Favourite Lesser Known Songs

[Milkman]

I have several favourite songs by well-known artists that are definitely not their most well known songs. I also like their more widely known songs, but these are some of my absolute favourites:

Ophelia by the Band - killer arrangement, Levon's vocals just crushing it, and a fantastic horn section!

Gimme Some Water by Eddie Money - classic anti-hero song in that classic Eddie Money style

Be With You Awhile by Alice Cooper - one of his heartfelt ballads that's not sad or depressing, just declarative.

¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl) by Green Day - a sort of rocked up Broadway tragic musical kind of thing (make sure you listen to the one with Little Girl in the title)

I Don't Believe a Word by Motorhead - a powerful song written and delivered as only Lemmy could do.

Solar Angels by Judas Priest - the band experimenting and The Metal God at the height of his powers.

Blood Stained (Live) - Judas Priest - "new" singer Ripper Owens just knocking it out of the park.

Got any favourite songs by well-known artists that are not widely known?

[mickey]

This is one from the "folk boom" of the 1960's that I thought never got justice. When I was a teen I had the 45 of it.

[toomanycats]

Journey's song "Natural Thing" has long been a favorite of mine. It was an unreleased song from the recording of the Departure album. I never heard the song until around 1992 when I bought the boxed cassette compilation Journey Time3, on which it was included. It's that classic Journey sound, still clearly rooted in blues rock with Greg Rolie in the band, stellar production, and an amazing guitar solo by Neal Schon.






Prince's "Alexa De Paris" was the B side to the single "Mountains" From the album Parade. It is an instrumental piece that showcases Prince on lead guitar. Honestly, it's one of my favorite guitar pieces ever.

[glasshand]

Cool idea! I'm fond of:

"We Want the Airwaves" by the Ramones - the one everybody knows off this album is "The KKK Took My Baby Away", but I always loved this one for the ominous, spacy tone of its demand.

"To the Moon" by Leslie West - Everybody knows Leslie West for his work with Mountain, but "To the Moon" is a beautiful, melancholy song about wasted time and opportunities - and of course it still has a rocking bridge.

"You Burn Me Up I'm A Cigarette" by Robert Fripp - I always thought of Fripp as that snooty progressive guy. What's he doing cranking out some dirty blues rock?

"We're All In Love" by the New York Dolls - Yes, the Dolls were still alive and still full of attitude in 2006, and IMO time only improved their musical skills.

"I Walk on Guilded Splinters" by Sonny & Cher - I never thought I'd have a Sonny & Cher piece on heavy rotation, but damned if they don't do a really good job on some hard funk rock.

[sabasgr68]

Bad English "Pray for rain"

Bad English "Forget me not"

Foreigner "Two different worlds"

Foreigner "A love in vain"

Van Halen "Girl gone bad"

Stryper "Surrender"

Bon Jovi "River runs dry"

Bryan Adams "Native son"

Quiet Riot "Slick black Cadillac"

Air Supply "Sweet dreams"

Journey "Colors of the spirit"

Journey "One more"

Journey "Message of love"

Journey "Still she cries"

[toomanycats]

Bad English "Pray for rain"

Bad English "Forget me not"

Foreigner "Two different worlds"

Foreigner "A love in vain"

Van Halen "Girl gone bad"

Stryper "Surrender"

Bon Jovi "River runs dry"

Bryan Adams "Native son"

Quiet Riot "Slick black Cadillac"

Air Supply "Sweet dreams"

Journey "Colors of the spirit"

Journey "One more"

Journey "Message of love"

Journey "Still she cries"

There are so many great tunes on Journey’s Trial By Fire. For me that entire album is in the “lesser known favorites” category. What with Steve Perry’s health issues squashing what could have been a major comeback of the ESC4P3 era line-up, a lot of people don’t even know that record exists.

[Rollin Hand]

They re-recorded this (almost note for note) as "Big River" on their last studio album.

This one NEVER gets enough credit:



And I will fly the flag for this album to the end:

[sabasgr68]

Journey "Colors of the spirit"

Journey "One more"

Journey "Message of love"

Journey "Still she cries"

There are so many great tunes on Journey’s Trial By Fire. For me that entire album is in the “lesser known favorites” category. What with Steve Perry’s health issues squashing what could have been a major comeback of the ESC4P3 era line-up, a lot of people don’t even know that record exists.

Yes, that entire album is great, except maybe for a couple of songs. And also yes, not many people know about it; most people only know the song "When you love a woman". And another yes; that question will remain unanswered: what would have been Journey´s path if SP didn´t have any problem back then? The only answer is it went the way it went, and that´s about it. I enjoy many of the tracks of the Augeri era, as well as the Arnel era, although I must admit that I like older Journey music better, even before SP stepped in.

[honyock]

[tobijohn]

I'd have to think about it but one that immediately comes to mind is this one. You might recognize it if you were a Sopranos fan and if I had a cover band, it would be on the set list. Dave Davies had to be one of the most underrated guitarists out there:

[Raindog]

[Partscaster]

[url]



[url]

[nomadh]

A couple ufo I think most don't know

[tonebender]

[Lamf77]

From this month's gym "playlist".

[uwmcscott]

If we are sticking with lesser known songs by largely known artists, a few from my vault









OK, this one's a Cover but still a killer version

[jhull54]

Here's one from Eric Carmen's old band, Raspberries. Huge Who influence. Carmen actually described it as "my love letter to the Who".



Probably in my top 5 Kinks songs. Listen closely as the song winds up and you can hear Dave (or somebody) whooping and hollering in the background.



I think this was a single, but the interesting thing about it is that it's essentially a rewrite of "Roadrunner" by the Modern Lovers (IMO)--a song that the Pistols also covered, and were enamored with. Love the aggression of this track and what I believe was a multitracked, overdriven Fender Twin.

[Rollin Hand]

Thought of another one. Not a rocker, but I am a sucker for a good slow number.

Nuno did this with Dramagods, but Gary sings it better.