10. Steven Seagal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr_Lah_7sew
At some point the Hollywood Seagal became washed up, fatter and fell under the spell of mind-altering silk suits that seemed to take over his wardrobe and persona. His offering to the music world is a slice of pop-contemporary-blues that can only be described as abhorrent.
This film clip features a chubby Seagal enjoying a Gary Glitter-esque trip to Thailand where he woos a teenage girl. She seems confused and somewhat withdrawn when Seagal’s busy hands are used, not to karate chop her skull, but to tenderly (and creepily) fondle her naked back while singing “it’s alright with me” in her ear. Hey Steven she is half your age, weight and wearing half as much silk… of course it’s alight with you!
To detract us from the dark undertone that runs through this musical abomination, he is seen roughhousing village children in a jovial manner and riding elephants that are only slightly larger then him. Sorry Steve, but stick to producing your energy drinks because the taste your music leaves in our mouth is even worse.
9. Crispin Glover
Crispin is most notably known for his role as McFly in Back to the future. Yep, as an actor you could basically hang your hat on that achievement.
Crispin’s song, aptly named “Clowny Clown Clown,” made him a shoe-in for this list. “Clowny Clown Clown” is one of the best examples of hallucinogenic drug abuse manifested in musical form since Ringo Star was given the “artistic freedom” to write Yellow Submarine. The extent of Crispin’s talent is evident in the first few lines of “Clowny Clown Clown” as he somehow rhymes: ground, sound, around, clown and frown. Stand aside Dr. Seuss, I think you just met your match.
8. Joaquin Phoenix
The man has serious acting talent. In fact I’m finding it hard to pick any holes in his body of work. However, his dabbling in music has been the butt of many jokes. The beard, hobo appearance and the almost unforgivable crime of wearing brown corduroy pants suggest Joaquin is Joaqu-o.
7. The Hoff
There is no doubt the great man has versatility. He helped smash the Berlin Wall and topple the iron curtain; he can also smash a double cheese & bacon burger while being outrageously drunk. Perhaps his greatest natural ability was displayed on the set of Baywatch where he was able to magically suck his lower intestine into his chest cavity, giving the impression he was only half fat.
One area the Hoff doesn’t excel is music. He is responsible for a litany of musical disasters but surely his Hindenburg moment was his rendition of “Jump in My Car”. This rare example of lameness dances the uncomfortable line between self-parody and attempting to artistically create something audiences will take serious. A bit like a street mime, I guess (if only the Hoff was just as silent…).
6. Edward Furlong
I know what you’re thinking. When the hell did Edward Furlong have a music career? Well it’s a little known fact that between filming Terminator II and becoming a drug addled, pasty, bloated, washed up child actor he recorded some seriously bad tunes.
His single “Hold on Tight” was so bad that had the T1000 heard it, Edward’s off-pitch singing would have corrupted Arnie’s protection program, causing him to punch a hole straight through John Connor’s throat.
Just as the Germans are to blame for the Hoff’s music career, so the Japanese are to blame for Edward’s- they funded and recorded this album of shame. It can only be assumed that the Japanese love affair with Edward is a result of their love of robots and anyone who’s had a contract on their life from a robot.
5. Bruce Willis
It pains me to say anything bad against the great man but gee whiz, Bruce really stunk the place up with maximum stinkage with his 1987 album Return of Bruno.
Thankfully for Bruce the greatest action movie Die Hard was released the following year, meaning he earned enough manliness credits to absolve his past girly entertainment sins.
If he never appeared in Die Hard, his career would have petered out and his resume would have read Moonlighting, Return of Bruno and Hudson Hawk… *shudder*
4. Corey Feldman
Drugs and music are often a marriage made in heaven. A rare exception to this: Corey Feldman and his ironically named song “Honesty.” If his manager was honest, he would have told Corey Feldman to forget music and concentrate on his one true skill: getting loaded with Corey Haim.
A testament to the hacky badness of “Honesty” is that the most credible moment of the music clip occurs when a guy calling himself “Sir Osis of Liver” introduces the song.
3. Gary Coleman
I don’t like to speak ill of the recently departed but I’m sure Gary’s doing hard time in purgatory for his musical sins on earth.
His duet named “Outlaw and the Indian” features Coleman exchanging cheese ball rhymes with a hyper effeminate Michael Jackson look-a-like in Dion Mial.
Coleman adds to the lack of credibility of this musical venture by performing in a cowboy costume that would have embarrassed an 8 year old playing ‘dress up’ in the 1950’s.
2. Mr. T
Mr. T’s song “Treat your Mother Right” warms the cockles of a listener’s heart the same way as acidy heartburn. And, just like heartburn, the message of this track is very hard to swallow.
