The subject for Day 9 of my 30 Day Song Challenge is “A song you ruined by overplaying it“. This is my least-favorite item on this song challenge, because 1) it’s negative, and 2) I don’t as a rule ruin songs for myself by overplaying them. Obviously, I only intentionally play songs that I want to hear, and if I’m tired of a song, I won’t play it. However, radio stations have ruined a number of songs for me over the years by playing them over and over until I’m sick to death of them, so I’m tweaking this subject to “A song that was ruined for me by being overplayed“.
I don’t listen to much commercial radio anymore, except occasionally when in the car, but when I was a teenager and young adult, I listened to a lot of radio. When I think back on songs that I’d liked at first, but later grew to detest because they were so grossly overplayed, most were generally from the 70s and 80s. And the one that most quickly comes to my mind is the 1972 classic “American Pie” by Don McLean. It was a massive #1 hit and one of the most popular songs of the 1970s, and like all big hits, it was played to death on the radio. To make matters worse, it was so damned long, clocking in at over 8 1/2 minutes, and seemed to go on forever. I liked it at first, but after a few months of non-stop airplay (back in the day when hearing songs on the radio was our main form of listening to music besides playing them on our stereos), I came to loathe it. The moment I’d hear “Long, long time ago…” I’d jab my finger on the radio button to change the station as quickly as possible.
If I never hear “American Pie” again that would be a good thing. And if I had my own radio station, it, along with a several other songs, would not be allowed in the building.
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 
Funny.This is the second post I’ve read today to feature this song. Totally different themes.
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That is a coincidence. Yeah, I realize it’s a favorite for a lot of people, but I just cannot bear to hear it anymore.
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I understand where you are coming from…there are songs like that to me also…but this one I can not get enough. It wasn’t played as much when I grew up….it is an epic song no doubt.
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It was played every hour or two for months on end from late 1971 through Spring 1972, to the point where I just couldn’t stand it anymore. I’m still sick of it. Same goes for Three Dog Night’s ‘Joy to the World’ and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Free Bird’.
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I can’t take Joy To The World or Hotel California… Free Bird….I stayed away from that one and Stairway for years….now I enjoy both again…
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Luckily, there are very few songs I can no longer hear. While I’ve certainly listened to it many times over the decades, I still enjoy “American Pie.” One tune that was ruined for me because of constant radio play is Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”. That one you might as well retitle, “Do Worry, Don’t Be Happy”!
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Yeah, I got sick of that one pretty quickly too.
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I loved the song as a prepubescent teen, and sung it at dodgy nightclubs, but do I care to hear it again. No thank you. But I understand the sentiment.
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Haha I guess you’re not a fan of Madonna’s version either.
But yes, Radio used to do that. I can’t say I miss listening to radio stations waiting for a good tune to come on.
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Not really, though I love many of Madonna’s songs.
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It’s pretty easy to tire of this one I think. The lyrics are interesting and draw you in, but it doesn’t have enough happening musically to sustain interest given its length and its overplay.
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I think you’re right.
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Have to admit — I love it, and I think I always will. Glad it hasn’t been ruined for me!
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