# "Perfect" pop songs that failed to make US Top 40 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 17, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748 "2006-03-17T15:06:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jacob\_Silj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Jacob\_Silj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jacob_Silj)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/1 "2006-03-17T15:06:20Z")
I am always fascinated when I hear a “perfect” pop song and find out, for whatever reason (distributing failure, listener apathy, etc.) that it did not make the Top 40. I only apply this to songs released probably thru the 80’s, as after that the criteria for charting becomes all convoluted. I was wondering if anyone knew any songs they feel apply, as I would like to find some songs that I may be unfamiliar with that fit this category. Mine are: Surrender- Cheap Trick (studio version) Talking Heads- Once in a Lifetime Talking Heads- This Must be the Place Caravan- Surprise, Surprise (probably not released as a single in the US?) Rose Royce- Wishing on a Star Cover Girls- Show Me Orpheus- Can’t Find the Time Sundays- Here’s Where the Story Ends ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/2 "2006-03-17T15:18:39Z")
First one that popped into my head was “Amplifier” by the dBs. Also “Another Nail For My Heart” by Squeeze. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/3 "2006-03-17T15:29:49Z")
_Vanishing Girl_ by **The Dukes of Stratosphear** _September Gurls_ by **Big Star** _Going Underground_ by **The Jam** (#1 in England, didn’t do diddly here) ---
**Author:** ![Jacob\_Silj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Jacob\_Silj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jacob_Silj)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/4 "2006-03-17T15:34:08Z")
I forgot add, also by Squeeze, “Goodbye Girl” and “Up the Junction” ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/5 "2006-03-17T15:40:51Z")
Here’s another Squeeze song: “Crying In My Sleep.” I saw them perform it on Letterman when it was new, and they did a stunning rendition of it with the house band. After a lot of searching, I found it on the album, and it was so different as to be nearly unrecognizable. If they’d gone back into the studio to cut it just like they played it on TV and released it as a single, I don’t know how it could have stayed out of the Top Ten. I have all kinds of recommendations, but I have to go to work now. I’ll be back. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/6 "2006-03-17T15:48:08Z")
I’ve always felt “Smile Again” as performed by Manhattan Transfer on their 1981 album _Mecca for Moderns_ was just such a song. [Go here to find a clip.](http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=1039296) To the best of my knowledge, Atlantic never even bothered to release it as a single. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/7 "2006-03-17T16:06:03Z")
\*\*Emitt Rhodes: \*\* “With My Face on the Floor,” “She’s Such a Beauty,” “Fresh as a Daisy,” and “Live Till You Die.” All are perfectly crafty catchy pop songs (think of a US version of Paul McCartney at his best) but they never caught on. \*\*Spirit: \*\* “Prelude/Nothing to Hide,” “Mr. Skin” or “Animal Zoo” from **Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus**. The songs were great, but problematic due to the subject matter. The single released from the album, “Nature’s Way” is good, but not pop enough. The record company had little interest in promoting it because 1. the group had broken up before the album was released and 2. the head of the boutique label seemed to be planning to leave. ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/8 "2006-03-17T16:40:33Z")
“She Said It Was Destiny” by Richard Thompson. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/9 "2006-03-17T17:03:02Z")
“Silver Springs”, **Fleetwood Mac** ---
**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:** [March 17, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/10 "2006-03-17T18:20:01Z")
_Fall On Me_ , R. E. M. They didn’t break out of college-indie-band status into Top-40 popularity until the album that followed, despite the early-Beatles-esque catchiness of this song. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2006, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/11 "2006-03-17T20:30:08Z")
> [@Jacob Silj](#): > > I am always fascinated when I hear a “perfect” pop song and find out, for whatever reason (distributing failure, listener apathy, etc.) that it did not make the Top 40. I only apply this to songs released probably thru the 80’s, as after that the criteria for charting becomes all convoluted… Although you implied this, one reason why many “perfect” pop songs never made the U.S. Top 40 was because they never were released as singles. They were album cuts that sometimes ended up getting airplay on Top 40 radio stations. > [@](#): > > Sundays- Here’s Where the Story Ends Was that released as a single? I thought it was just an album cut? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/12 "2006-03-17T21:07:00Z")
I can’t find where it charted, but whereever it landed, it deserved higher: _Starry Eyes_ by the Records. Not only a perfect pop song. _The_ perfect pop song. When you look up the definition of “tight” in the dictionary, it lists “Starry Eyes by the Records” as the #3 definition. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/13 "2006-03-17T21:10:17Z")
I was going to add, yet I never heard this song on the radio. Except once. In 2001. For 3 minutes. Fortunately my tape recorder was on 🙂 This leads me to believe it didn’t chart all that high, if at all, or I would have heard it on the radio back in the day, or on oldies or popular retro-alternative stations today. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/14 "2006-03-17T21:15:11Z")
Where did Ike & Tina Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High” end up? That should have been a number 1 hit… and wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/15 "2006-03-17T21:36:41Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Was that released as a single? I thought it was just an album cut? Definitely a single. Hell, I have a copy of the video for it. [This page](http://www.mattscdsingles.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_The_Sundays_447.html) has a picture of the CD single. And from a Sunday’s [fan page](http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=50759733): > [@](#): > > Upon its American release later in the year, the album became a modern rock hit, peaking at number 39. Its success in the U.S. was largely due to heavy radio and MTV airplay for the single “Here’s Where the Story Ends.” The single wound up topping the modern rock charts in America. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/16 "2006-03-17T21:47:42Z")
“Kiss Me on the Bus” by the Replacements “I Used to Love Her” by the Saw Doctors “Swear” by Tim Scott Every time I played “Swear” when I was a college dj, someone would call and ask who that was and where they could get the album. I have no idea why that wasn’t a giganto-hit. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/17 "2006-03-17T21:52:08Z")
Holy crap - that made me look up the Saw Doctors and they’re playing in Chicago tomorrow night. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/18 "2006-03-17T22:24:30Z")
Wow, so many songs… I’d have to go with; Skyway - The Replacements Confetti - The Lemonheasds Clowns - Too Much Joy Sussquehanna Hat Company - Too Much Joy I’m in Love with a Girl and September Girls - Big Star Strawberry Letter 23 - Shuggie Otis Tears Stupid Tears - Daniel Johnston Granted, as someone mentioned, these weren’t all released as singles, but every one of them is pop mastery. Genius! ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/19 "2006-03-17T22:39:17Z")
“Troubled Times” by Fountains of Wayne. I’m sure that song is the reason God invented sing-along choruses. mm ---
**Author:** ![Reloy3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c68b51/32.png) [@Reloy3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reloy3)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748/20 "2006-03-17T23:09:29Z")
“I Melt With You” by Modern English. Everytime this song hits the radio or TV, no one in the room believes it didn’t chart. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-pop-songs-that-failed-to-make-us-top-40/348748.md?page=2)