It's almost as if it's not the same guy. I think this Rod is Pod Rod. You know Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and all that. The absolute most disappointing release from an artist who's better than that.

Freebird by...ah skip it. I never liked it and I'm sick of it. Warren Zevon said it best in Play It All Night, sarcastically I might add, "Play that dead band's song again". Actually please don't!

Hey you asked for it, you got it.

When it comes to RHCP I also think Under the Bridge is on the same boat. I wouldn't say I hate either Give it Away or Under the Bridge but those are two songs I am tired of hearing. I think they have better material like Fight Like a Brave for one, Jungle Man is another.

 

[R. Evans]

When it comes to RHCP I also think Under the Bridge is on the same boat. I wouldn't say I hate either Give it Away or Under the Bridge but those are two songs I am tired of hearing. I think they have better material like Fight Like a Brave for one, Jungle Man is another.

In all honesty, anything by RHCP fits the bill as overrated and overplayed. Even if I've never heard it, it's overplayed.

 

[Soot and Stars]

I'll just add what I've been adding to threads like this forever! The most overrated thing I know of is saying something's overrated!

 

[TheSound]

Okay, since it's now been established that this is fan-based overrated I'm cutting loose.

The End by the Boors (Doors)- what an overblown, pretentious, narcissistic piece of shit this is. Could we be anymore self-involved?

Give It Away by Red Hot Peppers (Assholes par excellence)- How in God's name was this a hit? Seriously have you listened to this excrement? And if you have more than once, why? Why?

God Of Thunder by Kiss (Piss)- Number 2 in the personal list of worst songs of all-time. (Don't worry #1 is on the way) I ride to work with a guy who has Sirius and we listen to the Boneyard on nights when I can wean him off of Rightwing Bullshit radio. And this is heard within 15 minutes of tuning in. I hate it!

Do Ya Think I'm Sexy by Rod Stewart- If he had started with this I wouldn't hate it so much. But in his previous life as a rocker rather than a panderer, he actually had some killer songs. No artist fell as far from songs like Handbags And Gladrags, Cut Across Shorty, Reason To Believe, Mandolin Wind, and others to this utter piece of shit. It's almost as if it's not the same guy. I think this Rod is Pod Rod. You know Invasion Of The Body Snatchers and all that. The absolute most disappointing release from an artist who's better than that.

Freebird by...ah skip it. I never liked it and I'm sick of it. Warren Zevon said it best in Play It All Night, sarcastically I might add, "Play that dead band's song again". Actually please don't!

Hey you asked for it, you got it.

Now you're cookin' !!Very entertaining post RE!!!! ... a triple-play success in fact!!...1) you made me laugh, 2) you seriously dissed 'The End' - which I adore - but I didn't reach straight for the anti-depressants after reading your misplaced invective, and 3) neither Rod Stewart or the Chili Peppers (nor any other band/artist 'put down' in this topic) ever reads CRF, so nobody should be offended right?

 

[JerseyGirl]

I'd like to ask one question. Everyone keeps talking about people being offended. Where was there once in this thread anyone taking offense to anything anyone posted? I didn't see anything like that at all.

 

[Riff Raff]

I'd like to ask one question. Everyone keeps talking about people being offended. Where was there once in this thread anyone taking offense to anything anyone posted? I didn't see anything like that at all.

Nor did I. I was saying as long as people don't take it seriously enough to be offended that its all good.

 

[R. Evans]

I'd like to ask one question. Everyone keeps talking about people being offended. Where was there once in this thread anyone taking offense to anything anyone posted? I didn't see anything like that at all.

Nah, no one got offended just a little bored with my arguing over what is overrated and what is overplayed.

All's well SFE, so let loose with your picks for overrated and overplayed.