Love Songs We Never Want to Hear Again (12)

Joe Cocker, “You Are So Beautiful”

Allegedly dashed off by Beach Boy Dennis Wilson and fifth Beatle Billy Preston at a party, this song makes you wonder what those two were huffing. A longstanding punchline for exaggerated sitcom courtship routines, it strings its clichés – “a guiding light in the night,” “heaven’s gift to me” – around a title refrain qualified by “to me,” like the shameless singer is hedging his bet. Joe Cocker gives it his best spazzy Ray Charles croon. But we’ll take the Cows’ sludge-metal desecration any day.

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