Lesser known songs from well known albums

[Liam]

Second topic in a minute, but again, stemming from a conversation I had the other day. Basically, you get all your 'classic' albums, and the 'classic' song choices off of them, but my favourites off of several of these kinda albums always tend to be ones that go largely ignored. From 'Nevermind', my favourite song is probably 'Lounge Act', which I never hear brought up when mentioning the album, and with 'Automatic For The People' being one of my favourite albums of all time, my actual favourite songs are 'Try Not To Breathe', followed by 'Sweetness Follows', rather than the more obvious 'Everybody Hurts' or 'Man On The Moon'.

So yeah, well known albums where your favourite songs aren't necessarily the 'obvious' choices?

A couple more would probably include 'Hate To Feel' being my favourite song from AIC's 'Dirt', and although not classic/well known as such, 'Metaphor' by In Flames being one of my favourite songs off of 'Re-route To Remain', considering everyone slaughters it because of the slower, ballady nature of it, and the fact it has violins >_>

[ONO]

Sunday Morning Call on one of the Oasis albums.

Edited December 4, 2008 by ONO

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I'm guessing "Going Away To College" by Blink 182 from the Enema Of The State album isn't generally touted as one of the big releases off it but for me it's the best thing they've ever done.

[Emperor Fuckshit]

Haha, my first thought upon seeing this thread title was of 'Lounge Act', which is my favourite song off 'Nevermind' too. It's just a perfect, short little blast that perfectly encapsulates the sound of the album as a whole. And I much prefer Cobain's screamed vocals (which are in full effect here, especially for the last chorus) to his meandering introspections on songs like 'Lithium'. The lyrics are good (although I do like Nirvana lyrics generally; which is often divisive). I think I'm generally a sucker for the 'quiet/LOUD/quiet' style of songwriting of which 'Lounge Act' is a pretty good example. The intro riff is good as well -- not 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' or 'Come as You are' good, obviously -- but it doesn't need to be. I think 'Lounge Act' just works perfectly for what it is, and has none of the stadium-ish excesses of 'Smells...' or lyrical annoyances and dead-weight patches that feature in 'Come as You are' (the two songs generally seen, along with 'Lithium', as the 'class' of the album).

From 'London Calling', I much prefer 'Spanish Bombs' to the title track. Then again, there are quite a few better songs than LC on the album ('Hateful', 'Jimmy Jazz', 'Rudie Can't Fail'). I think 'Spanish Bombs' is the best, though, and is one of the songs that belies the 'The Clash had no sense of melody' fallacy. It's just a really nice little song that could work as an acoustic folk number. The two guitar tracks work well together, the vocal melody is really excellent (particularly during the chorus), the lyrics are nice. Just an exceptionally lovely song.

I'm struggling now because there aren't many 'classic' bands that I listen to much, really. I'd take 'Several Girls Galore' over a lot of the stuff on 'Isn't Anything', and that song doesn't usually get live airings these days. MBV aren't really a band who trade on 'classic' songs, though. If they're known for any individual track, it might be 'You Made Me Realise', and I could argue that 'Drive it all Over Me' or 'Thorn' are better from that EP. But, really, they're too stylistically different to bother making the comparison. 'YMMR' is the messy, heavy feedback-y track; 'Drive it...' is Bilinda being all ethereal and gorgeous; 'Thorn' is a fairly orthodox 'Indie' track done exceptionally well. The confluence of those three songs is what makes the E.P. great.

Kind of a minor one, but I'd take 'Books About UFOs' easily over any of the 'famous' (relatively speaking) songs from 'New Day Rising' (I'm thinking mostly of the title track and '59 Times the Pain'). I prefer Hart's song-writing to Mould's generally, and the awesome little piano counter-melody on 'Books' gives it an almost 60s garage sort of feel, which is remarkable considering they were still pretty much in their 'melodic hardcore' phase at that point. Hart is a much better vocalist than Mould too, which helps.

I'd like to argue that 'Hangin' Round' is the best song from 'Transformer' but... it isn't, really.

Oooh, that reminds me, though -- 'Chelsea Girls', the title track from the Nico album (sort of), and the song that takes its name from an Andy Warhol film, is the worst song on that album. The lyrics are dreadful, it has a horrible faux-tragedic tone that involves Nico doing some really hammy vocals. The melody isn't memorable. It's the only song I skip when listening to the album.

Minor notes: 'The Other Side of Mount Heart Attack' is beautiful, and possibly the best song from 'Drum is not Dead', and never got a single release. And 'Wannabe Gangster' is the BEST SONG Wheatus ever did, and was only released as the third single and in a heavily edited form compared to the album version. Both of those examples are probably cases where songs get singled out as good, but too divergent from a band's overall style to be worth 'pushing'. (That's the only time you'll hear someone make an argument using Liars and Wheatus as the two supporting examples.)

