So here is my list. I'd be intrigued to know what you'd add to it
1. The Ramones - Blitzgrieg Bop. If the Ramones sold as many copies of this as they've sold T-Shirts since they died, they'd have been the richest band on the planet. Their signature tune, released in 1976 and never bothering the charts. The Ramones are a perfect example of a band that are so good that the music industry doesn't know how to to deal with them.
2. Wire - Map Ref. 41˚N 93˚W. Of all the punk bands that didn't bother the charts, I am most puzzled by why Wire didn't, apart from the fact they wouldn't play the game. They write brilliant pop songs and just about every Indie band quotes them as a massive influence. This is perhaps their finest moment. I can only guess that the title of the track confused dim radio programmers.
3. The Velvet Underground. Sunday Morning. Released in 1966, a luscious track. Although most people associate the band with songs about drug usage and alternative lifestyles, but Lou Reed could write a banging pop tune. This is perhaps the finest example. The band sold almost no records at the time, but again, they influenced all of the punk/indie bands that followed.
4. Carroll Thompson. Hopelessly in love. According to Wikipedia, this wasn't even released as a single. What sort of a dolt runs a label and cannot see this is a banger. I've seen Carroll dozens of times and this is always the song that steals the show.
5. Janet Kaye. Eternally Grateful. This got to 86. Given that Janet had a monster hit a couple of years before with Silly Games, and it is a monster of a song, you'd think it would be a shoe in. Baffling in the extreme.
6. Country Joe and The Fish. Janis. A love song from Joe to his former girlfriend, Janis Joplin, who had passed away. A beautiful song. The band are one of many that never really reached their full potential, which I think this song demostrates.
7. Moby Grape. It's a beautiful day today. Another band that should have been massive and for whatever reason weren't. To me this is a georgeous track. The band had five musical genius members. Sadly the band was ridden with strife, mostly around drug abuse. But this shows what they can do.
8. The Saints. I'm Stranded. Aussie band, The Saints were the first punk band I saw, supporting The Ramones and Talking Heads at the Roundhouse. This was their first single, released in 1977. The band had a minor hit a couple of years later with This Perfect Day. I'm Stranded is a brilliant track, but when it was released, mainstream radio was avoiding punk.
9. David Bowie. Changes. Released in 1972, it was the last of a run of unsuccessful singles, before Bowie released Starman. IMHO it is a better song. Discuss? I doubt Bowie passed away being to be upset that one of his singles in 1972 was not a hit, but it just shows how badly the music press and the radio producers got it wrong.
10. The Sway. Going Blind. Ok, I'm biased here. I was managing the band. The song features the amazing backing vocals of Helen Terry and was produced by D.D. Dwyer. The song got plenty of regional radio play on the BBC, being BBC West Midlands single of the week, and being played by Gary Crowley on GLR, but the powers that be missed the charm of it.
There are plenty of other tracks that should be added. Any suggestions. I took the liberty of adding The False Dots 2024 single "We all love a party". It got a fair bit of radio play on online stations, is a firm favourite at gigs and people often come up to me and say "That should've been a hit". The sad truth is that the gatekeepers no longer like people who sing songs in a non put on accent. You may think that it disheartens me. Not a bit of it. The fact that people are still listening to the songs and appreciate them shows that it was all worth it!
Here is the playlist. Enjoy and have a great weekend
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