Hey Phil - it’s Martin Page here - one of the songwriter’s of ‘We Built This City’. Just saw your in depth musical analysis of the song and just wanted to compliment you on a balanced and reasonable overview of the facts. It’s gratifying to at last see a fair appraisal of the song as a whole. Particularly your perspective on the chordal, harmonic and melodic aspects of the song ... as that was my contribution. I’ve always thought, for a rock song, WBTC had an unusual and uplifting emotional chordal structure. Particularly the B. section - the ‘Marconi played the mamba’ section. And by the way, I sang ‘Mamba’ on the original demo I recorded.... and I prefer it too!!! Greetings to all your ‘Wings of Pegasus’ followers. Damn good job mate. Martin Page
There's not a damn thing wrong about the song. When someone slags on the song, nobody wants to be seen disagreeing. That's merely peer pressure. It's the same behavior as people busting on The Bee Gees 70's disco songs. After it all was done and the two brothers had died, other performers started coming out the woodwork , like Alice Cooper, saying that they really appreciated the quality of the Bee Gee's music and the brothers in particular. Nobody wants to be the odd man out saying that the song is pretty "catchy". Not a fave but far from worst. If looking for a truly bad song look no further than "My Sharona".
I loved the song when it came, it was great then but there was a cheesy element where a section is used to promote whatever radio station is playing the song, innovative but cheesy.
This version is better than the studio. I don’t think it is the “worst song,” but I do remember it grated on my teenage ears immediately. It never grew on me, and seemed to be in top 40 radio/video play forever. To me the studio version still sounds like an over processed commercial jingle, probably best presented within a significant video. Enjoyed a lot of this band’s work throughout their career and lineups though. Thanks for analysis.
Grace Slick's singing on the record is what really keeps the tune from sinking under it's own weight. Not the greatest song ever written, but a heck of a lot better than Afternoon Delight or Hey Paul, Hey Paula
🎵 Sky-y-y rockets in flight🎵 💥 🚀 🎆 🌠 🌌 💫 🎵Afternoon delight🎵 🎵A-a-afternoon delight🎵 😄I remember hearing that song often as a child & just SINGING AWAAAY almost every word of it, right along with the radio! (with NO IDEA what I was singing about!)🤣
They were complaining about this song back in the 1980's, but people still loved it. This controversy came from those that didn't like what Jefferson Airplane had became.... they thought they sold out from their 1960's roots. This was just the song they latched on to and tore apart.
I still love this song- as a kid I thought it was so cool that all the radio stations would put their call signs in the middle, and the song still sounds weird to me without that in there
@Angler Strong Agreed. I will no longer support or watch pro football - which I've enjoyed for decades - since certain players hold me in such contempt.
As soon as you said that the magazine editor asked, "who is Marconi?", I immediately realised we were dealing with a fool and everything was suddenly clear!
I wouldn't put much credence in GQ. It targets posing narcissists. It's a great song and has always been a fun sing-along. MT does sounds great all these years later.
Whoa there, feller! Wait just a sec.! Not that it isn't a good song but just because a song can pack a dance floor doesn't necessarily make it a good song. Maybe to the owners of the dance floors but nothing that anyone with any taste for music would want to do a cover on. Is all I'm sayin' but I wouldn't fight ya on it. 😉
@@I_Palaver true! Old Time Rock and Roll packs dance floors at wedding receptions across America 😂. I. WILL. NOT! Participate! I’d rather do the Electric Slide.
"DON'T SMELL MY FART, MY INKY-STINKY FART, I JUST DON'T THINK YOU'D UNDERSTAND, 'CAUSE IF YOU SMELL MY FART, MY INKY-STINKY FART, YOU'D REALISE THAT I ATE HAM- WHOOOOOO-HOOO. . . "
I would have to agree here. Especially when their lyrics get praise and adulation for wanting to kill cops! The only thing missing from rap is the ‘c’ in front!
I remember I hated this song back in the 80’s but hearing it now it don’t sound that bad anymore, I guess the bar for music has gotten much lower over the years, I grew up in the 60’s! So I had some tough competition to compete with the bands I grew up on!
I grew up in the 50s and was a teenager in the 60s. What a great time to be young! The first Rock and Roll song I ever heard was Elvis Presley’s Teddy Bear. (My mom only listened to big band and show tunes on our radio. No TV.) I was 9. It was a revelation! Then there was my discovery of the Beatles during a high school dance. (I was introduced to the dance the twist at the same time.) I will never forget it. So many great memories built around music!
@steven kreisberg - Yes, same here! I guess I hadn't liked 'We Built This City' also because there simply were other, way better songs around at that same time.
@@roseannelobbezoo7638 - Oh, absolutely! That's what I love about Music the most, that it can be connected to wonderful memories and create great atmospheres :-)
@@roseannelobbezoo7638 the late 50,s , 60,s & 70,s have produced what we can now call real handmade music played by real musicians. The amount of great music that evolved in that era was unbelievable. So glad i grew up then. A bit concerned for the generations comming up as i don,t think todays music will stand the test of time.
Not the worst and certainly someone's opinion. They can actually sing and play, and I believe that it craves a lot to make this good. Solid live performance in my mind. Thanks Phil.
Yeah, astounding. I don't get how, if you're in that kind of position of responsibility, you don't crack open a book and find out, rather than blathering your ignorance.
I agree, i watched her perform from backstage, they were The Jefferson Airplane, boy what a voice,i was in awe, fabulous, fabulous performer, they were on tour with Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and a host of others....
It’s not a bad song on it’s own merits. The problem is it is middle of the road pop without balls that sells out the entire Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship legacy. If it had been released by Huey Lewis and the News or some other band of that caliber it would not have gotten nearly the same backlash.
@@roystonmason9125 I saw them play the last year of the "Reading Rock" festival(1988 I think) ,many acts had been bottled off that day as the line up was poor ,Meatloaf had just had his nose broken by a bottle (or so the MC reported) as he tried for a 3rd time to get through "Bat out of Hell" while "under fire" and closing the day was Starship. I thought they'd be massacred judging by the days actions but you've got to give Grace Slick and co credit they came straight in with an older set list and won the crowd before hitting any newer material .I'd never been a fan of Starship but that gig gave me a taste of the earlier incarnations and an appreciation of what great entertainers they were . I still find it hard to believe they pulled it off and played a longer set than planned due to the short sets of the "bottled off" line up
Interesting comparison to Huey Lewis. These folks were part of a powerful musical community in Mill Valley, California at that time. They used to hang out at a local Mexican restaurant with rock promoter Bill Graham. Big table, lots of notables. They also frequented a local bar…..
'We Built This City' was a requiem for Jefferson Airplane and a betrayal in the fan's eyes. It spelled the end of edgy challenging music by one of the great 60's bands. We Built This City' was on the radio constantly during this time and rubbed salt into the deep wounds with that hooky chorus. Of course it wasn't technically the worst song ever but it was HATED by older fans. LOL, I realize after listening to this video that I still don't like it.
As a young student i remember when this played and played - and an airplane fan supervisor loved it because grace slick sang on it :) so not every airplane fan hated it.
Complex well played songs can still be bad. Its repulsive and you cant ignore when bands that used to be great bands with something to say and in this case really revolutionized rock are on their way out, splitting up, taken over by corporate interests to carry on making money and songs are written by committee or chosen by the label from publishing writers even if well known or having done good work in the past. It is still a money grab and suicide for the band. It was a death knell no matter how cheerful or upbeat. that made it painful on top of the lameness of it all. Everyone doesn’t get to be awesome. We can have some taste an find it cheesy and bad. I disagree that all things get to be worthy just because someone did it and got it on heavy rotation.
This song was done to make a buck. Apparently it worked on that basis. Never liked it. Don’t apologize for not liking any of it. Read once something like “made by people who should have known better.” Completely pretentious and self important lyrics. It and they deserve the negative observations.
