Student Demonstration Time DUD or DUD?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

It has come to my attention (based on the "One Bad Song" thread) that this is universally regarded as possibly the most offensive Beach Boys songs ever. Okay, they have made worse tunes (like the whole of the 15 Big Ones album), but "SDT" is abhorred by many because it juts out like a sore thumb on an otherwise ace album. Does ANYONE like this track? Why?
What other songs are seen almost universally as by far the worst song of a career by a majority of fans? Like the above example, it doesn't necessarily have to be their actual WORST song, just the one which has pissed off the most people for one reason or another.

― dog latin, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't mind 15 Big Ones, it's got some okay songs on it.

― jel --, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i am orthodox in my opinion of this song. it is abysmal, the context of the aceness of the rest of the album just makes it even worse. it is an endurance test to listen to that song

― gareth, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I also hate the song, but then the Beach Boys are kind of notorious for putting terrible duds on their records ("How She Boogalooed It" is indistinct fluff at best, but "Got to Know the Woman"? "The Nearest Faraway Place"???).

― dleone, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

My Ding A Ling by Chuck Berry comes to mind. Does anyone on earth like that one?

― Justyn Dillingham, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Brian Wilson hates SDT too.

― jel --, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I like The Nearest Faraway Place. I thought everybody did. Billy Joel probably likes SDT.

― PJ Miller, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I like The Nearest Faraway Place. I thought everybody did.

Oh gosh, I can't stand it. It reminds me of something that would play in the background of Love Boat or something, which is well and good, but I don't recall Fred Grandy or Ted Lange making any guest appearances on 20/20 to balance out the terrible schlock.

― dleone, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

to paraphrase the shangri-la's it's good bad, but it's not evil. anyone who thinks this is their only bad song is sentenced to an hour of "kokomo", "our car club", and "bugged at my old man" on constant rotation. (and don't worry because "bugged at my old man" is actually great.)

― fritz, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

It was so much easier to understand the Beach Boys when we all agreed to write off everything after Surf's Up.

― Mark, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Well it was the stock "oh let's give Mike Love a song on the album" - equivalent being "wacky Stewart Copeland song mandatory on every Police album."

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Miss Gradenko" rules.

― dleone, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

kokomo is better then student demonstration time....

but on this 'what song ruins the continuity of an album' thread...

i think "don't pass me by" on the white album is a serious contender

― geeg, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Miss Gradenko" rules.

I'll take that over "Mother," that's for damn sure.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

good answers! remember this isn't strictly about the beach boys though :-)

― dog latin, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Mother" is a Classic that will live 4-evah.

"Student Demonstration Time" is my least favorite song ever. I've said this before. I mean it. That's all I can say.

― Keiko, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.