I'm going to hire a wino to decorate our home - David Frizell

I'm with you on the Bay City Rollers!! I would also add John Denver's Take Me Home Country Roads.

Free Bird

I downloaded Afternoon Delight the other day because I just love that song. It's so corny but so much fun to sing :-)

Dancing in the Moonlight, King Harvest
Sweet City Woman, Stampeder's
Make it Real, The Jets
Come Sail Away, Styx

Witchita Lineman - just about any version (and there are lots)

Honey, by Bobby Goldsboro
Running Bear (can't remember the drunk's name who sang it though)

OK, I have a thing for the theme songs from 70's-vintage Saturday morning cartoons. So my iPod has a bunch of cartoon theme song covers, including:
Liz Phair doing "The Banana Splits Song";
Matthew Sweet doing "Scooby-Doo, Where are You?";
The Ramones doing "Spider-man"; and
Tanya Donnelly and Julianna Hatfield doing "Josie and the Pussycats"

99 Luftbaloon - Nena
Lovefool - The Cardigans
Eternal Flame - Bangles
Baby Got Back - Sir Mix A-Lot (which I used as the soundtrack in an office video - don't ask)
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Stayin' Alive - The Bee Gees

Janis Joplin, Me and Bobby McGee
Liz Phair Polyester Bride
No Doubt, Just a Girl

I Wanna Talk About Me, by Toby Keith

I really dislike him, and country music, but I love this song.

"God Give Me Strength," the Burt Bacharach/Elvis Costello duet

"The Heart of Rock and Roll," Huey Lewis

And then I swear there's nothing but straight-ahead, hip stuff...

I have songs that feature my name:

Oh, Donna - Richie Valenz
Who's Loving Donna Now - DeBarge (takes me back to high school)
Donna - Bob Marley and the Wailers (long before the ganja and dreads)

Sexbomb - Tom Jones
I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred

Good workout songs, but definitely embarassing if someone else listened to my workout playlist!

I live with a wonderful, tho somewhat of a music purist man who has been known to yell at the radio: "Guns 'N Roses is NOT CLASSIC ROCK!!" (showing his age somewhat here). So imagine the following scene in our home when he logged into the i-Pod library on day (which we, BTW, share with our two teenagers, both classic rock and pop music fans):

Him: Honey, what the hell are we doing with (see following list of my guilty pleasure songs) in our library????

Me: it's part of my past lifestyle, dear.

Him: I don't want the kids to hear this music.

Me: Too late!
************************
Tom Jones: It's not Unusual and What's up, pussycat?

John Denver: Rocky Mountain High and Calypso and Follow Me

several Herman's Hermit's selections (my first album!!)

Achy Breaky Heart
3 or 4 ABBA songs
Maybe 2 from Cher (NO Celine Dion, tho)
Disco Inferno
Rollercoaster (of Love)
We Are Family
My Maria (original and Brooks and Dunn version)
etc. (my nano is at home, so I can't really check it)

I asked him what his guilty pleasure songs were, and he said "I have nothing to be guilty about!!" We're still married, I'm happy to say.

First, no one needs to be ashamed of liking "Girls just wanna have fun" or "the heart of rock and roll". These are perfectly good songs, popular in their time for a good reason.

I hope this doesn't devolve into a bash-fest of good-but-older music, or good-but-not-popular music. I better not see "friends in low places" on this list, kay?

In the spirit of the list:
Barbie Girl, by Aqua

Total Eclipse of the Heart
Any Man of Mine - Shania Twain
Why Can't I - Liz Phair's sell out song
Superman - 3 doors down

And some quality Britney of course

I have Barry Manilow mixed in with Green Day and Hootie and the Blowfish (and others) on my iPod.

At Christmas time, I add in Johnny Mathis, John Denver and the Muppets, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, Transiberian Orchestra, and the Boston Pops among others.

And after wathcing MPT the other night, I may have to add some Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits, too.

By the way, I'm 33 and female.

Jive Talking~Bee Gees
Ice Ice Baby~Vanilla Ice
Danger Zone~Kenny Loggins
these songs bring back fun memories.

Enrique Iglesias, Escape my love
Bonnie Something (can't remember the name), Total Eclipse of the Heart
Air Supply, All Out of Love

Grease Soundtrack
Footloose Soundtrack
Dirty Dancing Soundtrack
Muppet Movie Soundtrack

When I was a teeny-bopper, I was had a major Donny Osmond crush. Now I have a whole Donny playlist. Go Away Little Girl, Soldier of Love, Puppy Love, its all there.

I take it up a notch to the "belt them out in the car when no one else is around" (or so my kids wish) songs.

Tom Jones: "You Can Keep Your Hat On" (not so much around the kids, thanks)
Billy Joel: "James" and "I've Loved These Days"
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: "You've Really Got a Hold On Me"

If we're listing soundtracks, I'd have to add the Urban Cowboy Soundtrack. (The only reason I'm admitting to this is it's anonymous).

Mandy was the first song that popped into my mind.

If I Could Fly, Benny Mardones
There's No Way, Alabama
Thunder Island, Jay Ferguson
Don't Pull Your Love, Hamilton, Joe, Frank & Reynolds
Love Grows, Edison Lighthouse
Annie's Song, John Denver

Thanks to shiny, new T1 lines in the dorms my freshman year of college and the subsequent discovery of Napster, I have a lot of CRAP on my computer/iPod. But the fact that I still haven't deleted the crap all these years later is a testament to said crap's hidden brilliance.

Shania Twain - From This Moment (ouch)

Mr. Big - I'm the one that wants to be with yoooouuu.... (title escapes me..."To Be With You" maybe?)

4 Non Blondes - What's Up (and I will even admit to see them open for Aerosmith in '93 I think. Who's jealous?)

What is this guilt you speak of? My Venga Boys are blared out loud and proud!

I Think I Love You, Partridge Family

Maureen, classic Motown should never, ever in any life time ever be considered a guilty pleasure.

