I love hard music. Even when I was a little kid I favored loud drums and screaming guitars over sweet melodies and pretty words. As a teen I listened to MDC, The Circle Jerks, and the Dead Kennedys. As an adult I played the drums in a few bands and wrote songs full of angry, obscene words about shooting people in the face.
However, even the hardest of rockers sometimes need a little sweetness. I have a fairly large collection of sweet R&B ballads, weepy indie rock selections, and even a few soothing classical pieces to connect me to the more graceful side of music. This is all justifiable in the name of eclectic taste. However, there is no amount of rationalization that can really ever erase my shame over my absolute adoration of bubblegum rock.
What makes a song bubblegum? I’m using a pretty loose definition. Generally, bubblegum is music marketed to preteens, especially girls. It’s upbeat, sweet, and has a catchy melody. Was it performed by cartoon characters? Did teenage girls chase the artist through the streets? Did you hear it a lot while roller skating? Was the lead singer of the band under sixteen? All of these things probably mean bubblegum, and it probably means I have a soft spot for it. It’s silly music, but some days it’s a refreshing change from self-important music by people who think their ability to play the guitar makes them some kind of important social critic.
So I will put aside my last remaining shred of hipster cred and share a few of my favorites. This isn’t meant to be a definitive list or a “best of,” rather it’s just ten bubblegum songs I really enjoy. There is no particular order. This list is certified irony free, well almost irony free.
A very special thanks to My Name is Chris, who shared his vast musical knowledge to point me to a few gems that I hadn’t heard before.
10. The Jackson Five-I Want You Back. Man, little Michael was so damn cute. Plus this will still pack a dance floor.
9. Captain Groovy and his Bubblegum Army-Captain Groovy and his Bubblegum Army. This band was a studio project that included members of Ohio Express and the 1910 Fruitgum Company, both successful bubble gum bands in their own right. It was supposed to be a cartoon series that never got off the ground.
8. Apples in Stereo-Signal in the Sky (Let’s Go). From the soundtrack of The Powerpuff Girls Movie. This track is just groovy.
7. Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart-I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight. Boyce and Hart wrote songs and produced the music for the Monkees, and this 1968 hit is really great.
6. The Partridge Family-I Woke Up in Love This Morning. Yeah, yeah, I know people like the other single better, but this is my favorite.
5. Avril Lavigne featuring Lil Mama-Girlfriend. Let’s not discuss this other than to say it will awaken the snotty, 16 year old girl in just about anyone.
4. Shaun Cassidy-Hey Deanie. David’s younger brother, Shaun Cassidy spent a few years in the Seventies making little girls scream and cry. He was probably responsible for half of the sales of Tiger Beat Magazine. This is a really sweet song, with an old-time rock feel to it.
3. Josie & The Pussycats-Tanya Donnely and Julianna Hatfield. Yes, I know Generation X made a bunch of annoying covers like this, but this one is actually good.
2. Britney Spears-Oops!…I Did It Again. Again, the less said about my enjoyment of this song the better. Damn you Walt Disney, damn you.
1. Sweet-Little Willy. Sweet was more of a glam band than a bubblegum act, but this song from 1972 was kid-friendly and a staple of roller rinks. How can you top the line “Willy drives them silly with his star shoe shimmy shuffle down?” I still love this band.
There are, of course, dozens more I could list. I could have doubled the number of songs I chose and still had plenty left over. This list doesn’t include Seventies groups like the Osmonds or The Sylvers. I also left off a couple classics like Yummy, Yummy, Yummy, and Sugar, Sugar. There is also an absence of boy bands (sorry Mr. Timberlake). However, I will let all of you fill in your favorites in the comments.
Image: Flickr
