Pajiba

1. Various Artists -- So I Married An Axe Murderer: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
2. Matthew Sweet -- Girlfriend
3. Jackson Five -- The Ultimate Collection*
4. Various Artists -- Empire Records: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
5. Marry Me Jane -- Self Titled; (songs from the film If Lucy Fell)

*I don't think the Jackson Five is so particularly embarrassing as the way I behave when I listen to it. In my car. All by myself.

I still have my New Kids On The Block tape. Sometimes I play "Step by Step" in my car (the only place with a tape deck) at top volume. Beat that!

*hangs head down in shame*

Um. Yeah. O-Town. Their first and I am pretty sure only album. I bought if off Amazon as to remain anonymous. I never let anyone know that I had it in fear that I would be brutally torn apart. Which I should.

Add to that:

Janet Jackson's Greatest Hits
John Tucker Must Die Soundtrack
*NSYNC - Every Album they ever made.

Top that.

'N Sync-No Strings Attached

(i even taped the HBO live concert special, and rewatched it until the VHS wore out. i can't believe i'm admitting this on pajiba.)

This list makes me seem older than I really am but...
1. Best of KC & The Sunshine Band
(always crank it in my minivan!)
2. Best of John Denver
(his lyrics make me cry)
3.Best of the Monkees
(luv me some old school Micky Dolenz, but Davy Jones---ahhh..)
4. Hairspray Soundtrack
(just bought it last week!)
5. Kiss Double Platinum
(Rock on!)

1. Spice Girls - Spice World (the album). I love it. It is terrible. My boyfriend does not know I keep it behind my cool Terry Pratchett books and listen to it when he is out...

2. Mandy Moore - So Real. I bought it so I could listen to "Candy" on repeat. I love it as much as I love the film Center Stage, which is a lot.

3. Moulin Rouge - The Movie Soundtrack. It is full of good music but is shameful to me because I cry every time I listen to it.

4. Train- Single of "Drops of Jupiter". Yes, I was cheap and only bought the single. I played it so much in highschool that my mother still changes the radio station when she hears it.

5. La Bouche - The single of "Be My Lover". You know, the techno song from about 1994? No? You don't remember it? Funny. I danced around in my living room to it last week.

Olivia Newton John - Come On Over (Has Jolene)
Asia - Heat of the Moment
Styx - Paradise Theater
Coal Miner's Daughter - Soundtrack

OK, I am going to have to realize that my whole collection is shameful.

But my #7
Tears for Fears--Songs from the Big Chair.

I am a loser.

drop dead fred? that's all i had to admit to? that's the first time i ever cried in the theater. not because it sucked, because it made me sad when pheobe cates...oh sorry that's not what this diversion's about.
anyway, the soundtrack to Little Shop of Horrors. when i'm in my car i even sing with a lisp. jebus, i just said that.
and what's wrong with the jackson five and neil diamond?

All American Rejects - s/t
New Radicals - Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too
Smash mouth - Fush Yu Mang
Shakira - Laundry Service
Abba - Best Of

1- Chicago - Greatest Hits (1982-1989)
2- Bryan Adams - So Far So Good
3- Bruce Willis - The Return of Bruno
4- Garth Brooks - Ropin' the Wind
5- 69 Boys - 199QUAD (I sure do love doing the Tootsie Roll)

'cuz I'll never be too embarrassed to admit that I frikkin love Tiffany.

Marsh: There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING shameful about owning the soundtrack to Coal Miner's Daughter. It's a kick-ass film with a fabulous set of songs performed to perfection by Spacek and D'Angelo. The shame lies with whomever led you to believe this was shameful album to own.

Marsh--

I too love that Asia album and have been considering getting it ever since I saw 40 Year Old Virgin. Had I actually owned it, it would have been on my list. Sadly, I wore the cassette tape out mid 80's.

Oh, lord have mercy. You opened the floodgates now...

Here are mine:

1 - Air Supply's Greatest Hits. I turn on this CD when I feel down in the dumps. It feeds into the depression. YAY!

2 - Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's Once Upon a Christmas CD. I own all that boobalicious and grey-beareded glory on a CD, and every Christmas, it all comes out. You made this, a Christmas to rememberrrrr...

3 - The Labyrinth soundtrack. DON'T JUDGE ME!! I love the movie. hahaha

4 - Sting's Songs of Love CD that came out through Victoria's Secret a few years ago. Yes, I bought it. I'm weak-willed!!

5 - Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits. God help me, I love Stevie Nicks...

Here goes....and this is damn shameful

1) Lil John and the Eastside Boys, Crunk Juice
I'm sorry all those "YEEEAHS!" make me giggle

2)The Oak Ridge Boys, Fancy Free
I have a love, from childhood of "Elvira"

3) Beyonce, Dangerously in Love
I have nothing to say here...

4)Crystal Gayle, Greatest Hits
As a child I dreamed of having hair past my butt just like her

AND A tie for #5
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, The Soundtrack
AND
The Power Puff Girls, The Soundtrack
There's nothing like queer life coaches and punky girl super heroes for dancing around the house.

For SHAME...FOR SHAME!

I'm about to lay the shame down hard:

1) Lion King Soundtrack- Man I loved me some Elton John when I was in middle school

2) Ace of Base "The Sign"- You know...even now I still kinda dig it

3) Color Me Badd "CMB"- Now everytime I watch Dick in a Box, I think of their song, I Wanna Sex You Up

4) Van Halen "Balance"- Yeah I liked Sammy Hagar...but now I just stick to his tequila

5) No Mercy "No Mercy"- A silly male group that sang such hits as "Please don't go" and "Where do you go"...which makes me wonder why they can't keep track of their women.

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Musical soundtrack: This is a secret shame only because so many of my friends mock the shit out of me for owning this AND for being such a rabid Buffy fan. But I proudly own and know all of the words to this soundtrack, and happily sing along with Tara's part during her duet with Giles. That man's voice is panty-meltingly voluptuous.

2. Journey's Greatest Hits: My mother was embarrassed to watch me OPEN this gift last Christmas, let along buy it for me.

3. En Vogue-Funky Divas: The shame part is that it's in my car right now.

4. Live-The Distance to Here: A terrible, terrible album. But I really liked that song "They Stood Up for Love."

5. RuPaul-Supermodel: Yup.

There is nothing wrong with Matthew Sweet, litely; we have all of his, I think, and it's good music, so stop it.

So there will be a period theme to this, by and large:

1. Get Lucky, Loverboy -- 80's slammin' guitar and throaty lyrics still hold up; I jog to this.
2. Loverboy, Loverboy -- Guh, it's sad that I still listen to both albums, but they were released at a really fun, memorable time in my life and we used to listen to them in my friend's 280Z while cruising McCain Blvd. in North Little Rock.
3. Play Deep, The Outfield -- "Every Time You Cry" still makes me misty. That guy could really sing.
4. Head Games, Foreigner -- the best of their albums, far surpassing the heavily overrated 4.
5. 10 from 6, Bad Company -- Lynyrd Skynyrd wannabe rock from the 70's, and a greatest hits album to boot. [*hangs head*]

hunting high and low by a-ha was great!!
in the same vein, big country's self titled album with the bagpipes was freaking amazing.
oh oh oh!!
escape club - wild wild west
my sister and i would vidoe tape ourselves dancing to this. embaressingly enough, she still has me bouncing around to "shake like the sheik". i dread when she figures out how to post that on myspace

1. The Cranberries- There's no need to argue.
I went on vacation with my friend's family in the 6th grade, and her mom played this album and I thought they were the coolest people ever. I have ALWAYS been ashamed of loving early Cranberries (the old stuff is SO much better).
2. Nelly- Nellyville
There is no excuse for this; none at all. My sister and I love it, and can sing along to every word. Equally shameful, it is the only "rap" album I own.
3. Weezer- "The Green Album"
All the "post-2000 Weezer sucks" comments make my cheeks flush every time I listen to "Island in the Sun" over and over and over again.
4. The Traveling Wilburys- Volume 1.
Okay, so it is a band comprosed of some musical greats, but still, this music is SO not cool. But whatever, I love it. I don't have my cassette anymore; I'll have to look it up on itunes.
5. Jack Johnson-In Between Dreams
I'm blaming this on my sister, too. I listen to it for purely sentimental-bullshit reasons.

TK! I always knew I had a twin! And yes, that is exactly why the Black Album is shameful. Shameful!!

Ha ha, you like Building A Mystery???? Ok, come on over. I've got the tequila. We'll watch Conan (the Barbarian, not the late-night), listen to shite, and get shitfaced.

Julie - There is nothing shameful about owning Once More, With Feeling. I listen to that about once a week, MINIMUM.

You are among friends here.

OK, sorry for the excessive posting.

Cycle Sluts From Hell - self titled

What can I say, "I wish you were a beer" is pretty catchy.

I have two secret shames specifically as a New Yorker born and breed,
1) I know all the lyrics to "the devil went down to georgia" and sing it proudly ever time I hear it. I even have the 45, yes people that is a type of record us old folks used to listen to, that I bought when I was 12. still listen to it today!
2) Kenny Rogers the Gambler -- still listen to "Lucille" when I'm feeling down. "ya picked a fine time to leave me lucille, with 4 hungery children and a crop in the field..." country poetry I tell ya...

Well. I seem to have nothing BUT reprehensible music.
However, I refuse to see anything wrong with owning Niel Diamond anything. Turn On Your Heartlight is great for when you want to make people mad.

Well, I have four versions of the RENT soundtrack: The original Broadway cast, the movie cast, the original off-Broadway workshop, and (I honestly don't believe I listen to this) Jonathan Larson's original demo, done by him and his friends. I actually sing the songs from this version. I'm utterly obsessed, to the point that over 1/4 of my iTunes library is RENT. 25%. I just did the math, and I'm shocking myself.

Anything from the movie Camp. It's about kids. At a musical theatre camp. And the drama that they get up to. Includes drag queens, obsessive compulsives, drunk has-beens, poisoning people with Woolite to get their parts, and cheating on your girlfriend at camp. With two girls. It's the most awful movie ever (I can't believe I didn't include it in the other list...), and the music is just... I can't explain it. It's amazing.

Two French-Canadian rock operas: Dracula, and Notre Dame de Paris (Hunchback of Notre Dame). SO BAD. SO MUCH AWESOME. But I can't ever tell people, because it's even worse than listening to musicals-- it's musicals in another language!

Everything by Harry and the Potters. They're not even a good band, it's just musical crack that I can't get enough of.

Since U Been Gone: Kelly Clarkson. I can't justify it.

Hollaback Girl: Gwen Stefani. Not this one, either.

Girlfriend: Avril Lavigne. Oh my god, I have absolutely no way to defend myself I sing along. I really don't have anything to say.

Also, I listen to and dance around to Panic! At the Disco.

Wow, I'm really a loser...

HEE, TK-you should see me in my car when I'm trying to sing everyone's verses during "Walk Through the Fire." I look like SUCH an asshole.

And Ella, Harry and the Potters kick ass live. (I also own all their albums.)

Big Country - Big Country....sinply for the song Big Country...I couldn't find a best of the 80's with that song on it...and then I bought it and listened to the whole thing...and i liked it...I had an amazing revisit to it yesterday at V-Fest when Girl Talk mixed fucking 'Party Like a Rock Star' with this....I got goosebumps.

