Why a 1974 No. 1 Hit Became the Most Controversial Chart Topper Ever and Still Sparks Outrage Today
This track has sparked a bigger backlash than any other No. 1 hit, and it is still drawing criticism today.
When Paul Anka's “(You’re) Having My Baby” became a major success in 1974, it quickly stood out from other chart-toppers of its era.
But its chart success was only part of the story, as the reasons it outraged so many listeners are what turned it into the most controversial hit ever.
Paul Anka's '(You're) Having My Baby' Dominated the Chart
Photo by American Broadcasting Companies via Getty Images
Released in June 1974, Paul Anka's "(You're) Having My Baby" reached the Billboard Hot 100 chart on July 6 and remained on it for a total of 15 weeks. Following a steady climb, the track hit No. 1 on August 24, 1974, and stayed on top for three weeks. It was the legendary singer's biggest hit outside of his 1959 song "Lonely Boy," which topped the chart for four weeks.
Why It Earned a Reputation as the Most Controversial Chart Topper
One year after Roe v. Wade legalized abortion across America, Paul Anka released his 1974 hit, "(You're) Having My Baby." According to The Village Voice, the song was intended as a tribute to his wife, who'd already given birth to four of the five children they would share. However, the outlet noted that its lyrics and timing led to the track angering people on both sides of the political spectrum.
During the song, Anka sings the following lyrics: “Didn’t have to keep it / Wouldn’t put you through it / You could have swept it from your life / But you wouldn’t do it / No, you wouldn’t do it.” Those words led to the biggest controversy surrounding the song, according to The Village Voice. That was because some Pro-Choice advocates believed "merely mentioning the option to keep the pregnancy demonized the right to choose." On the other hand, Pro-Life supporters were angered that the song referenced abortion in what they saw as a flippant way.
At the time, the backlash became so fierce that Anka attempted to clarify what that lyric was meant to say. He explained it was simply intended as an acknowledgement that his wife had a choice. Additionally, a 2013 Vanity Fair profile of Anka notes that the furor over the track grew so intense that a writer for Time urged people to lay off the singer and focus elsewhere. "What are you getting on this guy’s case for? We’re in a war. We’ve got a drug plague. We’ve got s**t going on in our country. Give him a break, he’s writing a song about his wife.”
While much of the backlash focused on that issue, another part of the track's lyrics angered people. As The Village Voice's article notes, many listeners felt Anka singing "my baby" instead of "our baby" was demeaning to the woman carrying the child. As a result, the National Organization for Women gave Anka the “Keep Her In Her Place” award, and Ms. Magazine named him “Male Chauvinist Pig of the Year.”
Calling any song the most controversial chart topper ever is inherently subjective. Still Anka angered both sides of one of the most passionate debates in modern times and received those dubious awards because of a single song. With that in mind, "(You're) Having My Baby" has a strong case for that distinction. Still, if that isn't a strong enough argument for some, it is also worth noting that the song continues to frustrate many modern listeners.
Paul Anka's '(You're) Having My Baby' Still Sparks Outrage Today
In March 2025, a user on the r/musicsuggestions subreddit posted a simple question. "What is the worst song you have ever listened to?" Notably, one of the most-upvoted responses named Paul Anka's "(You're) Having My Baby." The choice of the song drew several other users who responded in agreement, with one person writing, "This song is so bad it’s concerning."
A November 2025 Grunge article called the song "stomach-turning," arguing it is "cringeworthy," "lyrically objectionable," "melodically vapid," "smug," whiny," and "kind of sexist." In 2011, a Rolling Stone Readers' Poll named the track the third worst song of the '70s. Before that, a 2006 CNN poll result called it the worst song of all time.
In fairness to "(You're) Having My Baby" and Paul Anka, the fact that the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks shows that many people loved it. An upload of the track's audio has also drawn more than 1.32 million views on YouTube, which further proves the appeal for some. Still, it is hard to overstate how much evidence there is that many listeners can't stand "(You're) Having My Baby."