# Favourite obscure rock songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 25, 2013, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337 "2013-05-25T19:50:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/21 "2013-05-26T14:34:53Z")
OP here. Thanks for all the responses so far. 🙂 And thanks for providing so many YouTube links so I can find the songs easily. Keep 'em coming. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/22 "2013-05-26T15:37:38Z")
My “favorite song that no one has heard” is [_What Goes On_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxq63cYIY1c) by **The Velvet Underground**. I love the way it progresses. It starts off somewhat benign, and then the keyboards come in. An ear-bleeding guitar solo takes it over the top. Pure joy. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/23 "2013-05-26T15:41:34Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > My “favorite song that no one has heard” is [_What Goes On_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxq63cYIY1c) by **The Velvet Underground**. I love the way it progresses. It starts off somewhat benign, and then the keyboards come in. An ear-bleeding guitar solo takes it over the top. Pure joy. Awesome. Have you heard the version on the “1969” live album? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kym3xgrEISA/hqdefault.jpg "The Velvet Underground - What goes on (1969)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kym3xgrEISA) Lou and Doug probably had wrist injuries after that ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/24 "2013-05-26T15:44:48Z")
They’re probably not “obscure”, but some years ago I had a cassette tape of ‘hits of the 80’s’ and three songs were brand new to me. “The Politics of Dancing” by Re-Flex, “The Wild Wild West” by Escape Club, and “Heartbreak Beat” by the Psychedelic Furs. Never heard any of them, anywhere, in years previous and when I did, couldn’t stop playing that tape. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/25 "2013-05-26T15:51:50Z")
“Wild Wild West” was a top-10 hit, I believe. My pic is by L7, “Pretend We’re Dead.” Not _really_ obscure, but I have never heard in on the radio, and I’ve lived in five different states over the last 15 years, on both coasts and the midwest. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/26 "2013-05-26T16:33:50Z")
The Super Session version of Bob Dylan’s “It takes a lot to laugh, it takes a train to cry.” Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper and Steven Stills. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Qz47XGsi2e0/hqdefault.jpg "Bloomfield, Kooper, Stills - Super Session - 06 - It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz47XGsi2e0) That album also has an excellent version of “Season of the Witch” mentioned above by **Rick**. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/27 "2013-05-26T17:00:06Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > They’re probably not “obscure”, but some years ago I had a cassette tape of ‘hits of the 80’s’ and three songs were brand new to me. “The Politics of Dancing” by Re-Flex, “The Wild Wild West” by Escape Club, and “Heartbreak Beat” by the Psychedelic Furs. Never heard any of them, anywhere, in years previous and when I did, couldn’t stop playing that tape. Those were all hits in the 80’s. “Heartbreak Beat” is probably the lesser known of the three. I was a Psychedelic Furs fan and they had several really good songs back then. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/28 "2013-05-26T21:29:15Z")
Led Zepplin’s Trampled Underfoot. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/29 "2013-05-26T23:04:38Z")
Springsteen’s [Does this bus stop at 82nd street?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6n9rFs_aJE). It’s from his very first album. I heard him perform it a few years ago in a concert, and was delighted. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/30 "2013-05-26T23:10:00Z")
> [@SandyHook](#): > > Led Zepplin’s Trampled Underfoot. I think we can agree that it is not really all that obscure if a song is [a regular part of the set lists of the School of Rock](http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=school+of+rock+trampled+underfoot&oq=school+of+rock+tr&gs_l=youtube.3.0.35i39j0l9.1653.5982.0.8098.8.7.1.0.0.0.732.2599.1j2j1j0j1j0j2.7.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.RqSr4dX012s) and is often played by 7 year old kids. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/31 "2013-05-26T23:21:26Z")
“Thank Christ for the Bomb” by _The Groundhogs_ (proto-metal, play very loud). “Snow in San Anselmo” by Van Morrison (Van the man, with a choir, channels William Wordsworth in a California exurb). “7 and 7 is” by _Love_ (pure, angry punk from a psychedelic band from 10 years before punk). “Gala” by _The Waterboys_. (Another one to play very loud. Although the wind down, and, arguably, the intro too, goes on too long, the central song is intense and amazing.) ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/32 "2013-05-27T01:44:10Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > [YouTube](http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=3VOwoWlyDpE&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D3VOwoWlyDpE) > > **Mobile** link to **Don Dixon - Praying Mantis**. Mid’80’s song by a guy who was one of the first producers for R.E.M. Sounds a bit like Joe Jackson’s Is She Really Going Out with Him, with fun lyrics about how the guy can tell that this girl he met eyes him the way a PM would. > > First song that came to mind - but there are so many… That’s a good song. I used to hear it on the college radio station back in the day. ---
**Author:** ![yawuntz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a5b964/32.png) [@yawuntz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawuntz)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/33 "2013-05-27T02:16:26Z")
[Johnny Carroll - Wild Wild Women](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg1O7lnnC3U) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/34 "2013-05-27T02:26:21Z")
Can’t believe I, of all people, forgot about this one: “Near Wild Heaven” by R.E.M. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjtBZYoJPv0) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/35 "2013-05-27T05:01:39Z")
Robin Trower in general qualifies but Day Of The Eagle in particular: > **[YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/?app=desktop)** > > Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/36 "2013-05-27T15:41:08Z")
Shoot to Kill, by 1994 [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_xEcxqBWpQQ/hqdefault.jpg "1994 - Shoot To Kill") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xEcxqBWpQQ) ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/37 "2013-05-27T15:47:01Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Awesome. Have you heard the version on the “1969” live album? > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kym3xgrEISA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kym3xgrEISA) > > Lou and Doug probably had wrist injuries after that Sterling probably did too. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/38 "2013-05-27T15:53:39Z")
Broadcast seem a bit under-rated to me. Papercuts: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/c5ZJ-N750Bk/hqdefault.jpg "BROADCAST- PAPERCUTS") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5ZJ-N750Bk) ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/39 "2013-05-27T18:49:05Z")
“Stop It”-Pylon [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cgez1nZKGoM/hqdefault.jpg "Pylon - Stop It") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgez1nZKGoM) ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/40 "2013-05-27T19:10:33Z")
I’ve got to add a couple more of my favorites. Most of the songs by Brent Best of Slobberbone are classic songs waiting to become popular. I have no idea how they aren’t stars. Maybe it’s the name. Either way, here’s two of my favorites from them (it’s country rock, that still counts as rock, right?): [Pinball Song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2YLRXvvr4M) [I Can Tell Your Love Was Waining](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S_Nas0CRwk) And I love this thread. Even if the song you post is one I end up not liking, I don’t know that yet. More! More! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337.md?page=3)