# Songs/groups you didn't appreciate til years later. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2004, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775 "2004-09-30T01:29:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/21 "2004-10-01T00:01:20Z")
Sadly, it was only months later, but mine would be **Frank Zappa**. In the late eighties, during his final tour, I was offered a ticket to go see him. I said “thanks but no thanks”, thinking his music was unlistenable garbage. Two months later, I listened to Joe’s Garage (on acid, of course), then moved on to Apostrophe, Them or Us, and 40 others. In the 15 years since, he has been my alltime favorite artist. My entire music collection is about 9 gigs of mp3 files, and 5 gigs are Zappa. I truly love about 30 of his albums, and another 20 I like a lot. I still can’t believe I passed on that concert. Sure, it wasn’t his best, but it was the _only_ chance I ever had to see him live. _whimper_ ---
**Author:** ![Oregon\_sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/22 "2004-10-01T00:02:54Z")
Tom Petty. Used to H.A.T.E!!! him… (Alternative/New Wave/Punk snob that I was) and now - I can’t think of a Tom Petty song I don’t absolutely love. Van Halen. Their shit is _brilliant_. (again, refer to the punk snob bit - it really cramped my style!) “Ain’t Talkin’ About Love” is now one of my favorite songs that gets radio play. Also, hair metal is pretty underrated. Please see “punk snob” explanation above. ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/23 "2004-10-01T00:31:24Z")
> [@Ellis Dee](#): > > Two months later, I listened to Joe’s Garage (on acid, of course) Heh, I heard mp3s a while back of a lecture Zappa (accompanied by George Duke and Captain Beefheart) gave at Syracuse University in 1975. One of the students asked a question to the effect of, “I watched _200 Motels_ while smoking a big fatty, and it did nothing for me! I did the same for _Yellow Submarine_, and I was really diggin’ it!” Zappa’s response was something like, “Yeah, because that was a Beatles movie. Lay off the drugs next time and maybe you’ll understand my movie.” As for the subject of the thread, I wasn’t into Nirvana in the early '90s when they were popular, but now I enjoy some of their songs. Then again, I was born in 1984, so maybe I was just too young at the time to get it. ---
**Author:** ![Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Krisfer\_the\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krisfer_the_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/24 "2004-10-01T01:13:58Z")
> [@Lisa-go-Blind](#): > > I can’t believe it took me so long to get into The Smiths. Morrissey’s voice got on my nerves at first, and I thought the production was too dated. In the past year, though, I’ve learned the error of my ways. Morrisey can still drive me nucking futz but the song **“How Soon is Now?”** is just written about my life: imcredibly shy and a total wallflower. When\*\* Crowded House\*\* came out I was like Jeez its just **Split Enz** (whom I really loved and refused to forgive for spliting literally) But now I adore **"Don’t Dream its Over"** Being an overweight, shy, mousy teenager I couldn’t forgive **Queen** for **Fat-bottomed Girls** that I ceased to listen to them until about 5 years ago… now their later stuff makes me melt and frequently cry, 'specially **Innuendo**. ---
**Author:** ![todd33rpm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@todd33rpm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/todd33rpm)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/25 "2004-10-01T11:13:51Z")
Tom Waits - I even heard him early on, during his SNL appearance in the mid-1970s, but never was able to make the leap full-on until _Franks Wild Years_ came out. However, I should also add that I’ve found everything since _Mule Variations_ a little harder to get into, barring maybe the odd soundtrack appearance. Bob Dylan - My road to Damascus experience was _Blood On The Tracks_, six years after it came out. His vocal style wasn’t something I could appreciate at first, but now I can. Van Morrison’s post-seventies stuff - Putting together a homemade best-of on MiniDisc changed my mind. There are definitely some overlooked gems in there, but again, I should also add that I still think his _best_ album since 1974 is _The Philosopher’s Stone_ anthology of unreleased material (issued in the late 1990s), simply because it reminded me _why_ I liked him in the first place. I’d say the best original full-length album besides that is _Back On Top_. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/26 "2004-10-01T12:21:43Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > There are numerous bands, esp. heavy metal bands, that took me a long time to appreciate, but the champ has to be **AC/DC**. Over the course of a decade, they went from HATE to BARELY TOLERABLE to GRUDGINGLY LIKE. It wasn’t until their double live CD was released in '92 (15 years after I first heard them) that I suddenly realized, “Hey, this is a _great_ band!” It took you \*15 years \* to realize the greatness that is **AC/DC**?!? :eek: They’re the only band to have perfected the the mix of hard rock/ blues. Now go sit in the corner and think about what you’ve done. GO! 😉 My bands were **Meatloaf** (well, not really a band I guess), **Queen** , **B-52’s** and **CCR.** Most likely because they didn’t have speed-drums and guitar solos that would melt a fret board. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Sayid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jack\_Sayid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Sayid)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/27 "2004-10-01T13:40:20Z")
