Posted by Hemant Mehta in What’s the most embarrassing song on your iPod?
I have all sorts of inexplicable things on mine.
The Promiseland Podcast for Christian children, for example. Because I’m a masochist.
And just because it’s a small sample, here’s what I found in my K section:
K’s Choice
K7
Kansas
Kanye West
Kathy Griffin
Katie Melua
KC & the Sunshine Band
Keane
Kelis
Kelly Clarkson
Kevin Little
Kid Rock
The Killers
The Klein Four Group
Kris Kross
KT Tunstall
There. I have thoroughly humiliated myself for the day. Kris Kross?! What is wrong with me…
Ok. Your turn.
Hmm, the most humilating thing is that I don’t have an ipod. I bought some other mp3 player a few years ago and haven’t felt an urge to buy a more expensive ipod. So since I don’t own and iphone either I guess I am completly iless.
I think it is a toss up between a remix of the Power Rangers Theme tune and the theme tune from Sailor Moon.
Either the powerpuff girls theme or that singing leek girl Loituma song.
Clay Aiken?
Carpenters
The theme from Doctor Who. I have no problem admitting that I like the show - but I find the fact that I have the theme on my iPod somewhat embarrasing.
Probably Sweet Home Alabama. Or Britney Spears. I have several of her songs.
I see Bannanarama and Adam Ant on mine, as well as Carcass, Dragonforce and Queen.
Shuffle is nothing if not exciting!
Begin cringing now:
“On One Condition” by Winger
I don’t have an iPod either. Just posting to say: Klein Four Group = two thumbs up!
ABBA GOLD, baby!
I still have recordings of the band I played in while at college. Kind of embarrassing to listen to again. We sounded much better live (probably has something to do with our blood-alcohol level)…
And you shouldn’t be embarrassed by Katie Melua, she’s very talented. I have her singing live with Jamie Cullum on my ITunes.
As a mathematician myself, I LOVE that the Klein Four Group is there. Finite Simple Group of Order Two, perhaps? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTby_e4-Rhg
Considering that I’m a bit of a metalhead, the most embarrassing thing on my iPod is probably Loreena McKennit. I have a soft spot for celtic music, so sue me.
Barbie Girl, but hey the beats are good for running to.
John Denver… Nuff’ said…
Theme to ‘Josie and the Pussycats’. I win.
I have Ray Comfort! (Of course, I have PZ too. I wanted to listen to their debate, and I had a camping trip to go on.)
Boots Randolph’s “Yakety Sax,” perhaps better known as the theme from The Benny Hill Show, as well as the theme from Rockford Files, and “Spanish Fly” by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass.
Most embarassing?
Tough one… I guess ABBA fits the bill. I have the entire greatest hits album. So McCain and I have at least one thing in common.
I also have a Debbie Gibson song, but in my defense it was part of an ’80s compilation disc that had some good songs on it.
I regret nothing!
Does the entire Katamari Damacy soundtrack count as embarrassing?
Hmmm . . . .
It could be “One Tin Soldier” by The Original Caste
or “Holding out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler.
Other people might say it’s “Pi” by Hard N’ Phirm
or “The Big Rig Song” by Trout Fishing In America.
I’ll leave the final judgement to the remaining commentors.
I guess, as a mid-50’s kind of guy, that Wasp’s song “Animal” (Fuck like a Beast) isn’t that bad, but I DO have to intercept it and turn it down quick in the office. Sadly, I bought a 20 gig iPod back when they were 285 bones at Radio Shack. And Klein Bottles? Where IS all the math music, anyway?
The Wiggles “Toot Toot Chugga Chugga”
(I have a 2 year old!)
oh, and
Spandau Ballet
ATL-Apostate
Oddly enough, I’m not the least bit embarrassed by all the 60s/70s cheese (you think Herb Alpert is embarrassing? try Bert Kaempfert), lounge music (can’t live wihout Les Baxter), Hawaiian music, and TV themes (I’ll see your “Power Rangers” and “Dr. Who” and raise you a “Soap” and a “What’s Happening?”) on my iPod.
And while I’m always worried that one of my filthy songs will come up on the shuffle while children and elderly are present (”Rotten Cocksucker’s Ball” pretty much defines pre-Stonewall homosexuality and is the very definition of “rough trade,” and I’m not even gay), I’m not particularly embarrassed.
I think the most difficult thing to explain to people is all the historical and vintage recordings. Let’s face it: Every song recorded between 1890 and 1925 is violently racist by modern standards. But this music is critical if you want to understand the history of American Popular Music, and many of the same themes that run through old Minstrel and Vaudeville tunes still show up in contemporary rock, pop, and hip-hop, but transmuted and coopted.
But it’s still really difficult and embarrassing to explain to people why you have “All Coons Look Alike to Me”* in heavy rotation.
—-
* Actual lyrics:
“All coons look alike to me.
I’ve got another beau, you see,
And he’s just as good to me,
As you, nigger, ever tried to be.”
Come to think of it, that could be a Salt-n-Pepa lyric right there.
“Afternoon Delight” by Starland Vocal Band. I have a whole mess of 70’s songs.
ryot Says:
August 27th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
“Does the entire Katamari Damacy soundtrack count as embarrassing?”
NICE!!!!!!!
I have Katamari 1 and 2 on mine.
The Police: “Don’t stand so close to me”, ‘86 version
I really gotta get rid of that…
“Dragostea Din Tei” by O-Zone (the infamous “numa numa” song).
And lots of bollywood stuff.
REO Speedwagon Keep on Loving You
“Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne
Hmmm. Is Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” embarrassing?
I also have Information Society on there at the moment (”Are Friends Electric” with Gary Numan)
But honestly, I’m not embarrassed by those. Maybe I’m a dork :).
Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne.
Ouch!
Hmm. That’s a tricky one, although I’m not sure whether that’s because I’m not embarassed by many or because all of them are embarassing XD I guess I’d have to pick the Camelot soundtrack as the most cringe-worthy…
I don’t have an iPod, and I don’t really feel embarrassed that I actually like most of the stuff that other folks have mentioned.
I have pretty broad musical tastes and before my hard drive crashed it had everything on it from Ivor Biggun to the Canadian Brass, Trace Atkins, The Beach Boys, and Low Millions.
I think the only genres not represented were opera and gangsta rap - oh, and Harry Hibbs because I grew up listening to him and I’ve really heard enough.
The A-Team theme song.
Yeeaaaahhh….
You made me look and I see there isn’t any music on my i-pod!
I need to find what happened to it. I hate my ipod but I love listening to podcasts.
Oh, and I never had much music on it (mainly xmas tunes and Graydon Square) but the most embarrassing is probably “Hips Don’t Lie”
“Danke Schoen” by Wayne Newton.
Only because I can post anonamously, I really like Justin Timberlake. I would never admit to that in person. Although I have lots of music on my MP3 player(not an ipod), I listen to podcasts mostly.
Klein Four…that buys you major nerd points =D
All those Ks and no Killswitch Engage…
Gone Phishin’ - A Bluegrass Tribute to Phish
Some ones I’m not particularly proud of:
- “Hit Em Up Style” by Blu Cantrell
- “Jump” by Van Halen
- “Dancehall Days” by Wang Chung
- “You Are A Pirate” from the Lazytown Soundtrack
- “What’s Up” by 4 Non-Blondes
Ah, but I’m impervious to embarrassment!
…Really, though, I have too many songs here to count. The theme song to Greatest American Hero, as well as “Heat of the Moment” by Asia, are the ones I listen to the most. Damn you, The 40-Year-Old Virgin for introducing me to them! (Judd Apatow even made the Mortal Kombat theme funny.)