Jessica Willis

Manhattan-based critic and regular contributor to New York Press, Guitar School, Esquire

 

1. "3x2=6," Vanity 6

With its sobbing downbeat, stumbling tempo and lifeless attempt at gospel in the outro, this last track on the otherwise great Vanity 6 record could be the worst song of all time. So bad it's almost good. The nasty girl tries to change her ways by preaching from her panty region, and instead of closing the record like a scorned hottie left splayed on a limousine floor, she chose to sound like a heartbroken wench without a conductor. Let's blame it on Prince.

 

2. "The Freshmen," The Verve Pipe

I have nothing to say about this piece of total steaming mediocrity. For a while I thought this song was by the overhyped and truly lousy UK phenom band known as The Verve. However, The Pipe is truly wack.

 

3. "Breakfast At Tiffany's," Deep Blue Something

A couple of years ago, this self-important little waste of airtime was playing in the deli every single morning at 9:32, the exact moment I stumbled in. I prayed for its freshness date to pass quickly. It didn't expire soon enough.

 

4. "I Saw Red," Warrant

Again, another ballad bomb by a great band. I think "Red" is about the singer finding out his girlfriend was cheating. Guy, you were wearing Spandex and sneakers in 1990. What did you expect?

 

5. Any Mariah Carey song

... that's not "Someday" or that one about no matter how hard she tries, she just can't seem to let go. As The Boss said, I've got seven octaves and nothing going on.

 

6. "Don't Be Cruel," Cheap Trick

I always feel like missiles are zipping over the North Pole and making a beeline for our major cities when cover songs get heavy rotation. Pop just finished eating itself and burped. Let's blow everything up and start over.

 

7. "Copacabana," by Barry Manilow

There is never a right time to hear this song.

 

8. "That's The Way Love Goes," Janet Jackson

I didn't know love, a.k.a. Miss Jackson, could be so boring.

 

9. "Mixed Emotions," The Rolling Stones

The ONLY Stones song that gets passed over when I'm fiddling with the FM dial. Well, maybe not the only one.

 

10. "Notorious," Loverboy

One intense, explosive Canadian hard rock act, one pocket pool ditty that murdered their career. I recently frightened a friend of mine by having a real laugh attack to this song.

 

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