OK, I blew it. This actually was released as a single; it just wasn’t a hit.
Don’t you mean In the Garden of Eden by I. Ron Butterfly?
Long Distance - The Kinks. It’s such a deep cut, it wasn’t even on the vinyl release of State of Confusion. It appeared only on the cassette version.
Living on a Thin Line - The Kinks. While a big hit on FM radio, it was never released as a single because (according to songwriter Dave Davies) the deal with the record company mandated that the first 3 singles of any album be Ray Davies compositions.
*On Top of the World * - Cheap Trick, from Heaven Tonight. Heck, most of that album could have been released singles
For a recent example, I don’t know why Lady Gaga didn’t release “Hair” as a single. It was the best song on born This Way.
And here I am wondering why Ray and Dave continue to fight 
Fight my ignorance here: In the digital age, what released tracks aren’t available as singles? If an album is available on iTunes, you get to select which track or tracks you want to purchase, so “released as a single” doesn’t really mean anything anymore.
Very true.
[QUOTE=Nine to the Sky]
Very true.
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I think there’s still the factor of radio airplay in determining what track is a single and what isn’t. Even if all the tracks off a new album can be purchased individually, the record companies and programmers often limit the number of tracks radio stations can play off an album.
Does anyone have a cite for this? I’m skeptical, partly because the first single from their next album (which was, admittedly, on a different label) was by Dave.
What a good call ! I had forgotten about that tune; thanks for the reminder. Damn, that song rocks!
Speaking of Elton (in the OP), Almost any of the songs on* Capt. Fantastic…* are better than the hit from that album. My vote would be for “Tell Me When the Whistle Blows”. Rock with a bluesy back-beat and catchy lyrics.
It was in Dave’s book Kink: An Autobiography. I don’t have my copy available, so I can’t give you a page number or the exact quote. Maybe releasing “Rock and Roll Cities” as the lead single for the first MCA album was sort of a make-up, when Ray realized just how much of a fan favorite “Living on a Thin Line” was.