It’s hardly surprising to learn that Mr. T received rap direction from Ice-T during the recording of this album, solid proof that Ice-T sold out long before acting on Law and Order: SVU.
1. Leonard Nimoy
I have always wondered why Dr Spock’s ears were a crazy shape. Here’s one theory: the pointy shape of Spock’s ears help to distort repugnant 1960’s hyper camp songs making them palatable to Vulcans. The normal shape of Human and Klingon ears means listening to the same music leads to acute cochlea pain. You have been warned non-Vulcans!
by James Faust
25 Comments
In my opinion, here are a few, um, picks of my own that didn’t make the Top 10 (and why):
1) Heartbeat (Don Johnson). As far as I’m concerned, Don tried to keep his Miami Vice fame and all going…by trying to sing. YIKES!!!!! I gotta admit…the music video for Heartbeat was somewhat funny…LOL!!!!!
2) Party All The Time (Eddie Murphy). Eddie (himself!!!!!) singing…no thank you. Next…
3) Rhinestone (that 1984 Sylvester Stallone-Dolly Parton nonsense…remember that one?). My point? Remember Sly’s so-called singing in that godawful mess of a movie? Example: Remember that truly cheesy-filled scene in which Sly was, um, singing outside by that barn? Dolly looked like she wanted to LOL and those poor barnyard animals all looked like they wanted to revolt/fight back. Those poor animals.
That’s all. LOL!!!!! Peace.
Couple of additions, this could be so much more than just 10 songs. Clint Eastwood or Lee Marvin in “Paint Your Wagon.”
Sylvester Stallone either singing the theme to “Paradise Alley” OR in “Rhinestone.” In Rhinestone, pick a song, any song.
In some of the songs on your list, they were obviously quick ripoffs designed to make a couple of bucks off an actor’s fame. With Stallone & Eastwood, these guys were serious.
Rosie Odonnelle and SUSICAL THE MUSICAL i understand it bombed
People make fun of Pierce Brosnan in MAMMA MIA. For heaven sake, how did Colin Firth get a free pass in that picture? He’s totally graceless even when he just walks and they actually asked him had him to dance. He had to do some sort of dancing in VALMONT that was supposed to charm the ladies. Embarrasing, total slob.
Don Johnson – “Heartbeat”
Eddie Murphy – “Party All the Time”
Richard Harris – “MacArthur Park” (So bad it’s actually cool)
Pierce Brosnan in Mama Mia??? Ruined james bond for me for good.
I must agree with this. He was Godawful.
Lol? Yes, these were pretty bad!
Dr Spock was a child psychologist, nimoy was mr spock
You forgot Roseanne Barr singing the National Anthem…
Just so you know, Ringo Starr didn't write Yellow Submarine. Paul McCartney did.
@ Mr Leo: I didn't include Scarlett on this list because her jugs absolve her of her musical sins.
@ andy: Michelangelo was a genius, Crispin Glover is a nut job.
@ MR.Anderson: Good call on Pesci, I just looked that up and it's god awful!
@ Steff: Good call on Don Johnson…will make the sequel to this list for sure
@ jj: I could only fit one Star Trek actor into this list. I judged Nimoy as the worse of the 2
Also: William Shatner’s music is awesome.
Nice collection…. Thanks for sharing.
Please keep them coming.
Soendoro Soetanto
Please remove that crappy floating box that says Digg Digg at the bottom that covers a signifigant portion of your text. I have to reduce the text to a ridiculously tiny size to get around this annoyance. Perhaps view your site in firefox before publishing?
I used Firefox when I posted and previewed this list and I didn't see the box you refer to then, and I still don't see it now. Thanks for letting us know – perhaps you're not running the most current version of Firefox?
I've removed the duplicate comment you made at several other lists – message received, thanks.
If anyone else has this problem, please let me know so that we can fix it.
Yeah, Don Johnson is missing from the list! I just recalled that song and threw up a little in my mouth.
First name that came to mind when I saw the title of the list was William Shatner. Surprised he didn't make the list!
shatner was fantastic, check out pulps common people, shatner and joe jackson it is fantastic
Heck yeah, Steff, with the Don Johnson. And let's not forget Eddie Murphy's craptastic "Party All the Time." Or wait, let's *do* forget…oh, you know what I mean.
What about Don Johnson's "Heartbeat"??? That song would give me hives whenever I heard it!
What about Joe Pesci's Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You
that was so frigging terrible
crispin glover is a ******* genius
What about Scarlett Johansen's Tom Wait Cover CD?
That was awful
Not since Mr. Schindler invented lists in WW2 has the art form of listage been taken to such gloriously awesome levels. 😉