What outdated pop song would you want to make a hit again?

Aux Features Rick Astley
What outdated pop song would you want to make a hit again?
Meatloaf (Photo: Richard E. Aaron, Graphic: Natalie Peeples)

This week’s question comes from A.V. Club reader “Charlie”:

“The internet has the uncanny power to reanimate cheesy old songs as contemporary hits—most famously Rick Astley’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up,’ and most recently Toto’s ‘Africa.’ What old song would you nominate for the pop necromancy of making it a hit all over again? I’m going with Steve Winwood and ‘Back In The High Life Again.’”

previous arrowThe Doobie Brothers’ “What A Fool Believes” next arrow

While we’re on the subject of rehabilitating ’70s dad rock, when will The Doobie Brothers’ “What A Fool Believes” get its ironic postmodern revival? Folks, this song is a joy: It’s got what Beyond Yacht Rock’s JD Ryznar calls the “Doobie bounce,” a quirky yet smooth marriage of bleating bass and two-handed keyboard whose giddy toot feels like riding in a taffy boat bobbing through an ocean of cotton candy. It’s got the instantly recognizable talents of one Michael McDonald, whose vocals are performed in a key and at a register that, much like Toto’s “Africa,” make “What A Fool Believes” deceptively difficult to sing. (That just makes it more fun to holler along with.) It’s even got a devastating contrast between the cheerful music and bleak lyrics—catnip for cynical millennials! Let’s make this thing happen, online America! [Katie Rife]

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