Whether lashing out at the world, their family, their record labels, or one another, singers have gone to extremes over the years to give the big middle finger out in public. Who’s to stop them? Artists will be artists.
In complete and utter “Screw You”s to the world, artists have gone from re-recorded 25-year-old tracks (Def Leppard ring a bell?) to recording ramblings of absolute nonsense, creating products like Van Morrison’s “Want a Danish.” Some artists take (not so) discrete measures of saying “eff you” to former bandmates by using symbolic art on album covers. Others go as low as firing their own parents from being involved in their business. Ouch. Take a look at the most epic and public “F–k You”s that are still ridiculously cringeworthy.
Van Morrison’s “Revenge” Album (1968)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nb41ONJeMc
When Van attempted to leave Bang Records for Warner Brothers, the label urged the singer to give them just one more record before his departure. And as any other artist, he aimed to please. Sort of. He went to an NYC recording studio and rambled off 31, we repeat, 31 tracks of complete nonsense. The “album” included tracks like “Ringworm,” “The Big Royalty Check” and our personal favorite “Want a Danish,” which you can hear above.
Jarvis Cocker Ambushes Michael Jackson’s BRIT Awards Performance (1996)
In defense of acting against Jackson’s “Jesus acts,” the Pulp frontman invaded Michael’s performance by mocking the singer, pointing his butt towards the crowd, waving his hands around and running in circles once being chased by security. Aside from being “off his cocker,” the singer said, “There were probably a lot of other people who found it distasteful as well… and I thought ’You could actually do something about it.'” He sure did just that.
The Back of Paul McCartney’s Ram Album (1971)
[Photo Credit: Apple]
Firing Their Own Parents As Managers
[Photo Credit: Getty]
Marvin Gaye Dedicates Here, My Dear To His Broken Marriage (1978)
[Photo Credit: Tamla]
Marvin Gaye’s dysfunctional relationship with his first wife Anna Gordy Gaye became very public when Anna filed for divorce and sued Gaye in 1975. In 1976, a warrant was issued for the star’s arrest after failing to pay child support for their son, Marvin Gaye III, amongst other unfortunate spending habits. After touring and continuous delays, the divorce was finalized in 1977 after Gaye was convinced to split any royalties earned from his next album with his ex-wife. He recorded Here, My Dear what he originally believed to be a “quickie album,” that eventually became one of his most acclaimed.
Def Leppard Re-Records Old Songs (2012)
[Photo Credit: Getty]
[Photo Credit: Getty]