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Post by Dawn on Sept 20, 2007 12:39:46 GMT -5
Thought this might make for some interesting discussion.
Are there instances where your very favorite song by an artist is not one of their more popular songs, but something more obscure, like a deep album cut or a lesser-known single?
Here are a few of mine:
Fleetwood Mac - Hypnotized
Great track from their '73 Mystery to Me album; it was released as a single but didn't chart very highly.
Paul Revere & the Raiders - Love Music
Like the previous song, this was also a poor-performing single, and also from '73. I first heard it on the Legend of Paul Revere box set.
Bad Company - Gone, Gone, Gone
Yet another underperforming single; it got way overshadowed by Rock and Roll Fantasy from their '79 Desolation Angels album.
Beach Boys - Sail On Sailor
Not sure if this exactly qualifies as obscure, but I'm guessing that most casual fans of the Beach Boys surf/cars music aren't familiar with it.
The Association - Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies
This did make Top 40, but just barely, and was left off their Greatest Hits collection. I've never heard it on any oldies station.
Kansas - People of the South Wind
Yet another top 40 song that fell into obscurity and got left off a Best of collection. Classic rock radio plays Carry On Wayward Son into the ground, but won't touch this.
Firefall - Goodbye, I Love You
This made top 100, but fell short of the top 40. In recent years this has been neck-and-neck with Strange Way as my favorite Firefall song, but now I give it a very slight edge.
George Harrison - This is Love
Absolutely loved this Cloud Nine album track when I first heard it. As good as his ATMP material is, this is still tops for me.
I'll add to this list as I think of more.
What are yours?
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Post by Ken on Sept 20, 2007 15:31:05 GMT -5
You've listed some great tracks, Dawn  I have so many Here are a few of mine: Elton John - Shoulder Holster - I 've always liked this one very much and was disappointed it wasn't included, on his excellent Rare Masters CD collection. It was on the Blue Moves album and was also the B side to Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - and that's where I first heard it. The Beach Boys - Marcella (Live Version) - From the album The Beach Boys in Concert - of course. you already knew that  What studio album was it from? Alice Cooper - Caught In a Dream - From the Love It to Death album. It was also released as a single, but I have no idea how high it charted. Fleetwood Mac - Dissatisfied From the 1973 album Penguin. An excellent Christine McVie song. George Harrison - That's The Way it Goes - The only track I know from Gone Troppo, but it's a big fave. Paul McCartney - Stranglehold I have this on 45, and it's from the album Press To Play. I remember hearing it for the first time on the radio. It took me awhile to find the 45. Jackson Browne - The Road and The Sky - This is from his 1974 album Late for The Sky. A great rocker. The Turtles - She Always Leaves Me Laughing - Included on their album Turtle Soup produced by Ray Davies. |
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Post by Laura--I wuv u all :) on Sept 20, 2007 15:38:14 GMT -5
Dawn, I don't know the Paul Revere or Association songs on your list, but I love love love love LOVE the rest of 'em! I've sung "Hypnotized" for karaoke a few times (an octave higher than the recording, lol!), and I was just listening to "People of the South Wind" the other day becuz "Monolith" is in the CD changer in my car right now. Gosh, Ken, I don't know any of yours!
As for my list, well--I could write a book of 'em! I'll give you a few when I have more time.
