“I’ve got an iPod like a pirate ship. I’ll sail the seas with 50,000 songs I’ve never heard.” That’s maybe my favorite song lyric ever. It’s from Very Busy People by The Limousines in 2011. This post however is not about good music. This post is about my own very private shame. We all have an iPod/iPhone loaded with music. It is our private sanctuary where we go to melt away our stress and change our mood. Sometimes though, our sanctuary holds secrets. There are so many other deeply personal things in my life that I’d rather admit to, but I dug deep, for you. At the end, I want each and every one of you who reads this to put in the comments one song that’s in your music collection that you’d be embarrassed to admit to in front of others whose respect you want.
10. Relax: Frankie Goes to Hollywood, 1984: If someone had pointed a gun at my head at least I’d have an excuse for this one, but still…how can you not sing along? Contrary to rumors, I do not have a Frankie Say Relax t-shirt.
9. Counting Blue Cars: Dishwalla, 1995: I have no idea why I downloaded this piece of crap. Whenever it comes on I listen to about 30 seconds before moving on. And yet…I haven’t deleted it.
8. Turning Japanese: The Vapors, 1980: This was the first song I ever heard/saw on MTV. Yeah, us old people remember when MTV played music. Once this came on when my son was in the car and he said something like, “Oh my God. That is the most racist song I’ve ever heard.” It’s horrible and it’s still on my iPod.
7. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (Original TV theme): Will Smith, 1990: That’s right. I liked the show and the song so much that I downloaded the full length version. Fortunately I don’t yet have that song Carlton used to dance to.
6. Da Da Da: Trio, 1980: The song is from 1980, but I didn’t know it until the 90’s when Volkswagen used this song in a commercial. It got stuck in my head and I looked it up late one night…
5. Get It On (Bang a Gong): The Power Station, 1985: I tried to think what I could say to explain this. I’ve got nothing.
4. Can’t Hold Us: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, 2012: Sorry. I saw them on the New Years’ Eve show that year and got caught up in the hype.
3. Take Off: Bob and Doug Mackenzie: 1981: The song was garbage, but cut me a little slack because Geddy Lee from Rush is in it.
2. I Wear My Sunglasses at Night: Corey Hart, 1984: Sometimes you never forget songs you thought were cool when you were a kid.
And the most embarrassing song on my iPod is…drumroll please…
1. Escape (The Pina Colada Song) Rupert Holmes, 1979: One of the worst songs in the history of planet Earth, but recently the soundtrack from the movie Guardians of the Galaxy revived it and I downloaded it. Screw it. I’ll sing along in my car if I want.
Admittedly, there are probably a couple more songs on my iPod I should be embarrassed by but am not. (Gangnam Style and something about Charlie Sheen) Ok, I fessed up. Now tell me in the comments one song from your personal shame list. Don’t worry, it will stay here. What happens at #ThePhilFactor stays at The Phil Factor. Please share on Facebook, Twitter or re-blog if you want your friends to join in the fun. Have a great Tuesday! ~Phil
Ahaha. Is it bad that I have a guilty pleasure with most of the songs you listed? I think this one was missing though….tell me if you have it on your ipod.
I’m think I do have that one, but I’m not sure. Embarrassingly I did see them in concert just last August with a bunch of other 80’s bands. The lead singer is bald and overweight.
I never forgot his hair style. Shame he lost it all. In Oz we had a tour with a heap of 80’s artists, and the one guy that stood out for aging well was the lead singer of the Knack. Remember, My Sharona?
Yes! I’ve got that one on my iPod too. The concert I went to was fun because me and my friends snuck into the backstage VIP area and hung out. I talked to Tommy Tutone and got a picture with the Naked Eyes singer.
Wow! That must have been amazing. I would have given my eyeteeth to go backstage at some of the concerts I have been too. My last concert was back in 2012 to see the Angels. A great pub band. Sadly, the lead singer Doc Neeson passed away last year, so the memory of that concert is special to me.
I’ve got the Pina Colada song on my iPod……. It just makes me think of summer lol!
I know what you mean. It makes me think of a particular summer when I was a kid.
The first tape I bought for my first walkman (or imitation) was by Europe. The Final Countdown was the reason, oh the shame!
That was back in the day when we made mixed tapes they were real tapes!
I know, playlists will never recreate the vibe of a mixtape.
Amateur! 😀
Well let’s hear what’s on your iPod big talker!
As soon as I hit send I thought “oh no…”
If I get some free time at work today, I might do that 🙂
Songs popular when you were in high school don’t count in the embarassment statistics. Think of them as old acne scars. It’s when you use Shazam in the grocery store to “accidentally” download the next great Katy Perry tune that you’re in trouble.
Well if songs from when I was younger don’t count then I’m off the hook for most of these. What embarrassing song would I find if I snooped on your iPod?
That’s easy. I’ve got Eminem filed right after Duke Ellington and Elgar and Lady GaGa sandwiched between Leonard Bernstein and Kurt Masur.
Forget the password protection on your files – we need it on our iTunes playlists!
Safety Dance. ‘Cause your friends don’t dance and if they don’t dance,
well they’re no friends of mine.
