'Obsolete' songs?

[OracleUsr]

Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl..."..with a transistor radio"
Kathy Mattea's "455 Rocket" "what kind of piece of sshhhChevelle is this?"

[TheHighwayMan3561]

The song actually is only in chronological order until 1963 ("JFK Blown Away, What More Do I Have to Say?"). The 1964-1989 events are out of order after that.

[hbelkins]

The reference in the same song to "the little faggot with the earring and the makeup" would probably confuse some younger listeners who would never have found it odd for a male to wear an earring nor associated such with being homosexual.

There were, in my mind, two possibilities as to whom Mark Knopfler was referring in that song. One was Boy George, but I can't remember who the other one was.

[lepidopteran]

"Rikki Don't Lose That Number" by Steely Dan
"Don't Lose My Number" by Phil Collins

Nowadays, you just enter someone's number in your smartphone and that's that.  More likely, you'll ask for their e-mail anyway.

[gilpdawg]

The reference in the same song to "the little faggot with the earring and the makeup" would probably confuse some younger listeners who would never have found it odd for a male to wear an earring nor associated such with being homosexual.

There were, in my mind, two possibilities as to whom Mark Knopfler was referring in that song. One was Boy George, but I can't remember who the other one was.

I read once he was talking about the hair bands.


iPad

[triplemultiplex]

J. Geil's "Centerfold".

Who buys pictures of naked ladies printed out on dead trees anymore?

The idea behind the song would still work with a contemporary story about discovering "Angel" online.

[bing101]

SHOUT by Tears for fears, Promises Promises by Naked Eyes, Everybody wants to rule the world by Tears for fears these songs managed to last over 30 years and still true today.

[PHLBOS]

1958's Beep-Beep by the Playmates talks about a little Nash Rambler chasing a Cadillac.
Beep Beep

Speaking of Cadillacs: in Johnny Cash's One Piece at a Time, the newest Cadillac part referenced is a '73 model.  The song's from 1976.
One Piece at a Time

I'm surprised that nobody has yet mentioned Sammy Hagar's I Can't Drive 55 yet.
I Can't Drive 55

[english si]

Party like it's 1999? 1999 was the future when the song was written. Now it's the past.

Didn't stop Easyjet using Disco 2000 in their 20th anniversary ads (admittedly the song was released not long after Easyjet started up).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYyGhVllGfU

And also, Dec 31st 1999 was a big party - while it's the past, it's hard to top. If we'd had a bigger blow out/reason to blow out that was common to most of us, then sure, 1999 would be an obsolete reference, rather than one that goes over the heads of today's teenagers. It's more obscure than obsolete, though I'll grant it does sort of fit the OP's criteria.

You're probably thinking of "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles

Thanks. And this one also goes on Misheard song lyrics, as I swear I heard 'media' instead of 'video'.

Not sure how it's obsolete - if anything, it's being written in '78 was ahead of its time - MTV aired it three years after that as its very first video and that channel is what ushered in the age where image was more important than musical talent - an age which is still with us (hence Beiber, 1D, Miley, etc) - and given their choice of first video, I'd imagine that was deliberate.

[hbelkins]

I'm surprised that nobody has yet mentioned Sammy Hagar's I Can't Drive 55 yet.
I Can't Drive 55

He actually did a remake of that and upped the number to 65.

[freebrickproductions]

Probably this song from the movie, "The Brave Little Toaster", is rather outdated now with some of the stuff it features:

[1995hoo]

I don't think "I Can't Drive 55" is obsolete even with the NMSL gone. Come drive on the Beltway outside rush hour and you'll see nobody keeps it to 55 despite that being the speed limit on most of the road (the exception being the HO/T lanes, which are posted at 65).

[7/8]

I don't think "I Can't Drive 55" is obsolete even with the NMSL gone. Come drive on the Beltway outside rush hour and you'll see nobody keeps it to 55 despite that being the speed limit on most of the road (the exception being the HO/T lanes, which are posted at 65).

So true, I remember driving on I-80 near Chicago and getting passed doing 70 in the 55 zone. Why do they even bother with these stupid speed limits when no one follows them?

[freebrickproductions]

I don't think "I Can't Drive 55" is obsolete even with the NMSL gone. Come drive on the Beltway outside rush hour and you'll see nobody keeps it to 55 despite that being the speed limit on most of the road (the exception being the HO/T lanes, which are posted at 65).