**The Cars** _Candy-O_ Whoa! 5 out of 5 stars! Best debut album of all-time! \*\*Gordon Lightfoot[/n] _Sundown_ Great, great song. Perfect chorus. That’s all I have right now. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/28 "2004-10-01T13:43:50Z")
> [@todd33rpm](#): > > Van Morrison’s post-seventies stuff… My all-time favorite album of his (not his best, perhaps, but my favorite) is 1987’s _Poetic Champions Compose_. ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/29 "2004-10-01T13:45:09Z")
David Bowie. I had a roommate in college that used to play “The Laughing Gnome” over and over again. It took a few years to get over that and be able to listen to him again. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Roboto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@Mr.Roboto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Roboto)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/30 "2004-10-01T14:26:50Z")
1. Small Faces 2) Pretty Things… Both of these English bands have been around since the '60’s and both were overshadowed by the invasion hitmakers,consequently,they didn’t receive very much West Coast airplay. Both bands have exciting catalogs. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/31 "2004-10-01T17:29:07Z")
**Jethro Tull** I’m so ashamed. In high school, a friend told me they were his favortie band, and I mocked him for the name, never having heard the music. It wasn’t till late in college when I borrowed a friends CDs and got hooked. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/32 "2004-10-01T21:20:21Z")
> [@gonzoron](#): > > **Jethro Tull** I’m so ashamed. In high school, a friend told me they were his favortie band, and I mocked him for the name, never having heard the music. It wasn’t till late in college when I borrowed a friends CDs and got hooked. I have to avoid \*\*Jethro Tull \*\* in all forms when \*\*Metallica \*\* got screwed out of Album of the Year. No, wasn’t **JT** ’s fault, but bitterness sometimes is irrational. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/33 "2004-10-01T21:26:05Z")
Bobby Goldsborough. For 30 years I couldn’t stand his music. Wait- I still can’t. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Dog\_Lady\_of\_OKC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@Dog\_Lady\_of\_OKC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog_Lady_of_OKC)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/34 "2004-10-01T21:27:26Z")
Locomotive Breath still makes my heart beat fast! ---
**Author:** ![riserius1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@riserius1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/riserius1)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/35 "2004-10-01T21:39:56Z")
I’ll go out on a REALLY far limb and say the Bee Gees. I didn’t really listen to them in the sixties or early seventies because I was so young. Then when disco hit big when I was in high school, they were, of course, evil incarnate, and therefore, sucked like a black hole. Flash forward to present day, and, surprise, I actually quite like them, even (most of) the disco stuff. They actually had pretty good melodies, and all the guys were great singers, and could harmonize like nobody’s business. I do still cringe a bit when they throw in the random falsetto squeals in songs like “Tragedy”. Overall,the production values were excellent, and I rarely turn them off when I hear them on the radio. Chris W ---
**Author:** ![The\_Big\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Big\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/36 "2004-10-01T21:58:52Z")
i was in london in april, walking down the portobello market and \*\*‘Penny Lane’ \*\* was coming out of a little cafe. It sounded so nice, especially considering the location I was in. So when I got home I checked out most of the Beatles albums. Until then I hadn’t heard a whole album all the way thru. Some of it was good, and some of it is real crap. But I like some of it a lot. I’m only 44, i was more of a Rolling Stones guy. ---
**Author:** ![ussentinel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ce7236/32.png) [@ussentinel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ussentinel)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775/37 "2004-10-01T22:54:13Z")
Two off the top of my head: The Kinks and Ray Charles. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-groups-you-didnt-appreciate-til-years-later/266775.md?page=1)