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[Thrillho]

I've been listening to a few songs recently that got me to thinking - what are the songs that no-one remembers by famous artists, that you love? And a similar, possibly overlapping question, what are the songs by bands you love that are totally out of character but that you adore anyway?

In the former category, I have 'Heal The Pain' by George Michael and Paul McCartney. It's not a massive radio hit as far as I know, but it's just a lovely, well-sung, perfectly produced little acoustic song that's good fun to listen to. Along similar lines is 'I Just Can't Help Believing,' by Elvis, which I got on his Hitstory collection on the third disc. It's a live version, and it's just a quietly brilliant song with killer hooks that I might start playing at open mics.

In the latter category, the main one I can think of is 'The Number No Good Things Come Of' by Glassjaw. From a band known for being post-hardcore, it's a jazzy, breezy piano ballad and it's simply wonderful. I adore their other material, and like their more cloying slow numbers like 'Convectuoso' and 'Losten,' but the atmosphere of this one is so light, and the huge cymbal hits make me feel warm inside.

So people - what are yo' examples of each, eh?

[billiumbean]

A lot of James Taylor, for the first category.

I think I'll narrow it down to one of his oldies called "Secret O' Life".  He usually sings about a revelation he's had, and while that's not uncommon, his delivery is so very humbled by it all.  For instance, "Secret" is a very mellow acoustic song (album version has a band in on it at certain points, though) talking about how life is complex, so you just have to keep it simple and enjoy it.  And it reflects that in every way.  The melody just sort of meanders, and the lyrics aren't very complex.  I think it may have had some radio play, but I never see it on any "Remember the Good Ol' Days!" playlists or anything.

[spoon_of_grimbo]

for the first one, "no prayer for the dying" by Iron Maiden.  The album it's named after is generally seen as maiden's weakest release of the bruce dickinson era, and while this is probably true, people who trash the whole album are going over the top a bit, because that's one of a few really good songs on it.  it's a slower ballad-ish one, like a precursor to fear of the dark, and on an album with such a lack of synths compared to it's predecessor ("seventh son of a seventh son"), it's subtle synth parts make it stand out.

[Ballard]

Hells Bells by The Dandy Warhols.

[Patrick]

I would like to take this opportunity to remind everybody of that timeless classic "The Thong Song".

[De_El]

?

[rynne]

Hells Bells by The Dandy Warhols.

Just about all the b-sides from 13 Tales are great.  I adore "Retarded" myself..

I love "God Inside My Head" from Catherine Wheel's Happy Days, an album that alienated a large portion of the band's fans by exchanging the shoegaze elements of their previous albums for a more grunge-influenced sound.

[DougGlendower]

I like more of Elton John's B-sides than his singles. "Lady Samatha" and "Blues for Baby and Me" are two of the more notable ones.

I also like everything Gordon Lightfoot recorded. Sometimes I imagine he just went to his label and said "Just pick any two to release. It's all good."

[SleeperCylon]

Little Miss Strange by Jimi Hendrix

When you're listening to Electric Ladyland, it just sort of comes out of nowhere with a bunch of white guys singing weird psychadelic pop melodies.  You scream "No!  Let the cool guy with charisma do the singing!"