The Beatles did not release Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da as a single in the UK

The track was on the band's White Album - which is often regarded as one of the best albums ever made.

It was rated as being worse than former footballer Paul Gascoigne's Fog On The Tyne in a Mars survey of 1,000 people.

In third place was Meat Loaf's 1993 hit I'll Do Anything For Love, while 5ive, Cliff Richard, Vanilla Ice and Steps were also in the top 10.

TOP 5 'WORST' SONGS 1. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - The Beatles 2. Fog on the Tyne - Gazza and Lindisfarne 3. I'll Do Anything For Love - Meat Loaf 4. Diamond Lights - Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle 5. We Will Rock You - 5ive featuring Queen

Three of the songs on the list are sung by footballers, including the 1987 song Diamond Lights by Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle.

Liverpool's Anfield Rap, featuring John Barnes, also makes the top 10.

Ian Edwards, lecturer at the Academy of Contemporary Music, said: "Admit it or not, most of these are songs that we liked when they first came out.

"That is the nature of pop music as a part of fashion. Songs are popular at the time, but times change and often this results in embarrassing additions to your record collections.

"It is interesting to note that they were nearly all hits."

A spokesman for Mars said they asked voters to base their answers on the song's merits, not their opinions of the bands.

BBC News website users sent in their views.

My mum used to sing that to me as a child! Think of all the kids who listened to their parents singing it - its a catchy tune. and I still love it. If anything it's the best song.

Mfikeyi Makayi, Zambia

William Shatner singing Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds is the worst song ever released.

Bob, USA

Nothing could be worse than the pretentious lyrics and dreadful dirge of Imagine by John Lennon

Michael Samuels, UK

What about Let's Get Ready To Rumble' by PJ and Duncan (aka Ant and Dec)? As embarrassing now as it was then!

Sam Tett, Swansea

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da can't be the worst song of all time in a world with Mariah Carey & Westlife.

Gareth Browne, Ireland

Obviously no-one remembers Oh Superman by Lawrie Anderson. A...a...a...a...a...a...a. If you've heard it you'll know what I mean!!!

Paul, Israel

Ob-La-Di is a real song about real people, its only the last two bars that stink. And anything is better than being hectored by a nasel-voiced runt with a rhythm guitar (Oasis).

Roy, Switzerland

This is outrageous. Surely the worst song of all time is anything by Meatloaf.

Matt, Altrincham

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da certainly does not deserve to top the poll. It is only relatively poor compared to the rest of the phenomenal Beatles stuff. Surely some other drivel is more worthy, such as something from The Cheeky Girls?

Ben Blomerley, Manchester

How could Eddie Murphy's Party All The Time not make it onto the top ten?! Listening to this song can actually lower your IQ.

Sean, San Francisco, USA

Three words: Ice, Ice Baby.

Ryan Hunter, USA

What about Bowie's The Laughing Gnome? It seems everyone's forgotten about that one. It truly is one of the most embarrassing moments in rock history.

Jez, Milton Keynes

Maxwell's Silver Hammer has to be the worst Beatles song, in my opinion, but is still far superior to a lot of the dross which has passed for chart music in the past few years. The Fast Food Song by the Fast Food Rockers has to be one of the worst.

Chris, Doncaster

The Noel Edmonds-inspired Mr Blobby is definitely worse than Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, and surely something like Shang-a-Lang by The Bay City Rollers ought to be there in the Top 10 worst.

Keith Taylor, Cheshire

Ob-La-Di is not the Beatles finest, but Marmalade did it well. The worst of all time for me is The Osmonds Crazy Horses. I can't bear to hear it.

Philip Mason, St Louis, USA

No, Beatles' Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da is not the worst. A bit silly, perhaps, but not painful to listen to. The worst - tough choice with so many possibilities - how about Rod Stewart's If You Want My Body song?

Jim Beaver, Philadelphia, US

Well, at lunchtime today I walked out of a chain record store because Robbie Williams' Angels came on, but I don't even skip past Ob-La-Di when listening to the White Album so maybe it isn't that bad. And certainly there have been many many worse songs!

Ian, Edinburgh

What idiots voted this as the worst? Surely they were provided with a shortlist otherwise it wouldn't have cropped up. My vote would have gone to Walking In Memphis, by anybody, but mostly Cher.

Adam Roberts, Brighton

Ob-La-Di only seems like such a terrible song when compared to the rest of the Beatle's back catalogue. The Manic Street Preachers really do deserve to top the poll - what the hell is that Richard Nixon song about? And the pretentiousness and lack of lyrics of If You Tolerate This' are truly nauseating.