Daydream Believer, The Monkees

oh, so glad others share my John Denver love. but I am not ashamed! Annie's Song is the best. It shares space on the iPod with Weezer, Badly Drawn Boy, etc, etc.

I have no shame when it comes to my love of cheesy music, that said I still cringe a little when there are other people in my car and New Kids on the Block pops up on my playlist.

You know, I don't think "Midnight Train to Georgia" should count as a guilty pleasure or anything of the sort. It is actually a good song.

Reminiscing -- Litte River Band
Hello It's Me -- Todd Rundgren (the very first song I downloaded onto my iPod)
Close to You -- The Carpenters
Me & Mrs. Jones -- Billy Paul
Dust in the Wind -- Kansas

Yep -- where did you find the Muppet Movie Soundtrack?? I had to fuel my love of Rainbow Connection with the Kenny Loggins version (and that was a toss between him and Willie Nelson) via iTunes. Is it available on CD and I just can't find it??

MM Bop. Like it's not on your iPod.

'We Built This City', Starship. Easily one of the best driving songs EVER!!

"Keep on Lovin' You" - REO Speedwagon
I doesn't get much guiltier than the Speedwagon!

The Hamster Dance is my guilty pleasure. It is great for working out . . just have to make sure the ear buds are in place so no one else can hear!

I now have all these songs rotating in my head.

Everything I do, I do it for you -- Bryan Adams
2 out of 3 Aint Bad --Meatloaf
My Eyes Adored You -- Franki Valli & the Four Seasons
Brandy -- Looking Glass (yeah, me too)
Come on Eileen -- Dexy's Midnight Runners
Fanny (and a few others) -- Bee Gees
Don't throw it all away -- Andy Gibb
How Much I Feel -- Ambrosia
Just Between You and Me -- April Wine
Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams
The Things We Do for Love - 10cc
Through the Eyes of Love -- Melissa Manchester

Bettie Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
Fame - Irene Cara
Talk Dirty to Me - Poison
Speaking of Poison - Poison and Do Me! by Bell Biv DeVoe
You Don't Bring Me Flowers - Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand
Baby Hold onto Me - Eddie Money
Do You Believe in Love? - Huey Lewis and the News
The Right Stuff - NKOTB
Head to Toe, All Cried Out and Lost in Emotion by Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
I Know What Boys Like - The Waitresses
Greatest Hits of Barry Manilow, Neil Diamond AND Air Supply

Soo embarrassing!

This thread is making me laugh. I actually jotted a few "Oh I love that song!s" down on a post-it but now I'm embarrassed to have that post-it on my desk.

Here's some from my ipod***:
All 4 Love (Color Me Badd)
Whoomp! There It Is (???)
Mmm Bop (Hanson)
Joyride (Roxette)
Bizarre Love Triangle (???)
Cruel Summer (Bananarama)
Video Killed the Radio Star (The Buggles)

*** To be fair, in my defense, I actually created a high school/college mix and downloaded some of these songs specifically for when a bunch of girlfriends are in the car with me. Really.

When I was a teeny-bopper, I was had a major Donny Osmond crush. Now I have a whole Donny playlist. Go Away Little Girl, Soldier of Love, Puppy Love, its all there.

Posted by: jlr | March 9, 2007 11:22 AM

I wasn't a teenybopper but a little girl of 5 & I just knew I was gonna marry Donny. Or David Cassidy. I was torn even then as a 5 year old.

I currently lack an Ipod but I rather freely admit to owning more than a few Osmond albums & CDs as well as Hanson.

YES I SAID HANSON!!

Now spend the rest of the afternoon trying to get MMMBop outta your heads. JUST TRY!!

Air Supply - Out of Nothing At All ( I loooove this song)
Aerosmith- Crying
Now and Then Soundrack
Down On Bending Knee- Boyz II Men (or anything really from the II album)
For the Longest Time-Billy Joel
Fools Rush In-UB40
Looking at this list I have decided I am a SAP!!!!

I have the Muppet Movie soundtrack on CD but I'm not sure they sell it anymore. Try ebay?

I just love me some Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.

I am not now, nor have I ever been, a fan of Abba. Bleah.
Really, I expected better of you, Liz.

One Less Bell to Answer--The Fifth Dimension
Muskrat Love--Captain and Teneille

'Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: "You've Really Got a Hold On Me" '
????
That is a *great* song. Who are you people?

My daughter calls this bizzare playlist "Daddy's Dorkest Hour"

Good Morning Starshine - Oliver
Light Up - Styx
Crystal Blue Persuasion - Morcheeba
You Should Be Dancing - Bee Gees
Boogie Shoes - KC & the Sunshine Band
Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung
Money's Too Tight To Mention - Simply Red
Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson
Mambo Italiano - Dean Martin
Jump In Line (Shake, Shake Senora) - Harry Belafonte
The Beat Goes On - Sonny & Cher
Is That All There Is? - Peggy Lee
Spooky - Dusty Springfield
Gentle On My Mind - John Hartford
Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell
God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
Amie - Pure Prairie League
Can't You See - Marshall Tucker Band
Never Been any Reason - Head East
Flirtin' with Disaster - Molly Hatchet
Radar Love - Golden Earring

There are some whoppers for guilty pleasures on here, but I seriously don't see Free Bird or Janis Joplin songs as bad. That's good music right there.

Whip It
I'm too Sexy for my Shirt, Too Sexy
Anything Tony Orlando and Dawn
Karma Chamelion
The Hustle
Dicso Tex and the Sexolettes, Get Dancin
It Takes Two to Make Everything Go Right, Rob Base

I guess we're learning that one person's classic rock is another's guilty pleasure. But there's room for everyone's taste here and, don't worry, we won't let on that you like Abba.

Anything by the Pointer Sisters

I never talk about this, but I had every Little River Band record ever made, and I can still remember practically all the lyrics of all the songs.
Please don't tell anyone.

It's funny, I instantly recognize SO many of these songs. I wish I could cherrypick some of them for my own collection.