Exactly right. I grew up with great rock music in the 60s and 70s. I remember Grace Slick saying in an interview that she would never get on stage and sing the old songs, they were no longer relevant and they would look like old rockers trying to revive the past. Smart woman. This song is awful in so many ways. It was overplayed and not a good look for such a multitalented group.
I think the real reason that WE BUILT THIS CITY was so detested was not so much the song itself, but that it was done by the (remnants of) one of the most worshipped bands of the 60s and so therefore was perceived as a gigantic sell-out. If it had been done by so no-name gaggle of youngsters, it would probably be a fondly remembered One-Hit Wonder.
I think VH-1 voted this the worst and "Broken Wings" #2. This song was hated because it was JEFFERSON AIRPLANE. It was Mickey Thomas. Dude could sing. Broken Wings os an awesome song.
Yes, this is exactly what happened and the fact that it was played non-stop on radio continuing to rub salt into the wound. it was so saccharine and corporate.
You hit the nail on the head. The fact that they changed their name to just "Starship" was not enough. The older fans still saw this song as being from Jefferson Airplane/Starship...and a big pop sell out. Actually, it's a damn fine pop song.
Great point, considering this bands history it almost seemed like...."hey guys we're running out of money so lets write a cheesy commercial hit" It would have offended so many if this was from a brand new band. From a purely objective point of view, I think it's a solid pop song. How many critics out there are capable of even writing just one hit song. it's not easy.
I disagree! From the time of release, I cringed! It so made me think of my conservative music teachers from school, "trying to be hip!" I'd run to turn it off!
The song started out sounding almost like “Daniel” by Elton John. Then it went downhill fast, like a set of fingernails on the blackboard. And Odia Coates’ backup vocals was like an extra set of fingernails on that blackboard. Both Odia Coates and Paul Anja were great, but not on this record!
For what it's worth, I found this on Wikipedia: "Song co-writers Martin Page and Bernie Taupin have stated that the song is about the decline of live performance clubs in Los Angeles during the 1980s."
He had one tour where he did a straight (no parody) cover, different song each night. The range of different songs he and his band could pull off perfectly is impressive. There are dozens of these here on TH-cam.
He would be 68-turning 69 here--still has the technique, and range! :) Never my favorite song, by a longshot, but the performance here is professionally done--Stephanie Calvert has Grace Slick's part down well enough (her mic wasn't as up in the mix as Mickey's), and John Roth's guitar is "spot on", as Fil would say.
@Pamela Neibuhr : LMAO, I forgot all about Disco Duck! I actually happen to like it far more than any Starship, or even Airplane song. But even my friends think I have funny musical tastes. I've played guitar in bands ranging from neo-classical, fusion, thrash metal, and acid jazz, to classic rock, blues, funk and pop, and I've found something great from every genre I've heard, but don't care for most music of every genre, even my faves. But it's just my opinions. ^-^ Anyway, I'm gonna listen to Disco Duck next and have a good laugh and possibly a few memories of sillier times.
@Annie Romanowski5 : Yea, Mickey in particular is a fantastic singer. A recording engineers dream really. As I was taught my first week as an apprentice: when someone is really good, you basically set the mics up to get as good a basic sound as possible, then sit back and enjoy. Whereas most sessions are either a good amount to a lot of work, or sometimes very difficult.
Never gave this song a thought really, I'd tune to the next station as I would with any other mediocre song. The REAL worst song ever was Paul Anka's HAVING MY BABY. I just threw up in my mouth a little . . .
Crush everything: not in THIS lifetime, haha! Music is subjective anyway, each of us like what we like, that's how it should be. I'm sure there's Paul Anka fans that would go to his show just to hear that song. We each have "those" songs where we would rather lay on the dance floor and have a group of men take turns kicking us than ever have to play them again. I'm quite sure there's songs on my play list that would make THEM cringe. Yes, there's some songs i hope no one ever knows I like.
Since I'm rambling on anyway and there's no one here to tell me to shut up, here's an interesting story. Ever wonder how Tony Bennett became so popular with the younger people? I wasn't online yet in 1993 or so but my oldest daughter was a junior in high school, many of her friends were already well involved with AOL and "bulletin boards". My daughter's best friend told me that a large online community had decided to randomly pick an older entertainer and follow them and do everything they could to support them. Names of entertainers were suggested, all suggestions had a cutoff date. A list of the top 20 or so entertainers were posted, a poll was taken, the winner was Tony Bennett. After any of them that wasn't familiar with Tony checked him out, they found he was actually a great singer and a cool old guy. Since the "popular" crowd was really into Tony, the "me too" crowd jumped on board, most of them liked him too. What started as somewhat of a joke actually gave Tony Bennett exposure to a much younger crowd that actually DID like him.
I've always liked this song. I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1967. It was such a vibrant, exciting, creative time and place for rock. The Victorian houses in the Haight that now sell for $millions were run down but rent was cheap giving affordable housing to struggling rock bands. We went to The Fillmore and watched great bands for just a few dollars. It was a great time to be young.
As someone who grew up in the 1980s, the only thing wrong with this song was that at a certain point it was played too often. It was #1 and radio played it to death.
Yea. One of the marketing gimmicks was that they released a version without the DJ talking and encouraged various radio stations to add their own version for their local area. Many of the stations were so proud of the performances of the DJs that they kept playing it over and over too much.
I will say this... my band opened for them quite a few years back on the Summer of Love Tour, with Big Brother Holding Co and a few others. I got to meet many of the band members in the various bands... most dismissing me without even a handshake... but Mickey was just about the sweetest and most gracious person I'd ever met.
@@amerocker I nearly have a hard time believing this guys comment, because if you look at his page, there’s nothing related to music, just a bunch of gaming videos. Sounds legit, but when you look at his page, not even one video of any music being played by his band or himself? OK, I was wrong. There are three videos of his band playing in the garage, and his acoustic guitar is out of tune. I don’t think the guy is legit, unfortunately.
That song is an absolute mood-lifter for me, and that's more than enough to love it. Even if it were a bad song, which it obviously is not. What I find particularly annoying is people criticising the supposed simplicity of a song, implying that anybody could come up with it. I think it was Tom Petty who was often criticised for the same thing and who said something along the lines of "if it is so easy, then why haven't you done it?"
"Jimmy crack corn, and I don't care! Jimmy crack corn, and I'm not there! We built this city on rock & rooooll... Something-something Daaaaayyy..." -- Homer Simpson
The reason GQ gave for its verdict was the line, "Marconi plays the mamba." According to them, it made no sense. Probably a mistake on THEIR part. "Marconi plays the MAMBO, listen to the radio" makes perfect sense. Mamba is a snake, mambo is a Cuban music genre. Marconi was the inventor of the radio.
I don't know that I could,but everyone has the right to their opinion and voicing it;unless their opinion is the cause of a tragic consequence to others.
Hey Phil - I'm a 66 year old R&R fan and I have to give you big time props for your amazing analyses, time after time. You are so spot-on regarding this song! There's another angle, too, to the "worst ever" label, which you would be too much of a gentleman to acknowledge. I suffer no such disability. And that is simply that "Blender" magazine was a nothing trying to be a something. The editor's job was in large part to be provocative; to stir up controversy for the purpose of gaining attention. It didn't work. This song stands the test of time. "Blender", not so much.
it's a song that is just extremely middle of the road. there are MUCH worse songs out there. (that one by ugly kid joe rears its ability to annoy small gatherings). music, like many things is judged by the individual. I like many songs by jefferson airplane, starship, ufo ship, etc.) this one doesn't do much for me in comparison to say, White Rabbit, Somebody to Love, Find your way Back, Jane, Miracles. I use to DJ in college and believe me, there are many songs that elevate "City" far from the bottom of the pile. Will this song be the first one I want to listen to when I need a good song to listen to ? No. but as long as helen reddy "I am Woman" is in the music annals, it certainly isn't the worst.
