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.
It's so good to see Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" included here among these neglected masterpiece because it really is a masterpiece and a very beautiful one, with some superb lines that only a great poet, or lover could write.
Actually Hallelujah doesn’t compare to most of the songs on Songs of Leonard Cohen and Songs of Love and Hate. I much prefer Winterlady, Strangers Song , Famous Blue Raincoat and Avalanche.
And that’s their prerogative! Let me add , not trying to be unpleasant or per se argumentative but the premise of your comment is dubious. The fact that a lot people covered it - John Cale , K.D. Laing etc.- proves nothing more than it was more than average coverable. I read a funny article once by someone who wrote she never particularly liked Hallelujah and for a long time thought it was a John Cale song.Look, you can’t picture K. D. Laing singing Famous Blue Raincoat, it’s not a singers song.Willie Nelson would come across as bizarre ( and probably pretty funny) singing Avalanche or Dress Rehearsal Rag.
Excuse me, but I had to highlight my favorite mentions: Unchain My Heart, Man In The Mirror, Dance To The Music, Nothing Compares 2 You, I'll Stand By You, The Great Pretender, Staying Alive, How Deep Is Your Love, If You Don't Know Me By Now, Stand By Me, La Bamba, Unbreak My Heart, Waterloo, Iris, Apologize, Take On Me, When A Man Loves A Woman, Africa, There She Goes Again, Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, Behind Blue Eyes, Live And Let Die, Another Day In Paradise and Wonderwall.
Simply amazing.
💯✍🏻
And thanks for the suggestions of songs I didn't know about.
That Dire Straits song that has the lyrics " money for nothing and your chicks for free" are comments that Knofler overheard in a video store said by others. He was, understandably annoyed so made a song of it
When your list consists of 165 songs, what on earth is the line of discrimination below which lie Honourable Mentions? You tell me you do quality not quantity, but there's no qualitative element to this at all; it's just a stream of songs you like but don't hear on the radio (which is a PRS, not quality, issue).
I get that, and it doesn't get me grumpy; just frustrated as I agree with some of your choices. I stick by my point, for a selection to have any meaning (as opposed to just being a list) there has to be a qualitative element which has been subjected to some analysis and choice; no matter what one chooses to be the most important qualities.
For What It's Worth is by far the weakest song Buffalo Springfield ever did. You can pick almost any song off of "Retrospective" and it's better than that.
"Expecting to Fly" and "On the Way Home" are almost perfect pop songs.
By what metric are any of these songs underplayed? On what platform? XM/Sirius? FM? Pandora? Spotify? Is it humanly possible to not hear a song from Rumours on XM at any time of day? Most of the songs on this list are the opposite, they are the only songs played with regularity by most if not all of these artists.
I am going off my own experience where I live. The songs toward the top are the least played in my area and working down the list at times I mentioned a band's best songs, some of which might not be underplayed. A bit confusing, I admit, but the goal is to give recognition to the best songs that don't get played much where I live. Toward middle and bottom it's a bit of a muddle at times.
If I never hear anything from Joan Baez's Diamonds and Rust album again, that will be a giant step toward happiness. I would love to hear what Joni Mitchell would have to say about that horrible song.
I would not be so sure. In her early days, Mitchell liked to make lines in songs more full of words than the music would normally support. When she heard Paul Simon do the same thing, she didn't like it, and stopped.
I think that would be her reaction to Diamonds and Rust, which I find imitative of Joni Mitchell.
There are some faux pas in the lyrics that bother me. Light year as a unit of time, and “speaking strictly for me, we both could have died then and there.” Make up your mind, Joan; is it strictly for me, or is it we?
It's a bit presumptuous to assume that you know what I or anyone else would like.
Over and over in polls, those songs show up in top 3 to 5, so most Sabbah fans love those songs.
Sweet Child o’ Mine doesn't get played much where I live, compared to far lesser songs like Free Fallin', Panama and Take It on the Run. I explained in my article that I was speaking about airplay where I live.
You publish huge long lists in a public forum - presumably because you seek public comment.
Then you get snippy when someone offers an opinion that doesn’t coincide with your own…….remarkable.
What polls? Do you really mean ‘most Sabbath fans’ or just people who only know the bands greatest hits?
War Pigs is not as ordinary as Paranoid or the lamentably bad Iron Man……but it is not a patch on numerous tracks such as Hand of Doom, Fairies Wear Boots, Warning, After Forever, Supernaut, Killing Yourself to Live, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Hole in the Sky and more.