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Post by Railyn on Sept 22, 2007 0:17:23 GMT -5
Interesting topic. A few off the top of my head: Being Boring - Pet Shop Boys - catch me in the wrong mood, and it will make me cry Getting Away With It - Electronic - a side project involving (among others) someone from New Order and Neil Tennant from Pet Shop Boys - not exactly a mainstream group, but bits of them were, so I'm running with it Cheer Down - George Harrison - had it not been for Lethal Weapon 2, I'd have never heard it Flesh Wound - Robert Palmer - an album cut off Riptide - not sure why I like it, but I do Too Much Information - Duran Duran - the first cut from "The Wedding Album" it is often overlooked, but is one of my favorites of theirs Lost In America - Alice Cooper - it just makes me chuckle We Care A Lot - Faith No More - in their original incarnation, with their original lead singer, released before they hit the mainstream - gets airplay now because of the Dirty Jobs show, but I watched a lot of MTV and listened to a lot of different types of radio, and I never heard it until Nelson bought their hits compliation Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue - The Ramones - even for them, it's incredibly short, and pointless, but I adore the guitar hook in the center, and the totally mindless lyrics Bob - Weird Al Yankovic - most who listen to it recognize it as one of Al's style parodies, and a nod to Bob Dylan, but actually each "bit" in the song is a palindrome, and it's an amazing little bit of work The Next Voice You Hear - Jackson Browne - a new song for his then-new hits compliation, it just haunts me - I don't know why - but it's a great song |
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Post by H2IZCOOL on Sept 29, 2007 10:57:50 GMT -5
Roy Orbison - I Drove All Night. I'm sure your familiar with the Cyndi Lauper hit and probably the cover by Celine Dion, but the song was originally written for Roy Orbison, and recorded by Roy in 1987, about a year before his death. It wasn't released, however, until a few years later in 1992, being included in a posthumous collection of Roy's music in 1992. That album was "King of Hearts." While I like all three versions of the song, it's especially suited for Roy's soaring voice, which he uses to good advantage.
The Eagles - The Last Resort. From the Hotel California album, and the b side of Hotel California. Maybe not extremely obscure, as the Eagles have done the song in concert, and it is included in some of their Greatest Hits compilations. A long (7+ minute) song that tells the story of the paving of America. Typical Eagles cynicism with a very catchy tune. Perhaps it should be titled 'They Called It Paradise.'
The Hollies - Another Night. Is included in their 1969 album "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", but snuck onto the singles charts (#71) in 1975. One of those mournful ballads that I just love.
Three Dog Night - Brickyard Blues (Play Something Sweet). An obscure single from 1974 that made it up to #33. The next to last time they'd make the charts at all. Great funky beat.
The Grass Roots - Mamacita. I know Pete has mentioned this song also. It marks a sad end to the Grass Roots list of hits, peaking in 1975 at #71. I have read that this song was going to be a much bigger hit, but there's a line in this song that goes "She's so sweet you could eat her." Several radio stations banned the song because of those supposedly risque lyrics (ironic, because the song is about a girl who is ultra-pure). Meanwhile, the song did fairly well on stations that did not ban the song. The Grass Roots then released a "cleaned-up" version of the song. This version did fairly well on the stations that had banned the original. But the damage was already done. Not enough popularity for the song in a short enough time.
Queen - These Are The Days of Our Lives. From "Innuendo" The song was featured on a post by Railyn way back in the early Click days. I got it, listened to it and fell in love with it. I actually heard it on TV just a little while ago, in the background of a show or in a commercial, I can't remember which.
Elvis Presley - Any Way You Want Me. The B side of Love Me Tender. A rock ballad that is in my all time top 250.
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Post by Laura--I wuv u all :) on Oct 1, 2007 12:24:52 GMT -5
This is a great thread! I'll post my book--uh, list--when I have more time. But meanwhile--do you guys ever find yourself buying an album that's been out a while, hearing some of the lesser-known songs for the first time and liking them a lot, and thinking, "WHY have I never heard this before?!?!?!?!" I do that a lot. It just goes to show what narrow playlists so many radio stations have!
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Post by Dawn on Oct 1, 2007 12:28:55 GMT -5
Thought of two more to add to my list:
Lovin' Spoonful - Didn't Want to Have to Do It
I don't think this was ever released as a single, but I'm not positive. I discovered it on a Greatest Hits compilation I checked out of the library years ago, and it is now my favorite Spoonful song.