KISS - Music from 'The Elder' - A World without heroes, is like a world without sun. you can't look up to anyone without heroes.... ::sigh::

Fight - War of Words...Post-Judas Rob Halford, leather, bald head, but still not out of the closet. For some reason i never put 2 n 2 together and thought this dude was bangin groupies left and right with smash like this...i was wrong...

ABC (Another Bad Creation) - Chillin at the Playground - Who can EVER forget the lyrics to Iesha???!!!??? We played nintendo on our first date. I didn't wanna make it seem to fly. We ate cereal. She couldn't stay out late cuz her momma wanted her home by nine! Playground was the shit too!! TK - Cooleyhighharmony....Boyz II Men, ABC, BBD...the east coast family!

Tom Cochran - Mad Mad World Life is a highway...and i want to drive my car off that VERY steep cliff at the end...

Thank god I've changed my name for the sake of this post.

In no particular order:

1. Paula Abdul- Forever Your Girl
I got it for $1 at my local used cd store. I can't
it. I loved her in my youth.
2. Natasha Bedingfield- Unwritten
This is probably my most shaming album. I
thought about selling it, but I didn't even want the people at the cd store to see me with it.

3. Switchfoot- The Beautiful Letdown

4. Madonna- The Immaculate Collection
This is the only other one that I could think
of. Although I am not really ashamed of it, so
of my friends are a biut ashamed of me when I
put it one and sing along.

In no particular order:

1. Paula Abdul- Forever Your Girl
I got it for $1 at my local used cd store. I can't
it. I loved her in my youth.
2. Natasha Bedingfield- Unwritten
This is probably my most shaming album. I
thought about selling it, but I didn't even want the people at the cd store to see me with it.

3. Switchfoot- The Beautiful Letdown

4. Madonna- The Immaculate Collection
This is the only other one that I could think
of. Although I am not really ashamed of it, so
of my friends are a but ashamed of me when I
put it one and sing along.

I am doubly shame-faced: Not only did I buy several cassettes (remember those and how they would stretch from over-use?) of the Go-Gos debut album "Beauty and the Beat," I compounded such ignomy by purchasing and serially re-taping their 1994 retrospective "Return to the Valley of the Go-Go's". I can treble the shame by admitting that I know every lyric and still sing along at the top of my voice as I cruise the world in my Tu-Tone (Hollywood Gold and Safari Yellow) 1977 Mercury Grand Marquis Brougham, featuring three types of genuine faux wood trim, metallic kidskin upholstery (how is wish it were "rich Corinthian leather" but that is another car company)and orange shag carpeting (all original).

Boogie Nights, baby! Wayne Newton offered to buy my car when he pulled me over after hearing the Go-Gos and me cruising The Strip in 'Vegas. I declined but he gave me front row tickets to his show anyway.

Top that Shame Faced Hall of Fame!

ACK! Erin, that's the Madonna album I meant, Immaculate Collection (not greatest hits). silly me. oh, and michelle, i's giving the shrek love. one AND two.

Demondoll: I agree. I love my Neil Diamond but so many people have made fun of me for having it that I felt it was only right to own up and place it on my list.

Ahh, yet another batch of hipster douchebags trying to out hip one another , this time by listing a bunch of albums that they not only claim to own, but actually listen to.

Spare us.

Be fucking honest for once in your pathetic lives.

You don't own any of the albums you have claimed to in your postings and in point of fact, if you do know anyone who owns one of these albums you spend endless hours sneering at their lack of hipster coolness.

Here are the facts: Your hipster indie bands suck.

Every single one of them.

Why?

Because they are indie bands and therefore they make truly shitty music and therefore aren't talented or good enough to be signed to a major label deal.

A great many of my friends regularly look over my music collection for a cheap laugh. I feel no shame- someone has to scoop the musical poop. Please to enjoy:

1) Afroman- Self Titled (?)- I may be the only person I know who hasn't yet sold this back for the 50 cents it might get you. It's excellent for using up that last few minutes on a mix CD for a friend. Plus- chicken noises throughout. Sometimes, I will just respond to a question with "Afroman likes tall cans..." if I have nothing else to say. The man is a poet.

2) Guns and Roses- The Spaghetti Incident-
Okay, I kind of stand by this one, both for the fact that I am an unapologetic G & F-in-R fan, but also because they do some very interesting covers. Duff McKagen does "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory," by Johnnie Thunders, and surprisingly, it doesn't suck as bad as you'd think. Plus, you get the hidden track that was a song written by Charlie Manson where Axl ends it by whispering "Thanks Chaaaaaaaarrrrrrrlllles," which is bizz-fucking-zare.

3) David Cassidy- New Tricks, Old Dog- It has a 90s r & b remix of "I Think I Love You." Two words- In-tense.

4) Winger- Self Titled- Okay, I've had this one since I was 11. I really did think "Seventeen" was a great song. What the hell did I know?

5) I don't even know if there's a title for it, because the paint / labely finally came completely off, but I believe it was once called "Summer Fun." It came out in approximately 1990 in a box of Playtex Tampons and included such hits as "Kokomo," by the Beach Boys, "I Don't Wanna Go on With You Like That," by Elton John, and "Let's Hear It For the Boy," by Denise Williams. My sisters and I used to ROCK OUT to that shit, and would yell, "Put on the tampon tape!" when we were in the car, much to my mother's disgust.

There you have it, suck fans.

Holy Shit, Vermillion. Strokin'! My mother introduced me to that in the car one day when I was about seven or eight years old. She played it for days.

Stroke it to the east. Stroke it to the west. Stroke it to the woman I love the best. I be strokin!

It wasn't until many years later, after my mother spent some time in the crazy house, that I realized how inappropriate that was. All well ... I be strokin'!

Well, I can't think of much, because I only listen to good music. Really.

Ah, fun stuff. Seriously, right off the top of my head I have a couple that I still love, to this very day. And I mean fucking love.

1. Whichever Tag Team album has "Whoomp! There It Is" on it, and

2. An old mix tape I made full of C+C Music Factory. Everything from "Gonna Make You Sweat" to "Things That Make You Go 'Hmmm...'" to the original version of "Pride (In the Name of Love)". Hell. Yes.

Pissboy - don't fuck with me. Not only did I once own Jesus Jones and EMF...

... I saw them in motherfucking concert. Live. Together.

Game. Set. Match.

All these albums are indefensible - so I'm not even going to try.

Clay Aiken - Measure of a Man - whatever I loved him and went to his concert with my mommy (I was 21). Granted my love for him has wained a bit, but I was in my American Idol phase.

The Soundtrack to Runaway Bride

Mamma Mia - the Broadway musical based on ABBA music

The soundtrack to Aladdin - it gets even better because I have a burned CD with all my favorite Disney songs on it. Seriously how can you stay pissed off when you are singing the Little Mermaid song under the sea?

The Dixie Chicks - all albums - I like to sing along, whatever it makes me happy.

I think that was embarrassing enough - but I love bad music as much as I love "good" music.

I would like to send a thank you to Julie for reminding me about RuPaul. I know have "Vogue, work it girl!" running through my head. Dammit.

Also, TK, is that the album containing "Motown Philly"? They truly were a cheese-tastic wonder to never be seen again.

Little bit o' country - Don't be hating on "Devil Went Down to Georgia". That is a damned fine song to sing along with. I proudly know every damned word and will always defend it.

My submissions are:
1. Spice Girls - Spice. I tried to sell it to the used cd store for $2 and they would not take it due to an extensive amount of them already in the store. I think that there were 15.
2. Celine Dion - Falling Into You. I was 15 and have no possible defense for this. I have not listened to it in over 10 years, however.
3. Backstreet Boys - Hell, I don't remember what album it is, but it is so shameful that does it really matter? Along this same vein I also own both of 'N Sync's albums and a 98 degrees album. I have no excuse for my collection from the early 2000's/late 90's.
4. City of Angels soundtrack - I am submitting this one because the movie is a steaming pile o' dung and the soundtrack is one giant cliche after another. I only listen to the instrumental tracks because they are soothing.
5. The final place goes to an album that has been used as a frisbee more than an album. Britney Spears original album. Oh yes, that one. "Hit me baby one more time". I received it as a gift. It does make an excellent coaster or frisbee now.

Dustin, you required me to see what album of Alanis' that was. That was a horrible album. Also, like you, I only own the Ones album by the Beatles. I did supplement it with downloads of my favorite tracks that were missing. You are correct, there is nothing wrong with a little Hootie.

As far as my shameful entries go, I lived in a not-so-culturally hip place, the South, and am in the process of reforming from my shameful addictions.

Ashley! My sister has a burned cd of all of her favorite songs, and it's her go-to cd when we're in the car together. Yesterday we spent our car ride to the miniature golf course trying to out sing each other to the Little Mermaid's "Poor Unfortunate Souls." Love love love.

Best of John Denver i'm a 30 something black woman, but i consider my personal anthem

Neil Diamond: The Greatest Hits and i love it to pieces

oh frak it--i own pretty much every CD by Britney Spears, Eminem, Jack Johnson, Shakira, Madonna, Blink-182, Enrique Iglesias (although i prefer his father), Jennifer Lopez, and Mariah Carey. i own the Titanic soundtrack, and i like several Celine Dion songs.

i not only own Once More With Feeling but i went to the sing along and totally enjoyed it!

apparently, i have no shame--or just crappy taste in music.

backstreet boys - millenium, obviously.

1)Steely Dan - The entire catalog
2)Elvis Presley - 2 to None (The Rubberneckin'
remix rocks!)
3)Fame Soundtrack (I still listen to it)
4)Flashdance Soundtrack (See Fame Sndtrk)
5)Vanity 6 - Nasty Girl

Vermillion, Strokin'? That guy had more than one song? Hell, If I had a dime for everytime that I have drunkly gotten on a dance floor to this song, well, I would have a hell of a lot more money than I do now. The "Cha Cha Slide" also falls into this category. Oh Dustin, that is just wrong and so sad.
Strokin'...Strokin'!!

Pissboy, my question to you is, what the hell are the lyrics to Snow's hit, "Informer"? All I have ever been able to understand is "Informer, " and not another word. Would you please enlighten me?

oh, and i own Drop Dead Fred, didn't mention it because i don't think it is a bad movie.

Strokin'--i'm going to have to find that--i LOVE that song!

Late additions - Barbra Streisand The Broadway Album. It was on cassette and I haven't replaced it but I drove my roommates in university crazy. Not sure they liked the Leonard Cohen much either.

The Streisand album combined with my love of Live and Judy Garland (the latter of which is in no way shameful. Seriously, listen the The Man That Got Away and I DEFY you not to get goosebumps) merely shows a strong tendency towards bombast.

Totally bought the Avril Lavigne album for Damn Cold Night. My 12 year old nephew had been listening to it.

I purchased a cassette of John Waite's Missing You. Thus learning that you never buy an album based on one song.

I have a Muppet album, but I didn't bootleg it so I guess I am in the clear. I also bought a Sesame Street CD despite being childless.

Suggested Comment Diversion - Great soundtrack, terrible movie. First nominees? I Am Sam and City of Angels.

