Randy Newman is such a brilliant satirist that it’s probably safe to say that any “bad” song he’s ever written was bad on purpose.
I suspect that is exactly the case with ‘Masterman and Baby J,’ his stab at a rap anthem. He had to mean this as a parody of some sort. And yet I don’t think that really matters… it’s still embarrassing.
Elvis Costello has written so many hundreds of songs that it was inevitable he’d write a bad one.
In truth, he’s written several not-good songs, but those are generally long-winded and lacking in melody, not abrasive. ‘20% Amnesia,’ on the other hand, is just plain assaulting to the senses.
‘Sweet Side,’ from Lucinda Williams’ raw and sadly beautiful World Without Tears album, certainly means well.
If you just read the lyrics, it’s a poignant (though overly rhyme-y) letter to a damaged person who’s been turned cruel by decades of abuse. It ends on a hopeful note, as Williams looks past the rough exterior to the wounded innocent inside.
In a Rolling Stone reader’s poll of Bob Dylan’s worst songs, today’s SOTD placed fourth. Coming in third, inexplicably, was ‘Rainy Day Women #12 & 35,’ the great rollicking kick-off track of Blonde On Blonde. So obviously this is a subjective exercise.
I don’t know every Bob Dylan song, and the ones I don’t know come from what is considered his worst period, so it’s possible he has recorded songs I’d find less pointless than this one. But it would be a tough contest.
Though mega-talented and extremely consistent, my very favorite artists aren’t perfect.
This week I will feature five songs that, for lack of a better word, suck. But they are notable in that they were recorded by five artists I rank among the best I’ve ever heard.
What I think you’ll find is that all of these songs are interesting failures.
