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Thread: Songs you love, by acts you don't

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    Songs you love, by acts you don't

    This thread is sort of the other side of the coin to the "Prog songs you don't like" thread. Are there any acts that you generally don't care for, but they have just a handful of songs, maybe just one, that you really dig?

    Doesn't have to be prog, but it can be.

    My examples:

    The Rolling Stones - Ruby Tuesday is simply glorious, but almost everything they have done since then bores the pants off me.

    Wham! - Everything She Wants.. I couldn't stand them, but when I heard this song I thought "Is that Wham!?" Of course it was basically a George Michael solo effort, and I have got to like George quite a lot as a solo artist.

    Neil Sedaka - Wheeling West Virginia. this guy was the quintessential "la la la" early 60s pop singer, but this song has none of that.



    Yours?
    Last edited by bob_32_116; 05-08-2014 at 02:02 PM.

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    Member Cuz's Avatar
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    Off the top of my head:

    Dire Straits - The Sultans of Swing.
    I know people love this band, and I know Mark Knopfler is a great guitar player. But I find them (and him) boring. But I love this song.

    Bon Jovi - Runaway
    I actively dislike Jon Bon Jovi and his crappy music, but I really really like this song. Especially at the end when he goes into the falsetto. This is actually embarassing.

    I just realized that both songs are the songs that broke each artist. I'm sure I can think of loads more.

  3. #3
    I won't go as far as saying I love these, but they aren't bad compared to the rest of their output.


    Love is Like Oxygen - The Sweet

    Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
    And if there were a god, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence - Russell

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    Just thought of another one:

    Kiss - Shandi

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    Member Mikhael's Avatar
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    Rolling Stones - "Waiting on a Friend" It just seemed to express a great sentiment. Not anything earth-shattering, but somehow a bit wistful.

    I'm sure a few more will come to me, but that one was first.
    Gnish-gnosh borble wiff, shlauuffin oople tirk.

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    Geriatric Anomaly progeezer's Avatar
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    Born To Run -Jersey Boy
    One Fine Morning - Lighthouse
    The Wind - Circus Maximus
    Requiem For The Masses - The Association (although I do give them props for writing some very good pop songs)
    Lady D'Arbanville - Cat Islam
    "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician, and to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference"

    President Harry S. Truman

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    Neil Sedaka's early-mid 70s stuff isn't like his jolly late 50s/early 60s pop tunes. I can't say he has my favourite voice of all time- too much vibrato- but he could definitely write a tune. Try 'The Immigrant' (I believe written about John Lennon's struggles with the US authorities at the time), 'Going Nowhere', 'The Hungry Years'...

    I can't say I care for Duran Duran...with one exception, 'The Chauffeur', a very oddball, slightly creepy tune. As for George Michael, not really my thing either but I do think 'Careless Whisper' was well done. Also The Pet Shop Boys, I liked 'West End Girls'.

    Grand Funk Railroad seem pretty neanderthal most of the time to me, but I quite like 'I'm Your Captain/Closer To Home'.

  8. #8
    Don't ask me why, Anyway - Billy Joel
    Oh Father, Live to Tell, This used to be my Playground - Madonna
    Today's the Day - Aimee Mann
    Another Day, Every Night, Uncle Albert - Paul McCartney
    "She said you are the air I breathe
    The life I love, the dream I weave."


    Unevensong - Camel

  9. #9
    Turn The Page, but don't like Bob Seeger
    NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE GROUPS!

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    Member beano's Avatar
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    Angry Eyes(Long Version) - Loggins & Messina
    Stranglehold-Ted Nugent
    Marquee Moon- Television
    I'm sure I have others..

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    Far too many to list, but these spring to mind as XLNT toons by bands I don't listen to:


    Rolling Stones - Paint it Black
    Talking Heads - Psycho Killer
    The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again
    Boston - More Than a Feeling
    Oasis - Wonderwall
    Muse - Knitghts of Cydonia
    Soft Machine - 10.30 Returns to the Bedroom
    Radiohead - Creep
    Green Day - Basket Case
    Ramones - Pet Sematary [sic]
    Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues
    Caravan - Winter Wine
    Dream Theater - Fortune of Lies
    Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
    Last edited by PeterG; 05-08-2014 at 07:22 PM.

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    Member WytchCrypt's Avatar
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    I have a few where I love one song but can't find anything else about the band to even bother with...

