Rock's Neglected Masterpieces

What are the best songs that NEVER get airplay today, or almost never? These are the songs that I want to hear more often. Please feel free to make suggestions in the comments and I will publish them.

ROCK’S NEGLECTED MASTERPIECES
by Michael R. Burch

What are the best songs that NEVER get airplay today, or almost never, or far too seldom? These are the songs that I want to hear more often.

I’m a “lyric man” and lyrics will play a major role in my selections.

Please note that I’m construing the term “rock and roll” widely and let’s not forget why “roll” was included in the term, due to the influence of the blues, R&B, doo-wop, western swing, hillbilly and rockabilly.

Please feel free to make suggestions in the comments and I will publish them.

I’ve been getting some flak for listing songs that get played elsewhere, but the most-played “top songs” in my area recently include (#1) Free Fallin’, (#2) Peace of Mind, (#3) Magic Carpet Ride, (#4) Barracuda, (#5) Take It on the Run, (#8) Hold the Line, Love Bites, Panama, Dance the Night Away, Dancing in the Dark, and other songs that wouldn’t make my top 500, so my experience may be “way below average.”

My complaint is not that some of my selections never get played, but that far lesser songs get played a lot more.

I will begin with the best underplayed songs, in my opinion, and work my way down.

• Flying in Winchester Cathedral by Crosby, Stills, Nash and (sometimes) Young.
  
  This is one of my all-time favorite undersung songs.
  
  Other undersung CSNY songs where I live include Find the Cost of Freedom, Helplessly Hoping, Ohio, Delta, Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, Wooden Ships and Woodstock.

• Snowblind and Changes by Black Sabbath. War Pigs gets played, but not a lot, in my area.

• Breaking the Law, You Got Another Thing Coming and Diamonds and Rust by Judas Priest.

• Immigrant Song and Black Dog by Led Zeppelin do get played here, but not as much as far lesser songs. Other underplayed Led Zep songs in my area include D’yer Mak’er, Going to California, Heartbreaker, When the Levee Breaks, Living Loving Maid, The Song Remains the Same and Since I've Been Loving You.

• Roundabout, Awaken, I’ve Seen All Good People and Starship Trooper by Yes. Far too many DJs are saying “no” to Yes, sometimes completely.

• River Deep, Mountain High by Ike & Tina Turner still gets played where I live, but not nearly enough. What a great, great song!

• One by Metallica, who are otherwise well-represented here.

• Border Song by Sir Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin. Other underplayed songs by Sir Elton include Levon and Honky Cat. How underplayed is Island Girl? Sir Elton hasn’t performed it in concert since 1990!

• Some songs don’t get played much because they’re not socially acceptable. Such songs include three number one hits by Cher!

  • Brown Sugar by the Rolling Stones

  • Dear God by XTC will certainly be banned by Trump and the evangelicals.

  • Dark Lady by Cher

  • Half-Breed by Cher

  • Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves by Cher
    In Cher’s defense, these songs seem to be in sympathy with victims of discrimination.

  • Young Girl by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap

  • Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon by Neil Diamond

  • Pinball Wizard by The Who

  • My Ding-a-Ling by Chuck Berry

  • Money for Nothing by Dire Straits
    You get your money for nothing
    and your chicks for free.

  • All My Rowdy Friends by Hank Williams Jr. is horribly sexist, and he seems to be serious in his chauvinism.

• For What It's Worth written by Stephen Stills and performed by Buffalo Springfield. It gets played here, but far less than lesser songs.

• Stoney End by Laura Nyro, as performed by Nyro and Barbra Streisand.

• Taxi by Harry Chapin.
  
  Oh, I've got something inside me
  To drive a princess blind ...
  There's a wild-man wizard
  He's hiding in me, illuminating my mind
  
  Harry Chapin's best song is a ghost story in which both ghosts are still partially alive. Mike Forrester nominated the amusing 30,000 Pounds of Bananas. Other neglected Chapin songs include The Dance Band on the Titanic, The Mayor of Candor Lied and W.O.L.D. I saw Chapin in concert, and he was a wonderful storyteller: both in his songs and in his interactions with the audience.

