20 Most Cheesy Songs of All Time

[Rob Houghton]

I've always hated the word 'cheesy' when it comes to music, because most of the records people describe as 'cheesy' are songs I really like - most of ABBA, for example, is supposed to be 'cheesy'. I actually quite like most of the songs on Eddie's list (though I can appreciate some are 'cheesier' than others ).

To me, most 'cheesy' songs were once very, very popular with the masses...maybe too popular, and so were overplayed, until people grew tired of them.

Surely 'cheese' is a generational thing: one mans 'cheese' is another man's classic?

[Lucky Star]

To me, most 'cheesy' songs were once very, very popular with the masses...maybe too popular, and so were overplayed, until people grew tired of them.

I think you've hit the nail on the head there Rob. There are whole club nights dedicated to "cheesey music". Songs qualifying as Cheese are extremely popular at events like weddings etc. One can buy compilations of these tracks in the shops. They are very popular indeed, so popular in fact that they have ;lost any shred of mystery or "coolness" that other, lesser known songs retain.

[MJE]

     This is not the sort of discussion I would normally enter, since I don't know much about it. But a few ideas occur to me. (Because I don't know much about this, some of my suggestions may arouse controversy; I may possibly be giving cheesiness a slightly different meaning to some other posters here.)
     Is cheesiness mainly based on the music or the words? Or can it equally easily be either?
     For me, it's probably mainly words - a tune is a tune, and I don't see how it can be cheesy. I may like it or I may not much, but that's merely personal preference, not necessarily an objective indication of appalling taste (which is what I associate with cheesiness). On the other hand, I think poorly-chosen words can be appallingly cheesy quite easily.
     Here are a few ideas of mine on cheesy songs or styles:


  * Rubber Ducky

  * Don't Worry - Be Happy

  * Chirpy Chirpy, Cheep Cheep
      Oddly enough, redolent of a whole period of my life, the early 1970s, when I heard this a lot in various places. I had no idea at the time what the words were saying, though. I quite like it though (inexplicably), even though it is undeniably cheesy - described on one Internet site as "capable of emptying a room within two minutes".

(But many of these have quite attractive, catchy tunes - it's probably mainly the *words* that are cheesy.)

  * Many songs that sentimentalize love or include the phrase "I love you".

  * Any popular song based on a classical work
      (Song-writers: create your own ideas; don't piggy-back on the work of the greats who came before you. If you have any talent, it's not all that hard to come up with a good tune of your own.)

  * Muzak

  * Any style of music forced wholesale on the public against their will


     Now I'm going to be controversial and nominate a few things which are very dear to some people. Don't flame me; I'm only saying what *I* find cheesy - not saying others should think so.


  * What a Wonderful World (either Louis Armstrong or Israel Kamakawiwo'ole versions, but somehow mostly the former)
      I put this in the controversial list because I know it's much loved by many; but to me its sugary-sweet depiction of life is almost tactless and insensitive in glossing over the real harshness and tragedy so often found in life, and (to me) almost trivializes it. For most people, life is *not* lemon-drops or rainbows so pretty in the sky. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's much sparer version somehow reduces the cheese factor - I'm not quite sure why - but doesn't entirely cancel it.

  * Most school songs

  * Most national anthems

  * Advertising jingles

  * Any music whose purpose is to promote propaganda or suggest to you how you should think or feel about something (of which the above are prominent examples) - whether the thing itself is good or not is almost immaterial - I just don't like propaganda.

  * Most Chrismas carols
      I just don't like being force-fed on them ad nauseam in November and December, and find some of their lyrics rather artificial and sickly-sweet.


     Probably not cheesy, although appears so initially:

  * Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Monty Python)
      Possibly redeemed because I think it is probably ironic in intent. What is cheesy on face value may be very much *not* cheesy when used ironically to make almost the opposite point.


     I don't know if it's coincidence or not - but many songs I find cheesy when the lyrics are considered actually have quite attractive tunes.

Regards, Michael.

[RDMorrell]

Has Barry Manilow had a mention?

I Can't Smile Without You is pretty cheesy, although I have to admit I love it! Mandy is also pretty big on cheesiness.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I don't know whether I'd call the whole song "cheesy", but when we were children my sister and I used to make fun of a song my mum had on one of her cassettes. The words we used to laugh at were:

Someone left the cake out in the rain.
I don't think that I can take it
'Cos it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again,
Oh no!

After having forgotten about it for years, I found myself singing it the other day while baking a cake on a rainy day! So when I next spoke to my mum on the phone I asked her what the song was and she said it was MacArthur Park and the version she had was sung by Richard Harris. Seeking it out on YouTube, I was surprised to find it was the same Richard Harris who played Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films. I hadn't realised he had been a singer as well as an actor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WHx0B90FUc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Must be one of the longest songs I've ever heard!

[Katharine]

Anita, the words of that song meant nothing to me, but when I heard it on Youtube I recognised the bit 'I don't think that I can take it'. I don't know if which version I'd previously heard though.

[Moonraker]

Yes, I remember that song well, Anita. Funnily enough, when i heard that Richard Harris was an actor, I wondered if it was the same Richard Harris! I have only heard the song sung by Richard Harris.

[7upromana01]

5: Istanbul by They Might Be Giants

[Julie2owlsdene]

I like Macartha Park. I've always liked it. It's about a break up, I think.

[Lucky Star]

Macarthur Park was quite a revolution when it came out. Most records were only about three minutes long at that point and this one was about ten! I have heard that DJs had no idea what to do with it, dont know how true that is. Perhaps Eddie could confirm or deny it?

For many years I only knew the Donna Summer version but I actually preder the Richard Harris version now. Its has also been done by many other arists including Glen Campbell and Sammy Davis Jnr.

[Katharine]

I would guess I'd probably heard the Donna Summer version as I remember her having other hits when I was a teenager.

[Wayne Pyer]

Richard Harris also played the lead in the musical film Camelot.

[Wolfgang]

Beggar's opera (or is it Beggars' opera?) also played McArthur Park, about 8 minutes long.

[Lenoir]

I have that track on vinyl (Pathfinder album) and I see they wrote the band's name with no apostrophe, on the sleeve and LP. Probably should be one. I wouldn't call it cheesy.

[Bectun67]

Macarthur Park is a funny one for me.... I have always loved Donna Summer, and heard her version first. But Richard's is such an "epic" production of the whole thing, in a way hers trivialises it.