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SD100852
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- #1
- Posted: 06/20/2023 00:44
- Post subject: Good/great albums with one atrocious song on it
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I was thinking just now, are there that many albums that come to mind where they would be so much better if one song was taken out of the tracklist because it is so bad that it really sticks out like a sore thumb in comparison to the rest of the material on the record?
An LP I feel would have been improved if this had been done is Paul McCartney's 2018 album Egypt Station, which has maybe the worst song he's ever written (Fuh You) stuck in the middle of it. Not only is that track embarrassing, it feels so out of place alongside the other songs on the record and if it wasn't put on it I think the album would have been way more enjoyable to listen to from start to finish.
I'd love to also hear if any of you can also think of albums generally considered 'classic' that suffer from the same thing as this
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MadhattanJack
I mean, metal is okay, but...
Gender: Male
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- #2
- Posted: 06/20/2023 08:14
- Post subject: Re: Good/great albums with one atrocious song on it
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| SD100852 wrote: | | I was thinking just now, are there that many albums that come to mind where they would be so much better if one song was taken out of the tracklist because it is so bad that it really sticks out like a sore thumb in comparison to the rest of the material on the record? |
There are probably tons of albums that would be somewhat better if you removed one track, but making an album a lot better by doing that... that's a more challenging question, especially if the album is already considered "classic" to begin with.
Obviously once the CD Era got going, people would put terrible "bonus tracks" at the end of albums, probably just because that increased their mechanical royalties. I just mentioned that here recently regarding the bonus track on Beach House's Bloom album, but it's also true of "Endless, Nameless" from Nirvana's Nevermind and literally thousands of others. So I'd almost go so far as to say that if it's a bonus track at the end, or just a bad track at the end ("bonus" or not), it shouldn't even count because you can just stop the record at that point. For example, there's a song called "Wafflehead" at the end of Respect by Robyn Hitchcock And The Egyptians that qualifies in that regard — it's not listed as a bonus track, and it's probably their second-best album, or at least it would be without that one track.
Another one I always skip that isn't at the tail end of the album is "No Twilight Within The Courts Of The Sun" by Steven Wilson, from his Insurgentes album, which is otherwise really good. Also, I usually skip "Lover's Rock" on The Clash's London Calling, but that's not the only track I tend to skip on that one if I'm being honest. Sometimes I'll even skip Bowie's version of "Let's Spend the Night Together" on Aladdin Sane... I only mention that because that album is in my all-time Top Ten, so this isn't limited just to albums I consider to be less than stellar.
Let's see, what else... a good way to start arguments among Cure fans is to mention "Club America" from Wild Mood Swings, since some of them say it ruins the album and WMS would be one of their favorites if not for that. And you can sometimes start an argument among Ramones fans by mentioning their version of "Baby I Love You" on End Of The Century. There's also "Thorn of Crowns" from Echo & the Bunnymen's Ocean Rain album. Some people like it, some people hate it, though I guess there aren't many people who think it ruins the album.
And speaking of Paul McCartney, McCartney (which I think was his first solo LP) would probably be a lot better without "Oo You" on it.
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RockyRaccoon
Is it solipsistic in here or is it just me?
Gender: Male
Age: 33
Location: Maryland
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- #3
- Posted: 06/21/2023 01:32
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The most obvious example to me is Rubber Soul, which is a phenomenal album that features the worst song the Beatles ever wrote (Run For Your Life)
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Fischman
RockMonster, JazzMeister, Bluesboy,ClassicalMaster
Gender: Male
Location: Land of Enchantment
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- #4
- Posted: 06/21/2023 01:33
- Post subject:
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| RockyRaccoon wrote: | | The most obvious example to me is Rubber Soul, which is a phenomenal album that features the worst song the Beatles ever wrote (Run For Your Life) |
Concur.
I'ma' add Revolver (Yellow Submarine)
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MadhattanJack
I mean, metal is okay, but...
Gender: Male
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- #5
- Posted: 06/21/2023 04:50
- Post subject:
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| RockyRaccoon wrote: | | The most obvious example to me is Rubber Soul, which is a phenomenal album that features the worst song the Beatles ever wrote (Run For Your Life) |
I guess I'm with you on that one, but again, it's the last track on the LP — very easy to skip without losing continuity if you have any sort of remote control device available, assuming you're not listening to your own MP3s and just want to end it on the previous track for good. Same with "Everybody's Tryin' to Be My Baby" on Beatles For Sale, which I've never especially liked.
And honestly, I know some people might call for my head for suggesting this, but personally I think it would be an even better and more impactful move to delete "With You Without You" from Sgt. Pepper.
Oh, and I remembered another one involving one of my own personal fave albums — that would be to remove "Ambitious" from Wire's The Ideal Copy.
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melisandre
Location: the swamp
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- #6
- Posted: 06/21/2023 19:18
- Post subject:
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Marvin Gaye - Save the Children (What’s Going On?)
Carole King - Tapestry (Tapestry)
Bob Dylan - I shall be free No. 10 (Another Side of Bob Dylan)
Personally, I’m keeping Yellow Submarine, Within you or without you and Run for Your Life. Can’t think of a Beatles song I’d honestly ditch  Mebbe Taste of Honey from the first album?
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CharlieBarley
Gender: Male
Age: 48
Location: Mount Olympus
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- #7
- Posted: 06/21/2023 21:16
- Post subject:
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For me it's got to be Maxwell's Silver Hammer off the Beatles Abbey Road album. I don't like it much. I'm a Paul McCartney fan but I don't like this song anymore. It almost ruins Abbey Road for me. Especially when he laughs at his own jokes in the song. Sorry if that sounds a bit harsh. He's a talented songwriter. I wish he could have come up with something else.
Concur with hating Run For Your Life, from Rubber Soul. Chauvinistic twaddle from Mr Lennon. And I don't like their song Mr Moonlight.
But I love Within You Without You.
And I HATE the whistle on the song Highway 61 Revisited from the album of the same name by Bob Dylan. I find that whistle sound so annoying it almost ruins the whole album for me. It's got great lyrics, and it is a good song, but I wish Sir Bob had taken the whistle out! It annoys me every time I hear it.
Another song that ruins a whole otherwise great album, for me, is the song 'In The Flesh,' from near the end of Pink Floyd's The Wall album. I know Roger Waters is supposed to be in character, as a mad person with fascist delusions, but it still rankles with me every time I hear it. Spoils the album for me.
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