• Israelites by Desmond Dekker & the Aces.
  
  Get up in the morning, slaving for bread,
  So that every mouth can be fed.
  Poor, poor me, Israelites (ah-ah).
  
  This is a great song that I never hear any more, unless I look it up.

• Crossroads by the great blues guitarist Robert Johnson is my choice as the first rock song. Eric Clapton might agree, since he covered it with Cream. The song was originally recorded in 1936 but dates back to the 1920s. It’s the first blues song, for me, that has a rock edge and vibe. And then there’s the infamous “deal with the Devil”… rock was later called “the Devil’s music” by alarmed moralists.

• The Weight, It Makes No Difference and The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down by The Band.

• Rave On by Buddy Holly and the Crickets is my favorite Buddy Holly song.

• For Your Love by the Yardbirds.

• Long Long Time by Linda Ronstadt is a great neglected song nominated by Barbara W. Barbara. I will add Ronstadt’s first hit song, Different Drum, and my wife, who used to perform Ronstadt songs, nominated Sorrow Lives Here and Tumblin’ Dice. Also, Ronstadt’s incredible duet with Aaron Neville, Don’t Know Much.

• Rosalita and Sandy by Bruce Springsteen. Other underplayed songs by "the Boss" include 10th Avenue Freeze Out, Thunder Road, Jungleland, The River, Badlands and I’m on Fire.

• Learning to Fly by Pink Floyd is a personal favorite. Other underplayed Pink Floyd songs here include "Time," "Echoes," "Hey You," "Brain Damage" and "Dark Side of the Moon."

• No Woman, No Cry and Redemption Song by Bob Marley and the Wailers.

• Because The Night written by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith; performed by the Patti Smith Group.
  
  "Because the Night" is one of the songs (if not the song) that made Patti Smith the "godmother of punk." The song was originally written by Bruce Springsteen, but wasn't recorded because he wasn't happy with it. Patti Smith altered the song, which became her biggest hit and has been called one of the best songs of all time by some critics. Springsteen continued to perform the song with his original lyrics, but it is Patti Smith's version that became one of the iconic songs of the punk era. Other notable Patti Smith songs include Gloria, Hey Joe and People Have the Power.

• Sundown, If You Could Read My Mind, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and Early Morning Rain by Gordon Lightfoot.

• Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez, a song she wrote about her relationship with Bob Dylan.
  
  Your eyes were bluer than robin's eggs.
  My poetry was lousy, you said.
  Where are you calling from?
  A booth in the Midwest…

• Stand!, Dance to the Music, Family Affair and Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) by Sly and the Family Stone. Sly Stone was a musical genius.
  
  Blood sticketh in the mud…
  It’s a family affair.

• '39 and The Prophet’s Song by Queen.
  
  Other notable underplayed Queen songs in my area include The Show Must Go On, Who Wants to Live Forever and Crazy Little Thing Called Love.

• Riders on the Storm by the Doors.
  
  There's a killer on the road
  His brain is squirmin' like a toad
  ... Riders on the storm
  
  I have heard my favorite Doors song locally, but not very often. "Riders on the Storm" is one of the darkest songs ever. It was the last song recorded by the Doors before Jim Morrison died. The band took its name from William Blake's "Doors of Perception."

• Ghosts, The Reach, The Sand and the Foam and The Lion’s Share are great neglected masterpieces of songwriting by Dan Fogelberg.

• Conquistador by Procol Harum. Even the great Whiter Shade of Pale doesn’t get played much here.
  
  Conquistador your stallion stands
  in need of company
  and like some angel's hallowed brow
  you reek of purity…

• Tennessee by Arrested Development is my all-time favorite rap song. So good!

• Roll Over Beethoven by Chuck Berry. I have called Chuck Berry the Shakespeare of early rock ’n’ roll. His other neglected songs include Maybellene, My Ding-a-Ling and No Particular Place to Go.

