Top 10 Guilty Pleasures, Part One

Two Guilty Pleasures: Ice Cream and ABBA (Photo by Sandra Mu/Getty Images)

Wikipedia defines a “guilty pleasure” as “something one enjoys and considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it. The “guilt” involved is sometimes simply fear of others discovering one’s lowbrow or otherwise embarrassing tastes.” I guess one way to get over that fear is to broadcast it to 10 million readers. Hence, ten guilty musical pleasures.

The Carpenters – “We’ve Only Just Begun”: They played this at my sister’s wedding in 1974. I cried. They divorced 25 years later. I cried then, too. Besides that, she had a great voice and my favorite drummer, the amazing Hal Blaine, played on this record.

Barry Manilow – “Tryin’ to Get the Feelin’”: I love pop orchestral arrangements. Jimmie Haskell is a god to me. He didn’t arrange this one, but I’ll bet he wishes he did.

Charlene – “Never Been to Me”: I once wrote a 500-word article about why this song is the worst song ever written. Listening to it embarrasses me, like walking in on someone in their underwear. At the same time, it’s like looking at a car wreck…I just can’t walk away. And this video beautifully portrays just how bad it is…

The Association – “Windy”: This is a guilty pleasure simply for the fact that it’s so uncool. But I think it’s one of the best pop songs ever written. My 12-year old loves it … thereby proving it is timeless.

Bobby Darin – “Splish Splash”: Well, this one’s been a favorite of my 12-year old, as well, since he was a little popster. He started dancing when he walked in the door while I was writing this. Strangely, he was surprised to find out Bobby Darin was a “white guy.” In his mind, “he was a big black guy in a robe.” Hmmm … Bobby Darin had some soul.

98 Degrees – “Because of You”: I can count on one finger the number of “boy bands” I’ve listened to. I don’t know how it is I heard this song in the first place — there’s a moratorium on “boy bands” in my house (except for Led Zeppelin, of course) — but it hooked me right away. I dig harmonies, though I can live with out the little bird whistles or whatever they are.

ABBA – “Waterloo”:  “Waterloo” is to “Whole Lotta Love” as “Chiquititta” is to “Stairway to Heaven.”

Helen Reddy – “Angie Baby”: A very sexy song by a generally non-sexy woman. Gotta laugh. The description at the bottom of this video says: “This is one of my fav song that is not journey or Steve Perry.” How can I expand on that?

Yvonne Elliman – “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”: She sang the hell out of this song, pure and simple. Nothing she’s ever sung before or since comes close.

Fifth Dimension – “Wedding Bell Blues”: She’s singing to Bill Davis, Jr.? For years I thought it was about my older brother, Bill. Aside from that, Marilyn McCoo sang like an angel and Jimmie Haskell is a god to me. Have I mentioned that?

Come back next weekend for the antidotes.