Wow. There are some REALLY crappy albums out there...I'm not so embarrassed anymore!
My secret shames:

Skid Row- (Best of)- 18 and Life, I Remember You...freakin classics

Def Leppard- (Best of)- Again, classics. To be played not at volume 10, but rather blasted all the way at 11.

Third Eye Blind- Self-titled. Reminds me of my first serious love, that whole year...I still believe that the lesser-known songs on that album aren't half bad. Sue me.

Bobby Brown- I LOVE me some old school Bobby. Tenderoni, Don't Be Cruel, Every Little Step! I think he's too busy with other things in life to make a greatest hits album, I'd be all over that.

Counting Crows- again, reminds me of a specific person and time...Mr. Jones might be lame now but August and Everything After is still a wonderful fall season guilty pleasure.

Cody, thats so funny that you put Tag Team "Whoomp! There It Is" because I danced to that song in my 5th grade talent show. My friends and I were all soo embarrassed because the principal announced that we were dancing to "Wamp! There It Is."

Be Adequite, if loving Skid Row is wrong... I don't ever wanna be right. I'm just sayin'.

TK ;-) Same goes for GnR but I feel they're a little more acceptable in society, no??

Sadly, this required very little thought. Or maybe that's a good thing.

1. Warrant - Dog Eat Dog
2. Belinda Carlisle - Runaway Horses
3. Aqua - Aquarium
4. Enya - *just pick one*
5. Pet Shop Boys - Discography

1. Joey Lawrence. (I believe the album is self-titled and, if it's not, I find some solace in the fact that I can't remember the name of it.)

2. The "Aladdin" soundtrack. (I STILL know all the words to "Prince Ali".)

3. En Vogue - Funky Divas. (When this album came out, I didn't even know what a diva was.)

4. Jewel - Pieces of You. (I thought that title song was oh so inspiring.)

5. Nine Days - The Madding Crowd. (Ah, the days when I would buy an entire album for one song. See: Sophie B. Hawkins.)

OMG, I didn't even read the part in the last diversion about there being a prize. I just thought everyone wanted to share! Sad! I have nothing to add here except the soundtrack to Xanadu...which really has more to do with the last thread.

My husband would pretend not to know me if he knew I was admitting this to others...but my SHAMEFUL album would be Aaron's Party by none other than Aaron Carter.

My head is hanging in shame. I don't know what it is about that album, it's so far beyond cheesy bubble gum music that I can't even try to defend it. There's no excuse, but I secretly love it. Usually it's a highlight when I workout and I'll admit, inside I jam, but outside I'm turning the volume down just a smidge on the off chance someone can hear How I Beat Shaq bursting from my earbuds. I've actually quoted lyrics to people in random everyday situations. Fortunately, nobody realizes "Beep, beep, have a good time" is Aaron Carter.

It gets worse though...I didn't buy the album, I actually borrowed it from my 7 yr old cousin and copied it (that and Dream Street, which may be even more shameful than Aaron Carter but I've never met another person who knows who the hell they are, and I wouldn't dare tell them). I also took this same cousin to see Aaron Carter in concert, not once but twice. The first concert I was asked if she were my daughter...and I painfully admit that when Mr. Carter came out for his encore I grabbed my cousin's hand and dragged her up to the stage. The second concert, she was the one hanging her head in shame at her thought-to-be-cooler-older-cousin belting out songs like it was nobody's business.

Whenever my husband and I have a difference of a opinion he always throws out the old, "you listen to f-ing Aaron Carter" schtick that in his eyes proves I don't know what I'm talking about...wherein I punch his arm and tell him to shut up because nobody's supposed to know that.

OK here's a song, no album though- "How Do You Talk To an Angel" by Jamie-something, he was briefly on 90210, as Donna Martin's, errr, Tori Spellings, boyfriend. My tender 10 year old heart almost broke when I saw him in concert!

TK....I have a feeling we are likely within 1 year of eachother age-wise...and both spent the summer of 1992 hanging out with our 7th or 8th grade significant others in front of the gravitron listening to the cool music...and trying to win a shitty poster at the 'pop-a-balloon-with-a-dart' booth. I just love that EMF and Jesus Jones BOTH had dancing keyboardists that did FUCKALL for the band.

The list of albums I will never listen to while driving for fear that they might be discovered in the CD player if I were in a fatal accident:

1. Savage Garden - Savage Garden
2. The Corrs - Talk on Corners
3. Christina Aguilera - My kind of Christmas
4. Christina Aguilera - Mi Reflejo
5. Christina Aguilera - Stripped

I unabashedly listen to a lot of bad music. For instance, I will never apologize for Color Me Badd, Roxette, or Lil Mama's Lipgloss song (all awesome!).

Crap! I missed last week's diversion. Damn my beach vacation.

I spent too many years justifying my musical tastes to my obnoxiously hipster friends/roommates that I no longer allow myself to feel ashamed for any of my weird musical tastes. I proudly proclaim my affection for all the potentially shameful favorites: Judy Garland, Eminem, Ralph Stanley, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Madonna, George Michael, electronica, the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack... I could, of course, go on but then I would just be cataloging my silly, random, and totally not-in-any-way-cool music collection.

There is one album in my possession that I have held onto though the years (mostly out of nostalgia) that does raise a few eyebrows when spotted on my shelf: DC Talk-Free At Last.

In college, to piss everyone off, we would take 3 foot speakers out to a park in between two dorms and play a variety of music. However, unable to admit it then, and it is hard to admit it now, there were some music that I not only loved, but still sing and dance to this day. I have these albums in my car and make a cycle into the cd player or on my ipod at least once or twice a month.

1. Soundtrack of Titanic - for the Celine Dion Songs... that I just happen to sing along at the top of my lungs.

2. Britney Spears - One more time... I mean seriously, who doesn't love singing "hit me baby one more time." in a car full of 5 guys with the windows rolled down cruising the Las Vegas Strip.

3. Though not the full album, I love "Barbie Girl"--- oh, can't get enough of that... Come on Barbie, let's go party...ah ah ah ahhhh yeahh...

4. With all of my friends loving most music that stems from MTV... it is difficult to admit to them my love of Andrea Borcelli...but the best of Andrea is one of my favorite albums.

5. finally, though most know only the big hit "Cotton eyed Joe" - the Rednex album of "Cotton eyed Joe" has much better music, including, but not limited to wild and free and hittin' the hay... ohhh...so wonderful...

and now it's time to go find a nice hole in the middle of the desert and do my best sadam husein impression.

Whoever is shameful of Steely Dan does not know good music. OK, it might not be your style, but those are some of the world's most talented musicians. And, how can you not like "Peg"? Some people...

The Rent Soundtrack

Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits

Hall & Oates Greatest Hits (I see I'm in good company here. Who doesn't like singing "Sara Smile" or "Maneater"?????????????????

Jimmy Eat World--Bleed American. I'm not really ashamed of the music, but I am ashamed of their fanbase.

@ Be Adequite! : Third Eye Blind is so not bad! I have three of their albums and I firmly maintain that a lot of the people that claim to hate them wouldn't if they were never played on the radio.

As for my own submissions, here goes:

1) Evanescence - Fallen
I was originally enigmatically drawn to the idea of a strong female vocal over thrashing rock music. I still can listen to a couple of songs at a time and enjoy them, but admittedly trying to listen to the whole thing at once grates on me now. I still love her voice but in retrospect I would have liked to have seen her do more with it.

2) 30 Seconds to Mars - 30 Seconds to Mars AND A Beautiful Lie
These are kind of good clean fun for me, and I can't really explain why because they're just not that good. But I'd be lying if I said I skipped the tracks whenever they come on shuffle. In fact, some of the songs are actually on my "favorites" playlist on iTunes. It happens.

3) Korn - Untouchables with honorable mention Staind - Break the Cycle
I can probably attribute this one to my angsty stage during middle school when this was released. I don't really listen to it so much anymore, but I don't really have it in me to trash it, either.

4) Paul Oakenfold - A Lively Mind
Trance/electronic fans will understand why this is bad.

5) Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
I illegally downloaded this because I couldn't bring myself to buy it, but at the time I still couldn't get enough of that Chasing Cars song. I can't even really listen to it now, but I do still have it.

Additionally, I'd like to submit that I do not own a single Beatles album, "Ones" or not. Nothing.

Oh Trevor, how I love you. Every time you pop in here to comment, you bring back waves of nostalgia for my old school vice-principal, Sister Philomena. She also would wait until we were thoroughly enjoying something and then jump in with her own unique brand of bitterness, resentment and begrudgery trying to deflate the moment. You make me feel like a fifteen year-old all over again. And for that, this overly-smug self-congratulatory hipster indie-music lover thanks you.

1. The Labyrinth Soundtrack. Screw you, it's awesome.
2. Journey. Any and all.
3. Justin Timberlake- Sexyback. Delectably shameful.
4. Kansas- Carry On My Wayward Son.
5. Peached- The Teaches of Peaches. F*ck the pain away.

Claire! Mika is in no way shameful. He is all things good. And pure sex.

Let's see... I think I shall peruse my iTunes and see not just what I have (because who hasn't taken something in a music swap saying "hey, what the hell?!" and then never listened to it?), but what I enjoy most shamefully:

1. Ashlee Simpson - Boyfriend. It's not an album, but the play count on this is high enough that I'm embarrassed enough to mention it here.
2. Avril Lavigne - I'm With You. I actually kind of love this song.
3. Bette Midler - Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook. I feel like such a gay stereotype every time I merrily sing along with this in the car (which is... ahem... never).
4. Deana Carter - Did I Shave My Legs For This? I like all of the album and love a fair share of it. But it's not that good. ::shrugs::
5. Destiny's Child - #1's. Best purchase I've ever made on iTunes.

"AND A tie for #5
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, The Soundtrack
AND
The Power Puff Girls, The Soundtrack
There's nothing like queer life coaches and punky girl super heroes for dancing around the house."

Which one is which?

Right Said Fred - They were sexy and they knew it and no one can be blamed for loving that!

Spice Girls - Spice: every song is a gem, I'm so stoked about their reunion tour, does anyone know where I can get some platform knee high boots in patent blue?

Saturday Morning Cartoons Greatest Hits - Various Artists singing 70s cartoon classics. I've never seen H.R. Pufnstuf, but I know every word to the theme song thanks to The Murmurs. The bands on here are awesome, but the fact that I regularly listen to cartoon theme songs is seriously disturbing.

Barry Mannilow - Anything the man has done is awesome! "Copacabana" is like a soap opera in a song! What's not to love about that? He writes jingles too people, good ones..."I am stuck on Band-Aid...." Ring any bells? Gold, pure gold

Brie I am right there with you on the 2gether soundtrack. I remember it well and loved the movie and series.

Here we go:

Hannah Montana Soundtrack

High School Musical Soundtrack

Every Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, or 98 degrees album including the christmas ones

Kenny Chesney's Greatest Hits

Just a reminder:
Join the Last.fm Pajiba! Group and share ALL of your music tastes, bad OR Good: http://www.last.fm/group/Pajiba%21

My two biggest guilty pleasures are both Justin Timberlake albums. I was really embarrassed when the first one came out, but more people I know like him now so it's not as bad.

I have a huge CD collection so it's easier to hide the embarassing stuff but it's there and, for Pajiba's sake, it will now be revealed.

