Dave Barry's Book of Bad Songs

This book is an extension of several newspaper pieces Dave Barry wrote. The songs are all songs I remember and I agree with Dave on nearly all of them. Some are just bad, some are dumb and some don't make any sense. Dave is his funny self describing them and what is so bad about them. It was fun to reminisce about songs I remember and some I had totally forgotten about. This is a quick, Easy read. In fact, I wish it were a bit longer because there are plenty more bad songs floating around out there!

After buying this book a few weeks ago and reading it - I realized I must have read it long before. No matter. I still laughed out loud numerous time. Ah the fellowship of mutually recognized awfulness! This is Dave Barry at his best. It's barely a book. If it didn't have "book" in the title it would be a pamphlet! It's probably in the book of bad books! No matter. Buy it anyway - again if you have to!I love the categories of badness here: Weenie Music, Love Songs, Songs Women Really Hate . . so good!Only problem with this book is that it's mostly about songs from the 50's-60's-70's, for Boomers. So I can share it with my siblings (and I will) but my kids won't really get it. They really need their own Dave Barry. I'm sure there are new bad pop songs coming out everyday. But maybe it's not quite the same. Young people today have way more options than the radio now. Part of my personal list of bad songs has to do with repetitive dumb songs that you "couldn't get away from" because the radio was all there was. Like the Police's De Doo Doo Doo De Da Da Daaaaaaaa. Urgh. Dave, whatever you're doing, it can't be more important than a VOLUME TWO of this book!!

This was a fun, quick read. Dave Barry was right. I knew the lyrics to most of the songs and now they're stuck in my head. Tomorrow I am going to make a playlist of all the bad songs I can think of, then I'm going to listen to it once and never listen to those songs again. Thanks Dave - for the laughs and for reminding me that William Shatner recorded "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".

Thank God I was at home when I started reading because I’ve been laughing out loud, with tears and unintelligible explanations, from the first paragraph through to the end. Dave Barry always delivers.

I have to admit I'm a die hard Dave Barry fan. He could probably rewrite my phone book and manage to make it funny. This book is no exception. In the beginning of the book he warns you to be prepared to have songs running over and over in your head. He wasn't kidding. I had "Dreams Of An Everyday Housewife" running through my brain for 3 days after reading this book. I hate that song. I'm also guilty of punching my car radio buttons furiously whenever "You Light Up My Life" comes on. I agreed with all the votes for worst songs. "You're Having My Baby" anyone? I loved how he continuously reassured people that he now thought Neil Diamond was a god and in fact had erected a tasteful shrine to him in his living room. Neil Diamond fans are loyal and get upset if you question his taste in lyrics. I have also always wondered why Neil Diamond was surprised when no one heard a word not even his chair. I have to agree that "no one heard a word so I ate a pear" was a much better line. I have not heard of all the songs that he mentions. For example I had to look up the song about Timothy. Evidently Timothy was eaten by his friends when they were trapped in a mine. I also agree that the Isley Brothers version of Twist and Shout is the best version and toll booth operators should be required to dance with you when this song is playing on your radio.This book is fairly short and can be read in an afternoon if you have zero sense of humor. Otherwise it will take at least two days to finish it because there are parts that will make you stop reading because you are laughing so hard you have tears in your eyes.This would be a great gift for any musicians you may know or just anyone that likes or needs a good laugh. I've reread parts of this book at least 5 or 6 times and it never gets old. I wish he would follow this up with a sequel since a lot of these songs are old and there are so many more NEW songs that people now hate.Great job, Dave. I would like to end by saying, "Yummy yummy yummy I've got Tim In My Tummy" and he's wearing an "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini". Buy this book or I will list more bad song lyrics and you'll really be sorry!

One of the funniest books I’ve ever read. Bought this copy as a present for a friend in hospital to cheer them up. Not sure it would be so funny for anyone who didn’t grow up listening to music in the 70s

This book is very funny! Sadly, I do not think it is long enough as it made me laugh aloud and I didn't want it to end where it did! It is a book to leave lying around for people to dip in and out of. Very good service and price.

Aargh! Take it away! It's eating into my very soul! The worst nightmares of the last thirty years of a misspent life have crawled back, slimed into my brain and are now haunting me. If ever a book should be burnt, Adolf, it's this one!

Laughed so hard I almost had a seizure. Just wish it had been longer and made mention of the lyrics of Eleanor by The Turtles

I was so happy that I was able to find a copy of this book still in print! It is one of the few books that makes me laugh so hard I almost stopped breathing!! Tears running down my face, it's so intensely funny I almost can't take it any more!! If you love music, and have some songs you absolutely can't stand, this one's for you!!