Some people, rightly, do not believe in the notion of “guilty pleasure” regarding one’s taste in movies, TV, music and the like. I use the phrase more as it’s understood as something the cool kids don’t watch/listen to.
Links included.
Could It Be Magic – Barry Manilow. First it was the piano intro (and outro) that was a direct, and apparently unconscious, steal of Chopin’s Prelude No. 20 in C Minor. But eventually I got sucked into the whole strings, especally as the strings build at about the three-minute mark.
I Haven’t Got Time For The Pain – Carly Simon. But especially the strings at the end. BTW, Lesley Gore – yes, THAT Lesley Gore – does her own version, pretty good, but without that great ending.
Wishing You Were Here – Chicago. It’s not the whole song; I find Peter Cetera’s vocals on the bridge occasionally grating. But it is that lovely Beach Boys harmony from Al Jardine, Carl Wilson, and Dennis Wilson that has always moved me.
Rosanna-Toto. You that part, “Not quite a year…”? Well, I love that bit. More than that, I love singing along in harmony vocal. If I think about it, there are a number of songs I enjoy specifically on that basis.
ABC-Jackson 5 When they first came out, they were considered “bubblegum soul”, and no song epitomized that more than this abecedarian tune. Thing is, I could always sing all the parts that Tito and especially Jermaine (second lead on most tunes) performed, so I always had a soft spot for the early J5,.
What are YOUR musical guilty pleasures?
One man’s guilty pleasure is another’s obsession, of course, but I’m well known for my unabashed adoration for Genesis INCLUDING the way uncool Phil Collins years. I also have a soft spot for Journey but I think they’ve swung around again to cool uncool.
Oh, and there’s a few of those Peter Cetera era “Chicago” tracks I do like… “Glory of Love” will always bring to mind a viewing of “Karate Kid II,” a girl, a hand held, a blissful brief moment in time…
I think you are right Nik about Journey. My brother-in-law has stated that Journey is his guilty pleasure, but is starting to look pretty cool again. And I’m with you on the Collins led Genesis stuff. But over the years, my love for his solo material has decayed.
My musical guilty pleasure is the band Foreigner. I have always loved the Lou Gramm days and probably always will.
TV guilty pleasure is “The Nanny”. I just love Fran Drescher. (Especially her outfits on the show.)
I have lots of guilty pleasures in music, Tommy James and the Shondells, “Sweet Cherry Wine”, “Brandy” by Looking Glass, Anything by the Monkees, “Puttin’ on the Ritz” by Taco. More recently, “Single Ladies( Put a Ring on it)” by Beyonce. I could go on and on.
Thunderclap Newman “Something in the Air” mar,alade “Rainbow” Elton John “Rocket Man” Amen Corner “Paradise is Half as Nice” all dreary eyed listening with a gin and tonic singing along!
I will not admit that Barry Manilow’s “I Write the Songs” is a guilty pleasure. I have no idea how it got on my MP3 player, and I just haven’t had time to delete it. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it!
Love the song Rosanna. I too have lots of guilty pleasures when it comes to music.
Yeah… I gotta go with Phil Collins.