• Suzanne by Leonard Cohen, as sung by Judy Collins.

  
  Suzanne takes you down
  to a place by the river…
  
  Leonard Cohen is a poet's poet, and a songwriter's songwriter. "Hallelujah" is his masterpiece. Other tour de force songs by Cohen include "Tower of Song," "I'm Your Man" and "Everybody Knows."

• That’s The Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be by Carly Simon.
  
  That’s the way I’ve always heard it should be:

  we’ll marry.
  
  What a great song and when is the last time you heard it without looking it up?

• Tell Her No, Time of the Season and She’s Not There by the Zombies.
  
  Don’t hurt me now,
  for her love belongs to me.

• Been to Canaan by Carole King.

• Hey Ya!, B.O.B., Rosa Parks and Ms. Jackson by OutKast, my favorite rap group.

• O Come O Come Emmanuel by Enya is one of the all-time best vocal performances by a non-diva-ish female singer. So beautiful!

• The Freshmen written by Brian Vander Ark; performed by The Verve Pipe.
  
  I can't be held responsible
  'cause she was touching her face
  I won't be held responsible
  she fell in love in the first place ...
  For the life of me, I cannot remember
  what made us think that we were wise and we'd never compromise
  for the life of me, I cannot believe we'd ever die for these sins
  we were merely freshmen …
  
  When the Verve Pipe released "The Freshmen" there were debates on the Internet about what they meant by lines like "stop a baby's breath and a shoe full of rice." While "stop a baby's breath" might refer to an abortion, "shoe full of rice" might refer to a wedding, in which case "baby's breath" might be a sprig of flowers. Song lyrics, like all forms of poetry, are open to interpretation. What is certain about this song is that it will rip your heart out, if you have one.

• Until the Night by Billy Joel is one of the most underrated great songs of all time, in my opinion. Goodnight Saigon is another.

• A Pirate Looks at Forty by Jimmy Buffet is another underrated great song.

• Bad and Gloria by U2.

• Shameless written by Billy Joel; as performed by Garth Brooks.

• Spanish Harlem by Ben E. King and Aretha Franklin.
  
  There is a rose in Spanish Harlem.
  It is the special one.
  It never sees the sun.
  It only comes out when the moon is on the run…
  
  The original version of Spanish Harlem had a lovely, poetic, but fairly simple lyric about a man who had discovered a beguiling female rose he intended to pluck for his "garden" (however one interprets that). However, when Aretha Franklin recorded the song she made it more current and "blacker" with lyric changes. For instance, she changed the chorus to: “There is a rose in Black and Spanish Harlem.” And because the song was about a man who desired a young girl, she changed the third stanza to be in the third person, with her explaining the man’s intentions.

• Fever and Blue Moon (early Sun/RCA recordings) by Elvis Presley.
  
  Other underplayed Elvis songs of note include "That's Alright Mama," "American Trilogy," "If I Can Dream," "Peace in the Valley" and "In the Ghetto."

• As Tears Go By by the Rolling Stones and Marianne Faithfull.

• The Ballad of John and Yoko by the Beatles.
  
  Christ, you know it ain’t easy,

  you know hard it can be.
  The way things are goin’,
  they’re gonna crucify me.
  
  Other underplayed Beatles songs include the Golden Slumbers medley, While My Guitar Gently Weeps (written by George Harrison), Here Comes the Sun (written by George Harrison), I’ll Follow the Sun and Dear Prudence.

• Give Peace a Chance, Instant Karma (We All Shine On) and Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon.
  
  Yeah, we all shine on
  like the moon and the stars and the sun.
  
  While I'm not a hard-core Beatles fan (preferring the Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen and several other groups), I have long admired John Lennon's “Imagine” and the songs listed here, as well as a few Beatles songs I consider masterpieces, such as “A Day in the Life,” “Eleanor Rigby” and the “Golden Slumbers” medley.

• Someday Soon by Judy Collins.
  
  Someday soon…
  Goin’ with him,
  Someday soon.