I just disagreed with you and pointed out a flaw in your reasoning.
You're the one presuming to know what other people would or should like. Not me. I would never presume to tell you want you would like if you did this or that.
Just because you have everything figured out doesn't mean other people will agree. Lots of people like Iron Man. The polls are online and can be found with search engines.
Seems that you make these large lists and throw superlatives around to demonstrate that you have heard of a great number of artists…….but you do not know their catalogues in detail.
I don’t have ‘everything figured out’, I simply know Black Sabbath’s material.
Have you been rummaging in my vinyl collection? Excellent exames. Add more of Kate bush and never any Rod Stewart.
I will add some Kate Bush songs. So good!
Rod Stewart is not a favorite of mine, but I do like "Maggie Mae."
It's so good to see Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" included here among these neglected masterpiece because it really is a masterpiece and a very beautiful one, with some superb lines that only a great poet, or lover could write.
Yes, a great song written by a poet's poet.
Actually Hallelujah doesn’t compare to most of the songs on Songs of Leonard Cohen and Songs of Love and Hate. I much prefer Winterlady, Strangers Song , Famous Blue Raincoat and Avalanche.
Hundreds of elite musicians who covered "Hallelujah" might disagree with you.
And that’s their prerogative! Let me add , not trying to be unpleasant or per se argumentative but the premise of your comment is dubious. The fact that a lot people covered it - John Cale , K.D. Laing etc.- proves nothing more than it was more than average coverable. I read a funny article once by someone who wrote she never particularly liked Hallelujah and for a long time thought it was a John Cale song.Look, you can’t picture K. D. Laing singing Famous Blue Raincoat, it’s not a singers song.Willie Nelson would come across as bizarre ( and probably pretty funny) singing Avalanche or Dress Rehearsal Rag.
I think it's more dubious that hundreds of high-level musicians would all choose an inferior song, but to each his own.
Man U picked some good ones. Some we all but forgot. Ty
I'm glad you liked my selections. Good songs to get reacquainted with.
U spent some time and dug deep sir. Ty
Yes, but it's fun digging, like finding nuggets of gold in an abandoned quarry.
Many of my favorites on this list are heard quite often in my presence. You make me so happy that I don't do streaming or listen to the radio.
Why Barbra Streisand's Stoney End, and not the original as written, sung, and recorded by Laura Nyro about 5 years earlier?
I have added Nyro since she wrote the song and performed it admirably. But I do prefer Streisand's version, especially in the upper register.
Excuse me, but I had to highlight my favorite mentions: Unchain My Heart, Man In The Mirror, Dance To The Music, Nothing Compares 2 You, I'll Stand By You, The Great Pretender, Staying Alive, How Deep Is Your Love, If You Don't Know Me By Now, Stand By Me, La Bamba, Unbreak My Heart, Waterloo, Iris, Apologize, Take On Me, When A Man Loves A Woman, Africa, There She Goes Again, Boulevard Of Broken Dreams, Behind Blue Eyes, Live And Let Die, Another Day In Paradise and Wonderwall.
Simply amazing.
💯✍🏻
And thanks for the suggestions of songs I didn't know about.
I can tell you have GREAT taste in music!
I think some of the songs you don't know will knock your socks off, so Happy Hunting!
Thanks!!! I can obviously return the compliment to you! ☺️
That Dire Straits song that has the lyrics " money for nothing and your chicks for free" are comments that Knofler overheard in a video store said by others. He was, understandably annoyed so made a song of it
Talk about making lemonade out of sour grapes, pardon the mixed metaphor.
When your list consists of 165 songs, what on earth is the line of discrimination below which lie Honourable Mentions? You tell me you do quality not quantity, but there's no qualitative element to this at all; it's just a stream of songs you like but don't hear on the radio (which is a PRS, not quality, issue).
No one is forcing you to read, Grumpy Gus.
I get that, and it doesn't get me grumpy; just frustrated as I agree with some of your choices. I stick by my point, for a selection to have any meaning (as opposed to just being a list) there has to be a qualitative element which has been subjected to some analysis and choice; no matter what one chooses to be the most important qualities.
Someone else can do a qualitative list.
It is possible to say: this is what I like, let's compare notes.
It's asking a lot of your readers to 'compare notes'. With what?