@@sicfrynut 😂 Or fankly, anything by Bill Withers, who never could master the art of closing out a song. "I know I know I know I know ad infinitum" has been a worm in my ear for over 50 friggin' years!
Fil's interpretation of the lyric "Marconi plays the mamba" is really interesting … and it makes a lot of sense! .. Coming from Bernie Taupin, it is a brilliant addition to a very likeable tune.
@Louise X interesting take on it...so is the ' DJ talking over song' near its end meant to be 'good' or a bit of 'radio ga-ga time' satire ??...and it's worth pointing out whatever this song is ...it is NOT Rock n Roll..
I’ve always been neutral about this song. Just “meh” and one of those that I could easily turn off, but could also listen without it bothering me. Good and interesting analysis though👍
Many would argue that that is the true mark of a truly bad song ... a good song should elicit an emotional response of some kind, positive or negative. If it doesn’t elicit any response, well ... that’s just bad art.
@@pbohearn Maybe that's why they were trying to hide from us by changing their band name. Maybe they have the record? Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, Starship Jefferson, Starship.
@@oblivieon1567 They had to change the name because of a court case that said they had to be an original band member of Jefferson Airplane/ Starship. Grace Slick had a band before she retired completely called Jefferson Airplane. iirc.
I was in high school when this came out and it got plenty of play. What made it so bad looking back, was it was the zenith of super polished, emotionless, corporate rock, complete with 80's synth sounds, not a note out of place, nothing too offensive to make your blood pressure rise, done by people who we know can and have done better. At the time I didn't care either way. And I'm sure it packs dance floors. Good for them. They were pumping out crap like this left and right. No wonder the Clash was huge. We needed them.
Jefferson Airplane is still my favorite band all time and the first Jefferson Starship album was a tour de force, I still liked Starship, but first Kantner then Frieberg left and about 1978 when Grace Slick left the band really had nothing to interest me. Craig Chaquico was an awesome guitar player, but without Grace it was all over for me. I went to see Starship with my son in the late 80s and was hoping to at least hear "Have You Seen The Stars Tonight". I was disappointed on that note, but pleased with Micky Thomas singing "Foold Around And Fell In Love". Additionally, their female vocalist admirably handled both Grace's "White Rabbit" and "Somebody To Love". They probably played "We Built This City" which Thomas sings quite well, but without Grace...there wouldn't be anything to make that memorable.
Radio stations loved this record because, in some versions, Starship left a "donut hole" in the lyrics where the local radio station could insert a little blurb about their station and their city/
Lawrence Taylor looking at fils breakdown of the lyrics you gotta say👊🏼Rock n roll subversion of the highest order.Bit like the anger in born in the USA,whoosh,straight over the heads of so many but thanks for your money,now Ive got enough I can do and say what I want
peter montgomery same with born to run though it never mentions NJ specifically. Around 1980 the general assembly passed a resolution to make it the state song but it died in the senate after they read the lyrics.
It is a good performance, that part I agree with; there are obvious skills on display. Worst song? Nope. Good song? Nope; sadly, displaying skills isn't enough to elevate a bad song idea into a good one.
I think the reason people categorize it as the worst is because Jefferson Starship/Starship had recorded many quality songs and this was inane corporate drivel.
Tbh, it's not a great song but I can see why it was a chart hit. Popularity, even lasting popularity, is not necessarily indicative of quality. There's even a logical fallcy, 'argumentum ad populum' which could, sort of, apply here... ;) :)
Your videos are so interesting and informing! I appreciate your non-toxic and non-prejudicial analysis of music that has meant so much to me. I have no musical talent and know nothing of the "science" of writing songs, etc. You make it all so very clear with your down to earth descriptions and demos. One thing I do know is that I have loved rock and roll since I was 12 years old and heard Bill Haley and his Comets sing Rock Around the Clock! In 1964, I loved (and still do) what we called Acid Rock - I was teaching in high school then and the students thought it was so cool that an old woman like me loved R and R (I was 22!). As for this being the "worst" apparently (and maybe I'm going to far back) GQ and others had never listened to Surfing Bird by the Trashmen!
Hey, Surfin' Bird is great. It's just stringing together two songs by the Rivingtons...Poppa Ooh Mau Mau and The Bird is the Word...with a little scream in between like the beginning of Wipeout by the Surfaris. Not bad for a little white band from Minneapolis. I have their album...they can play.
I think, as always, you did a very fair, analysis. I’m not wild about the song, however, somebody else, probably is..... It’s like trying to critique a painting. Beauty is in the eye, or in this case, the ear, of the beholder. You, rock, Fil!
How is this the worst song of all time? I don’t get it at all, whatsoever, it is extremely well written, especially that lead-in/pre-chorus , I love that ascending harmony, “Rock and Rooolllllll!!!” Awesome.
I think if you are my age (58) We missed our Jefferson airplane ( although we had hot tuna) and this song was yet another and a string of cheesy 80s songs by former heroes. Steve Winwood with the absolutely brutal arc of a diver album, and Genesis turning on us and giving us the finger with “and then there were three” onward. So I think you have to understand the sentiment of us music fans at the time.
Love this Anthem - We built this City a proud statement of unity and achievement This performance live is incredible I was puzzled by the Marconi line however Your analysis of the mamba metaphor is I believe spot on as the lyrics are a dig at the Corporate music business - Thank you for featuring this song 🎶🎙🎶
Finally, someone who actually gets the lyrics of this song. It surprised me that it got so out of hand. Everyone referred to the industry as "snakes", can't remember how many times I've heard an artist referring to being "snaked" by the system. The lyric "Don't you remember, we built this city on Rock and Roll". Which to me is the artist telling the industry, "don't forget, we are the ones who made you who you are", this "city" being a metaphor for the industry. Basically "We built the record industry". You are very correct. This whole song pretty much tells you what it's about. The person who wrote the article about this song was just not smart enough to get what it's about, or he was somehow connected to the Mambas they were referring to, and trying to discredit the song. I guess that part we will never know.
Everyone knows that "Gangnam Style" was the worst song of all time. HOWEVER, I have to admit that "Party All the Time" By Eddie Murphy is in the running, too!
Admittedly Psy was only releasing it as a joke so he was completely blown away by the response. Party all the time cracks me up. Always laugh when Rick James says " put your phones on man". Don't know why that is but it's one of those things lol
Every single musical phrase and lyric makes you cringe. It is completely corny, forced, fake, humorless, self absorbed, and nauseating. Everyone involved should be ashamed.
@@minners71 I agree with your comment, since there are lots of terrible songs, but to be fair, this is one of them, and the person you replied to didn't say he agreed with the label "worst song ever".
If this was a bad song, then they wouldn’t have songwriting legend Jim Peterik on stage with them playing guitar and, by the smile on his face, loving it!
@@glenadymond7202 Boomers is reserved for the people in the baby boomer generation who are filled with intolerance, ignorance, and flawed logic. Not all baby-boomers are "boomers". Just the ones that fill the negative criteria.
My old room mate from the 70s wanted to put together an album of all the worst songs of that decade. Maybe every decade has some awful songs that others buy and make into big hits? He and I disagree, but I thought "Ripple" by the Grateful Dead was greatest ballad-type song of the 70s. I still do.
As an 80s gal, I have always loved this song, because it makes me happy and is a time machine back to my teens. Thanks for another excellent eval video, Phil! I am learning to play the ukulele (aka tiny guitar), so your vids always make me smile!
@@raphaellavelasquez8144 I will have to check that out. I always liked Judy. There is a version by an 80's punk band called the Circle Jerks from their 'Golden Shower of Hits' EP which everyone should hear😹
Hey Phil - it’s Martin Page here - one of the songwriter’s of ‘We Built This City’. Just saw your in depth musical analysis of the song and just wanted to compliment you on a balanced and reasonable overview of the facts. It’s gratifying to at last see a fair appraisal of the song as a whole. Particularly your perspective on the chordal, harmonic and melodic aspects of the song ... as that was my contribution. I’ve always thought, for a rock song, WBTC had an unusual and uplifting emotional chordal structure. Particularly the B. section - the ‘Marconi played the mamba’ section. And by the way, I sang ‘Mamba’ on the original demo I recorded.... and I prefer it too!!!