Having said that, my biggest guilty pleasures are British. As a 30something male, I cannot begin to explain why I have 8-10 songs by S Club 7, not to mention a few of their videos. I also used to love listening to some of the Spice Girls' stuff, and their movie still cracks me up. These days, I'm in love with the second album by Baby Spice (aka Emma Bunton), which no one who knows me would understand. But I do love 'em.

ANYTHING BY BARRY MANILOW FOR I AM A TRUE FANILOW!!

I wouldn't call them cheesy, but as a 50-some grandma, I wouldn't want anyone to know I have:

Dirt/Death in Vegas
Break Stuff/Limp Biskit
Killing in the Name of/Rage Against the machine
Guilty/?

Sometimes even Grandma is having a bad day.

hey, what's wrong with Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie"?! I love that song and I don't feel guilty/ashamed!!

Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Picture Show
I LOVE that song! I HAVE to get up and dance whenever I hear it.
Soundtrack from Undercover Brother (typical song: Brick House)
Someone mentioned Steppin' Out by Joe Jackson, I think that entire CD is a classic, not an embarrasment at all!

Here is my list:
I'm a Barbie Girl-Aqua
All Night Long-Lionel Richie
It's All Coming Back to Me Now-Celine Dion
Strong Enough-Cher

Everytime you do one of these lists, I regret not having an Ipod. I gotta get one soon so I can enjoy all these songs whenever I darn well want.

OK, soul-baring time...I LOVED the Backstreet Boys when I was in late high school/early college, and will occasionally break out my CDs from that period and sing along. They haven't made it onto my iPOD yet, though.

"I Wish I Was A Lesbian" by Loudon Wainwright III has, however.

Woke up sometime last year and created a 'Songs I Shouldn't Like' list, about 45 mins of Def Leppard, Journey, and Styx. I needed it that day and, Lord help me, I still dial it up now and again.

"Woman, Woman", by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap

Thunder Island- Jay Ferguson
Any Bay City Rollers Song
Kiss You All over -Exile
Any Little River Band Song
Seasons in the Sun -Terry Jax
Fox on the Run - Sweet
Soundtrack for Hair

For me, guilty pleasures are any songs that don't fit into my usual indie/gothic/industrial/punk rock vein. Not saying this stuff is bad...I'm just a little emberassed that I like them so much!

I was tempted to post this anonymously.

Copacobana - Barry Manillo.
Girl you know it's true- Milly Vanilly
I wanna sex you up- Color Me Bad
Toxic- Britney Spears
Piano in the Dark - (???)
Smack that - Akon
Wind Beneath My Wings - Beth Middler
She's like the Wind (the updated version don't judge me, I listended to the whole thing two many times)
Dust in the wind - Kansas
I want to know what love is - Foreigner

*sigh* Ok Liz u win, I get teased for having these pn my ipod by my gf and my friend.

Bye Bye Bye- N'sync(Not bad song, but i know the dance, and um.... break it out at times lol)

Ice Ice Baby- Vanilla Ice (Yeah, I know the entire song -.-)

Thriller- Michael Jackson(It's a guilty pleasure cause once again i know the dance steps lol)

For shame Liz, for shame

p.s. love ur blog :P

The Best of ELO

at some point, i stopped being embarrassed about any song i like... but i recently got an odd look from a friend when melissa manchester's version of "come in from the rain" popped up. i explained that i also do a mad karoke version as well.

Guilty as charged:
Anything ABBA (I adore ABBA) especially "Waterloo"
Carrie Underwood- "Jesus Take the Wheel" (I wish I didn't love belting out that song but I do.)
John Denver- "Take Me Home, Country Roads"
(I lived in Arlington VA when I first heard that song...we used to sing it in the car when we were driving.)

Whenever the day is cold and grey, "Beach Baby" takes me to summertime...

THE SAFETY DANCE!

Tonight - NKTOB
Waiting for a Star to Fall- Boy Meets Girl
Angel Eyes - Abba
Oh Sherrie - Steve Perry
The Edge of Heaven - Wham

As others have stated, I don't like to be an apologist for music that moves me, but I still feel like I have to JUSTIFY these:

Frankie Valli - Can't Take My Eyes Off You
John Denver - Sunshine On My Shoulders
Beach Boys - Kokomo
Sweet Sensation - Sad Sweet Dreamer
B.J. Thomas - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
Bobby Goldsboro - See The Funny Little Clown
Anything by Roberta Flack
Most of the slow mushy ones by the Stylistics

Celine Dion: "I'm Your Lady," "Power of Love" and "My Heart Will Go On."

Spice Girls: "Say You'll be There" and "Wannabe."

Michael Bolton: Many songs, but especially "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" and "When I'm Back on my Feet Again."

It's a sickness, I realize...

Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield

I'm Too Sexy by Right Said Fred

and my most shameful guilty pleasure... the Macarena

I love the postings! I'm going home tonight to create a Guilty Pleasures playlist. Some of my faves:

Hangin Tough, NKOTB
Dirty Dancing Soundtrack
Toxic, Britney Spears
Sweet Dreams, Eurythmics
Fresh, Kool and the Gang
Dancing Queen, ABBA
Sugar Hill Gang
Liquid Dreams, I can't remember the group but they had a reality show similar to Making the Band
Careless Whisper, Wham!/George Michael

I really could go on and on because I loooove music.

I'm so glad I'm not the only closet John Denver nut here. My guiltiest of his guilty pleasures is ALL ABOARD, the CD of railroad songs he did. It was a children's CD and my seven year old has outgrown it, so I can't use the excuse "Well, SHE likes it..." anymore.

My other guilty pleasure is all of those "teenage death songs" from the early 60s, stuff like "Teen Angel" and "Ebony Eyes" and "Honey" and a few others I can't remember the titles of.

And the Carpenters. "We've Only Just Begun" and "Superstar" and "Goodbye To Love"...

And Paul and Wings' "My Love"...

And Elvis' "Bossa Nova Baby" and "Wooden Heart."

We should try to arrange a massive mp3 swap!

And how could I forget "Open Arms" by Journey? Or "Keep On Lovin' You" by REO Speedwagon?