1) Survivor's Greatest Hits (the long-deleted first version) - Rocky themes and power ballads - it's crap, but I love it.

2) Tiffany (eponymous) - she was the same age as me when the album came out and I bought into the marketing. I do have to say, the girl could sing.

3) Meat Loaf - both Bat Out of Hell albums (I refuse to acknowledge the existence of the third). The first is arguably a classic, the second...not, but I still like it.

4) Peter, Paul, and Mary - your pick, I have their entire 60s catalog and I'm not ashamed to admit I love it (ok, maybe a little ashamed).

5) Avril Lavigne - I really like the 1st two albums, even though I'm much older than her target audience.

While you stare, mouths agape at my secret musical shame, I will add that I own (and like) quite a few of the choices listed by commenters above, but I only feel compelled to defend one. There is nothing shameful about loving the Buffy "Once More With Feeling" soundtrack, people. Nothing.

1) Avril Lavigne-Let Go (What? I still listen to her song Complicated now and then.)
2)Backstreet Boys-Millennium (I don't think I still have it, but I remember loving it when I was younger.)
3)Dane Cook-Retaliation(Yeah, I think he's funny, so what?!)
4)Shakira-Oral Fixation 1(In Spanish!)and 2, plus Laundry Service. (I'm not afraid to admit that I do love Shakira.)
5)All American Rejects-Move Along(The one that makes me feel like such a poser, but screw that. Their songs can be catchy.)

For me, it's probably a two-CD compilation I bought a couple of months ago: "This is '80s New Wave." I used to loathe eighties pop, back in the day, and laughed at anyone who listened to it. Especially stuff like Men Without Hats' "The Safety Dance" (blecch) and Tiffany's cover of "I Think We're Alone Now," both of which are included in this compilation. God, I hated Tiffany back when I was in high school.

And now I've been playing the heck out of this CD set and several other Eighties' music compilations I've recently bought, because even '80s New Wave sounds so much better than the crap they've got on the radio now. Even, God help me, "Safety Dance" and that frickin' Tiffany song. At least Tiffany could carry a tune if you gave her a big enough bucket...as opposed to Britney and Christina and Gwen "Woo-hoo, Wee-ooh" Stefani and all their annoying friends.

Not that all modern pop is bad: I also find myself enjoying Kelly Clarkson and Natasha Beddingfield.

And even what's-her-name, the girl with the "Breathe" song.

I am surely damned.

Barry Mannilow - Anything the man has done is awesome! [sic]

elc, I'm calling you out. Mrs. socalled is the biggest Barry fan outside of England, and I'm pretty sure a Fanilow (oh, how she hates that word, bwah-hah-hah-hah!) would spell it "Manilow." And it couldn't be a slip of the typing fingers, because you would double-check the name to make sure lightning didn't strike you for spelling it wrong.

[Taliesin: Do you go out and buy the Manilow cds for the records you already own? Even the "special edition" ones that have, like one extra song on something you already have? The missus has to have all the vinyl super-backed-up by extra cds of everything. Bwuh.]

Thanks for reminding me of Young Einstein - I loved that movie when I was younger. I rented it thinking it was Young Frankenstein, and liked it so much that I taped it off TV the next time it was aired. I haven't thought about it in years, but now I'm remembering the haircut, the electric violin, and most of all the cat/pie scene...has it ever seen DVD release?

In fact, I'm a fan of Yahoo Serious's whole oeuvre. Reckless Kelly was as good, if not better. And checking his Wikipedia entry reveals he made another that I've never heard of! What a day!

tom cochran mad amd world was a good album, and, even better, my first concert. he was on tour with richard marx.
good reminder bissboy

Right Said Fred- Up While I'm Too Sexy was inarguably awesome, the rest of the album was also really really good. RSF has a nice, bouncy-while-soulful, sort of David Gray groove feel. Download Deeply Dippy now and see if you don't love them, too.

Rednex- Sex and Violins This is the band that did the techno version of Cotton Eyed Joe. All I can say is that in my youth I was all about the one-hit-wonders.

Evita- the Motion Picture Soundtrack I don't... I can't defend... Viva Eva Peron!!

Celine Dion- The Colour of My Love Look, this was years before Titanic ruined cinema forever and popular radio put My Heart Will Go On on ultra-maxi-heavy rotation. I will even admit here that I had her version of When I Fall in Love played at my wedding. Despite this, I am still married, and happily so.

Yanni- Live at the Acropolis I wasn't sure whether I was more ashamed of this or of my Josh Groban in Concert cd/dvd compilation. The decision was a close one, but there you have it. Yanni wins the dubious honor because of his thick man-perm and unironic seriousness.

thank you thank you thank you for mentioning army of lovers!! i forgot about that band. crucified is now my profile song on myspace!

And to Gary Glitter: I don't really like Mika (I prefer Partick Wolf), but I agree that he's hardly shameful. However, by the same token, no Peaches album could ever qualify as a secret shame. Never ever. Especially "F*ck the Pain Away," one of the greatest songs in recent memory (really). Your taste is too good, my friend. I'm sorry.

The two albums that have received the most play recently are the Dixie Chicks' Fly and Taking the Long Way. It's not just me, my daughter is a Dixie chicks super-freak--but I don't necessarily think of the Chicks as secret shames. Considering I haven't bought any albums since the aforementioned chicks (which may be a shame all in itself, I just don't buy albums) I'll just have to confess to my iTunes purchases:

1)Carry on my Wayward Son, Kansas

2)Good Vibrations, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch

3)Here Comes the Hotstepper, Ini Kamoze

4)More than a Feeling, Boston

5)Steal My Sunshine, Len

1. Ace of Base- its a beautiful life
2. Brintey Spears- you drive me crazy, stronger, boys
3. Jeniffer Lopez- jenny from the block
4. Aqua- Barbie Girl. Candy man
5.brian Adams- everything i do, summer of 69, the only thing that looks good on me

yea that list is pretty bad

1. Phil Collins. Hate him/love him. Every song sounds like the track "rock vocal power" by butch walker -- his voice is 100% studio magic -- but I listen. Every time.
2. Local H. My boyfriend's favorite band, which is sort of like saying your favorite color is clear. I'm starting to hear poetry in their shitty lyrics. Confusions ARE like illusions!
3. 30 seconds to Mars. Jared Leto takes himself so damn seriously, but he crafts a good tune.
4. Weird Al. I am officially 13 years old.
5. Nelly Furtado. I will never own an album, but I love the songs.

Honestly, my secret shames are more embarrassing when I reveal the music I just don't get. Arcade Fire is the first thing that comes to mind.

who knew Safety Dance was supposed to be about nukes? Come on, hands up! Oh, yeah, NOBODY!!! It was about weird guys with weird voices dancing thru the fields of some vaguely European village with a girl who looked like she was on the Britney Spears train to Wackyville and midgets! What's not to love??

BTW, can't believe I forget this gem...Add It Up, Violent Femmes. God, my kids hate it when I put that in the player in the van...

re: my earlier comment -- wooops! I meant Stigma not Stigmata. Stoopid me. Sorry, all you rabid E.M.F. fans (heh).

God, screw it. There's no point in trying to make any excuses for these so I'm going to just go balls to the wall here.

1. N'SYNC - self titled solo album.

2. Darius Rucker - Back to Then (I've got you beat Dustin, cause the only thing worse than a Hootie album, is a Hootie solo effort.)

3. Roxette - Greatest Hits Yeah, yeah fuck you guys.

4. Toto - Toto IV This actually ranks as one of my favorite all time albums, shameful or not. Africa is sadly just about my favorite song EVER.

5. Berlin - Pleasure Victim (and really pretty much any of their albums from the eighties)

And just because I couldn't let them go unmentioned The Never Ending Story and Last Unicorn soundtracks.

*deep breath*

Okay, I'm confessing...I have a LOT of crap cds, mostly becasue I have a pre-teen daughter. I do know all the words to many Avril, Britney & Xtina songs, along with loads of other pop-tart flavour of the week one-hit wonders. My secret shame is one that even makes my daughter shake her head in bewilderment.

Tiffany - Hold an Old Friend's Hand.

Yup. Not even her big hit break-out album, it's her crapfest of a follow-up to the free mall tour. I'm careful to keep it far from the other cds lest someone see it(I'm not opening myself up to that level of judgement!) Every once in a while, though, I'll pop it in the player & sing along with Tiffany...Radio Romance, We're Both Thinking of Her and my personal favourite ode to the Stepfordization of young girls everywhere: I'll Be The Girl.

*sigh*

Let the judgement begin...

1. "Come With Me" - Puff Daddy and Jimmy Page

If I had known we could do singles, I would have had this on my list, and included "Word Up" as well. This is the ONLY, I REPEAT ONLY THING OF PUFF DADDY'S THAT I LIKE.

Lookit: in the past month not only have I busted out BSB's "Everybody Backstreets Back" and then fiendishly checked YouTube for the correct white boy band choreographed dance but I have also chastised our 17 year old CEJEP student for coming to work in an NKOTB shirt and not being properly prepared to either spout NKOTB trivia or bust a move to one of their classic songs (oh oh oh oh, the right stuff).

And so it is with nothing but deep and abiding shame that I admit I don't need the five album option to reach the absolute height of shame.
I need just one album to accomplish that feat:

Yanni, Tribute.

So I was raised in the middle of no where...by wolves...with no music or joy or dancing.... The feral child in me responds to Yanni.

Give it to Bullfrog. ICP is godawful.

The first CD I ever bought was "Significant Other" by Limp Bizkit. I also regularly listened to Chumbawumba's "Tubthumper" I was young and didn't know any better.

I'm crushed that you didn't read my Movie Secret Shames comment, which included:

One more: I saw "Drop Dead Fred" no less than 6 times in the theater. I think I represent a shockingly large percentage of that movie's final box office take. Quite an accomplishment, no? Perhaps deserving of a prize? If not, no worries; I'll always have my imaginary friend to give me prizes.

I will turn to my imaginary friends to comfort me during this time.

-- Damn it. I did see your post, and thought it was hilarious. In fact, it's probably what called to my mind Drop Dead Fred. And then, apparently, I completely forgot. Free T-Shirt to you -- if you send me your real email address.. -- DR

I've got one that could top all of you:

Blowfly's Party (with that perverted classic, "Rap Dirty"). I'd pay to see a video of that song, it's so wrong on SO many levels!

Before I address my secret shames of music, I would like to point out a few things. CCR, Journey, Boston, Steely Dan, Alanis Moristte (well maybe everything after Jagged Little Pill), Tom Jones, The Carpenters, John Denver, Madonna and some of the other aforementioned artists should not be considered as shameful pleasures, maybe guilty, but definitely not shameful. Some of these artists aren't serious musicians or great lyricists, but there is a huge following for them. And, any music snob who I know owns at least one of these artist's LPs. On a side note, Madonna and Journey are great listening while heavily intoxicated (If anyone has ever played or sung "Crazy for You" or "Lights" while drinking, you know what I'm talking about).