With what they like themselves.
For What It's Worth is by far the weakest song Buffalo Springfield ever did. You can pick almost any song off of "Retrospective" and it's better than that.
"Expecting to Fly" and "On the Way Home" are almost perfect pop songs.
We will have to disagree about For What It's Worth.
Agree, it is a great song, great guitar work and prophetic for its time.
I am an Australian and picked up a 45 in Fort Lauderdale on my way to work in London. I still have it.
Yes, and it's a song millions of people have loved and found meaningful.
Excellent list
I'm glad you liked it and thanks for taking the time to comment.
By what metric are any of these songs underplayed? On what platform? XM/Sirius? FM? Pandora? Spotify? Is it humanly possible to not hear a song from Rumours on XM at any time of day? Most of the songs on this list are the opposite, they are the only songs played with regularity by most if not all of these artists.
I am going off my own experience where I live. The songs toward the top are the least played in my area and working down the list at times I mentioned a band's best songs, some of which might not be underplayed. A bit confusing, I admit, but the goal is to give recognition to the best songs that don't get played much where I live. Toward middle and bottom it's a bit of a muddle at times.
If I never hear anything from Joan Baez's Diamonds and Rust album again, that will be a giant step toward happiness. I would love to hear what Joni Mitchell would have to say about that horrible song.
I'm sure Joni Mitchell loved "Diamonds and Rust."
I would not be so sure. In her early days, Mitchell liked to make lines in songs more full of words than the music would normally support. When she heard Paul Simon do the same thing, she didn't like it, and stopped.
I think that would be her reaction to Diamonds and Rust, which I find imitative of Joni Mitchell.
There are some faux pas in the lyrics that bother me. Light year as a unit of time, and “speaking strictly for me, we both could have died then and there.” Make up your mind, Joan; is it strictly for me, or is it we?
As an editor for more than 30 years, I disagree.
One can say, "From my point of view, we both should have done better."
"Speaking strictly for myself, we were both wrong." (The other person might disagree, but the speaker is not speaking for the other person.)
In any case, I think "Diamonds and Rust" is a great song, and I''m a poet and a lyric man.
But your words and sentences were not hers. Yours are acceptable.
Hers are perfectly acceptable. She was speaking strictly for herself about what she thought for the two of them.
Long Long Time - Linda Ronstadt
Yes, a great song.
I will add it and credit you, thanks.
That Dylan fella was pretty good. U2, too.
I agree.
How on earth can Sweet Child of Mine be a ‘neglected masterpiece’?
p.s.
War Pigs, Paranoid and Iron Man are nowhere near Sabbath’s best tracks.
Many people think "War Pigs" is Sabbath's best song. Check the polls.
Do you think SCoM is not neglected or not a masterpiece?
Anybody who thinks those three tracks - particularly Iron Man - are Sabbath’s best simply do not know their catalogue
Sweet Child o’ Mine is certainly a masterpiece - I’m just puzzled you term it ‘neglected’.
Maybe our ears are tuned differently.
It's a bit presumptuous to assume that you know what I or anyone else would like.
Over and over in polls, those songs show up in top 3 to 5, so most Sabbah fans love those songs.
Sweet Child o’ Mine doesn't get played much where I live, compared to far lesser songs like Free Fallin', Panama and Take It on the Run. I explained in my article that I was speaking about airplay where I live.
You publish huge long lists in a public forum - presumably because you seek public comment.
Then you get snippy when someone offers an opinion that doesn’t coincide with your own…….remarkable.
What polls? Do you really mean ‘most Sabbath fans’ or just people who only know the bands greatest hits?
War Pigs is not as ordinary as Paranoid or the lamentably bad Iron Man……but it is not a patch on numerous tracks such as Hand of Doom, Fairies Wear Boots, Warning, After Forever, Supernaut, Killing Yourself to Live, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Hole in the Sky and more.
I didn't get "snippy."
I just disagreed with you and pointed out a flaw in your reasoning.
You're the one presuming to know what other people would or should like. Not me. I would never presume to tell you want you would like if you did this or that.
Just because you have everything figured out doesn't mean other people will agree. Lots of people like Iron Man. The polls are online and can be found with search engines.
Seems that you make these large lists and throw superlatives around to demonstrate that you have heard of a great number of artists…….but you do not know their catalogues in detail.
I don’t have ‘everything figured out’, I simply know Black Sabbath’s material.