Here’s a challenge. Come up with an album where one song is really super famous, but another song on the album is better. To make it a little more interesting, the really famous song must be really good, too. No naming some shitty song that somehow hit the top of the charts; that’s too easy.
I’ll go first. The most famous song on Led Zeppelin IV is, of course, “Stairway to Heaven.” However, “When The Levee Breaks” is just an absolutely sick song. That song is the best on the album.
Born In the USA
The title track and Dancing in the Dark were the big hits (along with Glory Days) but the best tracks are No Surrender and My Hometown. Depth beats hooks any day.
Born In the USA was totally misunderstood (by idiots) and Dancing… is light-weight fluff. Glory Days has some interesting reflections, but never goes anywhere (much like the protagonists.) No Surrender just screams the power of friendship and connection and if you can listen to My Hometown without a twinge you aren’t human.
I Write Sins, Not Tragedies is probably the worst song off of A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out by Panic! at the Disco, but nowadays I only skip over it because I’ve heard it so much, not because it is a horrible song. It was good enough to get me into them when I first heard it on the radio.
Aerosmith
Mama Kin is better than Dream On.
Back In The Saddle is MUCH better than the single Last Child.
Renaissance. The only song they did that can remotely be called a “hit” was Northern Lights. Day of the Dreamer from the same album is far superior, especially if you listen to one of the BBC Live recordings.
Any other song off Revolver is better than Yellow Submarine.
Play With Fire is better than Satisfaction.
Visions of Johanna is better than Rainy Day Women #12 and 35.
Coming Back to Me is better than White Rabbit.
May This Be Love is better than Purple Haze.
etc. etc. ad infinitum…
Joan Osbourne is known for only one song, “One of Us.” It appeared on Relish, and every other song on the album is better. “St. Teresa” and “Spider Web” are absolute dynamite.
“Brown Sugar” was the hit single from “Sticky Fingers” and is an iconic Stones song, but not the best song on the album by far. “Wild Horses”, “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking”, “Sway”, “Dead Flowers”, “Sister Morphine” and “Moonlight Mile” are all better. Btw, that’s my favorite album of all time.
“Lola” is a great song, but I think “Apeman” and “Strangers” are better.
“Sunshine of your Love” is also fine, but I like “SWLABR” more.
Cornerstone by Styx… Babe was number 1. They wanted to release First Time, but apparently Tommy Shaw threatened to quit if they did. He didn’t want a second ballad. Personally, I think First Time is a better song.
Note: I prefer the Styx rock songs to their ballads, but the album didn’t have a standout rocker (to me).
Similarly, “Sunny Afternoon” on “Face To Face” is a great song, but I like “Too Much On My Mind” even better.
“Luka” was the song in heavy rotation from Suzanne Vega’s Solitude Standing album, hitting #3 on Billboard’s Hot 100, but every other song on the album is better.
Fragile by Yes. Everyone knows “Roundabout,” and to a lesser extent “Long Distance Runaround.” The two stand-out tracks, though, are “South Side of the Sky” and “Heart of the Sunrise.”
I think a lot of Rush albums fall into this category. A few examples:
A Farewell to Kings: the big hit was “Closer to the Heart.” “Cygnus X-1” and “Xanadu” are far better.
Permanent Waves: “Spirit of Radio” is the hit, “Natural Science” is the way-more-awesome track.
Moving Pictures: “Tom Sawyer” vs. “YYZ” and “The Camera Eye.”
Didn’t we just do this a few months ago?
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is the most famous song from Queen’s “A Night At The Opera”.
“The Prophet’s Song” is by far the best song on the album
“Brass in Pocket” is by far the best known song on the Pretenders’ debut.
It’s great, but at most it’s the 7th best song on the album. “The Wait”, “Precious”, “Tattooed Loved Boys”, “Mystery Achievement”, “Stop Your Sobbing” and “Kid” are all better. Just shows what a damn great album that was.
ELP’s first and third albums. All of the other tracks were far superior to Greg Lake’s insipid ballads that always got the airplay.
The better-known songs off Combat Rock are either Rock The Casbah or Should I Stay or Should I Go, I’d say. But Straight To Hell is the masterwork.
The Yes Album. All Good People seems to be the one everybody knows, but Starship Trooper is the Best Song In The World
I’d also add “'39,” “Good Company,” and “You’re My Best Friend.”