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Poll: The 14 Lamest Love Songs for Valentine's Day

Which one is worst? Today and everyday, avoid these terrible tunes

 

More than any other day of the year, music sets the mood on Valentine's Day. However, you want to set the right mood or else romance could turn to ridicule and you could find yourself single. This said, avoid adding these 14 love songs to your Cupid's day playlist at all costs.

Aerosmith's “I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing”

Remember “Sweet Emotion”? “Walk This Way”? You will want to run away from this unfathomably bad tune that makes some Michael Bolton sound like Metallica. Why the Toxic Twins took this Diane Warren tune for the forgettable flick “Armageddon” … there are no words.

Alicia Keys & Usher's “My Boo”

So much for the whole being greater than the sum of its chart-topping parts. Outside of being the theme song for a junior-high prom, this is a career-low for both artists.

Bon Jovi's “Always”

When they first broke, our native sons rocked with crossover appeal. They stopped teasing their hair so much and coasted on banal lyrics such as the one featured in this 1994 tune: “I'll be there till the stars don't shine/Till the heavens burst/And the words don't rhyme.” Unlike the title of their box set, 100 million Bon Jovi fans can be wrong.

Bryan Adams' “The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me”

After giving us a string of radio-friendly rockers in the mid-1980s, he ruined Canadian exports with this overly glammed-up come-on that is as cringe-worthy as “I lost my number, can I have yours?” It could have been worse: He also did a song called “(I Wanna Be) Your Underwear” that is not available for view on YouTube.

Captain and Tennille's “Muskrat Love”

Good grief, the 1970s were a cultural wasteland. Sadly, Toni Tennille sang this shlocky song at the White House which included these lyrics even Disney would deem corny: “Nibblin' on bacon/Chewin' on cheese/Sammy says to Susie won't you please be my missus/And she says yes with her kisses.” No one should have critiqued disco with this musical low point in circulation.

Celine Dion's “My Heart Will Go On”

For as much as “Titanic” tugs at the heartstrings, this song – overdone as only Celine Dion can overdo it – has devolved into farcical cliché through the years. There is nothing worse than a love song oversung while trying to pack every trite romantic line into three-plus minutes. At least the SNL skits about her were funny.

Chicago's “You're the Inspiration”

Sure, it shot up the charts in the early 1980s, but it almost entirely eroded the equity this Windy City band built as a fun band drawing from all sorts of eclectic influences. The lyrics are as clichéd as saying “Hey baby, what's your sign” in a bar around midnight: “You're the meaning in my life/You're the inspiration.” A 180-degree turn from “Colour My World.”

Debby Boone's “You Light Up My Life”

Perhaps people are romantics at heart. Or perhaps people had enough of Dan Fogelberg in the 1970s so that this sounded relatively good. To this day, it sounds like 2 a.m. karaoke over elevator music. My parents had multiple Village People records, which never bothered me the way it should. But if they had this, it would have prompted a request for DNA testing.

James Blunt's “You're Beautiful”

Earnest, eager and overly cloying, from the opening lines of “My life is brilliant/my heart is pure/I saw an angel/of that I'm sure.” This became a one-hit wonder, although the video where he jumps into the ocean – we wish he took this song with him.

John Mayer's “Your Body is a Wonderland”

We could have picked “Daughters” but the sheer sentiment here is so transparent. Aspiring songwriters, take heed: Using the phrases “your candy lips” and “swim in a deep seat of blankets” are as bad as asking “Come here often?”

Minnie Riperton's “Lovin' You”

Seriously: What were people thinking in the 1970s? Great, loving someone is easy because they are beautiful – never heard that before. And then her attempting to emote like Celine/Christina/Mariah did in later years sounds like something being mutilated.

Paul Anka's “You're Having My Baby”

People share good news like this everyday. And we are happiest for prospective fathers when they avoid saying things like this to the future mother of their child: “You're a woman in love and I love what's goin' through ya.” Really?

