Sort of a follow up to Chatsworth Steve Gross's "Signature Song" thread...
In this list we are asking for personal favorite tunes here; the only requirement is that it be a song that you think would've or should've been a hit, had it only been released as a single A-side (forgotten B-sides can be nominated) or received radio airplay...
And instead of limiting to one song per act, I would limit this one to one song per album... The tough ones would be artists like Phil Ochs where the catchiest, most commercially viable tune did get singles releases to no avail ("Cross My Heart", "Miranda" and "(Outside a) Small Circle Of Friends")... And Lani Hall comes to mind here as well.
I'll start with just a few off the top of my head...
Herb Alpert & the TJB "Treasure of San Miguel" (from Sounds Like) This one has always just been screaming to be used in one of my student films. It was a B-side to "Miss Frenchy Brown" (IIRC). Being a Roger Nichols tune one has to wonder if this has lyrics...
(Mr Bill has generously opted to not nominate another fave, "The Sea Is My Soil," to allow Montana Mike to sing its praises here later). No need to thank me, Mike!
Have at it!
Baja Marimba Band "Big Red" (from Those Were The Days) Though TV viewers throught out southern California heard this song many times as the them to "The Ben Hunter Show" on KTTV Channel 11 and it was the B-side to a single relase of "Peru '68" I'm mystified this drummer Frank Devito penned tune did not get treated as the A-side. One of the most fun, catchy and easily hummable BMB numbers! And is that an ocarina instead of a flute that Bernie Fleischer is playing?
Payola$ "Some Old Song" (from No Stranger to Danger) Why A&M opted to make a single and push the songs that sequentially appear before and after this catchy riff-laden rock anthem has always been a mystery to me. Comes complete with R&R groupie phone call at the bridge ("Hello, is Johnny there?"). If this were a single or had airplay Payola$ would be a household name band today!
Suburban Lawns "Mom & Dad & God" (from Suburban Lawns (I.R.S.)) While I.R.S. is likely not to blame for this marketing error -- the single that was released came not from I.R.S. but on the Lawns' own Suburban Industrial Records -- choosing to put the quirky "Janitor" b/w the lethargic "Protection" out as a single was no way to get airplay. Even though there was a cult video made for "Janitor" having the song on an indy label maede it a tougher sell than if it were actually on I.R.S. (The Go-Go's were just beginning their meteoric 8-month crawl as I.R.S.'s first charting, first gold and first platinum artist to climb to the top of the charts as the Lawns debuted). "Mom & Dad & God" (or even "Flying Saucer Safari") would've been commercially more viable and could've easily landed the Lawns in the same pop niche as Devo, Gary Numan or the Flying Lizards...
--Mr Bill
certain I will think of more later
In this list we are asking for personal favorite tunes here; the only requirement is that it be a song that you think would've or should've been a hit, had it only been released as a single A-side (forgotten B-sides can be nominated) or received radio airplay...
And instead of limiting to one song per act, I would limit this one to one song per album... The tough ones would be artists like Phil Ochs where the catchiest, most commercially viable tune did get singles releases to no avail ("Cross My Heart", "Miranda" and "(Outside a) Small Circle Of Friends")... And Lani Hall comes to mind here as well.
I'll start with just a few off the top of my head...
Herb Alpert & the TJB "Treasure of San Miguel" (from Sounds Like) This one has always just been screaming to be used in one of my student films. It was a B-side to "Miss Frenchy Brown" (IIRC). Being a Roger Nichols tune one has to wonder if this has lyrics...
(Mr Bill has generously opted to not nominate another fave, "The Sea Is My Soil," to allow Montana Mike to sing its praises here later). No need to thank me, Mike!
Have at it!Baja Marimba Band "Big Red" (from Those Were The Days) Though TV viewers throught out southern California heard this song many times as the them to "The Ben Hunter Show" on KTTV Channel 11 and it was the B-side to a single relase of "Peru '68" I'm mystified this drummer Frank Devito penned tune did not get treated as the A-side. One of the most fun, catchy and easily hummable BMB numbers! And is that an ocarina instead of a flute that Bernie Fleischer is playing?
Payola$ "Some Old Song" (from No Stranger to Danger) Why A&M opted to make a single and push the songs that sequentially appear before and after this catchy riff-laden rock anthem has always been a mystery to me. Comes complete with R&R groupie phone call at the bridge ("Hello, is Johnny there?"). If this were a single or had airplay Payola$ would be a household name band today!
Suburban Lawns "Mom & Dad & God" (from Suburban Lawns (I.R.S.)) While I.R.S. is likely not to blame for this marketing error -- the single that was released came not from I.R.S. but on the Lawns' own Suburban Industrial Records -- choosing to put the quirky "Janitor" b/w the lethargic "Protection" out as a single was no way to get airplay. Even though there was a cult video made for "Janitor" having the song on an indy label maede it a tougher sell than if it were actually on I.R.S. (The Go-Go's were just beginning their meteoric 8-month crawl as I.R.S.'s first charting, first gold and first platinum artist to climb to the top of the charts as the Lawns debuted). "Mom & Dad & God" (or even "Flying Saucer Safari") would've been commercially more viable and could've easily landed the Lawns in the same pop niche as Devo, Gary Numan or the Flying Lizards...
--Mr Bill
certain I will think of more later
I remember the choice was between this song and one other from the Carpenters album (which I don't recall the title of).
piece!
Matt Clark Sanford, MI
) 
, was Chock-Full o' Songs that should'a been Big Hits!! 