So true, I remember driving on I-80 near Chicago and getting passed doing 70 in the 55 zone. Why do they even bother with these stupid speed limits when no one follows them?

Money.

[1995hoo]

A song that occurred to me yesterday: "Darlington County" by Bruce Springsteen, which contains the lyric "our pas each own one of the World Trade Centers," an obvious reference to the Twin Towers. He still plays the song live.

[lepidopteran]

"Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?"
and
"Do you know the way to San Jose?"

Now you just enter it in Mapquest, Google Maps, or your GPS unit.

[Max Rockatansky]

"Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?"
and
"Do you know the way to San Jose?"

Now you just enter it in Mapquest, Google Maps, or your GPS unit.

Depending on where you live in California getting San Jose is easier said than done....CA 152....ugh and ugh....seems to fit just fine into modern times to me. 

[BamaZeus]

Get your kicks on Route 66

[Max Rockatansky]

Get your kicks on Route 66

Functionally yes....from a recreation stand point...no...  Lots of things to do and see still on what's left, signs or not it will always be US 66 for some of us.

[7/8]

"Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" by Chicago

As I was walking down the street one day
A man came up to me and asked me what the time was that was
On my watch

And I was walking down the street one day
A pretty lady looked at me and said her diamond watch had
Stopped cold dead

Nowadays, you would just check your cellphone

[hbelkins]

"Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" by Chicago

As I was walking down the street one day
A man came up to me and asked me what the time was that was
On my watch

And I was walking down the street one day
A pretty lady looked at me and said her diamond watch had
Stopped cold dead

Nowadays, you would just check your cellphone

Nope, I still wear a wristwatch and feel naked without it.

[7/8]

"Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" by Chicago

As I was walking down the street one day
A man came up to me and asked me what the time was that was
On my watch

And I was walking down the street one day
A pretty lady looked at me and said her diamond watch had
Stopped cold dead

Nowadays, you would just check your cellphone

Nope, I still wear a wristwatch and feel naked without it.

I could've made this more clear. If your wristwatch happens to die, nowadays most people would check their cellphones for the time instead of asking someone else.

[noelbotevera]

"Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" by Chicago

As I was walking down the street one day
A man came up to me and asked me what the time was that was
On my watch

And I was walking down the street one day
A pretty lady looked at me and said her diamond watch had
Stopped cold dead

Nowadays, you would just check your cellphone

Nope, I still wear a wristwatch and feel naked without it.

I could've made this more clear. If your wristwatch happens to die, nowadays most people would check their cellphones for the time instead of asking someone else.

I still ask someone else because I have no phone and rarely wear a wristwatch.

[Max Rockatansky]

"Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" by Chicago

As I was walking down the street one day
A man came up to me and asked me what the time was that was
On my watch

And I was walking down the street one day
A pretty lady looked at me and said her diamond watch had
Stopped cold dead

Nowadays, you would just check your cellphone

Nope, I still wear a wristwatch and feel naked without it.

I could've made this more clear. If your wristwatch happens to die, nowadays most people would check their cellphones for the time instead of asking someone else.

I still ask someone else because I have no phone and rarely wear a wristwatch.

Aren't fit bits usually equipped with a clock?  Seems to fit the mold in regards to something wrist watch like which a lot of people are wearing now.

[hm insulators]

The reference in the same song to "the little faggot with the earring and the makeup" would probably confuse some younger listeners who would never have found it odd for a male to wear an earring nor associated such with being homosexual.

There were, in my mind, two possibilities as to whom Mark Knopfler was referring in that song. One was Boy George, but I can't remember who the other one was.

I've read that Mark Knopfler was shopping with his wife in an appliance store in New York City and all the TVs in the store were tuned to MTV. One of the store employees was complaining long and loud about how hard he had to work to sell microwave ovens and refrigerators for little pay while all the people on MTV were cavorting around with scantily-clad ladies in the music videos, getting their "money for nothing and their chicks for free." Mark heard this employee fussing and was so inspired to write a song about the incident that he actually borrowed a pen and paper from another store employee and started writing the tune right there in the store.

There's an obsolete song--MTV scarcely plays videos any more, if I recollect correctly.