The Electric Slide. Never could figure out how to do that dance. Too much beer, I guess.

Got to add:
I Want It That Way-Backstreet Boys
London Bridge-Fergie
Careless Whisper-Wham

Walk Like and Egyptian, The Bangles
Runaround, Blues Traveler
Bo Diddley
Believe, Cher
Misrlou, Dick Dale
Electric Avenue, Eddy Grant
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, If You Could Read My Mind, both by Gordon Lightfoot
Coconut, Harry Nilsson
I Want a New Drug, Huey Lewis and the News
A bunch of Jim Croce
St. Elmo's Fire, John Parr
The Man that Got Away, Judy Garland
Ballroom Blitz, Krokus
Baby got Back
Living la vida loca, Ricky Martin
Tainted Love, Soft Cell
Stray Cat Strut, Stray Cats
Chuck E's in Love, Ricky Lee Jones

I could go on, but it's lunchtime...

Cats In the Cradle
You Can't Hide Those Lyin' Eyes

After the Loving, Englbert Humperdink

Cherry, Cherry - Neil Diamond
Saturday in the Park - Chicago

"Venus" by Bananarama
"Groove Is In the Heart" by Dee-Lite
"Walk the Dinosaur" by Was (Not Was)

I love this topic! I've noted SO MANY songs I'm going to need to download from iTunes this weekend. :-) I, too, have a playlist--called "Shhhh....Guilty Pleasures"

Because I Got High - Afroman
Lost in Love - Air Supply
Barbie Girl - Aqua
Oops I Did it Again - Britney Spears
You're So Vain - Carly Simon
Because You Loved Me - Celine Dion
One Fine Day - The Chiffons
Did I Shave My Legs For This - Deana Carter
Parents Just Don't Understand - DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
Three Little Pigs - Green Jelly
Last Night a DJ Saved My Life - Indeep
Laid - James
Why Don't We Get Drunk - Jimmy Buffett
Two Out of Three - Meatloaf
Stars Are Blind - Paris Hilton
I Think I Love You - The Partridge Family
Crazy - Patsy Cline
You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon
I Got a Man - Positive K
I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred
These Boots Are Made for Walking - Sam Phillips
Leader of the Pack - The Shangri-Las
Theme to The Love Boat
Mickey - Toni Basil
Bust A Move - Young MC
Wannabe - The Spice Girls

Janis is a guilty pleasure for me because I sing it LOUD and BADLY! I cna't hear it without belting along to it.

Also have to admit I got the Justin Timberlake cd. I love dancing to it. and my 18 month old's fav song right now is SexyBack. Don't tell my husband. Or child services.

Tom Jones - Kiss (yes, the Prince song)
Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing
Rolling Stones - Hot Stuff
Barry White - Love Serenade

The velveeta of cheesy songs.

Tom Jones on the brain. Now I must go buy Sexbomb. Thank you, that is all.

I forgot about
Waiting for a Star to Fall-Boy Meets Girl
Who's Johnny by El Barge
Oh Sheila-Ready for the World
Jungle Love-The Time
Pop-N'Sync
Larger than Life-Backstreet Boys

My iPod is a cornucopia of embarassing songs - my coworkers won't let me hear the end of it (because we can share our iTunes libraries at the office):

1. Electric Light Orchestra's Greatest Hits (any song off of that!)
2. "Everything I Own" by Bread
3. "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" by The Darkness
4. "What A Fool Believes" by The Doobie Brothers
5. "Just Remember I Love You" by Firefall

I could go on, but must get back to work!

To still: Don't be ashamed about Urban Cowboy! That is an awesome soundtrack.

Also, what about "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham? Definitely makes you want to shake something!

"Macho Man" by the Village People. And can we all still do the "YMCA" dance?

Summertime- Mungo Jerry (CLASSIC!)
Knock Three Times- Tony Orlando
Baby Got Back
Baby One More Time- Fountains of Wayne
One More Time- Daft Punk
My Sharona
Cruel Summer- Bananarama
Situation- Yaz

Tarzan Boy-Baltimora

Wow. Tarzan Boy.

Liz! I thought we were trying to support each other! *ashamed*

My partial list:
You Make Me Feel like Dancin - Leo Slayer
Could I Have This Dance - Anne Murray
Love Will Keep Us Together - Captain & Tennile
Most anything by Kenny Rogers
Most anything by Lionel Richie
All Cried Out - by Lisa Lisa, etc.
Don't Go Breakin' My Heart - Sir Elton and Kiki Dee

I have a bunch more but that's good for now.

Y'know, I just don't get why so many of these songs are considered "guilty pleasures." Some of them are true classics, some are pure cheese (and everyone likes cheese, at least now and then), and others are just what they are. But why would anyone be embarrassed to have any of these on their personal playlist?

Maybe I feel this way because my own playlist is all over the map (just a search under the letter "B" will yield Beethoven, the Beatles, Banarama, and the Butthole Surfers, among others) and I don't care who hears it or knows it.

Although, I must admit that one of my songs does tend to raise more eyebrows than others: "Convoy".

No, no -- I was momentarily stunned. Now "Tarzan Boy" has been added to my library.

"Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" -- Looking Glass
"Midnight at the Oasis" -- Maria Muldaur
"Rock Me Gently" -- Andy Kim
"Let your Love Flow" -- The Bellamy Brothers

And, one of the greatest songs ever:
"Drift Away" by Dobie Gray (NOT that lame-ass cover by Uncle Kracker)

Wow, I don't think a lot of the songs people are putting in are guilty at all (okay well I'm too Sexy is pretty bad, but I do love it). I still think I'm just a girl by No Doubt as an anthem to younger feminists. Then again, I have Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult, and it was in my playlist before the SNL skit.