Greetings to all your ‘Wings of Pegasus’ followers. Damn good job mate. Martin Page
Hi Martin! Thanks for the comment it's much appreciated, and also for your work on the song as a whole!
There's not a damn thing wrong about the song. When someone slags on the song, nobody wants to be seen disagreeing. That's merely peer pressure. It's the same behavior as people busting on The Bee Gees 70's disco songs. After it all was done and the two brothers had died, other performers started coming out the woodwork , like Alice Cooper, saying that they really appreciated the quality of the Bee Gee's music and the brothers in particular. Nobody wants to be the odd man out saying that the song is pretty "catchy". Not a fave but far from worst. If looking for a truly bad song look no further than "My Sharona".
@@danielfronc4304 Nothing wrong with My Sharona. It’s got an awesome solo.
i think its a very good song
Superb song.
How anyone could have called this the worst song ever in this age of auto tuned teeny bopper trash is beyond me.
I agree. This isn’t a great song but there’s been plenty of songs to come out in the last 20 years that are way worse.
It was that point in this particular band’s history that they went to garbage
I loved the song when it came, it was great then but there was a cheesy element where a section is used to promote whatever radio station is playing the song, innovative but cheesy.
Nickelback can make worse music than this in their sleep.
I didn't think much of this song, but it wasn't the worst thing ever, either. There was a lot of much worse music out there.
Pegasus always smiles when
a band’s vocals or a musical bit
are on point.
That song is far better than 90% of recorded pop music
This version is better than the studio. I don’t think it is the “worst song,” but I do remember it grated on my teenage ears immediately. It never grew on me, and seemed to be in top 40 radio/video play forever. To me the studio version still sounds like an over processed commercial jingle, probably best presented within a significant video. Enjoyed a lot of this band’s work throughout their career and lineups though. Thanks for analysis.
Grace Slick's singing on the record is what really keeps the tune from sinking under it's own weight. Not the greatest song ever written, but a heck of a lot better than Afternoon Delight or Hey Paul, Hey Paula
meh....afternoon delight and hey paula are pretty good in retrospect.......even worst song is JA catalogue is better than radio today
🎵 Sky-y-y rockets in flight🎵
💥 🚀 🎆 🌠 🌌 💫
🎵Afternoon delight🎵
🎵A-a-afternoon delight🎵
😄I remember hearing that song often as a child & just SINGING AWAAAY almost every word of it, right along with the radio! (with NO IDEA what I was singing about!)🤣
I loved this song when it was a #1 hit for weeks, back in the day! great vocals!
They were complaining about this song back in the 1980's, but people still loved it. This controversy came from those that didn't like what Jefferson Airplane had became.... they thought they sold out from their 1960's roots. This was just the song they latched on to and tore apart.
I still love this song- as a kid I thought it was so cool that all the radio stations would put their call signs in the middle, and the song still sounds weird to me without that in there
I would say EVERYTHING in the charts in 2020 is far worse than this!
It wasn't written for you.
Great point!
AMEN!!!!!!
On the charts, agreed. Plenty of great Indie stuff recorded the last 15 years that the public has never heard.
Not Nightwish :) Metal Mozart Tuomas is composing nice music.
Dude, this song is awesome! It's got the synth, up beat vibes, screaming electric guitar, good vocals...what else is there to have?! :)
I actually like this song. Maybe I have no musical taste.
Worst song of all time? Have any of you ever heard a Yoko Ono song?
Waaarrrrrzzzooonnne
th-cam.com/video/eAsV7Udjl4A/w-d-xo.html
Worst? Somebody forced me to listen to John Lennon&Yoko Ono's Life with the lions last week. I still have headaches and nightmares.
I think that weird singing she did does have some connection to a traditional Japanese style , i think?
guess what...Yoko Ono was into performance and art...not getting a number one hit
T.Rex did some crap like new York city zip gun London boys truck off.
No, the worst song of all time was anything "sung" by Yoko Ono.
Anything by Yoko is a contender.
@just Dennis That's why I put sung in quotation marks.
You mean anything screamed by the reason the Beatles broke up
OldBoiler62 yes yes you are right!!!! Lol.
Deborah Smith Anything by her is the winner.
I don't like this song but I'll take it over almost all rap music.
Rap ain't music.
@Angler Strong Agreed. I will no longer support or watch pro football - which I've enjoyed for decades - since certain players hold me in such contempt.
As soon as you said that the magazine editor asked, "who is Marconi?", I immediately realised we were dealing with a fool and everything was suddenly clear!
I wouldn't put much credence in GQ. It targets posing narcissists. It's a great song and has always been a fun sing-along. MT does sounds great all these years later.
@Louise X three NUMBER ONES IN a YEAR ,,,,,, dusty veterans KICKIN IT !
Played this in the clubs back in the 80's. For a song that was "hated" or the "worst", it certainly packed the dance floors!
Whoa there, feller! Wait just a sec.! Not that it isn't a good song but just because a song can pack a dance floor doesn't necessarily make it a good song. Maybe to the owners of the dance floors but nothing that anyone with any taste for music would want to do a cover on. Is all I'm sayin' but I wouldn't fight ya on it. 😉
@@I_Palaver Makes it a good dance song…
Lots of inane songs bring people to a dance floor. This is nowhere near the worst song.
Yes it did
@@I_Palaver true! Old Time Rock and Roll packs dance floors at wedding receptions across America 😂. I. WILL. NOT! Participate! I’d rather do the Electric Slide.
I've written numerous songs worse than that.
😂 Got a laugh out of that, thank you!
Rock is all courage and looks of band. Be plausible and you are 90% good.
Join the club
Mickey singing "Jane" in his prime is arguably one of the best rock vocal performances of all time
Achy Breaky Heart. My vote for all time worst song
"DON'T SMELL MY FART, MY INKY-STINKY FART, I JUST DON'T THINK YOU'D UNDERSTAND, 'CAUSE IF YOU SMELL MY FART, MY INKY-STINKY FART, YOU'D REALISE THAT I ATE HAM- WHOOOOOO-HOOO. . . "
@@fredchatham6680 ha ha pmsl
How bout "She thinks my tractor's sexy"?
Idk Rebecca Black Friday is up there
cmac1425 Yeah that’s bad
It is pretty amazing how good his voice is.. I actually did a double take when I realized how recently this was performed.. Good for Mickey T!!
Saw Starship at Epcot a few years ago. Mickey was awesome.
The voice is always the last thing to go. 🥹
There are about million rap songs that are worst.
Worst, you mean as in worstachur?
Every rap song is the worst.
I would have to agree here. Especially when their lyrics get praise and adulation for wanting to kill cops! The only thing missing from rap is the ‘c’ in front!
"rap songs", "The only thing missing from rap is the ‘c’ in front!" OK boomers.
@@s.miller2648 I do like "Nigga nigga nigga nigga." Great song.
I've seen worse performances, at the Grammy's
I SO AGREE!! 😁👍
Got that right!!! 👍👍✌✌🤘🤘
No joke!
Every single year!
@Bike Cycle Quite a simple statement he made,not sure what you find hard to comprehend.
I remember I hated this song back in the 80’s but hearing it now it don’t sound that bad anymore, I guess the bar for music has gotten much lower over the years, I grew up in the 60’s! So I had some tough competition to compete with the bands I grew up on!
I grew up in the 50s and was a teenager in the 60s. What a great time to be young! The first Rock and Roll song I ever heard was Elvis Presley’s Teddy Bear. (My mom only listened to big band and show tunes on our radio. No TV.) I was 9. It was a revelation! Then there was my discovery of the Beatles during a high school dance. (I was introduced to the dance the twist at the same time.) I will never forget it. So many great memories built around music!
