Results: "Clare"
Back in 1972, Gilbert O'Sullivan hit number one with "Clair" - a whimsical tribute to his manager's toddler daughter that featured her real giggles at the end. Decades later, lines like "to me you're more than a child" and "why in spite of our age difference do I cry?" have turned a sweet nursery-pop tune into a lightning rod for modern discomfort.
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When you listen to Gilbert O'Sullivan's 1972 hit "Clair" today, how does that famously ambiguous lyricism strike you?
Innocent 1970s whimsy - just a goofy uncle/babysitter playing dramatic make-believe with a toddler.
15%
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138 votes
A charming time capsule of an era before modern internet cynicism picked apart every single line of pop music.
16%
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151 votes
Highly questionable songwriting that definitely wouldn't make it past a record label's PR team today.
5%
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47 votes
A certified classic that is utterly ruined the second you actually pay attention to the words.
3%
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29 votes
Proof that context is everything, because the parents happily produced it and the real-life kid turned out fine.
6%
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56 votes
Before my time - I only know this song because the internet dug it up to debate it.
4%
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35 votes
I'm a hater - This song belongs in an evidence locker right next to Gary Glitter's greatest hits.
1%
•
6 votes
Undecided/Unsure.
15%
•
142 votes
Not Applicable
46%
•
431 votes
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