I don't have any "guilty pleasures." It's what everybody ELSE listens to that's the problem :-)

Some I forgot:
Rico Suave - Gerardo
Talk Dirty To Me - Poison
Rock Me Amadeus
Never Ending Story - Limahl?
Our House (in the middle of the street)
Together Forever - Rick Astley
Build Me Up Buttercup
Centerfold (J Geils Band)
Let's Talk About Sex
Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
To Make You Feel My Love (Garth Brooks)

Bye Bye Birdie
Bunch of Neil Diamond songs
The Monkees' Greatest Hits
Many, many Disney songs - it's just not cool to belt out "I Wanna Be Like You" with the windows down and no kids in the car

And I also have Tarzan Boy, I Think I Love You, etc. For shame.

I can't seem to stop the cheese.

Now I'm dowloading Atlantic Starr ("Secret Lovers").

Mr. Liz is so not going to want to ride in my car.

House on Pooh Corner - K. Loggins

THERE! I admit it, I love this song.

I thought we went through this exercise just last year on this blog. In any event, here are mine.....

A Perfect Way - Scritti Polliti
Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield
She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
She's Gone - Hall & Oates
I Can't Go For That - Hall & Oates
I'm Gonna Love You Forever - Randy Travis
Dancing With Myself - Billy Idol
Kyrie - Mr. Mister
Mmmbop - Hanson
Quit Playing Games with My Heart - Backstreet Boys
If It Isn't Love - New Edition
The Kissing Game - Hi Five
867-5309 - Tommy TuTone
I Just Wanna Use Your Love - The Outfield
Heat of The Moment - Asia
Don't You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me - Pussycat Dolls
Dress You Up - Madonna
Holiday - Madonna
Shake Me - Cinderella
I Can't Live Without Your Love & Affection - Nelson
Don't Treat Me Bad - Firehouse
Give It to Me Good - Trixter
2 Hype - Kid N' Play
Is It Good To You - Heavy D and the Boyz
If I Can't Have You (Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack) Yvonne Elliman
Here We Go Again - Portrait
Roseanna - Toto
I Feel For You - Chaka Khan
Talking In Your Sleep - The Romantics
Come on-A My House - Rosemary Clooney

Theme song from Jem. Truly Outrageous!

I've got a CD full of what most would consider "guilty pleasures" but not me. I takes me right back to being a carefree kid.

The CD is called "Yesterday's Heroes" & yes you are old if you know who these folks are & extra points if you remember some of their TV shows!!

Easy Come Easy Go-Bobby Sherman
Melody-Jack Wild
Rainy Jane-Davy Jones
It's A Sunshine Day-The Brady Bunch
Speak To The Sky-Rick Springfield
Ben-Michael Jackson
Heartbeat (It's a Lovebeat)-The Defranco Family
Yesterday's Heroes-Bay City Rollers
That's Rock & Roll-Shaun Cassidy
I Was Made For Dancin'-Leif Garrett
Julie, Do Ya Love Me-Bobby Sherman
Saturday Nite-Bay City Rollers
So You Are A Star-The Hudson Brothers
Sherry-Keane Brothers
Don't Give Up on Us Baby-David Soul
Long Haired Lover from Liverpool-Jimmy Osmond
Dreamland-Danny Bonaduce
Deepy-Anson Williams

I was a Leif Garrett fan back in the day & I still have all his stuff on vinyl.

oh I forgot one
The Theme from Fraggle Rock

I will admit that I have both Air Supply and circa 1988 Chicago on my ipod right now.

Barbie Girl by Aqua (in japanese)

I Wanna Sex You Up - Color Me Badd
Blame it on the Rain - Milli Vanilli

Anything by Jimmy Buffett and Billy Joel. I love those guys. John Fogarty (with or without CCR) comes next.

My MP3 player has everything from Neil Diamond and Frank Sinatra to Brian Eno, Beethoven, James Brown (lots of James Brown!), Flogging Molly, Robert Johnson, The Hackberry Ramblers, R.E.M. (my favorite!), Jimmy Buffett, Chicago (the first two albums!), Flatt and Scruggs, the entire Beatles catalog, and just about everything in between. And lots of stuff from the 60s and 70s. "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum, anyone? How about "Lay Down (Candles in The Rain)" by Melanie? And, oh yeah, "Brandy" by Looking Glass. Geez, what a mess!

I love this Friday list! What great memories! Lots of the songs listed here are actually classics...but how about:

West End Girls, Pet Shop Boys
The Safety Dance (I'm with the poster above!)
She Blinded Me with Science (Thomas Dolby)
Enjoy Yourself (The Specials)

How about "Guantanamera" by The Sandpipers?

O.K.... now that I think about it... "The Girl From Ipanema"... also "Strangers In The Night" and "My Way" by Sinatra... and "Everybody Loves A Clown" by Gary Lewis and the Playboys... and "Why" by Frankie Avalon.

I'm always glad I'm wearing buds when those come up on SHUFFLE...

I definitely have a weakness for some of the 80's one hit wonders also (and occasionally two or three hit wonders):

Safety dance - Men without hats
I ran - flock of seagulls
867-5309 - Tommy Tutone
I want candy - Bow wow wow
Tainted love - Soft cell
I melt with you - Modern english
Mexican radio - wall of voodoo

I could go on, but I've probably embarassed myself enough.

I'm not really embarrassed about this song unless it comes on when a co-worker comes in my office. It's not because of the song, but the language in it.

I F**king Hate You--Godsmack

It's great listening when someone has really made you mad.

The Promise - When in Rome
Africa - Toto

I don't think this qualifies as cheese, but its damn catchy.

Move Any Mountain - The Shamen

Now that you mention Atlantic Starr, Liz...

"Always," and not just because it's so cheezy, but because it's the name of a period pad.

Don't Stop (Believing) - Journey or Boston?

Every Little Step I take - New Edition

Spice Up Your Life - Spice Girls

Casanova - Gerald Levert?

Come Sail Away - Styx (i will literally stay in my car and listen to the whole song even if i have arrived at my destination)

Blame it on the Rain - Milli Vanilli

oh and i have to say that i LOVE that 50-something grandma that secretly loves Rage Against the Machine and Limp Bizkit. I bet she always "chaperoned" her kids at HFStivals! ;)

I can't believe I forgot Someone Left the Cake Out In The Rain!
I don't know who sings it but that song never disappoints.

