As I walked through the office this a.m., I heard Peter Gabriel’s Salisbury Hill on someone’s radio. And a week ago or so the lyrics were referenced in a comic strip (Frazz). I think I hear that song at least as frequently as any of PG’s later bigger hits and videos, or even than any old Genesis tunes (never was a fan after PG left, and never cared much for Phil Collins).
I was a pretty big fan of Genesis and Peter Gabriel back in the 70s, and loved PGs first 2 albums, but they never were horribly popular back then. SH always strikes me as a pretty obscure song to retain such staying power. I mean - why not Moribund the Burgermeister? I would’ve expected Modern Love (from the same album) to have much greater staying power than SH.
So what is your selection for the song that has surprised you most with its staying power?
Nazareth had a hit song, Love Hurts, in 1974. But I suspect the single’s B side, Hair of the Dog (aka “Now you’re messing with an SOB” repeated approx. 50 time.) gets more classic rock airplay.
“The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys” by Traffic get a lot of airplay on classic rock stations. It’s odd because it’s so long, and because Traffic has plenty of other songs to choose from, but other than sometimes “Feelin’ Alright,” they’re rarely played.
It’s a beautiful song - my kids picked it out on the radio as one they liked vs the other classic rock songs they heard.
I would go with one hit wonders that I hear - Ah Leah by Donnie Iris, or Whar do all the People Know by The Monroes - it gets play on Northeast radio classic rock stations: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XRI_02EOsyI
Solsbury Hill has also been used in a lot of soundtracks etc, which would sustain its popularity beyond just Gabriel fans (see also: In Your Eyes) - and also, it’s a great song.
“Rumble” by Link Wray. I don’t hear it played on the radio much, so maybe it doesn’t fit the OP, but it seems to frequently pop up as background music in a lot of odd places.
If anyone has come up with better badass entrance chords - blang, blang, blaaaannnngggg! - I haven’t heard 'em. And don’t tell me Bad to the Bone - I love good George Thorogood, but that ain’t it.
“Solsbury Hill” is also one of those songs, like “Seen All Good People” by Yes, that gets used in movie trailers* a lot, even if it doesn’t actually get used in the movie itself.
“Hey Bulldog” by the Beatles. Somebody on SiriusXM is getting the royalties, because over the last month they have been playing this lousy song constantly.
I just realized a difficulty w/ my thread. How I would know a song I considered obscure. I mentioned Solsbury, because I was familiar with all of his work at the time. As a fan who bought his albums as they come out, I assure you he was not widely popular before his MTV hits.
Wordman mentioned some songs/artists I’ve never heard of - so tho I may have heard those songs, I couldn’t offer them in a thread such as this.
I don’t consider 1-hit wonders obscure, if their single hits enjoyed wide popularity at the time.
I guess I was thinking more along the lines of B-sides, or deep cuts.
It is also weird when a limited number of an artists songs are the only ones that get played - but I guess that is simply an effect of the media. For example, I was a huge Clash fan, yet am somewhat surprised that Train in Vain - which wasn’t even listed on the sleeve! - seems to be played so much more than anything else on their 1st 3 albums.
Just interesting, when I ask what I think is a simple, straightforward question, and upon receiving some answers, I realize it was neither simple nor straightforward.
Despite the fact that they have put out 15 albums to date that produced dozens of other hits, going only by radio play it would easy to conclude “Sweet Emotion” was the only song Aerosmith ever wrote.
I definitely hear Crazy/Cryin’/Amazing (I’m not sure what, if any, difference there is between these three songs) as much as I hear Sweet Emotion. Pink also gets a fair bit of radio airplay as far as I can tell.
I would’ve expected Modern Love (from the same album) to have much greater staying power than SH.