@steven kreisberg - Yes, same here! I guess I hadn't liked 'We Built This City' also because there simply were other, way better songs around at that same time.
@@roseannelobbezoo7638 - Oh, absolutely! That's what I love about Music the most, that it can be connected to wonderful memories and create great atmospheres :-)
@@roseannelobbezoo7638 the late 50,s , 60,s & 70,s have produced what we can now call real handmade music played by real musicians. The amount of great music that evolved in that era was unbelievable. So glad i grew up then. A bit concerned for the generations comming up as i don,t think todays music will stand the test of time.
You say it all, Steven.
Not the worst and certainly someone's opinion. They can actually sing and play, and I believe that it craves a lot to make this good. Solid live performance in my mind. Thanks Phil.
If the editor of a music magazine (Blender) doesn't know who Marconi was, he's not worthy of being taken seriously.
Yeah, astounding. I don't get how, if you're in that kind of position of responsibility, you don't crack open a book and find out, rather than blathering your ignorance.
Great point! Agreed
Marconi was given the credit but Tesla was the true inventor.
Didn't Blender always feature the meathead metal of the day?...I'll take this song over that crap any day.
Ahhhh, Marconi, yes... great keyboardist, but you oughtta hear her play clarinet.
Mickey sounds great, but the song's not the same without Grace
Grace is one of a kind but this girl is excellent as a stand in to my ears.
Unfortunately that's true...
CORRECT :-')
I agree, i watched her perform from backstage, they were The Jefferson Airplane, boy what a voice,i was in awe, fabulous, fabulous performer, they were on tour with Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and a host of others....
Grace Potter does a good Grace Slick
Mickey Thomas is the best high tenor in Rock! Flawless head voice and mixed voice (70 years old!)
.......lyrics by Bernie Taupin!
On Micky...👍👍👍🎙️🎤
Taupin wrote this as a protest against the radio industry, but the message was completely lost due to the production.
I have always liked this song, and never been afraid to say so. I love it when I hear it on the radio while driving. I sing along...loudly.
While we're talking about bad songs....lets hear for the biggest cause of diabetes in the 70's.....the sickening "You Light Up My Life".
That was a great song!! When Debbie Boone was asked, after winning an award, for it, who was this dong referencing, she replied "Jesus".
Omg. Another one. 😂😂👍👍
That was awful.
It’s not a bad song on it’s own merits. The problem is it is middle of the road pop without balls that sells out the entire Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship legacy. If it had been released by Huey Lewis and the News or some other band of that caliber it would not have gotten nearly the same backlash.
doesn't bother me , nor my fondness of any incarnation of GRACE SLICK bands
@@roystonmason9125 I saw them play the last year of the "Reading Rock" festival(1988 I think) ,many acts had been bottled off that day as the line up was poor ,Meatloaf had just had his nose broken by a bottle (or so the MC reported) as he tried for a 3rd time to get through "Bat out of Hell" while "under fire" and closing the day was Starship. I thought they'd be massacred judging by the days actions but you've got to give Grace Slick and co credit they came straight in with an older set list and won the crowd before hitting any newer material .I'd never been a fan of Starship but that gig gave me a taste of the earlier incarnations and an appreciation of what great entertainers they were .
I still find it hard to believe they pulled it off and played a longer set than planned due to the short sets of the "bottled off" line up
Interesting comparison to Huey Lewis. These folks were part of a powerful musical community in Mill Valley, California at that time. They used to hang out at a local Mexican restaurant with rock promoter Bill Graham. Big table, lots of notables. They also frequented a local bar…..
And, more importantly, it would have disappeared. Sadly, it's still churned out on classic rock radio stations.
Platypusfuss--Totally agree, except I would say it's also without ovaries.
'We Built This City' was a requiem for Jefferson Airplane and a betrayal in the fan's eyes. It spelled the end of edgy challenging music by one of the great 60's bands. We Built This City' was on the radio constantly during this time and rubbed salt into the deep wounds with that hooky chorus. Of course it wasn't technically the worst song ever but it was HATED by older fans. LOL, I realize after listening to this video that I still don't like it.
Haha. Funny post and I agree w you, although Fil’s analysis made me consider it not the worst song in the universe.
As a young student i remember when this played and played - and an airplane fan supervisor loved it because grace slick sang on it :) so not every airplane fan hated it.
Complex well played songs can still be bad. Its repulsive and you cant ignore when bands that used to be great bands with something to say and in this case really revolutionized rock are on their way out, splitting up, taken over by corporate interests to carry on making money and songs are written by committee or chosen by the label from publishing writers even if well known or having done good work in the past. It is still a money grab and suicide for the band. It was a death knell no matter how cheerful or upbeat. that made it painful on top of the lameness of it all. Everyone doesn’t get to be awesome. We can have some taste an find it cheesy and bad. I disagree that all things get to be worthy just because someone did it and got it on heavy rotation.
This song was done to make a buck. Apparently it worked on that basis. Never liked it. Don’t apologize for not liking any of it. Read once something like “made by people who should have known better.” Completely pretentious and self important lyrics. It and they deserve the negative observations.
Exactly right. I grew up with great rock music in the 60s and 70s. I remember Grace Slick saying in an interview that she would never get on stage and sing the old songs, they were no longer relevant and they would look like old rockers trying to revive the past. Smart woman. This song is awful in so many ways. It was overplayed and not a good look for such a multitalented group.
Worst song of all time? I guess whoever picked that never heard "She's Having My Baby" by Paul Anka.
Yes, that really is the most god-awful, stomach-churning song of all time, I agree!
Nope, not even close. "Kung Fu Fighting" is my nomination for worst song of all times. Now, try to get rid of THAT ear worm!
Daphne and Celeste. U.G L.Y.
Thanks! (You're taking requests right?)
@@donnewton415 At least Everybody’s Kung Fu Fighting was a disco-like song (disco sucks). Having my Baby is hands down one of the worst ever.
Ha ha ! Such cruelty, you reminded me after it took all these years to forget that miserable song..
I think the real reason that WE BUILT THIS CITY was so detested was not so much the song itself, but that it was done by the (remnants of) one of the most worshipped bands of the 60s and so therefore was perceived as a gigantic sell-out. If it had been done by so no-name gaggle of youngsters, it would probably be a fondly remembered One-Hit Wonder.
I think VH-1 voted this the worst and "Broken Wings" #2. This song was hated because it was JEFFERSON AIRPLANE. It was Mickey Thomas. Dude could sing. Broken Wings os an awesome song.
Is this not one of the, if not the reason Grace Slick left not only the band but pretty much the music business altogether?
Yes, this is exactly what happened and the fact that it was played non-stop on radio continuing to rub salt into the wound. it was so saccharine and corporate.
You hit the nail on the head. The fact that they changed their name to just "Starship" was not enough. The older fans still saw this song as being from Jefferson Airplane/Starship...and a big pop sell out. Actually, it's a damn fine pop song.
Great point, considering this bands history it almost seemed like...."hey guys we're running out of money so lets write a cheesy commercial hit" It would have offended so many if this was from a brand new band. From a purely objective point of view, I think it's a solid pop song. How many critics out there are capable of even writing just one hit song. it's not easy.
GQ magazine has been described as "...the worst bs ever printed.." on numerous articles, so their criticism has no weight. Its a great song !
No it ain't
It's an OK song.
Hardly a great song but it's not Seasons In The Sun or Disco Duck so it has that going for it. 🤣
I disagree! From the time of release, I cringed! It so made me think of my conservative music teachers from school, "trying to be hip!" I'd run to turn it off!
GQ = Gentlemen's Quackery
GQ must never have heard “Havin My Baby” by Paul Anka 😂
I like that one.
Yes! My all time least favorite song. Ugh!