Liz!

From where are you downloading Tarzan Boy!?!? Last time I checked iTunes (*blush*) they didn't have it.

The Last Duet by Barry Manilow and Lily Tomlin (!), spoofing all sorts of other terrible duets:

You Don't Bring Me Flowers
No More Tears (Enough Is Enough by Streisand)
Reunited
Too Much, Too Little, Too Late
Tonight (West Side Story)

I don't think I see enough Neil Diamond on this list!

The Mighty Quinn by Manfred Mann

I have any number of songs from Hall and Oates. They are my go-to for cheesy comfort songs.

The Cake in the rain song is called MacArthur Park, but I don't remember who sang it either.

Hall and Oates are on my guilty pleasure list, definitely: "Kiss On My List," "Private Eyes," and (guiltiest of all) "Maneater."

A few more I hate to say I love, but which aren't on my iTunes... yet:

"Abracadabra" by Steve Miller Band
"Daydream Believer" by the Monkees
"The Captain of Her Heart" by Double

"MacArthur Park" was a hit first by Richard Harris (or maybe Dave Thomas impersonating Richard Harris), and then covered later by Donna Summer.

Double your guilt and download both, why doncha?

I was just reading the comments and have to say that the line "the Velveeta of Cheez" made my afternoon! Thanks!

I can't believe no one has mentioned J. Lo!! I'm so embarassed when folks see that I have her albums . . . but it makes my booty shake!

If all these people admit to loving John Denver, why the shame? Then again, I did purposely buy his greatest hits CD to drive across the country-and I'm 23.

"Hold Me Now"-Thompson Twins

"I Will Follow Him"-um, the Sister Act version

A lot of Spice Girls

"I Wanna Know What Love Is"-Foreigner

The entire soundtrack of "Bye Bye Birdie"

"Because I Got High"-Afroman

"Steal My Sunshine"-Len

I love the playlist idea-now I have a project for the weekend :)

Here are my guilty pleasures- I'm instantly dancing once I hear them (except for "Shout"- I usually lipsync the title in dramatic fashion whenever I hear it)

"Dancing Queen" - Abba
"What's up pussycat" - Tom Jones
"She's a bad mama jama" - Carl Carlton
"I can't go for that"- Hall & Oats
"Shout", Tears for Fears
"Da' Butt"- Experience Unlimited
"Jump Around"- House of Pain
"Finally"; "We got a Love thang"; "Keep on Walking"; "I'm in the Mood" and just about every song that CeCe Peniston sang in the early 90s.

I think you kind of had to be there back in the 70s to appreciate why the name "John Denver" goes so well with "guilty pleasure."

Two things spring to mind whenever I hear his name:

1 - Charlie Rich announcing that John Denver had won Country Male Vocalist of the Year at the Grammys, and then torching the nominee slip onstage with a lighter.

2 - A friend of mine, Andy, who was a metalhead in college (he wsa the first person I ever heard talk about Yngwie Malmsteen, or the Scorpions), "wanted to weasel this girl" (his words) and when she told him she loved John Denver, he said "Me, too"... then spent the rest of the evening asking around the dorm for "something, ANYTHING, by John Denver." Someone had a copy of JD's GREATEST HITS and lent it to him.

I don't know if it worked.

I am ashamed to admit that I have nothing on my ipod that I wouldn't want someone else hear, I also don't have any of the songs listed above, even though I do have a few Abba tunes, but they are on my Muriel's Wedding soundtrack, not actually on my iPod. A lot of these songs brought back memories, I'm going to have to check how much credit I have left on iTunes and do some downloading this weekend. Thanks for sharing your shame

I thought of a few more (it would help if I had my ipod with me):

"Total Eclipse of the Heart" Bonnie Tyler
"Heartlight" Neil Diamond (makes me weepy every time!)
"Somewhere Out There" Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram.

That last one is typical of a subgenre of music that I'm ashamed to admit I love and which my husband always makes fun of: he calls it "the sappy duet sung by a white woman and a black male, where at least once during the song the pair "harmonizes" by singing the melody an octave apart."

"Friends and Lovers" is the other one I love from that subgenre.

Now I'm getting all nostalgic. I'm going to have put Garth Brooks' The Dance and Friends in Low Places on my iPod this weekend.

And to add to my list from previous, I have also have Billy Joel's classical stuff. It's always fun to go from Green Day's stuff to the classical!

Sweet Home Alabama - Alabama
Muskrat Love - America
Copacabana - Barry Manilow
Soda Pop - Britney Spears
Mr. Froggie Went A-Courtin' - Burl Ives
Arthur's Theme - Burt Bacharach
Weigh Anchor - Captain Bogg & Salty
Coulda Woulda Shoulda - Celine Dion
It's in His Kiss - Cher
I Wanna Be Like You - Jungle Book Soundtrack
Sunglasses at Night - Corey Hart
Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Susie-Q - Dale Hawkins
Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire - David Foster
Let's Hear it for the Boy - Deniece Williams
Cuban Pete - Desi Arnaz
Sail On - Destiny's Child
Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners
Here You Come Again - Dolly Parton
I Love You Always Forever - Donna Lewis
Mellow Yellow - Donovan
The Reflex - Duran Duran
It's De-Lovely - Ethel Merman
The Final Countdown - Europe
The Gold Diggers' Song - Ginger Rogers
We Go Together - Grease Soundtrack
I Kissed a Girl - Jill Sobule
Centerfold - J. Geils Band
There Is No Arizona - Jamie O'Neal
A Little Bit - Jessica Simpson
John Deere Green - Joe Diffie
Queen of Hearts - Juice Newton
Too Shy - Kajagoogoo
God Bless the USA - Lee Greenwood
Favorite - Liz Phair
Macarena - Los Del Rio
Break My Stride - Matthew Wilder
P.Y.T. - Michael Jackson
Destination Unknown - Missing Persons
Mister Ed - Jay Livingston
I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man - Muddy Waters
Laughter in the Rain - Neil Sedaka
I Am...I Said - Neil Diamond
Hot in Here - Nelly
Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch Me - Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack
Sister Christian - Night Ranger
1-2-3 - Nikki Cleary
Yummy Yummy Yummy - Ohio Express
La Vie Boheme - Rent Soundtrack
Dance with Me - Orleans
Get the Party Started - Pink
Opposites Attract - Paula Abdul
Cum On Feel the Noize - Quiet Riot
Soul Man - Sam & Dave
The Ballad of the Green Berets - SSgt. Barry Sadler
On and On - Stephen Bishop
Aquarius, Let the Sunshine In - The 5th Dimension
Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead - The Fifth Estate
Spin the Bottle - The Juliana Hatfield Three
Come Dancing - The Kinks
I'm a Believer - The Monkeeys
Some Like it Hot - The Power Station
Theme from Dragon Tales
Theme from Reading Rainbow
Dizzy - Tommy Roe
Got You Babe - UB40
Dance Hall Days - Wang Chung
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go - Wham!
I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Whitney Houston
Listen to What the Man Said - Wings
Legs - ZZ Top