• You're the Voice and his better-than-the-Beatles cover of Help! by John Farnham, an outstanding Australian vocalist who flew under the rock world’s radar for decades. You're the Voice may be the most inspirational song of all time, when Farnham performs it live. And it’s not a bit sappy.

• Mercedes Benz by Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company.

• Five O’Clock World by the Vogues.

• Leah by Roy Orbison.
  
  I'll place the pearls
  around the only girl
  for me:
  Leah
  
  Some songs have haunting lyrics, but Roy Orbison has a haunting, almost otherworldly voice. I'm not sure if this is a great song in its own right (it's about a pearl diver who drowns, only to wake up and realize he was having a nightmare), but Orbison's voice makes the performance utterly magical. "Crying" is another absolute masterpiece―covered ably by K. D. Lang and Don McLean, among others―but no one can duplicate Orbison's unique voice and delivery. Other noteworthy underplayed songs by Orbison include "Only the Lonely," "In Dreams," "It's Over," "Running Scared," "Blue Bayou," "You Got It," "Sweet Dreams Baby" and "I Drove All Night."

• Knockin' on Heaven's Door written by Bob Dylan; as performed by John C. Cale.

• Lay Lady Lay by Bob Dylan is one of his better vocal performances.

• This Used to Be My Playground by Madonna in a lovely, unaffected, touching vocal performance of a great song.

• A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke.
  
  It's been too hard living
  but I'm afraid to die
  'Cause I don't know what's up there
  beyond the sky ...
  
  "A Change Is Gonna Come" was written after Sam Cooke heard and was moved by Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind." Cooke's song became an anthem for the American Civil Rights Movement. Other underplayed songs by Sam Cooke include "Chain Gang," "Cupid," "You Send Me," "Wonderful World" and "Bring it on Home."

Let it be noted that in previous comments there were arguments about some of these songs “not really being rock and roll.” But let’s not forget where the “roll” in “rock and roll” originated: blues, R&B, gospel, western swing, rockabilly, doo wop, country, etc. Rock and roll has a long history of crossover hits. And please consider the diversity of the artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: 2Pac (rap), Louis Armstrong (jazz), Chet Atkins (the architect of the Nashville sound), Beastie Boys (rap), Bee Gees (pop/disco), James Brown (soul), Johnny Cash (country), the Coasters (doo wop), the Drifters (doo wop), Eminem (rap), Bob Dylan (folk), Aretha Franklin (soul), Jay-Z (rap), Bill Monroe (bluegrass), Dolly Parton (country/pop), Jimmie Rodgers (country), Hank Williams (country), Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys (western swing).

• The Needle and the Damage Done, Heart of Gold, Old Man and After the Gold Rush by Neil Young.

• Blinded by the Light by Bruce Springsteen and Manfred Mann & the Earth Band.

• Ebb Tide by the Righteous Brothers

• My Little Town by Simon & Garfunkel
  
  When you're down and out
  When you're on the street
  When evening falls so hard
  I will comfort you ...
  
  Other underplayed S&G classics include Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, April Come She Will, For Emily Wherever I May Find Her, Kathy’s Song, The Boxer, America, Scarborough Fair/Canticle and El Condor Pasa.

• Duke of Earl by Gene Chandler.

• Oh Very Young by Cat Stevens
  
  And though you want to last forever
  You know you never will
  You know you never will
  And the good-bye makes the journey harder still…

• Father and Son by Cat Stevens was called “incredibly beautiful and emotional” by Robert Berend. I agree.

• All I Know by Art Garfunkel.

• Only the Heart May Know by Dan Fogelberg and EmmyLou Harris, so beautiful!

• Seven Year Ache by Rosanne Cash, the daughter of Johnny Cash.
  

HIGH HONORABLE MENTIONS

Any of these songs could make my top ten, depending of the day of the week and how much cabernet I’ve had at the end of a long day…

• Voodoo Chile by Jimi Hendrix and the Experience.
  