The song started out sounding almost like “Daniel” by Elton John. Then it went downhill fast, like a set of fingernails on the blackboard. And Odia Coates’ backup vocals was like an extra set of fingernails on that blackboard.
Both Odia Coates and Paul Anja were great, but not on this record!
no,Feelings is still the worst ever
@@amaliazahav1903 Followed closely by "Windmills of Your Mind."
For what it's worth, I found this on Wikipedia:
"Song co-writers Martin Page and Bernie Taupin have stated that the song is about the decline of live performance clubs in Los Angeles during the 1980s."
Worst song of all time? That would be Disco Duck.
You just had to remind me of Disco Duck, didn't you? What have I ever done to you?
P C Great! Now that's going to be in my head for awhile.
Flappin' my arms I began to cluck!
Look at me! I'm a disco duck!
Damn, now that songs on loop in my brain🤯
I thought Fil was going to highlight "Kung Fu Fighting", or "She Bangs"!
The song is good. Better than 90% of the crap in the last 10 years.
Have you evaluated a Weird Al performance, Fil? The best song spoof artist out there, and he's been at it for decades.
He was always politically correct!!
YES! SO HILARIOUS! LOVE HIM! DEFINITELY THE BEST AT WHAT HE DOES! 👍✌👌🤘ROCK🤘
He had one tour where he did a straight (no parody) cover, different song each night. The range of different songs he and his band could pull off perfectly is impressive. There are dozens of these here on TH-cam.
Weird Al should be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Not even kidding.
He really doesn't get the credit he deserves because he is super talented!
I don’t care what anyone says, I love this song and Mickey Thomas is one of the great singers of all time.
I agree and those who don't like it don't no anything about music.
No love for Grace Slick?
Worst Song?? HAHAHHAHA. They never heard my old band play.
Lol.
im sure you are/were better than you think...
lol
Ahhh...don't be so hard on yourself. This song is hard to beat 😆
Worst song? They never heard the band I'm in NOW play. But we don't care!
I love the way you analyze songs. You offer something I haven’t found anywhere else and in depth. Very interesting.
any song by Justin Bieber!
There is No such thing as a worst song. Everyone has personal taste in music or there would be no music .
Worse songs around than this. I don't mind this
@@markgallagher1621Definitely.
I love Mickey Thomas, what pipes! I don't think this is a bad song. You are the best, Fil!
He would be 68-turning 69 here--still has the technique, and range! :) Never my favorite song, by a longshot, but the performance here is professionally done--Stephanie Calvert has Grace Slick's part down well enough (her mic wasn't as up in the mix as Mickey's), and John Roth's guitar is "spot on", as Fil would say.
I agree, diso duck is worse and I like this song.
Pamela Neibuhr it does look like they raided Kohl’s before the show.
But Disco Duck was a joke song so I don’t think it counts.
@Pamela Neibuhr : LMAO, I forgot all about Disco Duck! I actually happen to like it far more than any Starship, or even Airplane song. But even my friends think I have funny musical tastes. I've played guitar in bands ranging from neo-classical, fusion, thrash metal, and acid jazz, to classic rock, blues, funk and pop, and I've found something great from every genre I've heard, but don't care for most music of every genre, even my faves. But it's just my opinions. ^-^
Anyway, I'm gonna listen to Disco Duck next and have a good laugh and possibly a few memories of sillier times.
@Annie Romanowski5 : Yea, Mickey in particular is a fantastic singer. A recording engineers dream really. As I was taught my first week as an apprentice: when someone is really good, you basically set the mics up to get as good a basic sound as possible, then sit back and enjoy. Whereas most sessions are either a good amount to a lot of work, or sometimes very difficult.
Anyone that can sit through the entirety of Disco Duck is my hero...
Never gave this song a thought really, I'd tune to the next station as I would with any other mediocre song. The REAL worst song ever was Paul Anka's HAVING MY BABY. I just threw up in my mouth a little . . .
Yeah, now that's a bad song!
Having read the comments it looks like Having My Baby has got the most votes and it richly deserves them.
Fred Chatham - Morning sickness?
Crush everything: not in THIS lifetime, haha! Music is subjective anyway, each of us like what we like, that's how it should be. I'm sure there's Paul Anka fans that would go to his show just to hear that song. We each have "those" songs where we would rather lay on the dance floor and have a group of men take turns kicking us than ever have to play them again. I'm quite sure there's songs on my play list that would make THEM cringe. Yes, there's some songs i hope no one ever knows I like.
Since I'm rambling on anyway and there's no one here to tell me to shut up, here's an interesting story. Ever wonder how Tony Bennett became so popular with the younger people? I wasn't online yet in 1993 or so but my oldest daughter was a junior in high school, many of her friends were already well involved with AOL and "bulletin boards". My daughter's best friend told me that a large online community had decided to randomly pick an older entertainer and follow them and do everything they could to support them. Names of entertainers were suggested, all suggestions had a cutoff date. A list of the top 20 or so entertainers were posted, a poll was taken, the winner was Tony Bennett. After any of them that wasn't familiar with Tony checked him out, they found he was actually a great singer and a cool old guy. Since the "popular" crowd was really into Tony, the "me too" crowd jumped on board, most of them liked him too. What started as somewhat of a joke actually gave Tony Bennett exposure to a much younger crowd that actually DID like him.
I've always liked this song. I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1967. It was such a vibrant, exciting, creative time and place for rock. The Victorian houses in the Haight that now sell for $millions were run down but rent was cheap giving affordable housing to struggling rock bands. We went to The Fillmore and watched great bands for just a few dollars. It was a great time to be young.
As someone who grew up in the 1980s, the only thing wrong with this song was that at a certain point it was played too often. It was #1 and radio played it to death.
Haha, yep!!
That was true for many songs, radio stations had a set playlist and played certain songs to death.
Yea. One of the marketing gimmicks was that they released a version without the DJ talking and encouraged various radio stations to add their own version for their local area. Many of the stations were so proud of the performances of the DJs that they kept playing it over and over too much.
It's corny and lame.
@@captarne1 So, just like today? -.-
This was never a fav for me but I never thought it anything close to bad. That’s just silly.
Anyone remember Tiny Tim and Tiptoe through the Tulips?
OMG hadn't thought of that for years!
I actually like Tip Toe Through the Tulips more. Someone should do a prog metal cover of it, lols.
Didn't he get married on the Tonight Show?
John Walsh Not if I can help it! :D
Sure do. That would qualify as " allowed by Geneva Convention to torture prisoners of war. Pete Townsend should have smashed Tim's ukulele!!!
I will say this... my band opened for them quite a few years back on the Summer of Love Tour, with Big Brother Holding Co and a few others. I got to meet many of the band members in the various bands... most dismissing me without even a handshake... but Mickey was just about the sweetest and most gracious person I'd ever met.
2007; I had to look it up online. What was your band's name?
@@amerocker I nearly have a hard time believing this guys comment, because if you look at his page, there’s nothing related to music, just a bunch of gaming videos. Sounds legit, but when you look at his page, not even one video of any music being played by his band or himself?
OK, I was wrong. There are three videos of his band playing in the garage, and his acoustic guitar is out of tune. I don’t think the guy is legit, unfortunately.
Mickey is a great sing songwriter. It's ok not liking his material, but there's no denying his talent. He's done very well in a very tough business.
That song is an absolute mood-lifter for me, and that's more than enough to love it. Even if it were a bad song, which it obviously is not. What I find particularly annoying is people criticising the supposed simplicity of a song, implying that anybody could come up with it. I think it was Tom Petty who was often criticised for the same thing and who said something along the lines of "if it is so easy, then why haven't you done it?"
To me the worst song ever is "Feelings" by Morris Albert.
The wort song for me is By by Miss American Pie.That song is awful i goes on and on and on for about 6 or 7 minutes..IT S AWFUL
Feelings by Eunice from Eunice Ed and Mama. Carol Burnet show.
@@joesmith34 Bye Bye Miss American Pie is worse when Madonna sang it.