Okay onto my shameful music cds. I admit it. I adore Josh Groban. In the beginning, I loathed him, thought he was opera lite. He was the antithesis of good classical music, and as a classical music aficionado, I saw him as the reason why opera was dead in our society. Of course, I had never listened to any of his CDs because his music was beneath me; however, one afternoon, my cousin, who actually thought Audrey Hepburn and Katherine Hepburn were sisters (I wish I were lying), was playing his cd in her car. At first, I resisted his rich, baritone voice knowing that if I gave into his music I would be selling part of my soul to the devil. Then, I realized that I was actually enjoying his pseudo-operatic vocal stylings. Oh, the shame! And how did I handle my new found shame, you ask? I bought any cd that he had ever made. Oh, and for about three or four months, I actually thought about becoming a "Grobanite." And what did I get for Christmas this year that made me momentarily feel giddy? Josh Groban's new CD which I perpetually played for weeks, weeks! Add to the other shame of it all, I play his song "You are Loved" on repeat when I am feeling dejected. It's as if him singing, "You are loved," will actually make me feel loved. God, my cheeks are burning from the shame as I write this. I think I own five of his CDs which comprise my shameful list. They are well hidden and are never played around people, ever.

Great comment diversion, Dustin! And my fellow Pajibans, I salute you: You have some awfully embarrassing albums in your collections. Not that there's anything wrong with that -- many of them are also in MY collection.

I was wondering if it's just me who is finding the iTunes Store to be a particularly nefarious source of shameful music. I have bought singles there that, after the fact, I sometimes can't believe I bought. I know it's only 99 cents, but does that excuse buying "My Best Friend's Girl" by The Cars? Is there any way to justify having spent money on "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger? And there's worse. I bought CCR's "Doo-doo-doo, Looking Out My Back Door." I bought "Need You Tonight" by INXS. One night, real late, I bought ... oh the shame ... "Jessie's Girl." By RICK SPRINGFIELD. Really.

And all this, even though I really do like good music. No, really. I do.

Ooh, Paris, there's nothing wrong with the Cars pre-"Heartbeat City", nor with anything by INXS. Bite your tongue!

Ok, things like New Kids on the Block are officially so bad they're good, and if I still owned my cassettes and a cassette deck I would ROCK those out LOUD with ALL the windows open.
Things that I listen to on my iPod, however, when I'm jogging and no one else can hear it and even if they do, I can justify it because I'm JOGGING and that requires pop, are as follows:

ANYthing Christina Aguilera. I will even admit out loud (in certain company) that I think she kind of kicks ass. Girl has got PIPES!

Anything Destiny's Child/Beyonce, particularly angry, shit-kicking songs like 'Ring the Alarm' and 'Survivor.'

Speaking of angry, shit-kicking songs, Eminem, and I totally know all the words and rap along to myself even though I'm white, but only when I'm jogging outside and no one can hear me.

Deviating from the work-out music for a sec, I totally love Josh Groban and I know he's ultra-saccharine and all, but that lovely, lovely voice.

And finally (I can't say it. Only because you, fellow Pajibans, have unburdened yourselves can I say it), The Pussycat Dolls (ack!!!!!!!!!). I hate them, I hate everything they stand for, I hate how they masquerading tight skirts and stripper moves as femininity and power, I hate how many of them there are and how no one can ever remember which is which (take a page from the Spice Girls, bitches), but they are SO catchy. Oh mercy. I'm so sorry.

1) fresh prince and jezzy jeff: i'm the rapper, he's the dj
2) fresh prince and jazzy jeff: and in this corner
3) will smith: big willie style
4) will smith: willennium
5) men in black soundtrack

you know, i'm not ashamed of as many as i expected...but i got mine:

1. richard marx, whatever his big one is called - "hold on to the night. hold on to the mehhhhhmories..." i remember singing this embarrassingly loudly while wearing headphones during an all-night studio session in architecture school. the looks of pity from my fellow all-nighting students didn't even phase me.

2. corey hart, 'boy in a box' - "she got the radio,", "jenny fey,"...and of course, "sunglasses to my cassette player last week...but this time, the pity on my girlfriend's face was physically painful.

3. styx, 'paradise theater' - "we are ROCKIN' THE PARADISE" i don't think i've ever listened to this without shouting that line at the top of my lungs.

4. madonna, 'madonna' - not really a guilty pleasure, because it's flat-out-fucking terrrific. one gem after another...but if my buddies knew i had this one - and actually purchased, not burned from a library copy - i'd never survive the next poker game.

5. c + c music factory - "EVERYBODY DANCE NOW!"

and i'm spent.

Ranylt "Parachute Club's "Rise Up".

It could be worse. It could be Luba.

I gave up on commenting on the other thread, but Drop Dead Fred is one of my favorite movies. I have nostalgia about it, I'm not a loser. I swear.

I have the world's worst taste in music. My iPod is a crime against good taste. I actually have a playlist that includes, among other horrible songs:
1)Spice Girls (Stop and Wanna)
2)Hanson (MmmmmBop)
3)Aqua (Barbie Girl)
4)Brittney Spears (Toxic)
Sometimes I need a boost at the gym, and the songs from when I was in middle school and early high school tend to do it for me.
Mocking commence in 3..2..1

Some of these are not albums, per se, but seem to classify themselves into 5 neat catagories for the purposes of this diversion.

1. Mmmm Bop cassette single by Hanson - it was oddly infectious in the mid-90's and became the only thing mindless enough for me to tolerate thru the grief of my best friend's death, something I can barely even admit to my husband

2. any and all ABBA

3. Barbra Streisand's Guilty w/ Barry Gibb - I've previosly posted on this site re: my belief that I could be the next Dred Pirate Streisand should she kick the bucket

4. Dixie Chicks: Home and Fly - there is nothing better suited to belting out while alone in the car

5. In a Big Country by Big Country - when I catch this song in its entirety on the radio, I feel as if I've just plucked the Golden Ticket from a Wonka Bar. I may never get an MP3 player for fear it would rob me of my wonder for one hit wonders

I'm so releived to read others posting their hidden love for Mmmm Bop. And Matthew Sweet is an unsung hero, albeit one who makes me long for an MP3 player. There seem to be 1 to 2 solid songs on each of his CD's with the remainder as sonic filler. But the songs that are good are so worth it. What's he doing now?!?

1.- Take That "greatest hits": Take That was the boyband where Robbie Williams started his career, they were loved by girls and gay boys, they made some truly chessy fagulous music, I love that album.

2.- Milli Vanilli: The whole witch hunt that followed their confession was truly pharisaical, yes they were a sham but so are most pop acts (C&C music factory?), and the music they lip-synched is great for the road...keep on running....

3.- Color me badd: embarrasing, I know, specially since in "I adore mi amor" the latin guy sings some lyrics in spanish, but let me tell you this... that isn't spanish, some of the words are totally made up! it doesn't make any sense!! I guess the producers flunk spanish in high school.

4.- NKOTB "Face the music": Since it was a major failure it took me years to get this cd, and I love it, remember the video for "Dirty Dawg"? so embarrasing.

5.- Melanie C (yes, Sporty Spice) "Northern Star": maybe because makes people think that I am a little on the dyke side, anyway..."never be the same again" is great.

Dammit! I love Drop Dead Fred...and yes, I'm ashamed to admit it chokes me up every time I see it.

But on to my confession...*sigh*

Forever More: The Greatest Hits of John Tesh

I listen to it in secret, renamed the file folder "2003 Taxes" and locked it to ensure that my husband will never discover the horror within.

There's no shame in liking Stevie Nicks - she ain't the High Priestess of SoCal classic rock for nothing. She rocks!

I just wanted to say how upset I am that I didn&t write into the secret shame movies now that you mention I might have won something for liking and owning Young Einstein.

I saw it in the theater when I was a lad and bought it the first day it was released on DVD.

For such a bad movie, it has amazingly high productive values. Hell, even Great Southern Land by Icehouse is a top ten player on my ipod/itunes.

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggghhhhhh.

All right, while I normally love to browse the Pajiban threads and simply read the witty comments and smile to myself, this topic has stirred me out of my commenting inertia...

For I am the QUEEN of "bad music"! I mean, I'm pretty sure I like good music, too.. but I'm also aware that much of what I love is considered to be pure crap by others. Proof: You know those VH1 "25 Most Awesomely Bad Songs" specials? I shit you not, over half of those songs are like, MY FAVORITE SONGS. The thing is, (and this is what makes answering this particular post a bit difficult)I really don't give a damn! I generally have no shame. Music is.. just music, and it's subject to each individual's personal tastes and preferences. So yeah, most of the songs, bands, and albums that I'm supposed to be ashamed of liking, I actually listen to proudly and LOVE unabashedly. Off the top of my head:

(By the way, I'm sure you'll see a trend here, but hey - I'm a child of the 80's/90's. It's comfort music!)

Haddaway - "What is Love"

4 non-blondes - "What's Up?"

Aqua - Aquarium

La Bouche - Sweet Dreams

Right Said Fred - "I'm Too Sexy"

Ace of Base

So... yeah. As you can imagine, if this is music I actually openly like, I had to DIG DEEP to come up stuff I'm actually ashamed of. And here it is:

1. Michael Jackson - Dangerous

I like this album, I really do. In fact, I think I love it. And I think that if it weren't for the complete and utter decimation of any public image he had left.. I wouldn't have to cringe in anticipation of the inevitable raised-eyebrow or look of horror shot at me every damn time I pop this beauty into the CD player and rock out to in my car. And yes, I realize that hearing him sing about various women and sex with those women is pretty creepy/amusing, but I'll be damned if "Give In to Me" isn't the bomb-diggity. Slash even plays guitar in it!

2. Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys

Now THIS, this album I just adore. I even attended their concert the summer of 8th grade. And as much as I love the album.. I am even more deeply ashamed of possessing it. Unlike my "Dangerous" CD... I've neeever let a soul hear me listen to this past 9th grade. Only in the privacy of my own room will I enjoy this little gem. Yes, the music is vapid and cheesy and the term "boy band" is now almost the worst of insults.. but damn do I love it. I think it all started with how I first discovered them...

My family and I were vacationing in Montreal RIGHT in the midst of their comeback. I had stumbled across some Canadian music channel running a marathon special on them and they were playing "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" every hour, on the hour. Booooy, I had to be TORN AWAY from the T.V. that day. And as soon as I got home at night, I was RIGHT BACK in front of the screen again, butt glued to the chair.

I mean, think of it - here I was, right on the cusp of puberty. My heart thumped and my loins throbbed at the mere sight of these 5 grown men dancing around in a haunted house. Kevin (so handsome!) as Dr.Jekyll/Mr. Hyde.. AJ as the Phantom.. and Howie as a sexy, bloodsucking Dracula. Pair that with choreographed, subtly erotic dancing and it was just complete and utter sensory overload for my feeble little pre-pubescent brain. I was completely transfixed, and my obsession, I'm sorry to say.. carried on for a few more years.

Of course, I eventually outgrew my teenybopping fascination with them and their music.. but I never totally got over how catchy their songs were.. no, make that ARE! And for anyone wondering HOW my little 12 yr. old hormones could be so violently aroused and manipulated by some neatly-packaged marketing scheme.. just give a listen to "Get Down (You're the One for Me)". And so ends my sad little story.

3. Milli Vanilli - "Girl You Know It's True"

Each and every one of you know how catchy that song is.. OOH ooh ooh, yeah it's true!

