Yes’s album 90125 had several big radio hits (e.g. “Owner of a Lonely Heart”), but I think the closing track, Hearts, might be the best thing on it.
San Tropez on Pink Floyd’s Meddle album.
Sure. That all is just “good songwriting.” 
(And, yes, they did do a better job with creating harmonic and melodic interest in their songs than most, if not all, of their peers.)
The Beatles, the Beach Boys, Queen - all used it more than most bands, and I think because it’s a technique that works especially well with songs built around overdubbed vocal harmonies.
Aerosmith’s “No More No More” is the best track on Toys in the Attic. It features Perry and Tyler at their best. A crunchy unforgettable rift, haunting background harmonies. Not the most sophisticated song ever written, but solidly better than Walk This Way or Sweet Emotion.
To bring things forward a little bit, “Girl Gone Bad” from Van Halen’s 1984 is the best song on that album, better than “Jump,” “Panama,” “Hot for Teacher,” and “I’ll Wait,” the singles that were released.
Totally agree about “The Prophet’s Song”. And from A Day at the Races, I would add “Long Away” and “You and I”. Written by May and Deacon respectively, they underscore how much of a collaborative effort Queen was, and how much talent they all had.
“Think for Yourself” and “The Word” were always two of my favorite songs on Rubber Soul.
Definitely subconsciously, my musical theory knowledge goes no further than knowing what a minor key is. But yes, as a kid I think I felt the Beach Boys were the one band I knew of that could sound as sublime.
I sometimes feel that “I Should Have Known Better” sounds like the most Beatlesesque song, even though it isn’t as it only has John’s voice on it. But its chords and the notes that John sings still send shivers up my spine every time I listen - what’s the dope on the music technicalities here?
There’s not a weak track on that album. The track list:
Side 1
- “Baba O’Riley”
- “Bargain”
- “Love Ain’t for Keeping”
- “My Wife”
- “The Song Is Over”
Side two
- “Getting in Tune”
- “Going Mobile”
- “Behind Blue Eyes”
- “Won’t Get Fooled Again”
All you can say against “My Wife” and maybe “Going Mobile” is that they aren’t quite as good as the others, but they’re still damned good songs. And the other seven songs are nothing less than sustained excellence.
“John gets the lead vocal honors, double tracked most of the way through except for an exceptional break in the second bridge.”
In a nutshell, John wasn’t confident in his vocal abilities, so he preferred to be “double tracked” — singing the same words and notes twice — overdubbing oneself — which can mask “imperfections.” (Later, the same basic effect was achieved mechanically, through “ADT”).
When John allows his single voice to be on the final recording, as in the second bridge (“And when I tell you…”) of ISHKB, the effect is indeed chilling and lovely for some listeners — raw, human, vulnerable. Perhaps this is part of what you feel from this track.
Oh yes, definitely. I was wondering whether there was anything noteworthy about the intervals etc in the music, as has been discussed with regard to the other AHDN songs. I don’t understand the technicalities but I enjoy reading about them!
I think you’ll really enjoy Allan Pollack’s essays, then. I provided the link to the one for this song…but he wrote one for EACH Beatles song (yes, even Revolution 9, and Free as a Bird…).
Warning:May be addictive! Best to do this when you have few responsibilities that week…
Thanks, yes, very interesting…
To go back to the OP, on Talking Heads’ “More Songs About Buildings And Food”, I’d nominate “Stay Hungry” - a really tight, danceable 3 minute punk-era song, that is also an extended psychedelic freak out. You could say the same about “I’m Not in Love” on the same album, except for the 3 minute bit, but I don’t think these songs are at all well known.
Things We Said Today?
That was one of the ones mentioned earlier in the thread. I was trying to think of “more examples,” so that one was counted among the original examples.
My favorite Elton John song (whether you’re talking album or singer) is still First Episode at Hienton
More Genesis. I was going to suggest For Absent Friends, which is a tiny little song (less than two minutes) lost on Nursery Cryme between The Musical Box and The Return of the Giant Hogweed. (Lead vocal by Phil Collins - the first one?)
However, I see it has been posted to youtube seven or eight times - so maybe not as undiscovered as I thought (!) Here it is anyway.
j
From Exile on Main Street, I would pick “Ventilator Blues.” Unlike the other better known songs on that album which got frequent airplay or the few now-obscure songs which no one would rank amongst the Stones’ best, this was performed only once live, according to Wikipedia. Fortunately, that performance and Mick Taylor’s typically searing solo in it have been preserved:
Steely Dan’s album Aja had a few hits such as Josie and Peg, but the cuts Aja and Black Cow are lesser-known jewels. The two drum solos on Aja are masterpieces.
Speaking of Norwegian Wood, my 19-year-old son knows and appreciates a lot of music from various genres and decades, but last summer my Pandora station played Norwegian Wood, and he got this puzzled look on his face. After a while listening he asked if that was the original version, and I replied that it was and asked why. Turns out he only knew that song from a jazz cover on a Buddy Rich recording.
Absolutely. Steve Gadd does my favorite drum playing ever on Aja, it stuns me each time even after hundreds of times of listening.
That’s adorable :D.