@@joesmith34 Yes, for me, one of the worst.
And that a little bit of monica song. I refuse to go look up the title. I HATE that tripe.
"Jimmy crack corn, and I don't care!
Jimmy crack corn, and I'm not there!
We built this city on rock & rooooll...
Something-something Daaaaayyy..."
-- Homer Simpson
DrDespicable 🤣🤣🤣
DrDespicable 🤣🤣🤣
Thank you doctor!
😂, I’m not as think as I stupid I am ! 😂
OMG hilarious!
😂😂😂
I think people trash this song because of what Jefferson Airplane evolved into by the 80s. Had it been some other random band, it would've been fine.
Exactly
Yep. Not only what they evolved into but this song was played over, and over and over til everyone wanted to puke.
The reason GQ gave for its verdict was the line, "Marconi plays the mamba." According to them, it made no sense. Probably a mistake on THEIR part. "Marconi plays the MAMBO, listen to the radio" makes perfect sense. Mamba is a snake, mambo is a Cuban music genre. Marconi was the inventor of the radio.
Spot on... a long way from Jefferson Airplane - many felt they sold out to 'pop'.
Truth
Paul Rodgers is another singer who sings his songs today in the original key. He is amazing. Would like to see an analysis of some of his stuff
I could probably name 50 songs worse than this one
I could name 50 songs worse than this one that were released just this year.
I don't know that I could,but everyone has the right to their opinion and voicing it;unless their opinion is the cause of a tragic consequence to others.
More like 50,000
Bjork?
Exactly, loads of songs are worse then this song, I remember when it came out, it couldn't have been that bad because it was a hit.
Bah, I can make a worse song then this.
Brilliant analysis Fil, shame on the Blender article and writer for a silly and uninformed opinion.
Hey Phil - I'm a 66 year old R&R fan and I have to give you big time props for your amazing analyses, time after time. You are so spot-on regarding this song!
There's another angle, too, to the "worst ever" label, which you would be too much of a gentleman to acknowledge. I suffer no such disability. And that is simply that "Blender" magazine was a nothing trying to be a something. The editor's job was in large part to be provocative; to stir up controversy for the purpose of gaining attention. It didn't work. This song stands the test of time. "Blender", not so much.
it's a song that is just extremely middle of the road. there are MUCH worse songs out there. (that one by ugly kid joe rears its ability to annoy small gatherings). music, like many things is judged by the individual. I like many songs by jefferson airplane, starship, ufo ship, etc.) this one doesn't do much for me in comparison to say, White Rabbit, Somebody to Love, Find your way Back, Jane, Miracles. I use to DJ in college and believe me, there are many songs that elevate "City" far from the bottom of the pile. Will this song be the first one I want to listen to when I need a good song to listen to ? No. but as long as helen reddy "I am Woman" is in the music annals, it certainly isn't the worst.
@@sicfrynut 😂 Or fankly, anything by Bill Withers, who never could master the art of closing out a song. "I know I know I know I know ad infinitum" has been a worm in my ear for over 50 friggin' years!
Lest we forget Paris Hilton released an entire album.
☠️
........then blamed it on a duck.
NOOOOÒOOOOOOO
Any album by an original member of the Star Trek crew rates as worst of all time, sorry Mr. Nimoy but….
Amen to that!
listen to Celine Dion version of Eric Carmen's "All By Myself" its been know to cause dogs to go mad.
Anyone who would play Celine Dion for their dog should be shot anyhow and let the dogs live
At last, someone has nominated a genuinely bad recording.
@@desperatemohammedantheworl5833 hahaha
Fil's interpretation of the lyric "Marconi plays the mamba" is really interesting … and it makes a lot of sense! .. Coming from Bernie Taupin, it is a brilliant addition to a very likeable tune.
I always thought they said "Labamba". That's a song you'd hear on the radio.
That is what saved this analysis for me.. struggled with this one..😂..liked the song at the time..burned out...⛽🔥
@@789563able me too
@Louise X interesting take on it...so is the ' DJ talking over song' near its end meant to be 'good' or a bit of 'radio ga-ga time' satire ??...and it's worth pointing out whatever this song is ...it is NOT Rock n Roll..
@@andchat6241 Who cares rock or pop it’s all good so long as it has good catchy hook lines and this one has heaps of them.
Easy to find worse
I’ve always been
neutral about this song. Just “meh” and one of those that I could easily turn off, but could also listen without it bothering me. Good and interesting analysis though👍
And that’s the very problem with it, isn’t it? Jefferson airplane was never perfectly acceptable.
Many would argue that that is the true mark of a truly bad song ... a good song should elicit an emotional response of some kind, positive or negative. If it doesn’t elicit any response, well ... that’s just bad art.
@@pbohearn Maybe that's why they were trying to hide from us by changing their band name. Maybe they have the record? Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, Starship Jefferson, Starship.
@@oblivieon1567 They had to change the name because of a court case that said they had to be an original band member of Jefferson Airplane/ Starship. Grace Slick had a band before she retired completely called Jefferson Airplane. iirc.
Agreed, it's just meh - not good, not awful. Alot of music at that time was meh and similar sounding, so I can't fault this as the worst or the best.
What's the problem with this song???? Nothing. People who are "too cool' are making this decision? Please....there are worse out there.
GQ obviously never heard Kiss, Kiss, Kiss by Yoko Ono.
We’re talking about SONGS here, not sound vomit.
Crush Everything, 😂
@Helen Tucker. Amen!!!!!...👍😁🤣🤣🤣
How many of us have 🤔😉
I've always lived Kiss Kiss Kiss. Fuckin' rocks!
I was in high school when this came out and it got plenty of play. What made it so bad looking back, was it was the zenith of super polished, emotionless, corporate rock, complete with 80's synth sounds, not a note out of place, nothing too offensive to make your blood pressure rise, done by people who we know can and have done better. At the time I didn't care either way. And I'm sure it packs dance floors. Good for them.
They were pumping out crap like this left and right. No wonder the Clash was huge. We needed them.
Jefferson Airplane is still my favorite band all time and the first Jefferson Starship album was a tour de force, I still liked Starship, but first Kantner then Frieberg left and about 1978 when Grace Slick left the band really had nothing to interest me. Craig Chaquico was an awesome guitar player, but without Grace it was all over for me.
I went to see Starship with my son in the late 80s and was hoping to at least hear "Have You Seen The Stars Tonight".
I was disappointed on that note, but pleased with Micky Thomas singing
"Foold Around And Fell In Love". Additionally, their female vocalist admirably handled both Grace's "White Rabbit" and "Somebody To Love". They probably played "We Built This City" which Thomas sings quite well, but without Grace...there wouldn't be anything to make that memorable.
No more Clash's these days. Ever. Corporate pop is evil.
@@charlesbireland1780 Wasn't Grace kicked out?
I always liked this song. But now I don’t dare tell anyone.... but all of y’all. 😆
Dang, who let the dogs out ?
Radio stations loved this record because, in some versions, Starship left a "donut hole" in the lyrics where the local radio station could insert a little blurb about their station and their city/
that has to be the reason, the pandering
That's right!!!
Yes they called it the Sellout Song.
Lawrence Taylor looking at fils breakdown of the lyrics you gotta say👊🏼Rock n roll subversion of the highest order.Bit like the anger in born in the USA,whoosh,straight over the heads of so many but thanks for your money,now Ive got enough I can do and say what I want
peter montgomery same with born to run though it never mentions NJ specifically. Around 1980 the general assembly passed a resolution to make it the state song but it died in the senate after they read the lyrics.
One thing I really enjoy is seeing you really enjoy and watching your face light light up. It’s genuine
GQ doesn’t know anything about music. This is a good performance of a good song.
It is a good performance, that part I agree with; there are obvious skills on display. Worst song? Nope. Good song? Nope; sadly, displaying skills isn't enough to elevate a bad song idea into a good one.
