WE PICK THE FIVE MOST PATHETICALLY DESPERATE SONGS OF ALL TIME
The words of a song usually set the mood for the tune. The mood in the following songs is one of complete desperation.
Some of them may have been million sellers that charted high on the charts. All of them were drowning in a deep pool of utter desperation and unrequited love. It was a tough way to earn a buck for the singers of the songs but they were actually only the messengers.
But what a message- in a "Hall of Fame loser" sense.
Number five on our hopeless chart is 'Long Long Time' by Linda Rondstadt. The Malibu Minstrel had a huge hit with this song in 1970. Linda was a smoking hot beauty with a sultry voice and she belted out a major hit about an obsessive woman who couldn't shake off an unnatural and unbalanced love for some guy.
It was impossible to believe that any guy would ever say no to Linda, but her powerful vocals had us leaning into the pitch.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0qm8nq8RcA
Number four on our list is 'Telephone Line' by ELO. This song came out on a 1976 ELO album and was an instant Hall of Fame Whine song. This song seemed like a slice of life as a pathetic loser tried to phone some babe that wasn't home. Bear in mind that the era was long before caller ID, so the chick was definitely not home and the hour was late. Maybe the guy really had something to whine about, but the wimpy tone of the singer made it real clear why she wasn't home. This was the kind of song that made you want to put a ball peen hammer through your car radio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aix03KSesoE
Number three on our list is 'Something Stupid' by Frank and Nancy Sinatra. Nancy sang harmony for her dad in this 1967 hit that was all about spontaneous combustion on a date. The random loser in the song was out with a serious hottie that was clearly out of his league. He celebrated his good fortune by blurting out a highly ill-advised declaration of love for the girl. Even Frank Sinatra couldn't stop the train wreck that occurred after that move. It was a great song that illustrated why people remain single –and not by choice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gXpHfwYFok
Number two on our list is 'It's My Party' by Lesley Gore. This is a 1963 song about a birthday party with a very big surprise for the birthday girl: her boyfriend dumps her at the party for some chick named Judy. The incredible lack of class demonstrated by the guy was not enough to prevent the birthday girl from re-hooking up with the guy in the next song called 'It's Judy's Turn To Cry'. No blame was placed on the guy for this mess in either song, despite the obvious ethics issue.
Number one with a bullet on our list is 'It Must Be Him' by Vikki Carr. This 1967 not-so-classic song is about a crazed woman waiting by the phone for some guy with many reasons not to call. The principal reason for him not to call is the unstable person on the other end of the line.
Vikki Carr could really belt out a song-too bad this one had so much crazy in it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2u4PolDz1I
Jim Sutherland @mystarcollectorcar.com
COMMENTS
DENISE:"Waaay too funny. Only Friday night was I up until 4:00 am listening to 45"s ha ha And fyi I never played any of those listed".
BILLI:""come on ..........love this song , it's nice to see boys a little desperate. It's good for the soul."
BERNIE:"Good picks guys, especially that ELO one. Phone technology of the time tells a lot in that tune".
