This one came up on Twitter a few days ago: Which song do you love by an artist you otherwise can’t stand?
If you stop and think about it, it’s easier said than done. I’ll bet that for most bands where there’s just a single song you love, you don’t know their back catalogue well enough to know if there are other things lurking amongst the deep cuts and B-sides that you might also love just as much as that one song. For example, nothing else I’ve heard by System of a Down has sounded remotely as good as “Chop Suey“. But I really don’t know their body of work that well.
But I can still think of a couple of bands where there’s a single great song, but I could quite happily live without the rest of their catalogue.
First, “Back on the Road Again” by REO Speedwagon. The reason for this one is quite simple, it’s because Kevin Cronin doesn’t sing lead, bassist Bruce Hall taking over the microphone. For a band known for overproduced power-ballads, it’s also one of the relatively few times they rocked out. Combine those two factors and nothing else they’ve ever done comes close.
Then of course there’s The Clash’s “London Calling”. Yes, it’s their biggest hit, so overexposed that at least one Clash fan I’ve spoken to cannot stand it any more. But it’s still a great rock anthem, and the album of the same title is mostly filler (the one other good track is a cover) The preceding “Give ‘Em Enough Rope”, despite a fantastic guitar sound and one or two purloined Blue Öyster Cult riffs suffers from a complete lack of memorable songs, so it’s pretty clear that, one song aside, The Clash’s music is not for me.
So what songs do you love, from artists where the rest of the work does little for you?
I really can’t stand Pearl Jam, due to my Brother playing them to death back in the 90′s, but the exception to that was ‘Alive’ from their album,’ Ten,’ from 1991.
Faith No More – Epic
The Pixies – Where is My Mind?
I guess I fall into the London Calling camp as well, but I’ve never really listened to any of their other stuff, so I don’t know.
This was really difficult. As you say, not knowing an artist’s back catalogue well enough means having to rely on what singles you may have heard, and the chances are for an artist you’re not into there’s not going to be one of those which is head and shoulders above the rest.
But here goes.
I once bought a Nazareth greatest hits album on the strength of “This Flight Tonight” and realised I didn’t particularly care for the rest of their stuff.
I think though the thing which most fits the bill of your query is the Beach Boys’ Good Vibrations. Not that I’ve got anything against their other stuff, they’re just bland pop songs which don’t do anything for me, but that theremin – it gave me goosebumps when I heard it as a youngster.
Incidentally, as an ex Clash fan (I consider myself to be so no longer) I always hated London Calling. Give ‘Em Enough Rope has actually always been my favourite album of theirs.