Edited December 4, 2008 by Emperor Fuckshit

[Clawson]

Sunday Morning Call on one of the Oasis albums.

Standing On The Shoulder of Giants. Pretty shit album.

And My Big Mouth off of Be Here Now is probably a Top 5 Oasis song easily. But nobody knows it.

[Quom]

We're Going to be Friends by The White Stripes off White Blood Cells. Although it's picked up a bit due to the Jack Johnson cover. Was easily the best song off the album (well their best song period in all honesty).

[John Stones' Paint Trophy]

Martha, My Dear is the best song on the White Album. I'd plump with Michelle from Rubber Soul but I think that's pretty well-known.

[probablyoliver]

"In The Garage" from Weezer's self-titled blue album. Although I think any song could be put here from that album, as they're all glorious. "Surf Wax America" and "Undone, The Sweater Song" from it too. I mean, I love "Buddy Holly", "Say It Ain't So" and "My Name Is Jonas", but the rest of the album is wonderful too!

[Tarheels.]

"In The Garage" from Weezer's self-titled blue album. Although I think any song could be put here from that album, as they're all glorious. "Surf Wax America" and "Undone, The Sweater Song" from it too. I mean, I love "Buddy Holly", "Say It Ain't So" and "My Name Is Jonas", but the rest of the album is wonderful too!

And Only In Dreams.

[probablyoliver]

Only In Dreams is wonderful. Seriously, Blue Album's probably one of my favourite albums ever, and I'm not even a huge Weezer fan.

[Evil Chase K]

Disposable Heroes and Leper Messiah off of Master Of Puppets

[Drake Smashem]

A lot from the London Calling album. Hateful, Rudie Can't Fail, and Lost in the Supermarket. Most people just know the title track and possibly Revolution Rock or Brand New Cadillac.

[Farmer Reil]

Nobody seems to like the later System of a Down albums much, and of those that do, every time I hear 'Hypnotize' mentioned, it's always for 'Attack', 'Soldier Side' or the title track. Sometimes Vicinity of Obscenity gets a very worthy mention, but very rarely does anyone notice that Holy Mountains is possibly the best song ever. It's like Hypnotise is the silt on the river bed of SOAD albums, and amongst it nobody notices the One Ring just lying there waiting to be taken

I also happen to like Jet Pilot more than the obvious ones from Toxicity, but that's not terribly rare.

The Angel And The Gambler is my favourite off Iron Maiden's Virtual XI album (as opposed to The Clansman, When Two Worlds Collide or Como Estais Amigos). And the best song on Countdown to Extinction isn't Symphony, or the title track, or even Sweating Bullets. It's High Speed Dirt damnit, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Edit: Oooh, ooh. Love On The Rocks With No Ice by The Darkness is another good example. Black Shuck too, but not so much because I probably prefer the 'big' songs to it, despite it being good. But LOTRWNI definately.

Edited December 5, 2008 by Farmer Reil

[tristy]

"Ruiner" and "The Becoming" from "The Downward Spiral".

As a whole, "The Fragile" album doesn't get a ton of love from anyone besides diehard NIN fans. It's mainly "that album with Starfuckers". The instrumentals are awesome, and it has a song that's produced by Dr. Dre. C'mon. Nine Inch Nails & Dr. Dre, dude!

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

I'm in the same camp as Liam in that my favourite 'Automatic For The People' track is one of the more obscure ones...but in my case it's Ignoreland.

Also, my favourite track from R.E.M.'s 'Monster' album is You, oddly.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Rudie Can't Fail is The Clash's best song, let alone off the London Calling album. (Y)

[METALMAN]

I never say that QFT thing but I suppose that calls for it.

QFT.

Edited December 5, 2008 by metalman

[Keith Kannon]

I know it was mentioned by the topic starter and then again by someone else but when I saw the thread title Lounge Act of Nevermind was the first song that came into my head. I think the entire albums good. Breed, Stay Away and Drain You are also great tracks off that album besides the obvious ones.

[Dr. Rated-R]

"I've Just Seen A Face" is my favorite Beatles song.

It's from "Help" which, admittedly, isn't their biggest release, but it's still nowhere near as well known as the titular track, "Yesterday", or "Ticket To Ride".

[Jimmy]

'In My Arms' By Snow Patrol. I'll probably think of quite a few later. 'Till I Collapse' Off Eminem's Third Album was damn catchy. As I said I'm sure I'll think of some more soon.

Edited December 5, 2008 by Split Second