Not a great song, but still better than almost anything coming out today.
yeah but, with Fil explaining about the radio bit, it Did seem to make more sense.
Exactly
Agreed.
I think the reason people categorize it as the worst is because Jefferson Starship/Starship had recorded many quality songs and this was inane corporate drivel.
I don't think it's the worst song of all-time. It's a bit cheesy, but so were many songs from that era.
The fact that this song is being talked about and sung along to nearly 40 years after its release it can't be *that* bad... ;-)
This song is beautiful to me because it brings me back to being a kid skating at the park.
It is that 👎
Getting attention for all of the wrong reasons...
It’s bad ……
Tbh, it's not a great song but I can see why it was a chart hit. Popularity, even lasting popularity, is not necessarily indicative of quality. There's even a logical fallcy, 'argumentum ad populum' which could, sort of, apply here... ;) :)
Your videos are so interesting and informing! I appreciate your non-toxic and non-prejudicial analysis of music that has meant so much to me. I have no musical talent and know nothing of the "science" of writing songs, etc. You make it all so very clear with your down to earth descriptions and demos. One thing I do know is that I have loved rock and roll since I was 12 years old and heard Bill Haley and his Comets sing Rock Around the Clock! In 1964, I loved (and still do) what we called Acid Rock - I was teaching in high school then and the students thought it was so cool that an old woman like me loved R and R (I was 22!). As for this being the "worst" apparently (and maybe I'm going to far back) GQ and others had never listened to Surfing Bird by the Trashmen!
Hey, Surfin' Bird is great. It's just stringing together two songs by the Rivingtons...Poppa Ooh Mau Mau and The Bird is the Word...with a little scream in between like the beginning of Wipeout by the Surfaris. Not bad for a little white band from Minneapolis. I have their album...they can play.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT? 🤔
Lol worst song ever in a world where Kanye West is a thing.
I don't care what any magazine says, I loved this song and a great performance.
Rock bands are essential. That magazine should examine their own existence lacking any redeeming qualities.
😀😆🤣
Rock is essential to my happiness that's for damn sure
Just my opinion? Hearing Mickey Thomas sing is worth the price of admission any time.
Not fond of this song. I don't think it's the worst song.
I don't think its the song it's more about these guys don't know when to call it quits.
Your right. I thought this was a dude song.
@Louise X What? "Self Esteem" was a great song!
Check out "Mule-skinner Blues" by the Fendermen.
I think, as always, you did a very fair, analysis. I’m not wild about the song, however, somebody else, probably is..... It’s like trying to critique a painting. Beauty is in the eye, or in this case, the ear, of the beholder. You, rock, Fil!
How is this the worst song of all time? I don’t get it at all, whatsoever, it is extremely well written, especially that lead-in/pre-chorus , I love that ascending harmony, “Rock and Rooolllllll!!!” Awesome.
That ascending harmony is fantastic.
If they actually listed the worst songs of all time, nobody would even know. This list was to spark controversy and draw attention to themselves.
I think if you are my age (58) We missed our Jefferson airplane ( although we had hot tuna) and this song was yet another and a string of cheesy 80s songs by former heroes. Steve Winwood with the absolutely brutal arc of a diver album, and Genesis turning on us and giving us the finger with “and then there were three” onward. So I think you have to understand the sentiment of us music fans at the time.
You had to be there.
@@forrestgreene1139 Exactly.
The comments are the BEST! Hysterical and entertaining to read! I needed that good laugh!
Love to all!❤
Love this Anthem - We built this City a proud statement of unity and achievement This performance live is incredible
I was puzzled by the Marconi line however Your analysis of the mamba metaphor is I believe spot on as the lyrics are a dig at the Corporate music business - Thank you for featuring this song 🎶🎙🎶
Not the worst song ever, but as the worst example of a group going commercial? Yeah, it's a contender.
"The worst song of all time"!! Oh the irony GQ magazine, ignoring any of the reality TV/computerised sterile inane songs of the last 10 years
I liked it better with Grace Slick, but it's certainly not "the worst song of all time". Clearly GQ has never heard the Pina Colada song.
I love Pina Coladas, getting caught in the rain but that song does suck.
the pina colada song is legend, along with acapulco by 4tops.
Bonnie St. Pierre, such a comedown from ‘White Rabbit’ isn’t it?
Crace Slick is on this original record as well as Mickey Thomas.
Slick hated this song n refused to sing it.
The 80's was an awesome time for music
Finally, someone who actually gets the lyrics of this song. It surprised me that it got so out of hand. Everyone referred to the industry as "snakes", can't remember how many times I've heard an artist referring to being "snaked" by the system.
The lyric "Don't you remember, we built this city on Rock and Roll". Which to me is the artist telling the industry, "don't forget, we are the ones who made you who you are", this "city" being a metaphor for the industry. Basically "We built the record industry". You are very correct. This whole song pretty much tells you what it's about. The person who wrote the article about this song was just not smart enough to get what it's about, or he was somehow connected to the Mambas they were referring to, and trying to discredit the song. I guess that part we will never know.
Which is corny and wrong. Musicians need businessmen to be successful. Marketing and distribution costs money.
Everyone knows that "Gangnam Style" was the worst song of all time.
HOWEVER, I have to admit that "Party All the Time" By Eddie Murphy is in the running, too!
Admittedly Psy was only releasing it as a joke so he was completely blown away by the response. Party all the time cracks me up. Always laugh when Rick James says " put your phones on man". Don't know why that is but it's one of those things lol
Gangnam style is really God awful but it's not the worst scary thought there are worse things than even that
@@tonydoherty2190 🤣🤣🤣
Or that HORRIBLE shyte song by Don Johnson...
Boogie in your butt by Eddie Murphy - pretty bad eapecially the line "put a little man...in your butt"
Every single musical phrase and lyric makes you cringe. It is completely corny, forced, fake, humorless, self absorbed, and nauseating. Everyone involved should be ashamed.
Well you've lived a very sheltered life if you think this is the worst song ever.
@@minners71 I agree with your comment, since there are lots of terrible songs, but to be fair, this is one of them, and the person you replied to didn't say he agreed with the label "worst song ever".
"...forced, fake, humorless, self absorbed, and nauseating." Are we still talking about JS, or the Dear Leader?
Especially given the 'legacy' of some involved.
If this was a bad song, then they wouldn’t have songwriting legend Jim Peterik on stage with them playing guitar and, by the smile on his face, loving it!
Not my favorite song, to be sure, but better than 99% of the crap that came out after the 90s.
ok boomer! Go take your ensure.
@@Fakeaorta hey, what's with this thing lately of calling people "boomers"? A little respect is always appreciated.
@@glenadymond7202 Boomers is reserved for the people in the baby boomer generation who are filled with intolerance, ignorance, and flawed logic. Not all baby-boomers are "boomers". Just the ones that fill the negative criteria.
My old room mate from the 70s wanted to put together an album of all the worst songs of that decade. Maybe every decade has some awful songs that others buy and make into big hits? He and I disagree, but I thought "Ripple" by the Grateful Dead was greatest ballad-type song of the 70s. I still do.
As an 80s gal, I have always loved this song, because it makes me happy and is a time machine back to my teens. Thanks for another excellent eval video, Phil! I am learning to play the ukulele (aka tiny guitar), so your vids always make me smile!
I have nightmares about neon clothing and mullets.
@Kurt Pena oh, god yeah!
Me too! I miss good music. Todays music is just computer crap!
I miss lyrics!
@@sherrisRN, Mammoth WVH, albums 1 and 2 (the new one). You can sing along with Wolf. 🎶
It sucks big time but (You're) Having My Baby is the worst song ever in the English Language. Followed closely by Undercover Angel
I love Judy Tenuta's version of "Having my Baby."
@@raphaellavelasquez8144 I will have to check that out. I always liked Judy. There is a version by an 80's punk band called the Circle Jerks from their 'Golden Shower of Hits' EP which everyone should hear😹