  Also Foxy Lady and Little Wing. Jimi Hendrix has been widely acclaimed as rock’s greatest guitarist, and I agree.

• Lucille and Rip It Up by Little Richard.
  
  Little Richard called himself the “Architect” of rock’n’roll, and he wasn’t exaggerating. Without Little Richard there would be no James Brown, Michael Jackson or Prince, and the Beatles wouldn’t have all those growls and yips in their songs.

• Darling Nikki by Prince and the Revolution.
  
  Other killer songs written and performed by Prince include When Doves Cry, Purple Rain, Raspberry Beret, Kiss and Little Red Corvette.

• Can I Get A Witness by the late, great Marvin Gaye.
  
  Also, What’s Going On and Mercy Mercy Me don’t get played enough. In a tragic irony, Gaye penned and sang, “Father, Father, there’s no need to escalate” only to be shot to death by his father.

• Georgia on My Mind, Ruby, Unchain My Heart and Hit the Road Jack by the marvelous Ray Charles.

• At Last and I’d Rather Go Blind by Etta James, nicknamed "The Matriarch of R&B" and an obvious influence on many modern divas. Rolling Stone ranked her #22 on its list of the Greatest Singers of All Time.

• Sex Machine, Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud) and Papa's Got a Brand New Bag by James Brown, who was nicknamed the "Godfather of Soul," the "Godfather of Funk," "Mr. Dynamite," the "Hardest-Working Man in Show Business."

• Bo Diddley by Bo Diddley

• Bo Diddley by Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks

• Never My Love, Cherish and Windy by the Association were three of the hundred most-played songs of the 20th century, according to BMI.

• Twenty Flight Rock and Summertime Blues by Eddie Cochran.

• Red Red Wine by Neal Diamond and in a reggae version by UB40.

• The Lion Sleeps Tonight by the Tokens.

• Little Darlin’ by the Diamonds.

• Stay by Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs, and as covered admirably by Jackson Browne as The Load Out/Stay.

• The Load Out/Stay, Rock Me on the Water, Doctor My Eyes, and The Pretender by Jackson Browne.

• Dear Mama by 2Pac aka Tupac Shakur.

• Come on Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners.

• Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys by Traffic.

• Lightning Strikes and Two Faces Have I by Lou Christie.

• Runaway by Del Shannon.

• In Your Eyes and Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel.

• Back for Good by Gary Barlow and Take That.

• Never Been to Spain, One (Is the Loneliest Number), Easy to Be Hard, Eli’s Coming and Mama Told Me Not to Come by Three Dog Night.

• Beds Are Burning by Midnight Oil.

• After the Gold Rush by Neil Young.

• Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) by Melanie.

• Love And Affection by Joan Armatrading.

• Louie, Louie by the Kingsmen. The FBI investigated this song for sub-verse-ive lyrics, pardon the pun, but had to close the case “unsolved” because no one could make out the words!

• She Talks to Angels by the Black Crowes.

• Centerfold by the J. Geils Band.

• The Cover of the Rolling Stone and Sylvia’s Mother by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show.

• I Can’t Drive 55 by Sammy Hagar.

• Foolish Heart and Oh Sherrie by Steve Perry

• Without You written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger, as performed by Harry Nilsson.
  
  "Without You" is a wonderfully touching song performed magically by a great singer with an ethereal voice, Harry Nilsson. Paul McCartney, who knows a thing or two about songwriting, called it the greatest rock song ever written. When John Lennon and McCartney held a press conference in 1968 to announce the formation of the Apple label, John was asked to name his favorite American artist. He replied, "Nilsson." Paul was then asked to name his favorite American group. He also replied, "Nilsson."

• Hallelujah written by Leonard Cohen, as performed in a deep baritone by Cohen, and by Jeff Buckley, Alexandra Burke and K. D. Lang.
  
