Press Releases 6 Music reveals worst pop lyrics in the world. ever!

Category: 6 Music

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Des'ree's hit song Life has been voted the worst ever pop lyric according to BBC 6 Music listeners in the digital radio station's Taxing Lyrical poll. Des'ree, a highly successful UK solo artist, became popular in the mid-Nineties with uplifting songs full of self-help tips and self-esteem makeovers for the love sick and downhearted. But according to 6 Music listeners she's also responsible for penning the worst pop lyric: I don't want to see a ghost It's the sight that I fear most I'd rather have a piece of toast Watch the evening news 6 Music presenter Marc Riley counted down the Taxing Lyrical top 10 on his show tonight (Friday 4 May), bringing to a close the network's three-week vote to find the dodgiest lyrics in pop music. Des'ree was revealed as the runaway winner securing nearly 30% of the votes followed by Snap and Razorlight: I'm as serious as cancer When I say rhythm is a dancer (Snap - Rhythm Is A Dancer) And I met a girl She asked me my name I told her what it was (Razorlight - Somewhere Else) Marc Riley says: "Bad lyrics can come in all forms - some acceptable, some less so. "For instance, in the right hands, defiantly dumb lyrics such as Manfred Mann's Do Wah Diddy Diddy (diddy dum diddy do.) can be more than acceptable as part of the pop idiom. In fact we embrace them! Let's not forget it was a number one smash. "But imagine the same words streaming from the crown prince of gloom Leonard Cohen, accompanied only by a forlorn expression and a battered banjo! It would (quite rightly) be mocked and held up for much ridicule. "In short, dumb is sometimes OK, whereas pious and pretentious and pompous are obviously never to be encouraged nor tolerated!" Ric Blaxill, Head of Programmes, 6 Music, says: "The response from listeners to Taxing Lyrical has been fantastic. "Everyone has got their own favourite worst lyric - whether it's nonsensical or deeply inappropriate - and people wince every time they hear those words. "But maybe deep down people secretly love to hate these lyrics - they're like a guilty pleasure. Our listeners have certainly enjoyed sharing them with us!" This morning 6 Music breakfast presenter Shaun Keaveny also revealed the result of his Lame Listener Lyric competition - the search to find the worst lyric written by a 6 Music listener. The winning lyric by Christine Jones from Ely was written for her Nineties punk band, Feral: Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden die? With plastic, elastic and cellophane and apathy to make you cry The BBC 6 Music Taxing Lyrical Top 10 1. Des'ree - Life I don't want to see a ghost It's the sight that I fear most I'd rather have a piece of toast Watch the evening news 2. Snap - Rhythm Is A Dancer I'm as serious as cancer When I say rhythm is a dancer 3. Razorlight - Somewhere Else And I met a girl She asked me my name I told her what it was 4. ABC - That Was Then But This Is Now More sacrifices than an Aztec priest Standing here straining at that leash All fall down Can't complain, mustn't grumble Help yourself to another piece of apple crumble 5. U2 - Elevation I've got no self control Been living like a mole now Going down, excavation High and high in the sky You make me feel like I can fly So high Elevation 6. Toto - Africa The wild dogs cry out in the night As they grow restless longing for some solitary company I know that I must do what's right Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti 7. Oasis - Champagne Supernova Slowly walking down the hall Faster than a cannonball Where were you when we were getting high? 8. Duran Duran - Is There Something I Should Know? And fiery demons all dance when you walk through that door Don't say you're easy on me you're about as easy as a nuclear war 9. Human League - The Lebanon Before he leaves the camp he stops He scans the world outside And where there used to be some shops Is where the snipers sometimes hide 10. Black Sabbath - War Pigs Generals gathered in their masses Just like witches at black masses. DD