DAILY DIRT: Not all of those old classic rock songs were classic

January 18, 2024 | By Steve Eighinger, Muddy River News Minister of Culture and Doctor of Love

Daily Dirt for Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024

If you immediately turn the radio channel when one of the following oldies comes on, we are brothers … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 843 of The Daily Dirt.

1. The Daily Dirt deals a lot with the “best of” particular items concerning various avenues of our pop culture.

Today, we put things in reverse when talking about pop music.

The following is the first of three “worst of” lists when it comes to pop songs. Our focus is on the only three decades of pop music that really matter — the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Here’s our pick for the worst five songs of the ’60s (to qualify for this list, a song had to be considered a major chart hit):

1. “Cherish,” by the Association (1966): The Association pioneered what Rolling Stone writer Andy Green once termed “wussy rock”. There was always a common theme in songs like this — they would never end.
2. “I’m Henry VIII (I Am),” by Herman’s Hermits (1965): And just about any other song by this bunch. As hard as this may be to believe, The Who once OPENED for Herman’s Hermits. I kid you not.
3. “Honey,” by Bobby Goldsboro (1968): Not only is this one of those songs that never seems to end, but its lyrics are just ridiculous.
4. “Tiptoe Through The Tulips,” by Tiny Tim (1968): Fingernails. On. A. Blackboard. Surprising fact: Do you know who was one of Tiny Tim’s best friends? Bob Dylan. Yes, THAT Bob Dylan.
5. “Puppy Love,” by Paul Anka (1960): Around the mid-1960s, this kind of drivel was left behind when it came to pop music. Thankfully.

2. Here’s our celebrity birthdays for the week:

Actor Kevin Costner turns 69 Thursday. I’m still not sure how much of a role he will have on the final season of “Yellowstone” later this year.
Singer Bobby Goldsboro is 82, also on Thursday. Yep, this is the guy we have to thank for “Honey”. I’m NOT sending a card.
Singer Dolly Parton reaches 78 on Friday and shows no signs of slowing down.
Golfing legend Jack Nicklaus will be 84 on Sunday. The Golden Bear.
Singer Neil Diamond turns 83 on Wednesday. There was a point, in my pre-Rod Stewart days, Mr. Diamond was my favorite male artist. That was back during the his “Cherry, Cherry” and “You Got To Me” days.

3. Look for these teams to win NFL postseason games this weekend:

(Saturday) Houston 27, Baltimore 24: I’m feeling a C.J. Stroud-led upset. This guy appears to be truly special.

(Saturday) San Francisco 35, Green Bay 17: The Packers and quarterback Jordan Love have been a great story, but it all ends here.

(Sunday) Detroit 28, Tampa Bay 9: I’m a believer in Lions fever.

(Sunday) Kansas City 31, Buffalo 30: I don’t really care who wins, I just want another blizzard in Buffalo.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Have you ever been to Buffalo in the winter months? A few years ago I traveled through that area one day in mid-March. It was the longest month of my life.