  Now I've heard there was a secret chord
  That David played, and it pleased the Lord
  But you don't really care for music, do ya?
  It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth
  The minor fall, the major lift,
  The baffled king composing Hallelujah
  Hallelujah, Hallelujah
  Hallelujah, Hallelujah
  
  Leonard Cohen is a poet's poet, and a songwriter's songwriter. "Hallelujah" is his masterpiece. Other tour de force songs by Cohen include "Tower of Song," "I'm Your Man," "Everybody Knows" and the haunting "Suzanne."

• Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson.

• Mad World as performed by Adam Lambert (originally performed by Tears for Fears).
  
  If any contemporary male singer can rival the young Elvis Presley, it may be Adam Lambert. His cover of "Mad World" by Tears for Fears is scary-good. Brian May of Queen said that Lambert is the only male singer who can hit those crazy high notes that Freddie Mercury was famous for. But "Mad World" is more of a sad lament, beautifully and tenderly sung by an amazing vocalist.

• I Drove All Night written by Roy Orbison, as performed by Orbison, Celine Dion and Cyndi Lauper. As great as Orbison was, and as fantastically as Lauper sang this song, I have to give the gold star to Dion for what may have been the greatest female vocal performance of all time. It’s hard to imagine anything better.

• I Am I Said, Sweet Caroline, Red Red Wine, Holly Holy, Cracklin' Rosie, Solitary Man and I'm a Believer by Neil Diamond.

• Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down, For the Good Times, Help Me Make It Through the Night, Loving Her Was Easier, Why Me and Me and Bobby McGee by Kris Kristofferson.

• Nothing Compares 2 U by written by Prince; performed by Sinead O'Connor.
  
  "Nothing Compares 2 U" is a wonderfully tender, poignant song, sung exquisitely by Sinead O'Connor. The tear she shed in her video was real, and unscripted. She had shaved her head when she started singing because she wanted to be known for her music, not her looks (but she looked better without hair than most women with flowing manes). When the head of her record label heard the song the first time, he cried. When O'Connor heard that he had cried, she asked: "Was it that bad?" No, silly, it was that magnificent!

• You Really Got Me by the Kinks was nominated Tom Brown, then by Greg Scotland with these observations: “There’s no Gimme Shelter, Satisfaction, Revolution, I Can’t Explain, Whole Lotta Love, Comfortably Numb, Purple Haze, Eruption, Paranoid, American Woman, Enter Sandman, Smoke on the Water, etc. without Dave Davies slashing his speaker cone with a razor blade and popularizing rock and roll distortion/fuzz in the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” (August 1964). That song is partially responsible for more than ten rock and roll genres. It must be on the list.” Now it is! Also, Lola and Waterloo Sunset.

• The End and Light My Fire by Jim Morrison and the Doors.

• Holy Diver and Rainbow in the Dark by Ronnie James Dio.

• (Sittin’ on the) Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding.
  
  I left my home in Georgia
  Headed for the 'Frisco bay
  'Cause I've had nothing to live for
  And look like nothin's gonna come my way ...
  
  "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" was recorded by Otis Redding on December 7, 1967, just three days before he died in a plane crash outside Madison, Wisconsin. Redding also wrote "Respect," which was immortalized by Aretha Franklin.

• Vincent by Don McLean.
  
  Starry, starry night
  Paint your palette blue and gray
  Look out on a summer's day
  With eyes that know the darkness in my soul …
  
  Don McLean's "Vincent" gets my vote as the best rock poem of all time, based strictly on lyrics, because it tells a moving story and also carries us somewhere "beyond" by making us feel a strong kinship with the troubled Dutch painter, Vincent Van Gogh. The best poems and songs create a sort of spiritual "communion" between writer, subject and audience ...

• Morning Has Broken has a Gaelic folk tune with lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon and was performed by Cat Stevens.
  
  Morning has broken,
  like the first morning
  Blackbird has spoken,
  like the first bird …
  
  "Morning Has Broken" has a most interesting genesis. It was originally a Gaelic folk tune. The lyrics of a Christian children's hymn were penned for it in 1931, by Eleanor Farjeon. The Christian hymn then became a hit for Cat Stevens, America's most famous Muslim singer/songwriter!

