# 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:** 3
**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, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/41 "2013-05-27T19:23:18Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > “Stop It”-Pylon > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgez1nZKGoM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgez1nZKGoM) Heh, I know that as a cover done by the Toadies. I remember them introducing it variously as a Pylon cover and as “this is a cover originally by a totally non-famous band” I’d never heard the original. [The Toadies’ Version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4asDbsfk90) and since the Toadies almost count as obscure, here’s one of my favorites of theirs that never made it to the radio: [I Burn](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxTCOR62Cgo) ---
**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, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/42 "2013-05-27T21:43:47Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Heh, I know that as a cover done by the Toadies. I remember them introducing it variously as a Pylon cover and as “this is a cover originally by a totally non-famous band” I’d never heard the original. > > [The Toadies’ Version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4asDbsfk90) > > and since the Toadies almost count as obscure, here’s one of my favorites of theirs that never made it to the radio: > > [I Burn](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxTCOR62Cgo) I think “Possum Kingdom” is the only Toadie’s song I’ve heard before. Here’s REM’s cover of “Crazy” by Pylon. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/axVC8bLo-jo/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGFogWihaMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBF8GErZJbNZKjizKey33JAEyNLIQ "R.E.M. - Crazy") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axVC8bLo-jo) ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/43 "2013-05-27T21:54:12Z")
[JF Murphy & Salt- The Last Illusion](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_irVR9Tn3D8) [Stackridge-Slark](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYX97OUimPs) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/44 "2013-05-27T23:11:15Z")
Jim Carroll Band: [People Who Died](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAKoU_W_mf8) Seatrain – [13 Questions](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=War3BgTQ68Q) Python Lee Jackson – [In a Broken Dream](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvUEzrQBSeo) (with guest vocalist Rod Stewart). McDonald and Giles – [Suite in C](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snwZ36EH6L4) The Flying Lizards – [Money](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-P2qL3qkzk) Rhinoceros – [Apricot Brandy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSASpSxv-8g) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/45 "2013-05-27T23:40:33Z")
I would like to add Rush’s [Double Agent](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6D4mxbUnmg). ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/46 "2013-05-28T03:17:04Z")
Sanford and Townsend-- [Squire James](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAQvZ0kHIFM). The one redeeming cut on an album otherwise full of catchy but forgettable 70s pop. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/47 "2013-05-28T04:57:49Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Trivia note: this song appeared in an episode of _Leave It to Beaver_. Sort of. Lumpy Rutherford was seen singing the “Zoom, zoom, zooma-zooma-zooma-zooma” refrain to himself while waiting in a car. Is that the one where he’s beating (“drumming”) on the steering wheel at the same time? One of my favorite Clarence moments. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/48 "2013-05-28T05:02:20Z")
Very obscure, but it did get occasional airplay (in San Diego at least) in the early 70’s. Group: Touch Album: Touch Song: _Alesha and Others/Seventy-Five_ I still listen to this, quite often. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/49 "2013-05-28T15:49:56Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YvSimeyTiBE/hqdefault.jpg "Patty Smyth Call To Heaven") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvSimeyTiBE) I can never get this song out of my head for very long. Computer speakers don’t do it justice, and you probably want to be following along with the lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/50 "2013-05-28T16:03:28Z")
[“Thrash Unreal”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzJ21OpFnZ0) by Against Me! [“City Bound (E Train)”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mN1HpqhgO0) by Novo Combo [“This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ To Glide”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxkjvKBPQjo) by The Kings [“Can-Utility And The Coastliners”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijyvn-JP5mw) by Genesis (Not really rock. but when else would I get to post this?) [“Far From The Beaten Paths”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nftQFmLn8AM) by Jean-Luc Ponty ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/51 "2013-05-28T19:52:06Z")
