5 Most Overrated Songs By Decade

Most Overrated Song Of The '70s: "You're So Vain" - Carly Simon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6UAYGxiRwU Talk about dullsville. The music is instantly forgettable after you hear it, though the lyrics improve somewhat. It's a slightly clever nod to not trying to think about someone while you're clearly thinking about them: "You're so vain/you probably think this song is about you." Then again, the chorus doesn't even rhyme. But it doesn't matter how quasi-clever the lyrics are; the melody is so trite, all I hear in my head is Charlie Brown's teacher: "Blah, blah, blah...." On the flipside, Simon's "The New Jerusalem" from the Working Girl soundtrack truly boasted melodic surprises; it was downright operatic, not to mention inspirational since it's sung about the city so nice, they named it twice: New York. Rightfully so, it earned Simon an Oscar for Best Original Song.
Contributor

Michael Perone has written for The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore City Paper, The Island Ear (now titled Long Island Press), and The Long Island Voice, a short-lived spinoff of The Village Voice. He currently works as an Editor in Manhattan. And he still thinks Michael Keaton was the best Batman.