Un-cool songs you will still sing in the car

[HuskyHawk]

We've all got these. Songs that are perhaps embarrassingly uncool, but when they come on the radio in the car, you want to sing along anyway. Let's see what you can come up with. Here are a few from me to get it started.

1. So Far Away - Carole King (she could probably have a few on this list)
2. Wildfire - Michael Martin Murphy. (the shame is strong with this one)
3. Rocky Mountain High - John Denver
4. Cracklin' Rosie - Neil Diamond (yes, it's a song about bad cheap wine)

 

[8893]

Carole King will never be uncool.

I will--and do--sing any and every song played on the Sirius '70s on 7 station.

"Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" is probably the most characteristic one.

 

[August_West]

ABBA

you can add 75% of ABBA's full catalog to the list. I know the words to all of them.

 

[8893]

ABBA

you can add 75% of ABBA's full catalog to the list. I know the words to all of them.

My wife and daughters know all the words to all of them and they all sing them whenever they are on. I don't know the words and I don't like the songs, but I enjoy watching them enjoy it.

But just yesterday it was my middle daughter and me in the car and "Take A Chance On Me" came on while I was surfing past the '70s station. She immediately started singing every word, and I simply repeated the words "take a chance" for four minutes. It was glorious.

 

[August_West]

My wife and daughters know all the words to all of them and they all sing them whenever they are on. I don't know the words and I don't like the songs, but I enjoy watching them enjoy it.

But just yesterday it was my middle daughter and me in the car and "Take A Chance On Me" came on while I was surfing past the '70s station. She immediately started singing every word, and I simply repeated the words "take a chance" for four minutes. It was glorious.

its great stuff.

 

[8893]

I saw Ivan Neville cover Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" with the band Dragon Smoke a few years ago and he gave an intro where he told the guys in the room to admit that they sing it when they are alone in the car and it comes on. Ever since then, I do.

 

[HuskyHawk]

ABBA

you can add 75% of ABBA's full catalog to the list. I know the words to all of them.

Great point. When I heard Luka Bloom cover Dancing Queen, it really brought how how great a song that is.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Carole King will never be uncool.

I will--and do--sing any and every song played on the Sirius '70s on 7 station.

"Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" is probably the most characteristic one.

My car has the 70's station next to The Bridge, which tends to play mellow 70's pop tunes. That's where I heard So Far Away the other day, causing me to submit this post. As a musical decade, the 70's will never be topped.

 

[8893]

My car has the 70's station next to The Bridge, which tends to play mellow 70's pop tunes. That's where I heard So Far Away the other day, causing me to submit this post. As a musical decade, the 70's will never be topped.

My car has three screens with six presets each, and the '70s station is in the first position of my second screen, right next to Classic Rewind.

It was on '70s when I got in the car this morning, and I gleefully sat through "What a Fool Believes," giving a full-throated singalong.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

ABBA

you can add 75% of ABBA's full catalog to the list. I know the words to all of them.

Did you learn them in English or do you simply sing them phonetically?

 

[August_West]

Did you learn them in English or do you simply sing them phonetically?

English

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

English

Abba & Arby's.
Do you have a third alliterative two-syllable favorite?
If not, are you Apple or Android?

 

[August_West]

Abba & Arby's.
Do you have a third alliterative two-syllable favorite?
If not, are you Apple or Android?

Apple for mobile.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Let's not forget the filthiest pop song ever, Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band.

 

[8893]

Let's not forget the filthiest pop song ever, Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band.

I was all of ten years old when that song came out and I LOVED it, singing it at the top of my lungs throughout the house.

Then came "Heaven on the 7th Floor" and "Undercover Angel," with much the same reaction.

I think my parents started to try and have "the talk" with me after that, to explain why I shouldn't be singing these AM radio staples, but I don't think I grasped it for another few years.

I still remember my buddy's parents banning "The Joker" because of the "I really love your peaches, want to shake your tree" line. We were like "Wha...???"

 

[HuskyHawk]

I was all of ten years old when that song came out and I LOVED it, singing it at the top of my lungs throughout the house.

Then came "Heaven on the 7th Floor" and "Undercover Angel," with much the same reaction.

I think my parents started to try and have "the talk" with me after that, to explain why I shouldn't be singing these AM radio staples, but I don't think I grasped it for another few years.

I still remember my buddy's parents banning "The Joker" because of the "I really love your peaches, want to shake your tree" line. We were like "Wha...???"

I was also ten in 1976. Best year ever.

 

[CL82]

Sweet Caroline, of course but also Build Me Up Butter Cup. I am pretty sure I have joined in on Tony Orlando and Dawn's Knock Three Times and Take a Letter Maria. I'm not proud of it.