In the early 90’s my friends and I discovered a laser-tag place and we spent way too much money there. One of their gracious offerings was that they’d either play their music on over the speakers in the battle rooms or let you bring in a mix of your own (pre-screened to make sure the lyrics wouldn’t offend passers-by). My friend and I started creating 10-minute mix tapes for our sessions and the management asked us for copies (compensated in time for us and our friends to play). I wanted to create a strange theme for a session, but for some reason couldn’t find the singles to mix: 1. Red Ryder – _Lunatic Fringe_ 2. Thin Lizzy – _Jailbreak_ 3. SAGA – _On the Loose_ The flip-side of the tape (to cover the second-half of our 20-minute session) would have been more common pieces 1. Cheap Trick – Dream Police 2. Phil Collins – Just a Job I do 3. Golden Earring – When the Bullet Hits the Bone Sorry…no U-tube links. –G! …We’re gonna Syncopate Your mother In a cardboard box –YOU BETTER RUN! …–Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) …_You Better Run_ …The Wall ---
**Author:** ![Cold\_Dish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cold\_Dish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cold_Dish)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/52 "2013-05-28T23:45:28Z")
Ian Moore – Muddy Jesus ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/53 "2013-05-29T00:34:42Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Very obscure, but it did get occasional airplay (in San Diego at least) in the early 70’s. > > Group: Touch > Album: Touch > Song: _Alesha and Others/Seventy-Five_ > > I still listen to this, quite often. **Touch** , you say, here are a few more: [Don’t You Know What Love is/Call Me When the Spirit Moves You](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aU28NFJD60) [Black Star](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7v07lsuqRA) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/54 "2013-05-29T00:49:42Z")
> [@5\_time\_champ](#): > > **Touch** , you say, here are a few more: > [Don’t You Know What Love is/Call Me When the Spirit Moves You](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aU28NFJD60) > [Black Star](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7v07lsuqRA) Different group. “My” TOUCH was ten years before, late 60’s, one of the earliest (and best) progressive rock bands. Alesha and Others: \*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--nPMR7yyy4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--nPMR7yyy4) \*Seventy-Five: _[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duDur1fFv24](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duDur1fFv24)_ ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/55 "2013-05-29T13:29:26Z")
The Refreshments - [Mekong](http://youtu.be/tCm-FSPy0bA) Cracker’s cover of Ike Reilly Assasination’s [Duty Free](http://youtu.be/VEu6hz6tNY8) Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers - [Americano](http://youtu.be/QR2sktPtOJQ) ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/56 "2013-05-29T21:17:31Z")
Here are three (well, the first two for sure, the third maybe not so much): [SRC - The Angel Song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtZK5uxun4Q) [Love Sculpture - Sabre Dance](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WAWnMkHHHE) [Thunderclap Newman - Something in the Air](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8zmkzshUvE) ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/57 "2013-05-29T22:43:37Z")
Great thread, I haven’t thought about some of these albums in years. > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Springsteen’s [Does this bus stop at 82nd street?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6n9rFs_aJE). From the same album: [It’s Hard to be a Saint in the City](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9aklSlMthc) > [@campp](#): > > Gruppo Sportivo [Dreamin’](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f225UhYF_Hg) Also from _10 Mistakes_: [Superman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9lFQr9h8iU) Tune borrowedd from Zappa’s _Take Your Clothes Off when you Dance._ > [@RealityChuck](#): > > Seatrain – [13 Questions](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=War3BgTQ68Q) From the same album: [Song of Job](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnJNT_xzDMA) > [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > Here’s REM’s cover of “Crazy” by Pylon. > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axVC8bLo-jo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axVC8bLo-jo) Also from _Dead Letter Office:_ [Ages Of You](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91PfVeyn0Cg) and [Bandwagon](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYTHWS6xFf4) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/58 "2013-05-30T00:00:56Z")
“Girl of my Dreams”, Bram Tchaikovsky. I actually heard this a couple years ago while walking at the mall. It’s probably the only song ever to make the American Top 40 that’s about an inflatable sex doll. It was a minor hit in the summer of 1979. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/U59z_KhAbnI/hqdefault.jpg "Bram Tchaikovsky - Girl Of My Dreams") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U59z_KhAbnI) p.s. That Golden Earring song is actually called “Twilight Zone”. ---
**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 30, 2013, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/59 "2013-05-30T01:58:55Z")
Ok, just one more. I love this one so much, I’m going to learn to play it tonight. Doo Rag - [Trudge](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwoZeAhg4fg) ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337/60 "2013-05-30T03:28:55Z")
“[Don’t Look At My Girl Like That](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7XCETMo1-w)”, Duke Robillard [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-obscure-rock-songs/659337.md?page=4)