Okay, sapnin, you're giving me a complex, because I was never shamed by my love for Tears for Fears. However:

I got really into soundtracks. Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail, French Kiss (basically ever freakin' Meg Ryan movie), Phenomenon, Michael, Sliding Doors, Empire Records, oh, and the real gem:
The Felicity (TV show) soundtrack, I played it endlessly.....because my life was just soooo.......complex.

Billy Idol, Greatest Hits. No, you know what? Fuck it, I am NOT ashamed.

Christ, it has just occurred to me I have no fucking shame whatsoever. Apparently all those things I'm supposed to be embarrassed of? Spice Girls, Shakira (gigglebooty!), fucking SHOWTUNES? I fail. I am evidently entirely lacking in dignity.

However, it must be said.. THERE IS NO SHAME IN OINGO BOINGO.

Even with my severely demented taste this stands. Danny Elfman is God. HE IS GOD, YOU HEAR ME? Ok.
*ahems*

We begin.

1- Aladdin. Beauty and the Beast. Fern Gully (YAY FERN GULLY).. and possibly the worst.. A Goofy Movie (POWERLINE!).. I have all the soundtracks. If it was a Disney film, and it had catchy music? Oh I was so there.

2- Kylie Minogue. I can't help it. I want to hate her. I do! But 'Your Disco Needs You' softens my hate every time.

3- And on that note, disco. All Disco. Any Disco. Wild Cherry? Hot Chocolate? So there. And curse that disco for it has some delicious names. Now I'm hungry.

4- Bree Sharpe 'David Duchovny'... completely unironically. Yeah. Even I feel a twinge of shame at that one.

5- Doctor Who. Every single one of the theme songs..not so bad right? Yeaah, well..uh.. and.. *sighs*.. both The Timelords "Doctorin' The TARDIS"..and Jon Pertwees "I am The Doctor"..
anyone familiar with these will have some idea of how cringe-inducing this should be.

Also of note because, I suppose, I AM sort of embarrassed now that the tweenygoffs stole it.. The Nightmare Before Christmas. I'm ashamed of being ashamed of it. Goddamn you tweenygoffs. DAMN YOU.

I think I enjoy these shame-based diversions entirely too much. Gah.

1. Space Jam - Soundtrack: there are no ways to describe how much I enjoy this album...Seal, Coolio, Monica, Jay-Z, Barry White (!!!). Although I will admit that I expected much more of Bugs Bunny, his song is weak.

2. O-Zone - Disc-O-zone: they of the "Numa numa" song fame. But so sooo much more. Someone who doesn't speak Romanian could not possibly understand how truly bad their lyrics are. It's pure jibberish. Take for example the smaltz of the Backstreet Boys and multiply it by 10x..then you'll get the overly saccharine tunes of O-Zone. But damn, they do have catchy beats!

3. The Moffatts - Submodalities: Bang bang boom!! ah I hang my head in shame!

I don't know if Christmas albums count, but 98 Degrees: This Chrismas is the only cassette I still own because I love it so much.

Also, I'm still in love with New Found Glory, and love to rock out teen angst style to both the self titled album and "Sticks and Stones"

P.S. You really don't like Drop Dead Fred? I didn't even list it as a shame, because not only do I happen to think that it's a great movie, I've never met anyone who's seen it and disagreed!

Thank you Pajibites, for showing me that I am NOT the only Monkees fan out there--as a kid, I would tape their music off the TV, and when I was 10, I scraped together all the money I had to buy the reunion album Pool It. I still have it, even though I no longer own a cassette player. I embrace you, my funky Monkee brethren.

But since so many people have already admitted their Monkees obsession, I'll post my other cheesy favorite: Snoopy vs. The Red Baron, by the Royal Guardsmen. I had to check the band name using teh Google, as I lost the cassette cover years ago, and replaced it with my own hand-drawn WWI Ace Snoopy (Not bad for an 8-year old, although Snoopy seems to be suffering from a bout of encephalitis in my rendering). Nevertheless, I still have the tape, and "It's Sopwith Camel Time" is my favorite song on it. Who will raise a frosty mug of root beer with me to toast this fine album?

Wow. All this cheesy music talk motivated me to find "If You Want It To Be Good" on YouTube.. and I'll be damned, it's STILL got it!

I knew I wasn't crazy or completely depraved. The song is legitimately sexy! In fact, where the hell is that damn Phillipe poster? Ah well, his heartthrob days are over, at least in my book. Anyone know if AllPosters sells Milo Ventimiglia stuff?

you know what i actually stole from my mom on vinyl?
light my fire by (not the doors) jose feliciano

and i love it

Katie,

The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 is no album to be ashamed of! My mom listened to the cassette when she was pregnant with me, and 17 years later, I'm listening to the same cassette. It's not just a fetal connection. "Dirty World" alone makes it one of the best albums I have, and I "DO LISTEN TO GOOD MUSIC, REALLY."

Celine Dion - All The Way

Bathroom tiles provide the perfecr acoustic to perform "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" in the shower. With all the steam and the dramatic droplets of water you're bound to feel like a diva, even if you're jsut a skinny white girl using the shampoo as a mic. This album helped me appreciate the poetry in lyrics such as "There were those empty threats and hollow lies/And whenever you tried to hurt me I just hurt you even worse and so much deeper." Take that, Shakespeare.

Britney Spears - Oops! I did it again

When the title to your sophomore album has the word (is it even a word?) Oops in it, then something's definitely wrong. And there is. It's a horrible album, yet I own it. I even want to do my very own rendition of "Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know", the most terribly produced song in recent history. Admitting I have this album hurts particularly because Britney had the audacity to sing "I love rock & roll" in her movie Crossroads. Lemme tell you somethin', girl, I LOVE rock & roll so much I listen to AC/DC at 8:00 AM. But I still sing Britney's tunes in front of the mirror at 2:00 AM, knowing I'll be rocking to AC/DC mere hours later. Heresy...

ABBA - Gold.

ABBA kicks ass, and it shouldn't be considered a secret shame to like them. I wish I were 17 again so I could officially be the dancing queen. You know, dancing queen, young and sweet only 17. But I'm 22 years old now, and my dancing queen days are gone. I even got the A*Teens album (maybe that's a bigger shame than owning ABBA: Gold) 'cause I loved that they were bringing back ABBA, even if the new kids sounded like The Chipmunks.

Ashlee Simpson - Autobiography

I'm trying to come up with a way to defend this, but I can't.

Bryan Adams - The Best of Me.

Oh, Canadians.... First Celine, now Bryan... When the single that gives this album its title starts with Adams saying an enthusiastic "You got it!" you can just picture him winking an eye at you and giving you the thumbs up. And even though you'd like to give him the finger, you don't hit "pause." You - dare I say it? - turn it up and even sing along with him: "when you want it, when you need it... you'll always have the best of me." And the best of Adams includes all those cheesy rock ballads (one of them was included in one of your lists) that were nominated to Academy Awards, and even a duet with a former Spice Girl (Mel C provides her virtuosity to "When you're gone.") I bought this album with a little money I got for my birthday when I was a teenager. Back then I had no income, and instead of secretly buying beer I got this album. I own this album. I. Own. This. Album. I guess I have to keep repeating it to myself so I believe it.

I own a lot of the shameful songs listed above but really, I am not ashamed because they are recognized rightfully as cheese, and everyone loves a little cheese.

I do have a frightening weakness however for cheesy latin pop. Here goes:

1. Fonseca, Corazon. It's horrible gross Colombian pop that makes generous use of an accordion, of all things, but I love it and will never admit it again.

2. Reik, self-titled album. They're the backstreet boys of Latin America. I cannot help myself...

3. Marc Anthony, Valio La Pena. I love him. No matter that he looks like a zombie. I LOVE him.

4. Daddy Yankee, Barrio Fina. Yes, I like reggaeton. No, I worship it.

5. This breaks with the theme, but I have Norah Jones' first two albums and I listen to them all too frequently. Even the Townes Van Zandt song that she covers, I love it all.

Maybe I should mention, that I work in the music industry so I get that stuff for free. None of my money actually went towards supporting those artists. See I have a clear conscience. Mock me all you want!

Sofia, Do you know that Celine Dion's song, "Coming Back To Me Now" was written for Meatloaf? Yeah! Mr. Loaf (as the NY Times calls him) was to record it for Bat Out of Hell III. Give his version a listen. Too awesome (and I hate that word, but it fits here).

And I refuse to be shamed by owning and playing frequently all Bats Outta Hell albums. Greatest concept album (the original) in history. It's all Paradise By the Dashboard Light all the time.

I have some fairly... eclectic tastes in music, but the only album I'm truly ashamed of is (and I can't believe I'm going to admit this, even to people I'm never likely to meet) Eurovision. That's Eurovision Song Contest 2007. This year, so I can't even claim nostalgia. I love it and I just can't help it. Nothing cheers me up like the sound of a totally random eurotrash beat with a Ukrainian comedy transvestite shouting "TANZEN!" periodically. Who can resist the German swingband, or the Serbian lesbian ballad? The entire album is solid cheese.

My only consolation is that most people outside Europe will have little idea of what I'm talking about.

Bat Out of Hell, Meatloaf...God help me, I find this album irresistible. Is it chessy? Yes, but in a self-aware kind of way.

1. Footloose: The Motion Picture Soundtrack (Footloose by Kenny Loggins still sends chills down my spine)

2. MC Hammer - Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em or Too Legit to Quit (Does it really matter which one. They're both equally timeless and awesome and both made my parents scratch their heads and wonder what they did wrong.)

3. Panic At the Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (When it came out, I listened to it non-stop for a couple of weeks. I couldn't get enough of it. It was so damn catchy. Since, I've consciously exiled myself from this CD in order to save my heteroness. Seriously, this album could turn Chuck Norris. If I ever admitted to myself how much I actually like studio produced pop-rock crap, I'd have to move to New York to live with my cousin Ricky.)

4. Milli Vanilli - Girl You Know It's True (I blame this one on the rain. Anyone else think they should have found the band that really sang the songs and given them a contract? Those guys rocked. Sidenote: How in the hell do these guys have a Greatest Hits album?)

5. R.E.M. - Around The Sun (Don't get me twisted, I love me some REM. Sometimes you have to wallow through a pile of shit to find one golden nugget and REM has a large pile of shit. What do you expect from a band that put out a CD a year for ten years straight? It can't all be good. I probably could have thrown a couple other albums up but I'll leave it at just this one since I found it to be the most unlistenable yet it's still inexplicably taking up harddrive space on my ipod.)

Laura, on Eurovision's website you can watch each band's video that they submitted for consideration. I personally loved "Vampires are Alive". You should never feel ashamed for loving the cheesetastic glory of Eurovision. I only wish that we got the broadcast so that I could snark on it while it was airing.

Hello all ... first of all when it comes to music, you have to own it - there is no shame. You either dig it or you don't. You know when the guitar sound grabs you or the bass line rocks you! All my mixed CDs come with the phrase made famous on the Ziggy Stardust album, "To be played at maxium volume".



That being said, there are some CDs that I alone listen to and do not neccessarily share with others. It's not shameful, more a not wanting to explain myself. Here is my list:



01. Dress Casual - Mandy Patinkin
This was a purchase made after his many return drop in visits to the Letterman show singing broadway tunes. I thought he was great so I picked this one up. Not too bad, but not his best.