Erica Herrero-Martinez, London

Tough one this. If I was pushed to name the worst song ever it would have to be In The Army Now by Status Quo.

Neil Bailey, UK

How any list of the worst songs ever misses out The Smurfs and Joe Dolce beats me!

Paul, Liverpool

What about everything by Right Said Fred or are they too sexy for this opinion poll?

Doug Wilkinson, Oregon, USA

Every once in a while I agree with a poll. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da deserves to be at the top of the list - it's definitely a hair in the soup of the wonderful White Album. The simple fact of listening to it irritates me.

Enrico, France

Ob-La-Di is emphatically not the worst song ever! It is one charming song on one of the best albums ever. Without a doubt the worst song ever is MacArthur Park by Richard Harris.

LeeAnne Hays Gillaspie, Kansas City, USA

Ob-La-di, Ob-La-Da is pretty bad, but I think that Yesterday, or When I'm 64 are worse, but certainly not the worst of all time. Bobby Goldsboro's Honey and the Rolling Stones Corporation's Brown Sugar could vie for the top spot. Or, any pop rap - take your pick.

Thomas, USA

Definitely not. It's a classic. As catchy as they come and brilliant story-telling lyrics. End of story.

Jimmy, Ireland

What happened to the Macarena, the Birdy Song or Una Paloma Blanca? Combine Harvester by the Wurzels wasn't worse than the Beatles? If you're going to have a pop at Paul McCartney why not start with Ebony and Ivory? There are a ton of songs worse than Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.

Eddie Cairnie, New York, USA

2Unlimited's no, no....no, no, no, no.....no, no, no, no....no, no, there's no limit!!! That's certainly reached my limit for the worst-ever song!!!!

Brendon Mills, Chile

People, have you forgotten Jim Reeves' But you Love me Daddy? Yuk.

Brian, France

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da does not deserve worst song of all time, and not just because it is by The Beatles. It has a nice message. I recommend anything by Toby Keith to be included in the worst songs poll.

Troy, USA

Much as this song upsets me, the symptoms are mild compared to the almost physical effect of hearing Dance Yourself Dizzy by Liquid Gold a few weeks ago, for the first time in 15 years. If you don't know this song, don't go looking it up on the net. It's a danger to your mental health.

Vincent Wong, London

Strange that it is so well liked in the USA. When No Doubt did one of their first gigs in Holland, they ended with Ob-La-Di". This was greeted with a stony silence and confused looks!

RIchard van Tienen, Netherlands

On the last 'best song ever" thing I saw, a song by John Lennon called Imagine was voted the best song ever. Probably by the same people who place Ob-La-Di here at the top of the list of worst songs. I shake my head in wonder.

Alex, London

What about The Scorpions? I swear that everytime I hear that whistling intro to Winds of Change I wonder about buying a gun.

Paulo, Portugal

Without doubt, the worst song ever recorded was Gilbert O'Sullivan's Get Down - sadly, its very popular even today on local Belgian radio. If you really want to be reminded of the worst British songs ever recorded, tune into Belgian radio any day.

Gren, Belgium

I read that John Lennon hated this song, but Paul McCartney insisted on it. It's pretty bad but, come on, nothing like as awful as Renee and Renato's 1982 Christmas number one Save Your Love.

Daniel, Bristol

I love Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. I also love women named Molly. But then again, I'm just an unsophisticated American!

Mike Lewis, Chicago, USA

How about Long-Haired Lover From Liverpool by little Jimmy Osmond? And, on the radio this morning, I turned off that awful dirge Mull of Kintyre.

Claire Powell, Belgium

I still love Ob-La-Di-,Ob-La-Da and such a "revisionist" view on such a charming little ditty is rediculous and rather mean hearted

Richard Ricketts, Colorado, USA

Ob-La-Di is just a fun, playful song that was a vital part of The Beatles' White Album at the time. It's still fun to listen to - my kids love it!! Come on guys, whatever happened to a little fun in music - and music that is well made anyway?!

Anthony Miles, USA

It's a great song. I'm going to put on the CD.

Craig Folsom, Wyoming, USA

Come On! The Bay City Rollers entire discography is way ahead of this whimsy from the Fab Four.

Peter, London

Simply take any 10 British entries for the Eurovision Song Contest and you have an instant list of the ten worst songs.

Jane Dawkins, Key West, USA

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da is a great song! Michael Bolton's When A Man Loves A Women is the worst song ever, Or anything by Kenny G.

