Under-appreciated gems
March 25, 2012 7:31 AM Subscribe
What are some of the best under-appreciated songs, by great artists?
I can think of Rain by The Beatles, and Bob Dylan's Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. What are some others? The only qualifier is that this must be a song by an indisputably great artist or band (though I can understand that this can be subjective - please use your discretion).
I guess what I am asking is: if you are a really really really big fan of a legendary artist or band (or even classical composer, for that matter), what obscure-ish song by the performer(s) is your favorite and you recommend that I listen to?
I can think of Rain by The Beatles, and Bob Dylan's Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. What are some others? The only qualifier is that this must be a song by an indisputably great artist or band (though I can understand that this can be subjective - please use your discretion).
I guess what I am asking is: if you are a really really really big fan of a legendary artist or band (or even classical composer, for that matter), what obscure-ish song by the performer(s) is your favorite and you recommend that I listen to?
Sam Cooke is still primarily known for his soul-pop music, but his gospel is out of this world. The 'SAR Records Story' double album is a great introduction even though much of it was produced during his hey-day. For older stuff that is a little less polished (his voice was growing), try 'Complete Recordings of Sam Cooke with the Soul Stirrers'. I love the live albums of later pop stuff. He's just the best.
posted by maya at 8:43 AM on March 25, 2012
posted by maya at 8:43 AM on March 25, 2012
One of my favourite songs is Ambulance Blues by Neil Young.
posted by sngbk at 8:44 AM on March 25, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by sngbk at 8:44 AM on March 25, 2012 [2 favorites]
Led Zeppelin In My Time of Dying- probably a big hit if it weren't 11 minutes long.
Bob Dylan Blind Willie McTell-great tribute to the blues pioneer.
The Doors Been Down So Long-awesome stomping beat, great guitar by underrated Robby Krieger.
Johnny Cash Spiritual- if a song about Jesus can make my hard agnostic heart feel something, you know it's good.
posted by EKStickland at 10:17 AM on March 25, 2012
Bob Dylan Blind Willie McTell-great tribute to the blues pioneer.
The Doors Been Down So Long-awesome stomping beat, great guitar by underrated Robby Krieger.
Johnny Cash Spiritual- if a song about Jesus can make my hard agnostic heart feel something, you know it's good.
posted by EKStickland at 10:17 AM on March 25, 2012
It's not his song, but I've always loved Bruce Springsteen's cover of Pretty Flamingo.
Same goes for Rickie Lee Jones' version of Walk Away Rene.
posted by Paris Elk at 11:01 AM on March 25, 2012
Same goes for Rickie Lee Jones' version of Walk Away Rene.
posted by Paris Elk at 11:01 AM on March 25, 2012
My favorite Velvet Underground album is White Light/White Heat, but I can kinda understand why people wouldn't like it (they'd be wrong not to, but to each his own and all that). However, I don't know why What Goes On isn't a up there as an unquestioned classic alongside Heroin, Sweet Jane and the rest.
posted by Kattullus at 11:29 AM on March 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Kattullus at 11:29 AM on March 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
Buffalo Springfield Do I have to Come Right Out And Say It was the B side to the 45 "For What Its Worth"
you kids e/mail me and I'll explain what a 45 is...
posted by HuronBob at 1:50 PM on March 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
you kids e/mail me and I'll explain what a 45 is...
posted by HuronBob at 1:50 PM on March 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
The Beach Boys - Disney Girls, although I always liked Art Garfunkel's version better.
posted by HuronBob at 1:58 PM on March 25, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by HuronBob at 1:58 PM on March 25, 2012 [2 favorites]
The Mamas and Papas Snow Queen of Texas
Yeah, I'm having WAY too much fun with this.
posted by HuronBob at 2:01 PM on March 25, 2012
Yeah, I'm having WAY too much fun with this.
posted by HuronBob at 2:01 PM on March 25, 2012
Hands down, :) it's Willie Nelson's Hands on the Wheel, off Redheaded Stranger. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0013D0HI8/ref=redir_mdp_mobile
posted by purenitrous at 2:48 PM on March 25, 2012
posted by purenitrous at 2:48 PM on March 25, 2012
U2 "A Celebration"
R.E.M. "Ages of You"
Not the world's biggest Led Zeppelin fan, but their cover of Robert Johnson's Traveling Riverside Blues is awesome.
posted by 4ster at 2:50 PM on March 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
R.E.M. "Ages of You"
Not the world's biggest Led Zeppelin fan, but their cover of Robert Johnson's Traveling Riverside Blues is awesome.
posted by 4ster at 2:50 PM on March 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
Insofar as any Beethoven is "under-appreciated," Symphony 7 is, I think, the best symphony, but gets little air/hall time. 8 is a close second. You hear mostly 1, 3, 5 and 9.
Britten is widely known for his operas and symphonic works, but the string quartets are my favorite of his compositions.
Copland is mostly known for things like Appalachian Spring and Rodeo, but his solo piano works are amazing.