Traces - The Classics IV

Someone named Melanie farther up is my soul mate. Too bad I'm a girl! The Green Jelly song! Someone else mentioned Tonight by NKOTB. A lot of my guilty pleasure music is angry white boy rap, like Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit and Fort Minor.

Shake It Up by The Cars. It would be a guilty pleasure if I didn't secretly think I was brilliant for liking it so much.

A few more...

"Sailing" by Christopher Cross
"It Might Be You" (aka Love Theme from TOOTSIE) by Stephen Bishop
"Who Loves You" by the Four Seasons
"Love's Theme" by Love Unlimited Orchestra
"Fanny" by the Bee Gees
"You've Got A Friend" by James Taylor

A question for the peanuts: how many of your guilty pleasure tunes are songs that you loved as a little kid? Nearly all of mine are records I loved growing up, but of course I wouldn't be so uncool as to admit I STILL loved them now, would I?

I'm 25 and female
I am Bob Seger's youngest fan...
I also love the song "I'm No Angel" by Greg Allman (or is it the other brother? I can never get it right.)

Sugar Sugar, The Archies

Timothy, by ? (the cannibal song)

Tie a Yellow Ribbon, Tony Orlando & Dawn

I know I'm not only who has this on their ipod or MP3 player.

Can't Touch This-MC Hammer.

You Got It - Roy Orbison

A trio of songs by Glenn Campbell: Wichita Lineman, Southern Nights and Rhinestone Cowboy

The Teddy Bear - Red Sovine

Livin' on a Prayer, Bon Jovi
A Song for Mama, Boyz2Men
Baby One More Time, Britney Spears
Strawberry Letter 23, The Brothers Johnson
Have You Ever Been in Love, Celine Dion
Black Water, Doobie Brothers
Notorious, Duran Duran
Rich Girl, Hall & Oates
Nasty, Janet Jackson
Who's Crying Now, Journey
Borderline, Madonna

Good point Max. Almost all of mine are from when I was growing up - particularly my teen years.

Ummm...confusing Gregg Allman with Duane Allman is a cardinal sin. The former is a cretin when caught with drugs, turned in the roadie whose job it was to GET the drugs for Gregg. The latter is the greatest slide guitarist that ever lived. Excepting perhaps for that Trucks kid. Who also has a direct lineage to the Allman Brothers Band.

Oh, Since You Asked...I'm still downloading your answers like an iBook. We need to get you out more....

Yes, Tanya B: "Borderline" by Madonna...

And "Tell Her About It" by Billy Joel...

And again, while I don't have any of his stuff on iTunes, I do own a few of his albums, and someone else's list reminded me, so I have to come clean: Barry Manilow.

"Mandy"... "Could It Be Magic"... "Can't Smile Without You"... "Ships"... "Weekend in New England"... love 'em all. But I keep the discs hidden like a bottle of bootleg hootch.

One thing I loved about Barry Manilow was the way he'd always do those big endings with the key change and the crashing drums.

No one could change keys at the end of a record like Barry Manilow.

Help me, I can't stop listing:

I Can't Live (If Living is Without You)
Sometimes When We Touch/Wanna Hold You Till I Die

And yes, many of my choices are from when I was a kid (like these).

Don't Cry Out Loud

Why is Billy Joel a guilty pleasure? He's still selling out major venues, so people must like him!

And yes, I bought his latest song from iTunes...It's the perfect wedding song, now I just need to find a man!

Oh. My. Gawd.

Please tell me that this list will stay available for a long time, so that when I finally find that little cable thingy that connects my MP3 player to the computer I can download some of these songs.

Personally, I love Teen Tragedy songs...Run Joey Run, Teen Angel, Leader of the Pack, Last Game of the Season.

And, the soundtrack to Live and Die and LA...all Wang Chung, all the time.

Thanks, Liz, for a great Friday afternoon.

Well, no one's mentioned Weird Al yet, and if anyone tells my music students that I have "Another One Rides The Bus" and "Fat" and the rest of his GREATEST HITS on my iPod, I will deny it.

OK. This kind of group confessional must be good for the soul, since so many people have weighed in. I guess I should, too.

My name is Anne ("hi, Anne!") And I just took a quick look at my iPod. It has the soundtrack from the musical Carousel. How can you not love a song with a lyric like this:

The people who live on land
are hard to understand
when you're looking for fun
they throw you into jail
So I'm sailing out to sea
where life is gay and free
and a fella can flip a hook in the hip of a whale?

Or that soliloquy by the late great John Raitt (father of Bonnie)?

I actually think the music is fantastic, but I *also* know a lot of people think that taste is truly weird.

Thanks for letting me share.

Pablo Cruise, "Place in the Sun"
Paperlace, "The Night Chicago Died"
Terry Jacks, "Season in the Sun"
BoDonaldson and the Heywoods (sp),
"Billy Don't be a Hero"

Oh dear.