I love The Safety Dance! I have it on my iPod and I’m proud. It is also linked to a very specific memory of a road trip too. That is an awesome classic song. Nothing to be embarrassed about there.
Everybody loves it, most people just won’t admit it.
“I Need To Know” by Marc Anthony. That’s kind of embarrassing to a girl from the Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young era.
My Heart Goes Boom by French Affair….la dee da da de lada lada Thanks for reminding me lol
I don’t even know what that song or artist is!
Barbie Girl by Aqua, 1997
LOL that’s not too terrible!
I don’t actually have an ipod or smart phone, so I tend to listen to Pandora on my ipad. If/when I do get a smart phone, I’m sure I’ll have some more questionable music. 🙂
I Think We’re Alone Now…by Tiffany
Do not judge me! 😉
Wow.
Isn’t it about time someone did a modern cover of that?
Absolutely!
You’re kidding, right?
I am not kidding. A cool pop-punk cover would be fun. I love when bands take an old song and re-do it in a modern genre
Oh, me, too, Phil! I misunderstood: I thought you two thought Tiffany’s was the original!
Here: To make ip for my gaffe, here’s one of my guilty pleasures.
Racist. But we didn’t think like that, ’cause everybody was made fun of. Cheech and Chong were like that Gen’s Dave Chapelle or Key and Peel, in that way. I thought Fat Albert was racist, but most folks didn’t.
I still love the song.
I love it.
If you don’t judge my Words with Friends skills I won’t judge your musical choices.
It’s a deal! (And to be absolutely clear, that Tiffany thing is an anomaly in my music collection…I promise.) 🙂
It’s ok if it’s not. I won’t tell anybody.
Oh my God I’d say you win
Although Culture Club and the Thompson Twins
May have you beaten altogether
As this rocker mom’s guilty pleasure
And I really can’t go without
Gwen Stefani and No Doubt
There’s nothing wrong with Miss Stefani and No Doubt, but Boy George and and
the Twins of Thompson I could do without. (Accidentally hit the send when typing)
Awesome list Phil! My Top 5?
1. Jeffrey Osboune – On the Wings of Love
2 Russ Abbott – Atmosphere YOU HAVE TO WATCH THIS ON YOUTUBE PHIL!!! I’M BEGGING YOU!!
3. Jason Donovan – Too Many Broken Hearts. One of my first loves.
4. John Cafferty – Hearts on Fire. I play it when I’m running and pretend i’m Sly Stallone running up a Russian mountain.
5. Glenn Medeiros – Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You
Embarrassingly for me, I only recognize of of those artists but don’t know the song. I promise I will watch the Youtube of Russ Abbott. For the record, any song that makes you want to run like Sly Stallone can’t be all that bad.
I may want to run like him, but end up looking like Phoebe from Friends.
Looking like Phoebe isn’t bad either!
Suzie, I just watched Russ Abbott’s Atmosphere. That is hilariously, awesomely bad. That is maybe the worst thing I’ve ever seen. Is that a British music video from the 1980’s? If I had a prize I could give for whoever admitted to the worst song in their music collection you would win that prize twice for admitting that you own that song in some form. Thank you Suzie. You made my day! I’m only disappointed that you’re probably sleeping now and I’ll have to wait until I get up tomorrow to read your reply to this.
Haha! Russ Abbott is a British comedian that had a very popular sketch show in the 1980’s and early ’90’s. He now does serious acting and drama. This song used to be played at family functions when I was growing up by cheesy DJ’s…
Suzie, now I’m embarrassed. I just realized that I probably heard/saw John Cafferty perform Hearts on Fire live at a fraternity party in 1985. Yes, me and John Cafferty in the same place at the same time.
This is excellent Suzie. Jason was obviously one of my first loves too and Russ Abbott and Glenn Mederios? Nothing but respect.
I love that song by The Limousines! I would need more that a top ten for my embarrassing songs lol
C’mon Steve, give me me just one!
Hmmm how about “The Backing Up Song” http://youtu.be/zjYSERaXEGI
That is pretty bad. After about 30 seconds I couldn’t believe the song was still going on. That, however, was not as bad as Russ Abbott’s Atmosphere which Suzie submitted as one of the worst in her collection. That was funnier because it was allegedly a serious attempt at music.
Mine is…”Johnny Are You Queer” by Josie Cotton. This was on the soundtrack to Valley Girls. Okay, I LOVE this soundtrack, but how inappropriate is this song?? Don’t even begin to judge me! I loved the movie, too
That one is hilarious! That would have been forever forgotton had you not just dredged it up. Now it will be in my head all day.
I don’t know that you should be embarrassed, but then, I’ve got half of those on mine 🙂
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Africa by Toto? Nah I just don’t think it’s embarrassing enough. 99 Red Balloons by Nena? Oh….I think I might have some Shakin’ Stevens…I’ll leave you to Google that little gem.
I didn’t think I had anything embarrassing and then I scrolled through. I guess I went through an unfortunate Christina Aguilera phase.
There’s nothing wrong with that!
Eh. There’s also some John Mayer on there, two albums. Yikes.
He may be a reprehensible human but he’s good at music.
I hope all the Amy Winehouse and Jeff Buckley make up for it.
Not with me, but I’m sure there’s others like you out there. Apparently, unlike everything else, we have different musical tastes