02. After Hours - Bill Tarmey
Bill is also known as Jack Duckworth from Coronation Street. Mostly a cover album, but wtf - it is great background music.

03. Music from the Edge of Heaven - Wham!
Ok I am a child of the 80's, whaddaya gonna do. Where Did Your Heart Go? is a classic cut.

04. Soundtrack for True Romance - Various
Fantastic movie ... fantastic soundtrack!

05. Pop - U2
The least popular of the U2 catalog ... but man there are some great songs on there. Give it another try!

the hel,
Fern Gully. I freaking LOVED that movie when I was a kid. Tone-Loc was a badass iguana and he rapped in the movie! It was fantastic. Thanks for the memories.

As for shameful albums: Wilson Phillips' self-titled debut. "Come on baby, come on baby/you knew it was time to just let go/'cause we wanna be free/but somehow it's just not that easy." They said it.

Wasapnin:

You just can't put a price on disco, my friend. If "Brick House" and the rest of that CD have brought you as much joy as it has me, well, it's worth every penny.

Disco on, my friend!

there is no shame, NONE, in loving Wham!
george michael is, hands down, the greatest ever.
if only his stupid ass would get back on a tour through this continent. and stop passing out high behind the wheel of his parked car.

So, I can't even take part in this because in reading everyone's dark deep secret shames, I just want to play my own collection. ABBA? That's good music! John Denver, Styx, Neil Diamond, the Partrige Family, Meatloaf? Those are some of my favorite albums. I can't excuse Celine Dion, Yanni and I've never heard of some of these (who are The Hansens and Kelly Clarkson?), but if I'm not ashamed of my The Guess Who on vinyl, than no one should be ashamed of their Simon and Garfunkle. Oh, and get that look off your face- I'm younger than 35.

Damn, You mean I could have had an easy win? I LOVE Young Einstein and I saw Drop Dead Fred about a dozen times growing up.

Alas....

You know I try not to judge and I really am in the glasshouse here with my own shameful picks (I mean, frickin' Enya, I ask you), but if there were a prize for this thread, it really should go to jenniferearleane for John Tesh. Hands down, that's the most shameful thing I've ever seen admitted on Pajiba.

more recent secret shame albums include "love actually" and "moulin rouge" soundtracks

i love them so

Dammit, I refuse to be ashamed of the cheese! Yes, I stand up to be counted as a Neil Diamond fan! Yes, Abba and the Carpenters too! Also Toad The Wet Sprocket, Kansas, Nickelback, The Thompson Twins, early Human League, countless sugary movie soundtracks, show tunes, disco - bring it on!

I even own Daughtry. And Bo Bice's album (though I've only played THAT once). Hell, I have 'Roky Erickson and the Aliens' on vinyl, and I still play it occasionally. ('Creature With The Atom Brain' - yeaaahhh...)
I also own William Shatner's wonderfully awful 'Hasbeen'. If you haven't heard The Shat 'sing' Pulp's 'Common People' - well, just try it. You'll thank me. Or possibly, set the dogs on me...

And Julie, TK et al - nope, there's nothing shameful about owning OMWF. I know it all by heart, too. I love Amber Benson's and Tony Head's voices. It's all so catchy, and some of the lyrics are hilarious.

But (and slightly related to the above), there's one band I wish I had never bought. They hide at the back of my CD rack, an embarrassing reminder of a former crush:

Ghost of the Robot. (Anybody else know who that was? Anybody? Bueller? If not, sorry, I'm too embarrassed to explain. Google it).
They pretty totally sucked, I'm afraid, but there ya go, a crush can fuck with your musical tastes...

ELO Greatest Hits
Moulin Rouge Soundtrack

I have to agree with comments above that Tears for Fears and the Cars are NOTHING to be ashamed of---"Everybody", "Shout", even "Seeds of Love" rock.

What doesn't rock is that I bought the "Friends" soundtrack when it came out, then years later sold it to a used CD store. Then when I apparently couldn't live without "I Go Blind" by Hootie and the Blowfish, "Good Intentions" by Toad the Wet Sprocket, or of course "I'll Be There For You" by the Rembrants, I had to track down a friend who had it and burn her copy. I rule!

I also own and regularly listen to the entire Collective Soul catalog which I freakin' love but no one else shares my enthusiasm. I certainly have no shame about it, but why oh why am I the only one who loves these guys? Gods of 90's alt-rock, I say!

Long-time lurker, first-time poster, this is for 2 reasons: a) By the time I get to a thread that I want to comment on there are already a gazillion comments and I figured my 2 cents will fade into obscurity, and b) There are so many of you that have already posted what I would have said or thought that I wouldn't want to appear as some time of mindless, plagiarizing, Pajiba-wannabe, poser. (I know how brutal you guys can be. I love it, but don't know if I want it directed at me.)

I must acknowledge a few Pajabians whom I have grown to love, and who have mad me laugh so hard that I have actually shot diet coke out of my nose on occasion. (I have since learned to keep all beverages at a safe distance while reading the comments section)

Vermillion, you may be my soul mate. I have most of the music you mentioned, and "2 Legit 2 Quit" still gets much play from me. (I even do the hand signals from the video when I sing the song, I know someone out there knows what I'm talking about) Also, to you, KB and Julie, The Little Shop of Horrors Soundtrack is one of my favs and I do not try to hide it. We performed the musical in High School and have watched the move a billion times, so I literally know every song and every inch of dialogue. Nuff said.

Julie, "Funky Divas" is nothing to be ashamed of. "Givin' Him Something He Can Feel" makes me want to do dirty things and I still blast "Free Your Mind" in my car.

Boo, My workout playlist on my I-pod is the "Metallica Black Album," with some songs from "And Justice For All" and "Master of Puppets" sprinkled in for flavor. It gets me all pumped up and makes my workouts fun. Should I be ashamed of that?

To all of those who mentioned The Spin Doctors, I'm with you. The way I behave when "two Princes" comes on is embarrassing.

To the fellow Hall and Oat's fans on the thread, I am a die hard, shameless fan. Living in the burbs of Philly, how could I not be? Plus, My father actually new Daryl Hall's father, whom I got to meet when I was a kid, and I though I was in the presence of royalty, people. ROYALTY!

Ashley and Julie, I too have a mixed CD of my favorite Disney Tunes. I know almost every song from every post 1980 Disney movie ever created, with the exception to the always craptacular, straight to DVD sequels and prequels of whose existence I REFUSE to acknowledge. This past Mother's Day, my aunt and I indulged in entirely too much red wine, after consuming said wine, we thought it would be a wonderful idea to perform a live a cappella rendition of "I Wanna Be Like You" from "The Jungle Book." She played the part of King Louie and I was Baloo. We even did the dance steps. (again, see above reference to the mass quantities of red wine consumed) We had a ball, but our children were left with a look of fear, pity, and embarrassment that I will never forget. At least one of them will need counseling for this in the next few decades. I think one of my Aunts children actually threatened to call Child Protective Services if we didn't stop.

And Last but not least, to dear Cody, not only is "Stop That Train" my favorite song on the Vanilla Ice CD, but it was also the song to which my fellow tween friends and I perfected our very first booty dance. Anyone who's heard the song will understand.

Ok, I know, I'm blabbering on forever. So here we get to the point in which I divulge my shameful five, which are far worse than any of the ones mentioned above. And although this thread is ridiculously long, and being a newbie and all the way down at the bottom, my post will probably will disappear and/or go completely unnoticed. But my list is so horrendous, that I felt the need to share. It's horrific. And I've found that anonymously posting this info is somewhat therapeutic. So...here we go. I have officially popped my Pajiba Cherry and it feels sooooo good. Yay!

The Original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Soundtrack: Various artists. Is there anything more embarrassing then owing this CD? I'm sorry, but I cannot resist rapping and dancing along with "Partners in Crime" when they rap "T-U-R-T-L-E POWER, T-U-R-T-L-E POWER, T-U-R-T-L-E POWER, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES!" Thank God the TNMT have become somewhat popular again b/c if anyone, I mean ANYONE, ever catches me listening to this CD, I instantly blame it on my 5 year old son. Yes, my son is my scapegoat. I cannot tell a lie.

The Proclaimers: 500 miles. You know, that one hit wonder from the 90's with the chorus that goes, "But I would walk 500 miles. And I would walk 500 more. Just to be the man who walked 1,000 miles to fall down at your door." I still dance around my bedroom to this song, it's so damn catchy.

Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam: This Is Cult Jam. I still listen to "All cried out" and "I wonder if I take you home" on a regular basis. My best friend and I always play "All cried out" and sing it at the top of our lungs when we're drunk and one of us is getting over a failed relationship. ::hangs head in shame::

The Rapping Duke: Duh Ha Duh Ha. How can you not love a song that raps about Ronald Regan and Aretha Franklin? My favorite line, "When you were in diapers, wettin' the sheets I was at the Ponderosa rappin' to the beat. Duh ha duh ha, Duh ha ha ha ha haaaaaaa!" (It was actually the song on my myspace page not too long ago)

The Jackson 5 Christmas Album/Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas. I can't help it, Christmas music makes me happy and I love both of these CDs from start to finish. I'll even listen to them in July. Yeah, I said it, Christmas music in July. My son now also suffers from the same affliction, after having to be subject to my Christmassy sickness throughout the first 5 impressionable years of his life and insisted that I download the Jackson 5 CD to his MP3 player. (Yeah I know, a 5 year old with an MP3 player, he's an only child, so he's spoiled) But the thing that is absolutely hilarious is when he tries to sing "Give Love on Christmas Day." He dances around the house with his earphones on belting the tune out at the top of his lungs singing, "Why don't you GIVE IT UP on Christmas Day?" I almost peed myself the first time I heard it. I can't bring myself to correct him; it's just funny. We actually videotaped him doing it so that we can embarrass him with it in the future. I'm a bad mom, aren't I?

Siege,
yeah, that's why I bought them ,too. Not that I'm ashamed of my Buffy fandom - Buffy was top quality tv & I still love it.
It's just that GoTR were pretty bad, IMO. I even knew it then, but I was in denial! ;-)

Once upon a time, there was a girl who had horrid taste in music. She used to hide her CD case under her car seat so no one would know what kind of schlock she listened to. Then one day someone broke into her car and stole it, along with the leather jacket that was covering it. The shame she felt knowing that some petty thief had intimate knowledge of her musical proclivities was unbearable... but she soldiered on. To put her shame to rest, she asked me to share some of the highlights of her collection with you.


1. Pure Moods (Various) ----> Because everyone needs a little "Tubular Bells" in their life.


2. "Crush" (Single) - Jennifer Paige ----> Inexplicable


3. "Unbelievable" (Single) - EMF ----> I'm gonna shoot fruit and leave you. Or something.


4. Eiffel 65 - NoIdeaWhatTheCDWasTitled ----> She just liked "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" - she never actually listened to the rest of the CD.


5. Dokken - Under Lock and Key ----> Probably where she should have kept her CD collection.



Thank you.