"Funkytown" by Lipps, Inc (which is apparently my first favorite song ever, my parents are fond of reminding me)

as well as:
"Wild World" by Cat Stevens
"Take Me Home Tonight" by Eddie Money
"Killer Queen" by Queen
"Danger! High Voltage" by Electric Six
"Love Will Tear us Apart" by Joy Division
"I Touch Myself" the Divinyls

Too much information. I'm so sorry.

My girl likes to party all the time, party all the time, party all the time - Eddie Murphy

Anything by PM Dawn. For some reason I became friends with a group of people who just don't understand. So I enjoy the CD by myself.

Caribbean Queen - Billy Ocean. Chris Rock's sister isn't the only one loving on Billy.

Thought everyone would find this post from a Business Week blog interesting -- it's about how we fill up our iPods with music we think we should listen to (our musical superego), and then there's the music we really listen to:
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/blogspotting/
archives/2007/03/what_ipods_can.html

Okay people. Roy Orbison is not cheezy.

Sweet Home Alabama was by Lynyrd Skynyrd, not Alabama.

Note to Beth: Billy Don't be a Hero was originally record by Paper Lace. I highly recommend it. Not in place of the Bo Donaldson version, but to augment it.

p.s. NOTHING by Leonard Bernstein is cheezy.

Best of Journey album. Ouch. That's even painful to admit anonymously.

Buried twixt my too-hip-for-words Arcade Fire and Fujiya & Miyagi are gems like:

Bye Bye Bye, N*Sync
I'm With You, Avrile Lavigne
Don't Rain On My Parade, Babs
Where is the Love, Black Eyed Peas
We've Only Just Begun, The Carpenters
I Drove All Night, Celine Dion
Wishin' and Hopin', Dusty Springfield
The Good Stuff, Kenny Chesney
and...(inner monologue-don't tell them, don't admit to it!!!)
In the Air Tonight, Phil Collins

I'm so ashamed.

This is such a great topic - and I admit, I love many of the songs cited here.

Here are a few of my favorite guilty pleasures:

* Play That Funky Music
* Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets)
* The Vagina Song by the Bloodhound Gang
* Escape (The Pina Colada Song)
* The Final Countdown
* More A Man by the Meat Purveyors
* Hungover Together by the Supersuckers

Silly Business Week. My iPod is filled with music I'd be embarrassed to have on display in my CD cabinet. My iPod is nothing but guilty pleasures, not least because those are usually one-off songs. (That is, I downloaded "With Pen in Hand" by Vikki Carr, but even at my cheesiest I don't want to own an entire album of her stuff.)

"Timothy," by the way, was by the Buoys. What's scary is I didn't need to look that up.

Lots of the guilty pleasures people have already listed, including "Timothy," are on a great multi-disc series from Rhino -- Super Hits of the '70s, Have a Nice Day. Yes, I own all 20-some discs...and I make sure the side of the rotating CD storage unit they're in is always facing the wall!

http://yuvakuran.blogspot.com/2007/03/yalcin-gokcebag-in-dc.html

So I had to come back and add it

I wouldnt dance for another - dee lite

I've got a brand new pair of roller skates, you've got a brand new key.--Melanie

Anything off the "Abba-GOLD" album
Madonna's "Crazy for You"

And to Susan who likes "Bizarre Love Triangle": it's by New Order. You go, girl!

I don't own an iPod, and I wouldn't by CDs from any of these artists, but if I hear the following on the radio, I will not change the channel:
"Genie in a Bottle" Christina Aguilera
"Get into the Groove" Madonna
"Country Roads" John Denver
"The Promise" When in Rome
"Time after Time" Cyndi Lauper

However, not to be confused with the above category, one that I don't think there's anything to be ashamed of, but others might disagree, I am a huge Weird Al fan. A lot of his songs are better than the originals, and I eagerly await Al-TV specials.

New Order and Joy Division do not count as guilty pleasures! Silly pop music is a guilty pleasure - you may not like that you like punk, but whatever you say about it, punk or post-punk is not cheesy.
-- NOT ashamed of owning Joy Division or New Order, but slightly ashamed of owning the Spice Girls CD. Also, the "Titanic" soundtrack.

Wow, thanks for helping me make a list! I gotta get busy downloading. I've lost my ABBA Gold cd and just got the library to ship it over from another branch for me. Now that's a sad sack. I've got Fred Astaire doing The Piccolino on my iPod.

Break My Stride - Matthew Wilder

What a great idea - this is really making me laugh. A few of mine:

Easy Lover - Phil Collins and Philip Bailey
Caribbean Queen - Billy Ocean
Heaven - Bryan Adams
and some of the Wham! greatest hits (Careless Whisper, etc).

Including:

Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money
Midnight Blue - Lou Gramm
On the Dark Side - John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band

Oh, I almost forgot!
I'm Almost Over You - Sheena Easton

I wish it was available on iTunes.

How many of you think
"Raspberry Beret" \by Prince is the cheesiest. Its one of those songs that I can't stand yet feel oddly compelled to listen to.

This is another category - songs you can't stand yet know every word,note & nuance...

Didn't anyone else add Elvis to the mix? He's the man, yet I turned beet red when caught singin hunk-a-hunk of burning love....

My guilt is "Come on ride this train" by the quad city djs.

ok, i love the idea of doing a friday list for songs you can't stand yet have memorized (SYCSYHM). thanks, cheese slicer! incidentally, your guilt, that quad city djs song, would make my SYCSYHM list. as would ace of base's "the sign," unfortunately. yikes!

ice ice baby and anything else by K-Fed. Waddya mean that's not K-Fed???!!!

Oooooooooooh DREAM-weaver, I believe you can get me through the NIIIIIIIITE

I only have this one on tape so it didn't make the list above, but it's probably my #1 guilty pleasure song:

Funky Cold Medina - Tone Loc

And yes, sigh, "Sweet Home Alabama" was originally by Lynyrd Skynyrd, but the version I listen to is by Alabama. To make it cheesier, I actually do increase the volume when they say "Turn it up" at the start of the song. :)