Joe, Canada

How can anyone overlook that shocker by Aqua - Barbie Girl. A true monstrosity.

Andrew, Bristol

Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree must rate pretty high. I turn the radio off every time I hear it.

Paul Bailey, Surrey

I don't think Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da deserves the worst song. Although I'd much rather listen to it than to have to type it again. The worst might have to be We Built This City by Jefferson Starship.

Roseann, USA

Polls like this are horrible. Why do people waste time and money on things like this? Nobody knows the worst song of all time, because nobody hears it, because nobody plays it, because its the worst. It's just polling for the sake of polling.

Scott, New York, USA

Ob-La-Di isn't close to being the worst song. It shouldn't even be considered alongside We Built This City or You Look Wonderful Tonight or Come On Eileen. You Brits usually have better sense.

Dmitri Smekhov, USA

This has to be a publicity stunt - after all, no-one would have been surprised if The Birdie Song by The Tweets was voted number one let alone Telly Savalas's awful version of If!

Brian Wilkinson, Buckinghamshire

Not a chance. The worst song ever is Yummy, Yummy, Yummy (I've Got Love in My Tummy) by Ohio Express.

Laura Klager, Canada

The Fast Food Rockers, Rene & Renata and The Cheeky Girls - enough said.

Suzy Crowther, Kent

A good choice. Perhaps people are starting to see The Beatles as the overhyped boy band that they were.

Adrian Walker, West Sussex

Sorry everyone, but I have to say that Westlife attempting to sound like the legendary Rat Pack has to take the biscuit, followed by any cover version done by Girls Aloud. Oh, and Robbie Williams new one, that's really pants!

Annette, Widnes

Did you guys not get the Billy Ray Cyrus gem Achy Breaky Heart? That really felt like the tip of the low points to me. But The Beatles??

Alexander, New York, USA

C'mon guys, it wasn't one of there greatest songs but it's a fun song - especially at weddings!!! No Beatles song is a rubbish song....it's the Beatles!!!

Frank, Canada

Surely Billie's atrocity Because We Want To should be top of the poll?

Sarah, Stockport

Okay, it was hardly their best song, but on this basis we should be seeing entries by the Kinks, U2, Radiohead and not Glenn Hoddle. Anyway, must dash - I've got my Mr Blobby CD to listen to.

Tom Adams, London

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da is a great song. There are certainly thousands upon thousands of worse songs. How about Dress You Up by Madonna or Feelings by Paul Anka?

Jim Angehr, New York, USA

I suspect that the people who voted this a 'miss' were actually thinking of the version that made the charts by Marmalade and not the original Beatles White Album version.Worst song of all time has to be Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep by Middle of the Road.

Roger Curtis, Peterhead

Angels by Robbie Williams deserves to make these kind of polls in future years. Never has a song with so little genuine merit gained so much approval!

Ed Oliver, Towcester

I had the misforture to see five minutes of an MTV programme on Girls Aloud last night - surely it does not get any worse that that?!

Paul Hackett, UK

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da isn't even the worst Beatles song. It isn't even the worst song on the White album. What about Revolution No. 9?

Allister Sweeney, Belfast

Chris de Burgh's Lady in Red really makes me squirm - as well as Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street.

Janet, Lancashire

Way above the top five in the race for most awful song is Cliff Richards' Millennium Prayer. Perhaps its hideousness is so far off the scale that most people have wiped it from their memory.

James, Norfolk

I think that Da Da Da by a group I cannot even remember and Oh Superman by Laurie Anderson definitely deserve to figure in this poll, Ob-La-Di does not. It was even covered by another group so it can't be that bad.

Ricardo, London

Ob-La-Di is pretty rubbish but it isn't the worst song ever. For me it's got to be Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini by Bomballerina (aka Timmy Mallet) from 1990. I've never fully recovered from it!

Steve Smith, Nottingham

I love this song and think it's one of the best.

Michelle, Cambridge

I can't believe it. Haven't they heard of Jess Conrad or the Legendary Stardust Cowboy?

Stuart Arnold, Germany

Marmalade took Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da to number one and their version was much worse than the Beatles' one. At least you get the feeling from the Beatles' version that it is a silly song - I feel that Marmalade thought it was good! All that said, I Wanna Sex You Up by Color Me Bad is the worst song of all time.

Geoff, Cambridge

I think the worst ever was Seven Tears, by the Goombay Dance Band. I have never heard such piffle in all my life, what was that all about? It was about as interesting as listening to a rabbit gargling antiseptic mouth wash.