• I Am a Rock written by Paul Simon; performed by Simon & Garfunkel.
  
  A winter's day
  In a deep and dark December;
  I am alone,
  Gazing from my window to the streets below
  On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.
  I am a rock,
  I am an island.
  
  "I Am a Rock" seems to be the refutation of a sermon preached by John Donne, who happened to be one of England's greatest poets. In his sermon Donne proclaimed that "no man is an island." The young, introspective singer/songwriter Paul Simon begged to differ.

• Nights in White Satin by the Moody Blues.
  
  Nights in white satin, never reaching the end.
  Letters I've written, never meaning to send.
  Beauty I'd always missed, with these eyes before.
  Just what the truth is, I can't say anymore…

• Lately and Overjoyed by Stevie Wonder.

• Space Oddity and Suffragette City by David Bowie get played here, but rarely.

• Lodi, Run Through the Jungle and Someday Never Comes by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

• I’ll Stand by You and Brass in Pocket by the Pretenders get played here, but rarely.

• God Only Knows and Sloop John B. by the Beach Boys.

• White Room and Sunshine of Your Love by Cream.

• Who Wants to Live Forever and The Show Must Go On by Freddie Mercury and Queen.

• The Great Pretender, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and My Prayer by the Platters.

• Sherry, Rag Doll, Walk Like a Man and Big Girls Don’t Cry by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

• The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel, also the cover by Disturbed.

• All By Myself, written by Eric Carmen, as performed by Eric Carmen, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey. But I still like Eric Carmen’s original the best, despite the stratospheric vocals of the great divas.

• How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Words, Stayin’ Alive, Tragedy and Night Fever by the Bee Gees, who also wrote “Islands in the Stream” for Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, “Guilty” (performed in a duet by Barbara Streisand and Barry Gibb), etc.

• How Deep Is Your Love by the Bee Gees is the #22 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

• Holding Back the Years and If You Don’t Know Me By Now by Simply Red.

• The Logical Song, Dreamer, Take The Long Way Home, Breakfast in America, Bloody Well Right, Even in the Quietest Moments, Hide In Your Shell and Give A Little Bit by Supertramp.

• Mr. Blue Sky and Telephone by ELO get played here, but rarely compared to lesser songs.

• Fire and Rain by James Taylor.

• The Flowers of Guatemala by REM.

• Stand By Me by Ben E. King

• Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On and All Shook Up by Jerry Lee Lewis.

HONORABLE MENTION

Some of these songs are a bit off the beaten path, yet well worth a mention…

• Eres Tu by Mocedades.

• La Bamba by Ritchie Valens and Los Lobos.

• Ho Hey by the Lumineers.

• Go Rest High on that Mountain by Vince Gill, a song he wrote for the brother he lost.
  
  I’m not normally a country music fan, but this song, a modern hymn, is wonderfully moving and exquisitely sung by Vince Gill, a former lead singer of Pure Prairie League. Gill wrote the song originally for Keith Whitley, a fellow country music singer who died in 1989, but didn't finish it until after the death of his brother Bob in 1993. Ricky Skaggs and Patty Loveless sang the background vocals on a song that is sure to be an enduring classic. Other songs by Vince Gill include "When I Call Your Name," "I Still Believe," "Pocket Full of Gold," "Never Knew Lonely" and "Whenever You Come Around."

• Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash.

• If I Were a Carpenter by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.

• I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, written by Joe South and performed by Lynn Anderson.

• Angel from Montgomery, Delta Dawn, Would You Lay with Me in a Field of Stone, Two Sparrows in a Hurricane and What's Your Mama's Name by Tanya Tucker.

• I’m Always on a Mountain When I Fall and Mama Tried by Merle Haggard.

• Strawberry Wine by Deana Carter.

• El Paso and Devil Woman by Marty Robbins.

• Sixteen Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford.

• Scarborough Fair, You Raise Me Up and Danny Boy by Celtic Woman.

• Steel Guitar Rag by Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys.

