# Which lesser known songs do you think are better than the greatest hits? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [August 26, 2025, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494 "2025-08-26T14:36:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/61 "2025-08-28T01:46:43Z")
Dylan has some great outtakes; “Blind Willie McTell” and “Caribbean Wind” are two that immediately come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/62 "2025-08-28T01:57:14Z")
> [@Jaycat.again](#): > > John Boy? it appears to be Richard Thompson ---
**Author:** ![sweepkick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@sweepkick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweepkick)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/63 "2025-08-28T02:54:39Z")
**Tears for Fears: The Working Hour** , off of Songs from the Big Chair. Not only is it the best song on the album, I’d go so far as to say it’s their finest piece as a band. [The Working Hour](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOY_aqkUTxY&ab_channel=nesplayer94) ---
**Author:** ![Moonrise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonrise/32/14764_2.png) [@Moonrise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonrise)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/64 "2025-08-28T06:43:59Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I doubt that Leonard Cohen has more than two songs that more people could name, although one of them is “Suzanne” and that’s a killer, but one of his few rocking numbers is “The Future” and the lyrics stun. _Famous Blue Raincoat_ is haunting. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/65 "2025-08-28T09:43:53Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > **Jim Croce** – Roller Derby Queen Also: **Rapid Roy The Stock Car Boy** , which I have literally just discovered was based on a [real person](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Hall_(racing_driver)). I have occasionally considered getting a tattoo that “just say ‘Hey’” because of it. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/66 "2025-08-28T10:15:42Z")
I almost never listen to Roundabout anymore, but I _have_ to hear Heart of the Sunrise every so often. Prophet’s Song is a popular deep cut, but I think it’s terrible. Queen could create great songs in almost any genre, but the serious progressive rock try in Prophet’s Song is just embarassing in its clumsiness. Love of My Life is a tremendous piece, composition-, instrumental-, and arrangement-wise. The football chant live rendition is really far removed from the original, even though the magnificent melody is still there. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/67 "2025-08-28T10:33:36Z")
_A Night At The Opera_ seems to be a lot of fans’ favourite Queen album but I prefer _A Day At The Races_ (were they Marx Brothers fans or what?!). And the second track _You Take My Breath Away_ is just beautiful. Contrasts a lot with the opening track _Tie Your Mother Down_, but it just works. The production seems very similar to _Bohemian Rhapsody_ to me as someone with a total lack of musical knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/68 "2025-08-28T12:10:14Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > > [@Jaycat.again](#): > > > > John Boy? > > it appears to be Richard Thompson Indeed. mmm ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/69 "2025-08-28T14:06:49Z")
Janis Ian is one of my favorite singers. I intensly dislike one of her most well know hits “At Seventeen”. My favorite is “Bright Lights and Promises” ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Sponge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dark_sponge/32/121_2.png) [@Dark\_Sponge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Sponge)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/70 "2025-08-28T14:37:19Z")
Nirvana’s “You Know You’re Right” was technically included on their Greatest Hits album but it’s much less well known. Easily their best song IMO. [https://youtu.be/qv96yJYhk3M](https://youtu.be/qv96yJYhk3M) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/71 "2025-08-28T14:58:46Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > Janis Ian is one of my favorite singers. I intensly dislike one of her most well know hits “At Seventeen”. My favorite is “Bright Lights and Promises” I don’t _hate_ “At Seventeen” but I like literally every other track on that album far more. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/72 "2025-08-28T15:36:57Z")
> [@P-man](#): > > Dylan has some great outtakes; “Blind Willie McTell” and “Caribbean Wind” are two that immediately come to mind. Yep. I’ll go with **Santa Fe** and **Mama You Been On My Mind**. j ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/73 "2025-08-28T15:57:57Z")
My favorite REM song is an obscure deep cut from their Green album: “You Are The Everything.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/c9HNjW2Rx60/maxresdefault.jpg "You Are The Everything (Remastered 2013)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9HNjW2Rx60) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/74 "2025-08-28T18:06:51Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > 90% of ELP’s music is better than _Lucky Man_. Nitpick: 99% ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/75 "2025-08-28T18:09:37Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > 90% of ELP’s music is better than _Lucky Man_. Ah, come on, give Greg a break. He wrote the song when he was 12. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/76 "2025-08-28T18:12:34Z")
Yeah, but did he write the instrumental part at the end? That damages _Lucky Man_ so badly that I used Audacity to replace it with Steely Dan’s _East St Louis Toodle-oo_. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/77 "2025-08-28T18:17:03Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Ah, come on, give Greg a break. He wrote the song when he was 12. 🙂 Yeah, but he put it on a record when he was twenty-three. And then continued playing it in concert for years afterward. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/78 "2025-08-28T18:25:46Z")
I’ve only heard Lucky Man and Karn Evil 9 from them, and if forced to give the nod to one of them, I’d choose Lucky Man, because it’s unique. The reason Karn Evil is not is because I get it confused with Styx 😮 But I wouldn’t turn either of them off if they came on the radio, especially as I haven’t heard either of them in over a decade. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/79 "2025-08-28T19:26:34Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > [Me And Magdalena](https://youtu.be/ZWBZJQmzRi4?feature=shared) won’t be found on any Monkees “greatest hits” or compilation albums, but it’s arguably the most beautiful song they ever released. One of my favorite songs. Men at Work had three hits (_Down Under_, _Be Good Johnny_, and _Who Can It be Now_) on their ‘Business as Usual’ album. Of the remaining seven songs on the album, five of them are far better than the hits, particularly _Down By the Sea_ and _I Can See It in Your Eyes_. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494/80 "2025-08-28T19:44:23Z")
Speaking of Aussie bands, one of my favorite songs is [_Antarctia_](https://youtu.be/4V9TOQ9EqXc?si=52nh6irXgK8sxc8S), which, I think, does not get a lot of airplay though they do play it in concerts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-lesser-known-songs-do-you-think-are-better-than-the-greatest-hits/1022494.md?page=5)