Songs That Suck, Songs That Don't

CNN.com, isn't just a trusted news authority and source of pop-up ads. They're also about fun polls! For instance, they have revealed the results of a worst songs poll.

Out of more than 5,800 "entries", the five worst songs were identified as:

5. Terry Jacks - Seasons In The Sun (from Ultimate 70's Pop)

4. Charlene - I've Never Been to Me (from 80's One Hit Wonders)

3. Debby Boone - You Light Up My Life (from Billboard Top Movie Hits: 1970s)

2. The Captain and Tennille - Muskrat Love (from Captain & Tennille's Greatest Hits)

1. Paul Anka - (You're) Having My Baby (from 30th Anniversary Collection)

Songs receiving at least 1% of the vote included Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods' "Billy, Don't Be a Hero", Paper Lace's "The Night Chicago Died" Starship's "We Built This City", Morris Albert's "Feelings", the Starland Vocal Band's "Afternoon Delight", the Archies' "Sugar, Sugar", Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart", America's "A Horse with No Name", and Ohio Express' "Yummy Yummy Yummy". Oh, and naturally, Los Del Rio's "The Macarena", and Don McLean's "American Pie".

"The Horse With No Name" is a typo, obviously. Otherwise, stellar choices.

Morris Albert - Feelings (from Super Hits Of The '70s Vol. 17)

Ohio Express - Yummy Yummy Yummy (from Super Hits Of The '70s Vol. 17)

Starship - We Built This City (from Billboard Top Hits: 1985)

Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods - Billy, Don't Be A Hero (from Super Hits Of The '70s Vol. 13)

Other respondents named Dan Hill's syrupy "Sometimes When We Touch", Lionel Richie's "Say You Say Me", and Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On", one of my own choices for worst song ever.

Dan Hill - Sometimes When We Touch (from Super Hits of the '70s: Have a Nice Day Vol. 21)

To make up (somewhat) for all the suckage... some high-quality music.

The first is a haunting and beautiful cover by a band who may not have gotten as much attention as they deserved, at least not in the States. They have now changed their name to Moreau and have a new album out. In one fell swoop, the new name eliminates confusion with that explorer dude and creates an exciting new mystery: which Moreau are we supposed to be confusing the group with, exactly? More than one? It's fun!

I very much dig The Ocean Blue and Jets to Brazil. I suggest listening to Anka's drek, gazing at that picture of him sitting on top of the world, then listening to "I Typed For Miles"' wonderfully-written depiction of how painful life can be for a talented musician.

Enjoy!

Hmm, the JJ72 song is a bit deep too.

Perhaps some peppy songs tomorrow. Perhaps. Having to listen to those bad songs does something to a person...

Cousteau - Blue Melody (from Sing a Song for You - A Tribute To Tim Buckley)

Jets to Brazil - I Typed For Miles (from Orange Rhyming Dictionary)

The Ocean Blue - Don't Believe Everything You Hear (from Beneath The Rhythm And Sound)

JJ72 - October Swimmer (from Melody Maker: 21st Century Noise and JJ72)