Each of the following is one of my ten favorite albums of all time:
Led Zeppelin’s “Physical Graffiti.” But I loathe “Down By the Seaside.”
Dire Straits’ “Making Movies.” Almost perfect, except for the lame “Les Boys.”
The Beatles’ “Revolver.” “Love You To” has got to go. They should’ve told George, “Nice job with Taxman and I Want to Tell You, old bean, but that’s ALL you’re getting on this album.”
Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid.” The perfect metal album, except for the godawful “Planet Caravan.”
“The Notorious Byrd Brothers.” So close to perfect, except for the utterly dated track that opens it: “Artificial Energy.”
I held off on this one because I haven’t heard much of their other stuff. But when the subject is “bad track on a great album,” I can’t think of anything other than “Les Boys.” Not only is it a dumb track, it doesn’t fit with the rest of the album and screws up the romantic mood.
Ben Folds Five: Whatever and Ever Amen: Steven’s Last Night In Town. I don’t know, it just seems too fast and cheery. I’ve heard a couple of live renditions of it, and they’re a lot better – they slow it down just enough, and the drums are more powerful. But on the album, it’s the only track I regularly skip.
Radiohead: Kid A: In Limbo. This song just seems to meander around without a point. Maybe I don’t like it because I’m always itching to hear the next track, Idioteque. But I have heard a live rendition of it, and unlike Steven’s, it just doesn’t seem any better.
Pink Floyd: Meddle: San Tropez. This time, I think it may be because of the track before it. Fearless is an incredible song, and probably my favourite song on the album (well, apart from One of These Days and Echoes, but that’s a given). After Fearless, San Tropez is a huge letdown.
Led Zeppelin: Four Sticks has already been mentioned, so I’ll choose Led Zeppelin II’s Living Loving Maid. Unlike every other song on that album, that one just isn’t particularly interesting.
I just opened this thread, and i am currently listening to “Thousands Are Sailing”. It’s actually one of my favorite songs on the album. If i had to nominate a worst song on such a great album, i’d have to go for “Worms.” Sure, it’s vaguely amusing, but not really much of a song.
Ooooh, good nomination! Great album, bad song.
I’m going to pick the album "Rumours"by Fleetwood Mac. It’s such a fantastic album that i had trouble picking a loser, but i think i’ll have to with “Oh, Daddy.” Not a bad song, you understand, just not up to the rest of the album, IMO.
Jethro Tull, “Thick as a Brick.” Worst song? “Thick as a Brick.”
Either Flash of The Blade or Back in The Village on Iron Maiden’s “Powerslave” album. They’re both good, just not quite as good as the rest of the album.
I love this song. I just think it shouldn’t have come right before Battle of Who Could Care Less - why were the album’s two upbeat songs stuck right next to each other? I cannot imagine this song being better slowed down. Also, the Klezmer band playing on the track is amazing. The song is a great combination of rock with the type of raucous and wild folk music that Klezmer is. I think it is this song and this song alone that make Whatever and Ever Amen a unique album, it shows the lengths to which Ben Folds will go to have a unique song. Kate is also amazing. The whole album is like Proust’s madeleines for me, except that it recalls only my time in junior high school.
Queen - A night at the opera - god save the queen (If that one doesn’t count, then seaside rendez-vous)
Radiohead - Ok computer - fitter happier (If that doesn’t count, I guess it’s climbing up the walls, although that one is very good.)
Nirvana - Nevermind - Territorial pissings
Thank you. Definitely much worse than doctor roberts. You people probably don’t agree with this, but I think yellow submarine is a close contender to the worst song spot.
Oh no it isn’t. Try her majesty. Or else sun king.
I love “Yellow Submarine.” I just figured it out on the guitar (not that this was a great feat). Whenever it comes on the radio, I sing the harmony and my son sings the lead on the chorus. When I play it on guitar, when I get to the last verse, my son will yell out the John “echo” part, even if he’s in another room. It’s just a fun song.
Hard to argue with Trillionaire’s “Revolution #9” suggestion, though if I’m in a mood to listen to the whole album, I don’t skip it (I will just about every other time).
My (CD) US version doesn’t omit Dr. Robert. I have read about jumbled playing order and various omissions on the US releases though. Who ever thought that was a good idea?
I love “The Struggle Within”, it sounds more like the old albums to me, especially the beginning. Lots of good drums and guitar. And that riff at about 2:53 is my favorite part of the album.
On “Master of Puppets” I don’t like “Orion” that much because I’m not a big instrumental fan. The rest rawks.
Up until the Beatles’ albums were released on CD, the Beatles albums that Capitol records released in the U.S. (on vinyl, 8-track, and cassette) were different from those available in Britain. You can see more details here. In the U.S., “Dr. Robert” originally appeared, not on Revolver, but on the “album” “Yesterday”… and Today.
I’d undoubtedly give different answers on a different day, but today I’ll go with: Santana - Caravanserai - “Future Primitive” Pink Floyd - Animals - “Pigs On The Wing” (Part one or Part two, makes no difference.) Eric Johnson - Ah Via Musicom - “Steve’s Boogie” (although “Desert Song” from Tones is a close second.)
Thudlow is right, but just to expand on this: Who thought this was good idea? Capitol, who wanted to capitalize on the Beatles popularity by jumbling songs into various albums, so that every 2 or 3 albums worth of songs could be released as 4 or 5 albums (with lots of repeats, of course). Word was that the Beatles hated this.
An apocryphal story was that the recalled butcher cover of Yesterday and Today was a veiled protest by the lads over how Capitol had butchered their albums via their shameless repackaging.
“It Ain’t Easy” was a close second, but I had to compensate for a certain amount of bias. I once went to a party where some guy played the song about ten times.
Now you’re just trying to get back at me.
I have a real weakness for first albums. I like “Bald Headed Woman,” though.
I would think “It Ain’t Easy” is a gimme. Even if it had been a btter song, I could never understand how Bowie thought it was a good idea to include any cover song on that album.
(My own favorite Bowie is Low, and the least good track is “A New Career in a New Town.”)