Mike Plimmer, West Midlands

Is there room for the entire Phil Collins Back catalogue?

Mark Russell, London

I saw an album by William Shatner in a record shop yesterday and track one was a cover of Common People by Pulp. Until Jim Davidson covers Ghost Town, this has to go down as the greatest travesty in the history of pop music.

Dan, Essex

I'm a big Beatles fan but I do think Ob La Di, Ob La Da is pretty rubbish. Not that Yellow Submarine is a lot better. Russ Abbott's Oh What an Atmosphere has got to be in there.

Alex, Bromley

Not even close to the worst song ever. Paranoid by the Legendary Stardust Cowboy or Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds by Willian Shatner are way worse!

Richard, Leamington Spa

What utter rubbish. You only have to listen to half the songs in the charts today to know that this can't be true.

Darren, UK

What piffle. If you take the time to read the lyrics, it`s a fascinating slice of real life! There are some other words in it as well as Ob-La Di, Ob-Li-Da!!

Dennis Hunt, King`s Lynn

I'd vote for No Way by Vanilla, a girl band known only for this one flop. Watching them trying to sing, dance and talk their way through it on TV was excruciating. At least the Beatles could sing!

Flash Wilson, UK

Some Girls by Rachel Stevens. The most plodding, dreary dirge ever.

Kate Beauchamp, Cheltenham

No Way! Ob-La-Di is cracking - it's about gender reversal and other things and is very philosophical - the title means 'life goes on' - and it does. Worst song? There are thousands - off the top of my head - The Blobby Song.

Jim, London

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da may not be among The Beatles' most inspired songs - but is it really as bad as the likes of Ra-Ra-Rasputin by Boney M? Get real!

Chris Waite, Cornwall

Agadoo by Black Lace is top of my list.

Chris, Coventry

It's a travesty. Octopus's Garden from The Beatles' Abbey Road is far worse - and it has Ringo Starr on lead vocals. But it does go a long way to explain why John Lennon was voted one of the top ten great Britons, while Paul McCartney will never, ever be cool.

David, London

There is no song worse than anything by Boyzone, Westlife, Busted, McFly and Cliff Richard as they all make me feel very queasy indeed.

Simon Outten, West Yorkshire

The Girl is Mine by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney -Yuukh!!

Peter Acton, UK

The Beatles have written some howlers and I think that one just about beats Yellow Submarine.

Gareth, Manchester

I love Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - it was the theme tune to my 30th birthday celebrations. The worst song ever has to be Shaddupya Face by Joe Dolce or I think there was a song by Roland Rat called Rat Rapping.

Lynda, Philadelphia, USA

How can The Beatles be the worst? What about Joe Dolce's Shuddupa Ya Face or the St. Winifred's Girls Choir and There's No One Quite Like Grandma? Let alone Terry Wogan's Floral Dance. Come on!

Deej, Norwich

Being a life time Beatles fan, all their records are No 1 hits when compared to some of the rubbish put out today. Worst song that comes to mind must be Rolf Harris's Three Little Boys or Stairway To Heaven".

John Witherington, UK

Sugar Sugar by The Archies tops my list of worst songs ever made, closely followed by nearly all the manufactured band Brit Pop we've been subjected to over recent years.

Keith Roberts, Switzerland

It's a bit of a joke when you consider songs like The Ketchup Song, Saturday Night by Whigfield, and No Limits by 2Unlimited aren't mentioned. At least The Beatles songs had lyrics and carried a tune

Mark Singleton, Manchester

Worst song of all time - anything by Britney Spears.

Rick, Canada

Can anyone seriously take a poll that has Queen's We Will Rock You as the fifth worst song? You're having a laugh.

Richard Glyn-Jones,

It's not one of The Beatles' best, admittedly, but most certainly not the worst song of all time. Has everyone forgotten that Robin Hood song?

Glen, London

Anything by Paul McCartney, especially his Frog Chorus.

Maggie, UK

Has no-one ever heard I wish I Could Fly by Keith Harris and Orville?

John Pheasant, Nottingham

Millennium prayer by Cliff Richard -no contest.

Bob, Leeds

In terms of awful songs, Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On takes some beating. But Deep Blue Something's Breakfast at Tiffany's has a good crack at it.

David, Bagshot

What??? You're trying to tell me that these are the worst songs ever? Have you seen the current UK top ten? Every week a song appears that is worse than Ob-La-Di.

Tom, London