Guess Who - Sour Suite
I've grown to love this track so much in the past year or so that it's pretty much neck-and-neck with These Eyes as my favorite Guess Who song. I love the moody, melancholy feel of it, especially the piano. This just barely missed the top 40.
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Post by Pete70s on Oct 1, 2007 18:22:05 GMT -5
"Sour Suite" is a great track! One of my Guess Who faves! Here's a couple more, and I'll continue to add to this. Graet idea for a post, BTW! Open Up Your Eyes-The Hollies Not only was this fine song not a hit in America, it was not even RELEASED here until 1993! It was the b-side of the English single of "Jennifer Eccles" in 1968. Amazing track that's full of hooks, harmonies, and a neat little banjo solo. www.amazon.com/gp/music/clipserve/B00004W3LE002010/0/102-0016293-0872906Pennies-The Cowsills This was the second song on their debut album (The same album with "The Rain, The Park and Other Things"). It's a nice little piece with a "regal" sounding trumpet intro, and a catchy chorus. Top that off with an amazing midsection, and we'll call this one a keeper! www.amazon.com/gp/music/clipserve/B000002Z87001002/0/102-0016293-0872906More to come........ Absolutely! |
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Post by Dawn on Oct 2, 2007 12:01:40 GMT -5
You guys are listing some outstanding tracks!
Here's a few more I thought of yesterday, that I forgot in my original post:
Tommy James & the Shondells - Baby, Baby (I Can't Take It No More)
This was the B side to I Like the Way (which is kind of an overlooked song itself), but for some reason was included on the old Roulette Best of Tommy James & the Shondells collection. I borrowed that LP from a friend back in '87, and when I heard this song, I loved it immediately. It reminds me somewhat of Brian Wilson's work, not so much style-wise but in the emotional sense. My favorite Tommy James song by far.
Moody Blues - Gypsy (Of A Strange and Distant Time)
Though one or two Moody Blues songs may edge this out, this is in very, very close contention as my favorite from them. This is from the album To Our Children's Children's Children, and is very dark and mysterious sounding. Great lyrics and backing track. I remember MC mentioning that this was a favorite of his, too.
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Post by smittykins--70s pop RULES! on Oct 3, 2007 20:22:25 GMT -5
Lots of good ones here! I'll add Three Dog Night's "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here" to the list. My inner 12-year-old always giggles at the toilet flush in the middle of the album version.  And has anyone else racked their brain over the meaning of "46201" in Sour Suite? |
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Post by alandhopewell on Oct 4, 2007 8:45:53 GMT -5
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Post by Dawn on Oct 4, 2007 15:18:06 GMT -5
Lots of good ones here! I'll add Three Dog Night's "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here" to the list. My inner 12-year-old always giggles at the toilet flush in the middle of the album version. And has anyone else racked their brain over the meaning of "46201" in Sour Suite? Hi Smitty, I too have wondered about that. Originally I thought it might refer to a phone number, the way they used to be written with both letters and numbers, like NEwport 46201. But on one site I checked, it mentioned that 46201 refers to one of the zip codes for Indianapolis, Indiana, and that its inclusion in the song was inspired by an address on a piece of mail Burton Cummings received while in the process of writing the lyrics. |
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Post by Pete70s on Oct 4, 2007 19:59:41 GMT -5
The Beach Boys - Marcella (Live Version) - From the album The Beach Boys in Concert - of course. you already knew that What studio album was it from? Ken, it's from "Carl & The Passions-So Tough" |
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Post by Pete70s on Oct 4, 2007 20:23:27 GMT -5
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Post by Pete70s on Oct 9, 2007 8:42:34 GMT -5
The Association - Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies This did make Top 40, but just barely, and was left off their Greatest Hits collection. I've never heard it on any oldies station. From what I've been told, it didn't get much airplay even when it was on the charts. Kind of an unusual single to release between "Cherish" and "Windy". |
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What studio album was it from?
And has anyone else racked their brain over the meaning of "46201" in Sour Suite?