    Status Quo - Pictures of Matchstick Men
    Uriah Heep - Bird of Prey
    Wang Chung - Dance Hall Days
    Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf
    Bad Company - Bad Company (sorry Boz)
    Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4
    Culture Club - The War Song
    Def Leppard - Rock of Ages
    Neil Diamond - Solitary Man
    The 5th Dimension - Wedding Bell Blues
    Fleetwood Mac - Hold Me
    Grand Funk Railroad - American Band
    Humble Pie - 30 Days in the Hole
    Billy Idol - White Wedding
    Greg Kihn Band - The Breakup Song
    Madonna - Material Girl (love the bass walkdown on the outro)
    The Mama's and the Papa's - Creeque Alley
    Mountain - Mississippi Queen
    Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Waiting
    Rainbow - Can't Happen Here
    Simple Minds - Don't You Forget About Me
    The Small Faces - Itcycoo Park
    Check out my solo project prog band, Mutiny in Jonestown at https://mutinyinjonestown.bandcamp.com/

    Check out my solo project progressive doom metal band, WytchCrypt at https://wytchcrypt.bandcamp.com/


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    Quote Originally Posted by WytchCrypt View Post

    Status Quo - Pictures of Matchstick Men
    Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4
    yea, those 2 would be on my list as well.


    As for Uriah Heep, that is way too early, try some of the stuff on the later classic albums.

  14. #14
    I'll add -

    I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)- Grand Funk Railroad

    Uncle John's Band - Grateful Dead

    This is a big one, as I really despise the Dead, but I really like this song.
    And if there were a god, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence - Russell

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    Interesting that someone mentioned Creep by Radiohead, because my feeling is the reverse.

    It's the only RH song that ever got significant radio airplay here, and I always hated it, so much so that for years it prevented me from exploring anything else they did. (I eventually picked up The Bends and OK Computer). It doesn't help that the middle section of Creep contains a melody nicked from The Air That I Breathe by The Hollies.

  16. #16
    Eagles: Journey Of The Sorcerer
    Elton John: the entire Madman Across The Water album
    Bob Seger: the entire Ramblin' Gamblin' Man album (which he reportedly has kept out of print since the mid 90's)
    Billy Joel: She's Right On Time, Scandinavian Skies, and Goodnight Saigon (of course there's also the Atila album...)
    Backstreet Boys: The One (no, I'm not joking, ask my friend Terri, she's heard me sing the song in the car)
    Kenny Rogers & The First Edition: Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Was In (actually, they had quite a few good songs, especially on the later records)
    Radiohead: Creep (you ever hear a song that sounds like the guy is singing about you? That's what Creep was for me)

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by bob_32_116 View Post
    Just thought of another one:

    Kiss - Shandi
    I don't know which would be sadder: Shandi being the only "Kiss song" (it's a Paul Stanley solo track, he's even admitted it), or Music From The Elder being the only Kiss record you like.

    Dammit, Shandi's not even the best song on Unmasked (in fact it's the worst).

  18. #18
    Member Vic2012's Avatar
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    Not sure of the exact title of the song, but it was a huge hit by Def Lepperd (or however it's spelt):

    Fa Fa Fa Foolin'........

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Vic2012 View Post
    Not sure of the exact title of the song, but it was a huge hit by Def Lepperd (or however it's spelt):

    Fa Fa Fa Foolin'........
    The song is called Foolin'. Good song, my favorite track on that album, though, is still Stagefright.

  20. #20
    Don't let your meatloaf! Paulie's Avatar
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    Freedom 90 - George Michael. Yup. Great tune.
    "That gum you like is going to come back in style."

  21. #21
    Lots of Genesis songs. Never really liked the band though or rated the individuals!

    Hackett & Gabriel excluded!!!

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    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bob_32_116 View Post
    The Rolling Stones - Ruby Tuesday
    Quote Originally Posted by Mikhael View Post
    Rolling Stones - "Waiting on a Friend"
    Quote Originally Posted by PeterG View Post
    Rolling Stones - Paint it Black
    I never thought much of them as a band, but they used to write some good tunes, didn't they?! Of course, that was a long time ago.

    My two entries du jour:

    Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun
    Coldplay - Fix You

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    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by progeezer View Post
    Born To Run -Jersey Boy
    This got me thinking about Ontario Boy and his Run To You... only thing I like from BA


    Quote Originally Posted by No Pride View Post
    I never thought much of them as a band, but they used to write some good tunes, didn't they?! Of course, that was a long time ago.
    Though never much an album band in ly eyes (I only own three compilations), The Stones were a classic band of mine up to and including Some Girls... many excellent tunes...
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

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    Member davis's Avatar
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    Barry Manilow - Copacabana
    PiL - Albatross

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    Member rcarlberg's Avatar
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    Great vibe on this song, almost sounds like Camel to me. I love the way the lyrics are all different lengths. The rest of the album is meh.
    Last edited by rcarlberg; 05-09-2014 at 12:44 PM.

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