Stevie Wonder's “Part-Time Lover” and “I Just Called to Say I Love You

From his early days as a Motown prodigy, producing romantic mainstays such as “My Cherie Amour” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” … well, there were these two unfortunate mid-1980s missteps sound like elongated commercial jingles. How bad are these compared to his back catalogue? If these were holiday songs, they would be ho-ho-rrific.

What do you think is the worst love song ever? Take our poll. And tell us in the comments below.

  • What is the worst love song of all time?

    (Voting has been closed for this question)
    • Aerosmith "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing"
        3 (4%)
    • Alicia Keys & Usher "My Boo"
        7 (11%)
    • Bon Jovi "Always"
        2 (3%)
    • Bryan Adams "The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You"
        1 (1%)
    • Captain and Tennille "Muskrat Love"
        20 (31%)
    • Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On"
        6 (9%)
    • Debby Boone "You Light Up My Life"
        4 (6%)
    • James Blunt "You're Beautiful"
        3 (4%)
    • John Mayer "Your Body Is A Wonderland"
        2 (3%)
    • Minnie Riperton "Lovin' You"
        1 (1%)
    • Paul Anka "You're Having My Baby"
        6 (9%)
    • Chicago "You're the Inspiration"
        0 (0%)
    • Stevie Wonder "I Just Called To Say I Love You"
        4 (6%)
    • Stevie Wonder "Part Time Lover"
        3 (4%)
    • Other (Tell Us In The Comments)
        1 (1%)
    Total votes: 63
  • Your vote will only count once. This is not a scientific poll. View Results Vote!
Related Topics: 14 Lamest Love Songs for Valentine's Day and Valentine's Day 2012

profwilliams

9:38 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

I hate lists like this. Why? Because for someone, somewhere one of these songs means THE WORLD. It might be corny, but as any lover will tell you- one of the great moments is to look into your lovers eyes as YOUR corny love song plays. You smile, both knowing it's corny, BUT knowing you're in love and even a corny song- as bad as it might be- speaks to your love. Or at least brings you back to your love.

And THAT will never be a bad thing.

Because really, is yet another couple swaying to "At Last" any better a cliché?

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Mary Mann

9:48 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

profwilliams,
I think if any of these songs holds that much meaning for someone, he/she need to re-evaluate his/her relationship! I wish I could vote for them all.

Shelley Emling

10:26 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

I'd love to see a couple swaying to Muskrat Love!

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Brian Falzarano

11:09 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Prof, I think any song ever made means SOMETHING to somebody in the world. It does not make it a good song, however. I am with Mary, I wish I could vote for them all.

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Vince Baglivo

11:12 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

What about the best/worst "anti-love" song?

Maybe J. Geils Band's Peter Wolf singing "Love Stinks"?

Mary Mann

1:06 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Watch the Muskrat Love video (just click on the link) and listen to Toni Tenille's anecdote about Henry Kissinger! 1. I cannot believe they sang this song before the Queen of England at the White House. 2. I have new respect for Henry Kissinger.

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Laura Griffin

1:44 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

And those muskrat sound effects really add to the romance of this song....at least for muskrats, I would think.... I know my cat's ears perked up when he heard those.

Rich McAllister

1:37 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Brian! Hysterical! The listed songs mean $$ royalities to someone and that's about it....My Boo is a bit redundant on the title, huh? I wish we could vote for them all ... over and over and over....

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Linda Federico-O'Murchu

1:49 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Thanks for the funny spin on Valentine's Day, Brian! I think Muskrat Love will bring home the prize.

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Fran Hopkins

2:14 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

I like "Muskrat Love," even more now than then! I think it's because, in hindsight, it's so sweet and cute and innocent, an adorable little song from a simpler, carefree time. The Captain and Tennille were sweet and cute too, a loving married couple who could pull off an otherwise hokey song like "Muskrat Love."

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Scott Egelberg

2:38 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Definitely Celine Dion's song for me. I legit cringe every time I hear that song.

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Sharon Adarlo

6:27 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Anything John Mayer needs to be stopped!

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