On a semi-related note, isn't it amazing how songs you kind of scoffed at as kid are the same ones that you now turn up the volume for?

 

[HuskyHawk]

Sweet Caroline, of course but also Build Me Up Butter Cup. I pretty sure I joined in on Tony Orlando and Dawn's Knock Three Times.

On a semi-related note, isn't it amazing how songs you kind of scoffed at as kid are the same ones that you now turn up the volume for?

Well, that'd kind of what I meant by "uncool". Songs I thought were uncool when they came out.

The variety that existed on pop radio in the 70's was simply staggering. Here's the top 100 from 1975.
Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1975 - Wikipedia

 

[8893]

Sweet Caroline, of course but also Build Me Up Butter Cup. I am pretty sure I have joined in on Tony Orlando and Dawn's Knock Three Times and Take a Letter Maria. I'm not proud of it.

On a semi-related note, isn't it amazing how songs you kind of scoffed at as kid are the same ones that you now turn up the volume for?

I didn't scoff at much. I think '70s A.M. radio was the best thing ever. The breadth of material played then is staggering when you think about it today.

Pretty sure I had "Knock Three Times" on 45.

 

[8893]

Well, that'd kind of what I meant by "uncool". Songs I thought were uncool when they came out.

The variety that existed on pop radio in the 70's was simply staggering. Here's the top 100 from 1975.
Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1975 - Wikipedia

I didn't scoff at much. I think '70s A.M. radio was the best thing ever. The breadth of material played then is staggering when you think about it today.

Pretty sure I had "Knock Three Times" on 45.

Ha! Warped 51-year old minds think alike!

 

[HuskyHawk]

I didn't scoff at much. I think '70s A.M. radio was the best thing ever. The breadth of material played then is staggering when you think about it today.

Pretty sure I had "Knock Three Times" on 45.

I actually mostly listened to 60's and 70's AOR rock back then, but I heard plenty of pop as well. But my first ever .45 was "Rock the Boat" by Hues Corporation.

 

[storrsroars]

I rarely sing in the car. And when I do, it's usually to something you've never heard of.

I went to UConn in the 70s. The decade had some excellent music. But hardly any of it plays on terrestrial radio. Or on Sirius/XM for that matter (only had that for a week). Nor did much of the really interesting stuff make it to radio even back then, except for things like the King Biscuit Flower Hour or WNEW-FM, especially Scott Muni's "Things from England" show.

You guys would likely scoff at my vinyl collection. And I at yours.

Kansas, KISS, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Sabbath, ZZ Top, Journey, Rush, Supertramp, Foreigner, Van Halen... all should've gone into musical history's dustbin 40 years ago, IMO.

 

[CL82]

I didn't scoff at much. I think '70s A.M. radio was the best thing ever. The breadth of material played then is staggering when you think about it today.

Yep, although FM didn't have (as much) static and gave us the long play versions of songs.

 

[8893]

I actually mostly listened to 60's and 70's AOR rock back then, but I heard plenty of pop as well. But my first ever .45 was "Rock the Boat" by Hues Corporation.

I was the seventh of eight kids so I was raised on the Beatles and the Stones, and I also listened to a lot of FM and album rock then, especially if I was the one choosing the music. But the great thing about A.M. is that it played everything and it was always on in the kitchen or the car.

ETA: I also had "Rock the Boat" on 45.

 

[8893]

I rarely sing in the car. And when I do, it's usually to something you've never heard of.

I went to UConn in the 70s. The decade had some excellent music. But hardly any of it plays on terrestrial radio. Or on Sirius/XM for that matter (only had that for a week). Nor did much of the really interesting stuff make it to radio even back then, except for things like the King Biscuit Flower Hour or WNEW-FM, especially Scott Muni's "Things from England" show.

You guys would likely scoff at my vinyl collection. And I at yours.

Kansas, KISS, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Sabbath, ZZ Top, Journey, Rush, Supertramp, Foreigner, Van Halen... all should've gone into musical history's dustbin 40 years ago, IMO.

Not a fan of any of those except select ZZ Top, Journey and Supertramp tunes.

I wouldn't scoff at your vinyl and I doubt you would scoff at mine. I loved the King Biscuit Flower hour and Muni's show.

I also loved the parody of Muni they used to do on the old Imus in the Morning show.

ETA: Tough to believe you got a good sampling of Sirius if you only had it for a week. The Loft is my number one preset and many of the shows are free form, which is what I like most. Little Steven's Underground Garage (number three preset) also goes pretty deep.