2000, Music

Who Let the Dogs Out (2000) by Baha Men

I was dreading this. The chorus of the title track is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard and if I never heard it again that would be too soon.  And then there’s the rating on Rate Your Music, which is insanely low, so I was really dreading it.

But this is one of those albums where the hit is probably the worst thing here. Another Rate Your Music user pointed out that they think that most of the low ratings are people who’ve never listened to the album but are just rating the single. And he’s probably right. But then he goes and gives it 1.5 which makes me wonder how much terrible music he’s actually heard in his life. (I did indeed listen to the whole thing. Three times…)

And that’s because this is far from horrible. It’s not good by any stretch, but I have heard far worse albums.

I didn’t remember the verses of the title track as being as catchy as they are and I wonder if that contributed to why that song was so successful because, without them, it’s hard to imagine anyone but a child liking that chorus. (It’s a kid’s song, basically, right?) The remaining songs are catchier than you might think. They are unbelievably inane party songs, for the most part, and not much else. Some feel like they were created with audience participation in mind. (Shocking, I know.)

There are some weird samples – “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”! – and I’m pretty damn sure the production is probably super mundane. I don’t listen to this kind of music so I have no idea. Is it possible this album is a parade of cliches? Yes! But I don’t know that it is.

But at least one of the singers is actually a reasonably talented singer. And there is some degree of variety from one song to the next. (What I mean to say is that it’s not 12 version of the title track, just 2.)

Listen, this is not good music. It’s not even average music. But the idea that it’s the worst album ever, or close to it, strikes me as preposterous. If the title track wasn’t on here I might rate it higher!

4/10

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