More recently, “deep cuts.”
More plainly, “songs you’ve never heard of from artists you have.”
What am I talking about? Songs that make up the bulk of individual albums but never get released as singles and so consequently never appear on the radio.
But if you’ve ever owned a good album (OK, CD), you know that such “filler” often include some of the best music on the entire disc.
So here are my five favorite songs you’ve never heard of from artists you have.
1. Tom Petty, Too Good To Be True from the album Into The Great Wide Open. This one doesn’t need any more cowbell. It has the perfect amount the way it is.
(By the way, For All The Wrong Reasons from the same album easily could have made this list. Here it is:)
2. Led Zeppelin, Out On The Tiles from the album Led Zeppelin III. This one has so much working against it: it is on Led Zeppelin’s least popular album, it has to share space on that disc with The Immigrant Song, and the title phrase is lost on most American listeners. Nevertheless, the musical progressions and song design helped pave the way for later, longer, layered guitar tracks like Kashmir and Achillles’ Last Stand.
3. Bruce Springsteen, All That Heaven Will Allow from the album Tunnel Of Love. Bruce in love. For a little bit.
4. Don Henley, A Month Of Sundays from the album Building The Perfect Peace. A Farm Aid song before there was ever a Farm Aid. Leads directly into Sunset Grill.
5. John Mellencamp, Just Like You from the album Cuttin’ Heads. Mellencamp released this album just after 9/11; otherwise, I believe more people would have embraced just how many good songs it contains.