Bernstein is mostly known as a conductor and composer of musical theatre, but some of my favorite pieces of his are the First Symphony, Serenade after Plato's Symposium, and Anniversary Pieces (and Chichester Psalms, though that is fairly widely known).
posted by Lutoslawski at 2:58 PM on March 25, 2012
Britten is widely known for his operas and symphonic works, but the string quartets are my favorite of his compositions.
Copland is mostly known for things like Appalachian Spring and Rodeo, but his solo piano works are amazing.
Bernstein is mostly known as a conductor and composer of musical theatre, but some of my favorite pieces of his are the First Symphony, Serenade after Plato's Symposium, and Anniversary Pieces (and Chichester Psalms, though that is fairly widely known).
posted by Lutoslawski at 2:58 PM on March 25, 2012
Radiohead, I'm a Wicked Child.
posted by Lutoslawski at 2:59 PM on March 25, 2012
posted by Lutoslawski at 2:59 PM on March 25, 2012
REM - "Wall of Death" (Richard and Linda Thompson cover)
Nirvana - "Verse Chorus Verse"
Queen - "Hammer To Fall"
Bruce Springsteen - "Bobby Jean"
The Smiths - "His Latest Flame/Rusholme Ruffians"
posted by SisterHavana at 4:09 PM on March 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
Nirvana - "Verse Chorus Verse"
Queen - "Hammer To Fall"
Bruce Springsteen - "Bobby Jean"
The Smiths - "His Latest Flame/Rusholme Ruffians"
posted by SisterHavana at 4:09 PM on March 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
Well, my favorite lesser-known Dylan song is "When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky". I just wish he'd release a de-80s-ified version -- that electronic? drum is annoying as hell. I once heard a black blues guitarist do a partial acoustic cover on Chicago radio, out of the blue so to speak, but apparently that one live performance was never published. Anyway, it has a bit of a Blood on the Tracks deleted track feel to it -- a really menacing end-of-relationship song, though obviously not quite as amazing as, say, "Like a Rolling Stone".
One of my favorite Blondie tracks is Union City Blue -- even before I lived about a mile or two from where they filmed that video.
posted by dhartung at 6:05 PM on March 25, 2012
One of my favorite Blondie tracks is Union City Blue -- even before I lived about a mile or two from where they filmed that video.
posted by dhartung at 6:05 PM on March 25, 2012
I LOVE U2's So Cruel, off of Achtung Baby. According to Wikipedia they have only performed this song live 4 times.
posted by yawper at 7:49 PM on March 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by yawper at 7:49 PM on March 25, 2012 [1 favorite]
I like Yo La Tengo's acoustic version of "Tom Courtney" from the Camp Yo La Tengo ep. Here's the original.
You've probably never heard the radio play anything off my favorite Kinks album, The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society, even though it's had lots of critical acclaim. Poor sales on its release is enough to doom it forever, I guess.
"A Plea for Tenderness" is one of my fave Modern Lovers songs. There's no proper studio recording, just a live version and demos.
posted by hydrophonic at 8:34 PM on March 25, 2012
You've probably never heard the radio play anything off my favorite Kinks album, The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society, even though it's had lots of critical acclaim. Poor sales on its release is enough to doom it forever, I guess.
"A Plea for Tenderness" is one of my fave Modern Lovers songs. There's no proper studio recording, just a live version and demos.
posted by hydrophonic at 8:34 PM on March 25, 2012
"Call Me Up In Dreamland" -Van Morrison
"Odds & Ends" -Bob Dylan & the Band
"Next To You" -The Police
"Haul Me Up" -Richard Thompson
"Please Call Me, Baby"-Tom Waits
posted by stompadour at 10:28 AM on March 26, 2012
"Odds & Ends" -Bob Dylan & the Band
"Next To You" -The Police
"Haul Me Up" -Richard Thompson
"Please Call Me, Baby"-Tom Waits
posted by stompadour at 10:28 AM on March 26, 2012
Oh, speaking of underappreciated Radiohead songs... Pearly might be my favorite Radiohead song, and it's not very well known.
And speaking of 90s British groups, my favorite song of all time just might be End of a Century. It's not their best known song (though hardly unknown), but it's a song I never ever get tired of, and haven't for nearly two decades now.
posted by Kattullus at 3:11 PM on March 26, 2012
And speaking of 90s British groups, my favorite song of all time just might be End of a Century. It's not their best known song (though hardly unknown), but it's a song I never ever get tired of, and haven't for nearly two decades now.
posted by Kattullus at 3:11 PM on March 26, 2012
The last 3 songs on The Police's second album - Contact, Does Everyone Stare, and No Time This Time are very underrated.
posted by wittgenstein at 7:30 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by wittgenstein at 7:30 PM on March 26, 2012
This article about R.E.M. mentioned how severely underrated Binky the Doormat is, which I agree with. R.E.M. have a long history and a ton of buried gems. Pretty much all of the album Up qualifies, one example being Walk Unafraid.
posted by Kattullus at 1:44 PM on March 29, 2012
posted by Kattullus at 1:44 PM on March 29, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 8:29 AM on March 25, 2012