# Great songs that deserved to be hits but weren't **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 24, 2018, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717 "2018-05-24T05:44:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2018, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/61 "2018-05-29T16:21:30Z")
Oops, found another video of a song from “Fun”! 🙂 However, it’s not official. This is called “Everybody Loves You”. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FFj54luvIp4/hqdefault.jpg "everybody loves you - the candy skins") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFj54luvIp4) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/62 "2018-05-30T02:02:12Z")
A good solid, roundhouse of a number, for “loud” rock hits - The Jesus Lizard - [Nub](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i4-25wNp84) No million-notes-per-minute stuff here, just stripped down, meat and potatoes _GRRRR!!!_ rock. whoa, that slide. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/63 "2018-05-30T02:08:11Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > p.s. I remember hearing “Black” all the time. Maybe it was because I was in college and listened to the free-form college station a lot. I was in high school at the time, and my recollection is that “Black” was pretty big on our local alternative stations, which were 93.1 WXRT (still around) and WKQX Q101 (not around) at the time. It was one of the usual songs off Ten to get airplay. I would say in rough order of popularity, the tracks most heard at the time here were Alive, Even Flow, Jeremy, and Black. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/64 "2018-05-30T02:15:03Z")
ETA: looking online, it hit #3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks. And it actually charted higher than Alive and Jeremy on that particular chart, and equalled Jeremy. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/65 "2018-05-30T02:20:40Z")
Sorry, too damned slow to finish editing: So here’s the chart: Alive: US Mainstream: 16, US Modern 20 Even Flow: US Mainstream: 3, US Modern 21 Jeremy: US Mainstream: 5, US Modern 5 Black: US Mainstream: 3, US Modern 20 Jeremy was the only one to hit the Hot 100 at 79, but I seem to recall there being something about how the singles were released or not as to why they more didn’t hit the Hot 100, or maybe I’m thinking of something else. At any rate, yes, Jeremy was the most popular of the bunch, and I should have had it first in my list. But Black looks like it could be #2 or #3, depending on how you want to weigh the charts. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/66 "2018-05-30T04:40:38Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Was The Negro Problem’s 1999 track “Repulsion (Show up Late for Work on Monday)” released as a single? In any case, it wasn’t a hit, but should have been. The band’s name probably interfered with them getting airplay, although that didn’t keep the Butthole Surfers out of the top 40. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/67 "2018-05-30T04:44:29Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I seem to recall there being something about how the singles were released or not as to why they more didn’t hit the Hot 100, or maybe I’m thinking of something else. Until 1998, Billboard required a song to be released as a physical single to be eligible for the Hot 100. Most notoriously, No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak” topped the Hot 100 Airplay chart for sixteen consecutive weeks, went to #1 in numerous overseas territories and was a huge hit on MTv, but never charted on the Billboard Hot 100 because it was never officially released as a single in America. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/68 "2018-05-30T04:59:24Z")
> [@syncrolecyne](#): > > Led Zeppelin had only 3-4 singles, and no real chart hits, but a number of songs that are still staples on FM radio. Still “The Rover” off Physical Graffiti is as FM radio-ready as any of their “hits.” “Fool in the Rain” went to #21. Does anyone know off the top of their head if any other songs were top 40, or even top 100? ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/69 "2018-05-30T05:25:18Z")
> [@Meurglys](#): > > Back in 1971 in the UK I heard [Lovin’ You Ain’t Easy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHi3nwKTEzM) by [Pagliaro](http://www.pagliaro.ca/) on the radio and immediately went out and bought the single, convinced it would be a huge hit. > It was a complete flop, but he still performs it today… As do I! Ive been hearing the song most of my life. Bless Canadian Content rules! It’s always been on the edge of my radar and then last fall it kind of clicked and I learned it on guitar for the Open Mic at my fav pub. Now it’s one of my best songs. Matter of fact, I did it on Friday. I do “What The Hell I Got” too. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/70 "2018-05-30T06:58:47Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > “Fool in the Rain” went to #21. > > Does anyone know off the top of their head if any other songs were top 40, or even top 100? “A Whole Lotta Love” made the Top 5. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/71 "2018-05-30T08:56:00Z")
Queen’s " '39", from _A Night at the Opera_. Still my favorite song of theirs. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/72 "2018-05-30T11:04:54Z")
> [@syncrolecyne](#): > > Led Zeppelin had only 3-4 singles, and no real chart hits, but a number of songs that are still staples on FM radio. Still “The Rover” off Physical Graffiti is as FM radio-ready as any of their “hits.” > . Good pick. Not only was it never a single, it barely made it onto any album at all! (About a third of the songs on Physical, included this one, were recorded earlier in their career and rejected from inclusion in a previous album). ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/73 "2018-05-31T03:32:24Z")
“Pressure Off” by Duran Duran: So darned catchy, sing-able, danceable, and it has Nile Rodgers and Janelle Monae, for og’s sake. Cool video too. And while I'm at it.... Duran Duran's "What are the Chances": Beautiful song, and John Frusciante played on the track. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5qWTHJnGf50/maxresdefault.jpg "Duran Duran - What Are the Chances [AUDIO]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qWTHJnGf50) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/74 "2018-05-31T08:56:48Z")
It’s jarring to see Duran Duran and Janelle Monae described as musical collaborators. Let’s do the time warp again! ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717/75 "2018-08-30T11:19:23Z")
> [@Asympotically\_fat](#): > > …[In My Own Time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrlxdKKP2n0) by Family - okay a bit of a cheat as this psychedlia, folk-tinged rock song was a fairly major hit in the UK (no.4), but even in the UK largely forgotten. Very strange sounding, trilling vocals on that one. Was that a studio effect, or the singer’s actual voice? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-songs-that-deserved-to-be-hits-but-werent/814717.md?page=3)