• A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton.

• Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode

• Revolution Blues by Neil Young.

• Cinnamon Girl and Down by the River by Neil Young.

• Expressway (To Your Heart) by the Soul Survivors.

• Child in Time by Deep Purple.

• (I Would Walk) 500 Miles by the Proclaimers.

• Creep by Radiohead.

• Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve.

• Mandy by Barry Manilow is a good song, but please give us a break because Manilow did not write his biggest hit, the cheesy I Write the Songs!

• Un-Break My Heart by Toni Braxton is the #12 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

• Hallowed Be Thy Name and The Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden.

• Waterloo and Fernando by ABBA.

• Apologize by OneRepublic.

• Iris by the Goo-Goo Dolls.

• Surrender by Cheap Trick.

MORE HONORABLE MENTIONS

Some of these songs do get played locally, but not as much as lesser songs…

Love Hurts by Nazareth is one of the all-time great covers, of a song first recorded by the Everly Brothers. It was written by Boudleaux Bryant. The great Roy Orbison also covered the song before Nazareth. It gets played here, but not enough.

Send Her My Love, Escape, Stone In Love, Still They Ride, Just The Same Way and Only The Young by Journey

Gold Dust Woman and Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac. Stevie Nicks is one of the all-time great songwriters in my opinion.

Refugee and Mary Jane's Last Dance by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.

Walking on Broken Glass by Annie Lennox
She's Gone by Hall and Oates
White Flag, Thank You and Here with Me by Dido
Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits
Heart of Glass, Rapture and Call Me by Blondie
Lithium by Nirvana
My Name Is and Stan by Eminem
Tired of Being Alone and Let's Stay Together by Al Green
Private Dancer by Tina Turner
All by Myself by Eric Carmen and Celine Dion
Tainted Love by Soft Cell
I'm Not in Love by 10CC
Bat out of Hell by Meatloaf
Heroes and Space Oddity by David Bowie
Jeremy and Black by Pearl Jam
Metal Health by Quiet Riot
Desperado by The Eagles
Tracks of My Tears by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Take on Me by A-ha
When a Man Loves a Woman by Percy Sledge
Maggie May by Rod Stewart
Faith by George Michael
American Pie and Vincent by Don McLean
Apologize by Timbaland
Crazy In Love by Beyoncé ft. JAY Z
Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes
Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler
Dust in the Wind by Kansas
Lady, Babe and Come Sail Away by Styx
Kathy's Song and America by Simon and Garfunkel
Die with a Smile by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga
The Air that I Breathe by the Hollies
Smooth Operator by Sade
Royals by Lorde
Rehab and Back to Black by Amy Winehouse
Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi
Paper Planes by M.I.A.
Miss Independent and Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson
Chandelier by Sia
Yellow, Clocks and The Scientist by Coldplay
Running Up that Hill by Kate Bush
Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes
Ironic, Uninvited and You Ought to Know by Alanis Morissette
Africa by Toto.
Angels by Robbie Williams.
All of Me by John Legend.
White Rabbit by Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane.
There She Goes by the La’s.
Believer by Imagine Dragons
Walk this Way by Run-DMC and Aerosmith.
Fast Car by Tracy Chapman
Hey Lord, Don't Ask Me Questions by Graham Parker and the Rumor
Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day
Paint It, Black by the Rolling Stones
Runaway by Bon Jovi
Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va by Santana
Behind Blue Eyes by The Who
I Shot the Sheriff by Eric Clapton
Ramblin' Man by the Allman Brothers Band.
Say, Say, Say by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
Live and Let Die and Band on the Run by Paul McCartney and Wings
True by Spandau Ballet
Another Day in Paradise by Phil Collins
Wonderwall by Oasis
Shadow Dancing by Andy Gibb was #1 for seven weeks.
I Just Want to be Your Everything by Andy Gibb is the #24 best-selling song of all time according to Billboard.

#ROCK #BEST #RANKING #MRBROCK #MRBBEST #MRBRANKING zzz