Hacker News Reader

Because it speaks to the large number of people who engage with music they enjoy and can sing/hum along to easily, not the small group of self-styled "critics" who can only find joy in tearing down?

Well, that doesn't explain why it would stand out as such a hit because that explanation would apply to tons of songs that weren't hits or celebrated like that one.

It quite literally does, right there in the article.

Maybe there's some other hit from 1911 that you think was NOT a lousy song?

Come, Josephine, in My Flying Machine

Down by the Old Mill Stream

Oh You Beautiful Doll

I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad

[1] https://playback.fm/charts/top-100-songs/1911

Down by the Old Mill Stream is nice. I like that one. It's not pretentious or corny, and the harmonies are interesting enough.

Let Me Call You Sweetheart is also totally fine.

But yeah, I get your point. I was like huh "Woodman, Woodman, Spare That Tree" wazzat… oh… um, cringe

It’s the McDonald’s of music.