Turn It Off! « Sizzle Says

Turn It Off!

February 2, 2007 at 3:10 pm | In Uncategorized | 24 Comments

I hate the song “Big Girls Don’t Cry.”

My loathing really makes no logical sense. It doesn’t matter that the song is not about fat girls who need to buck up and not shed a tear. As a child I somehow got it into my head that that was the hidden meaning behind the song. To my credit, the lyrics are somewhat vague but reading them now, as an adult, it’s clear that the guy in the song was dumped by a “mature/grown up” girl (aka “big girl”) who said she didn’t cry but then (silly girl) it turns out she lied and cried in her bed.

It’s really a lyrical masterpiece.

This must be part of the aftermath of growing up as a chubby child. You hear a song with the word “big” in it and think “big” means fat and then internalize it as a message that you aren’t allowed to cry even though people may be mean to you because you are chubby and can’t wear Esprit jeans. Whatever the point of the inane song, it conjures negative feelings inside me and whenever I hear it I have to turn the song off immediately. If you sing or hum or whistle this tune around me, you are putting your life on the line.

What song do you have to turn off because it makes you cringe inside? What’s your story?

*Thanks Hilly for the inspiration.

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“Through the Years” by Kenny Rogers – only because it makes me think of the night my grandma died and sitting on the couch with my mom and sister crying and talking about her!

For the record, I always got that same idea from “Big Girls Don’t Cry”

Comment by alissahttp://www.alissaclare.typepad.com — February 2, 2007 #
When I was younger I hated “Brown Eyed Girl” because my eyes are blue. Ok there’s really more to it than that – you see I dated a guy who loved that song and sang it all the time… I always felt like he didn’t like that part of me (though as you said, I internalized it) and I think that helped the relationship end more quickly than it needed to. And yes, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” bugged me as well!

Comment by Brehttp://firefightersdaughter.wordpress.com — February 2, 2007 #
I absolutely detest “Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison. I’m not sure why I have all this venom directed toward it but I do. I hate it! I guess it’s the leering from him and then she turns around and walks back to him. I would be tempted to turn around ok…and flip him off! (Though I am entirely too ladylike to ever do such a thing).

Comment by Circe — February 2, 2007 #
Why is it, that I can think of any number of songs I detest at random moments, but someone puts forth the question, and not one comes to mind?

Comment by Traveling Chica — February 2, 2007 #
everytime i hear something by mazzy star, i’m pulled back to the summer where my boyfriend (whom i lived with until i could find a new place) broke up with me and began seeing someone else… the new girl LOVE mazzy star and he would play the cd over and over… talk about f-d up, the things we put up with when we’re young… :-o

Comment by jodi — February 2, 2007 #
Mine is along the same line as yours…I hate both the “itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini” song and that song from commercials “we wear short shorts”…blech blech blech.

It reminds me of being a chubby kid in 70’s/80’s summers, wearing my one piece when others were wearing bikinis, discovering Nair for the first time and hating it and uhhhh…..they are dumb songs anyway ;).

Comment by snackiepoo — February 2, 2007 #
The song that makes me turn the channel faster than anything else is Fancy by Reba. From the tone of her voice to the really sad state of the girls life I just can’t listen.

One of my favorite songs as a kid was Afternoon Delight. I remember the first time I heard as an adult and understood the words–I had to laugh that my very religious friend and I were singing it at the top of our lungs when we were 10 or so.

Comment by Heather — February 2, 2007 #
Anything by 50 Cent, because, honestly, that guy has NO TALENT.

Comment by Lefty — February 2, 2007 #
I cannot STAND the song “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-a-Lot.
I lived in Seattle when this song came out and it was played ad nauseum.
It was supposed to be an anthem for curvy women which I think is great cause I am a curvy woman but it turned into a bad karaoke song.
It is the only song that I have seen where extremely large women will get up and dirty dance with each other.

Comment by Rachel — February 2, 2007 #
rachel- for the most part, i think dirty dancing should be saved for the privacy of one’s home. that song annoys me too.

lefty- i don’t even think i know a 50 cent song? please let me live in ignorance.

heather- that song makes me laugh because my very good friend, tomato, used to sing it at the top of his lungs. he loves reba. shit. now i am singing it in my head. love the afternoon delight story. ;)

snackiepoo- after reading your comment, i keep smelling Nair. ick.

jodi- that guy sounds like a total dicktard.

traveling chica- that happens to me ALL the time!

circe- you clearly have some strong feelings about this song and the movie. have you sought therapy for this issue? ;)

bre- poor you! are there any songs about blue eyed beauties? you could have hummed that in his face.

alissa- that’s so sad. :(

Comment by Sizzle — February 2, 2007 #
Rod Stewart – If you Think I’m Sexy. I always thought he was inbelievably arrogant for singing that bad song. And I usually LOVE Rod Stewart.