Vermillion,
If you make it down this far, I too loved "Mean Green Mother" from Little Shop of Horrors. Don't have the soundtrack but I sing along with the song and every song in the movie when it comes on. Much love, my brutha.
As for my albums of shame, I don't really have anything I am ashamed of for I love any music that moves me and to hell with anyone who doesn't like it. I have seen many songs and artists in the list that I love although I would not shout about it from the rooftops.
But just to play along I submit to you, the fine readers and commenters of Pajiba, this jem:

Ice Cream Castles - The Time

'Nuff said.

Vermillion - I love Little Shop and not at all ashamed. Every damn song is gold, but I think my favorite is actually "The Meek Shall Inherit." In a perfect world this one would have made it into the movie and they would have kept the original ending.
NeoCleo - I admit, I'm not in the least embarassed that I listen to Dr. D., it's more that my weekly fix wasn't enough, I actually needed a cd of that shit so I could listen to it all the freaking time.

1. Sixpence Non the Richer - Sixpence Non the Richer
2. The Corrs - In Blue
3. Gin Blossoms - Outside Looking In
4. The Goo Goo Dolls - Dizzy Up the Girl
5. Semisonic - Feeling Strangely Fine

Sometimes I don't wanna rock, I just wanna cry.

I am really not kidding about any of these...
1. Milli Vanilli-- Blame it on the Rain (I went and bought the CD even after the whole lip-synching fiasco came out. i literaly purchased the CD 2X in the last 10 years because it keeps getting stolen)
2. Ace of Base-- The Sign (reminds me of high school)
3. Styx- Greatest Hits (what is better than Mr Roboto?)
4. Christopher Cross- The Very Best of (more my husband's fault, but I did upload Arthur's Theme and Sailing onto my IPOD)
5. Michael Jackson - Number Ones (because who doesn't really love Man in the Mirror-- a friend of mine got in the car recently and I was discovered... we sang that song at the top of our lungs for the rest of the evening).

I am so very ashamed....

1. The Bloodhound Gang--"Hooray for Boobies"
2. Milli Vanilli--"Greatest Hits"
3. The Goo Goo Dolls--"Dizzy Up the Girl"
4. Paula Abdul--"Forever Your Girl"

and the MOST shameful...

5. The "Titanic" Soundtrack

I'm going to go cry now.

This is a hard one (because I don't own anything so shitty that I'm ashamed of now)...well I used to own:

1. Journey's Greatest Hits
2. REO Speedwagon's Greatest Hits

I actually wonder who's better...they both sound almost exactly the same. I think Journey has a better singer though...

3. NKOTB's first album
4. Tiffany (self-titled)
5. Debbie Gibson's Electric Youth

Yes, I ate the teenybopper shit up like nobody's business in the late 80s, I tell you what...I'm sure many of you understand my obsession with Jordan Knight! (who I believe has come out of the closet recently!)

My musical tastes vastly improved after my 13th birthday, I assure you.

Why did over half the respondents to this thread list stuff they liked in junior high or high school but no longer listen to? I didn't think that was really the point of the thread. The point was to name stuff that you presently like and still listen to but are embarassed by.

I can only speak for myself and say that the question evokes memories of music that, while I would no longer seek it out, still tugs at me despite my present acknowledgement of its (subjectively defined) badness. And there truly isn't a person I know who wouldn't mock my irrational love of "Doctor Doctor" by the Thompson Twins. Hence, secret. Hence, shame. I have a better filter now, I'd like to think. Unless you count "Rock Swings" by Paul Anka....

Does it count if it's burned CDs? Because I have a thing for various Disney songs so I downloaded and put them on CDs. I can sing along perfectly with 'Be Prepared' and 'Hakuna Matata' from the Lion King. And also 'I'll Make A Man Out Of You' from Mulan. And 'Poor Unfortunate Souls' from the Little Mermaid. Oh, and 'One Jump Ahead', 'Prince Ali' and 'Never Had a Friend Like Me' from Aladdin. There's some various others too, from Hercules and Tarzan and Lady and the Tramp (we are Siamese, if you please). And I totally sing along to the Oompa Loompa song from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Um.

As for actual CDs, I have both Aquarium and Aquarius from Aqua. And I sing along. I also have Bon Jovi's Crush. And a compilation CD called Big Shiny Tunes number-I've-forgotten.

What's wrong with Metallica's Black album? Or Type O Negative? I have both Bloody Kisses and October Rust. When I bought them, the cashier asked me if I liked the band or the singer (whose name escapes me right now) and in an effort to seem cool, I said I liked the singer. Cashier seemed impressed, told me he had an '80's thrash band called Carnivore. I did not, however, look that up. Shut up, I was, like, 15.

I'm not really ashamed of any of this, though.

1. "Radio Disney Jams Vol. 1 & 2." Donny Osmond, Weird Al, the Village People, and Queen. 'Nuf said.

2. Aqua - "Aquarium." This is the one with the very catchy "Barbie Girl" song. I know all the words to every song on the CD.

3. "Classic Disney Vol. 1-5." The more obscure songs are the best.

4. Eiffel 65, "Europop." Remember "I'm blue, aba dee, aba die. . ."?

5. "Marches by John Philip Sousa," the Czechoslovakian Brass Orchestra.

1. Manowar - Gods of War (What's not to love?)

2. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet (Utter drivel, but there's something hilarious about the almost constant use of artificial harmonics in Sambora's guitar playing)

3. ZZ Top - anything by them (there's something appealing about their take on Southern Boogie - its's just a pity the genre's called Southern Boogie)

4. Spin Doctors - Turn It Upside Down (What? I was young and I thought Cleopatra's Cat was a good tune)

5. Live - Secret Samadhi (At least Lakini's Juice had a good riff - shame the album was completely lacking)

Don't indict me for hate crimes as a result of that list.

Okay all, I didn't QUITE finish the list. There are some good references (Geez, Jem and the Holograms actually released MUSIC? Can't say I'm surprised, but still...), but I think I can top 'em.

C.W. McCall: "Convoy". Not the single...the album.

Don't hate...I was, like, 6 or 7 and the CB craze was as big then as the 'interweb' is now. Plus I was born and raised in Tulsa just like our own dear Agent Bedhead.

There WERE a few other tunes; "Silverton" about a train, and one that referenced a road trip and one of the children who drew a picture that looked like "a buncha Zs and Ws all strung t'gether". But "Convoy" sure does harken to my pseudo-redneck past. Whew!

I still have the album, but even if I DID have a record player, I'm not sure I could bring myself to drop the needle on it again.

I ahem..love the Smilin' Isle of Song by Cedella Marley

An album for children about singing and Jamaica.

I found it in the public library a long long time ago. Later I bought (used...it is out of print)....I missed it.

Compelling points

1) The whole album is a "story" about life in Jamaica.
2) Bob Marley's Mother sings her hits "ooey gooey was a silly worm" and "the banana boat song"
3) Horrible child voice actors
4) stereo sound f/x (ex: the donkey enters from the left, crawls through your brain and leaves on the right side - plus bullet fire and jet plane f/x.
5) bizarre song lyrics (eat it up belly up run and fall")

My little brother loves this album too (clearly we were brainwashed) but no one else I've shared it with can stomach more than a song or two soooo....secret shame? I think so!

Runner Up: Grow Big - Woody Gurthie (where Woody Guthrie was post-humously spliced into the sound of his various extended family singing) Creepy.

The shame comes not so much from ever having owned such albums, but from the fact that my husband heard me singing pretty much the whole damn album while cleaning the kitchen a couple of weeks ago.

Cindi Lauper - True Colors.

From the title song to Iko Iko.

But though that tape is long stretched into nothingness, my husband still has a tape of Paula Cole that he refuses to give up. So there.

Aly & AJ - Into the Rush (The girls are cute and refreshingly their age and they have such pretty hair. Shut up.)

Ace of Base - The Sign (Preformed the "I Saw the Sign" with a group of four other girls in my sixth grade talent show. We had a dance and everything.)

Hanson - Middle of Nowhere (I was actually thirteen when this came out. That's a good defense, right? "The marketing campaign was geared directly at me, I just couldn't help it!" Also, was so in love with Taylor.)

Boyz II Men - II (Even worse, I didn't know that "Yesterday" was a cover until a good five years later.)

Disney's Princess Collection: The Music of Hopes, Dreams and Happy Endings (Actually, I've lost my copy and have been contemplating buying another. For I love to sing along to all the songs. They make me feel like a pretty girl.)

*Legends of the Fall soundtrack. In high school, I used to set a certain song from this album on repeat and play it as I fell asleep to dreams of a heroic-but-troubled Brad Pitt.

*The Carpenters Christmas Portrait. "Merry Christmas Darling" is my favorite holiday song. I also own several other embarassing Christmas albums, including the Elf soundtrack, solely for Zooey Deschanel's version of "Baby, It's Cold Outside."

*Salt-N-Pepa's Very Necessary. The saddest part is I still love it, especially "Shoop."

*The Annie soundtrack. I have many, many musical soundtracks, but this one is my absolute favorite, and I know the words to every song. I actually have two versions - the original broadway soundtrack and the movie.

Okay...First off, I feel a little comforted that someone else totally listens to the otown cd. That is totally my shameful roadtrip music

1. Otown, self-titled: This is not my fault! The show was a major topic of interest in my junior high!! Peer pressure made me do it!
2. Will Smith's newest cd: Lost and Found. I mercilessly teased my mother for owning it and then snuck out and bought it myself. It includes "Pump Ya Brakes" a duet between Will Smith and f'in Snoop Dog...because that makes toooons of sense.
3. I blame the crab fishermen for this abomination: I am incapable of resisting the siren song of Bon Jovi's "Wanted, Dead or Alive" off of Slippery When Wet. My roommate and I once belted along to the song as it blared over the supermarket sound system. The frozen food aisle will never be the same.
4. I still love aqua and I sing the different parts with different voices...
5. I'm totally going to have my feminist card revoked for this but...I like Warrant, Cherry Pie is one of my favorite songs...I feel unclean.

Long time lurker, but I had to come out to say that... I own a soundtrack to one of the Xena musical episodes. That's right. I spent actually currency on the soundtrack to a Xena musical episode, specifically, The Bitter Suite.

I also own a number of Celine Dion albums. My shame is boundless.

Alright, this is incredibly late and you probably chose a winner ages ago, but I just have to contribute. I don't even have five albums. One, the one that I will defend, is the: (wait for it) Pokemon the First Movie soundtrack. yeah. Really.
It was the first CD I owned, a Christmas present from my Memere. Of course, I would have much preferred the actual movie (which a received later) considering I didn't even own a CD player. I was in fourth grade at the time, which I will use as an excuse. However, even without the attraction of being associated with Pokemon, it wasn't a bad CD. Some of the highlights were songs by Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears (and Shaggy!) and N*SYNC.
You can imagine my little fourth grade excitement over listening to such hip artists on a Pokemon CD! I was cool for once. *coughcough* Also, since America loved these little pop monsters for far too long, the CD actually aged with me. I could bring it on my sixth and even seventh(!) Grade field trips, as long as no one saw what I was actually listening to. They'd ask, I'd say, "Britney Spears" or "Christina Aguilera." And when I realized people began burning CDs, I said that it was a CD my sister burned for me.
Of course, if anyone had listened and turned to track one they would hear the Pokemon theme song (the new "rock version," no less) but that was a risk I was willing to take.