Oh and there was Susan Vega’s Tom’s Diner. Du du Du da Du da Du da Du da du da du du da. I hate her.

Comment by Melissa — February 2, 2007 #
I still can’t listen to “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.” I just remember being 8-yrs old in the movie theatre with my parents and crying hysterically because Goose died.

And, I’m shamed to admit, that I can’t listen to “Secret Agent Man” (can you tell my mom was an oldies fanatic?) because when I was little I thought it was “Secret Asian Man” and . . oh I can’t even go into it. It’s too pathetic.

Comment by meghansdiscontent — February 2, 2007 #
Well yeah, any of those oldie songs are just like, grating.

I will make fun of and mimic songs that irritate me, until people yell at me to SHUT UP! hah!:-D Musak can be Hell, that way, for co-workers. yup.

Any whine-y songs? I’m just like cheer UP already! Suck it up, boy! I’m tough love like that. ;-)

Comment by BullysE — February 2, 2007 #
“Billy Don’t Be A Hero” … because someone always brings that song up and I hate being called Billy, have no desire to be a hero and the song is bubble gum hooey.

I think all songs with references to Billy should be banned. I don’t hate the name but believe me, if someone calls you Billy, they want to see you with crayons and a cowlick. No one ever takes you seriously when they’re calling you Billy.

Comment by Bill — February 2, 2007 #
Any song by Blondie makes me cringe. At one point I loved her, but Deborah Harry does nothing for me these days.

Rachel, we need to have a talk.

Comment by Egan — February 3, 2007 #
who let the dogs out

i was out one night and a group of REALLY REALLY hot drunk guys started barking at me…… and the song didn’t come out until the next year

i know i shouldn’t care – but it STILL pisses me off and i get pissed off

Comment by question girl — February 3, 2007 #
Word Up, by Cameo! Oh wait, you said songs that make you cringe, not songs that you love and make you want to marry them, didn’t you? :)

OK, OK, I got it… My Heart Will Go On.

It makes me want to rip out my fingernails and toenails one by one, then immerse my hands and feet in a tub of rubbing alcohol.

Comment by Bone — February 3, 2007 #
‘In Your Eyes’ by Peter Gabriel. It has nothing to do with John Cusack. An old boyfriend kept bugging me to pick “our song,” which is enough to make me gag anyway. But he would always point out that ‘In Your Eyes’ was the “our song” of his previous relationship of four years. Keep rackin’ up the points, buddy! ;)

Comment by LVGurl — February 3, 2007 #
I hate Jack and Diane because…hey guess what I always heard when that song was popular?! Hey Diane, who is Jack?? Well, my uncle’s name is Jack and that just made the whole thing gross.
I also have always, always hated Unchained Melody. It’s so weepy and pathetic and lovey-gooey that just talking about it is making me throw up a little in my mouth.

Comment by dianehttp://www.sparktacular.blog-city.com — February 3, 2007 #
queens…”fat bottom girls make the rocking world go round.” whatever, you don’t even like girls, so why the fuck are singing about it?

and…”my humps, my humps, my lady lumps”, yeah, some very creative thought worthy bullshit written here as well.

basically, anything written about a lump, rump or a lunk-a-dunk. i don’t care for it, what-so-ever!

Comment by gorillabunshttp://www.gorillabuns.com — February 3, 2007 #
I guess there are a lot of songs that would bug me if they were played regularly. Especially songs that are blatantly degrading (to anyone)- I can’t make myself call that music.
I guess the BGDC song never got to me, though if it were called “Girls Who Aren’t Big But Are Also By No Means Skinny and People Will Make Fun of Your Thighs Don’t Cry” I would have definitely known that feeling.

Comment by JustRun — February 3, 2007 #
There are a zillion songs that make me cringe but the only one that makes me cry in a good way about the way I look is BEAUTIFUL by Christina Aguilara (sp?)….

Comment by matilda — February 4, 2007 #
I would guess far more songs make me dance than make me cringe…but you’re right..once the image is there…like the name Colin will forever be that bully in middle school…

Comment by Esmerelda — February 4, 2007 #
“A Boy Named Sue”… for obvious reasons.

Comment by sue — February 5, 2007 #