These songs should have been hits (Blog Version)

In going through my 678 records to bring awareness for my brain disease, Lewy body dementia, I’ve come across songs that I believed should have been big hits.

I’m sure you’ve done this before. Like how could that song not be a hit single? I’m going to pull a list of 12 songs from my 678 albums that should be hits. The artists, if they read this, should reissue these songs, pump them up and make some money.

Actually that’s easier said than done. Everything is out there. Yet there’s opportunity here for a band to be rediscovered. Or maybe score a car commercial, like Nick Drake’s ‘Pink Moon’ did years ago.. Of course he never saw the benefit of that: He died by suicide years before it was a commercial.

Actually what might be a hit today will likely fall on dead ears in regards to my 59-year-old self. My idea of a hit will sound more like what II grew up with in the 60s, 70s and 80s. I’ll provide links and/or videos to those I can find. Maybe you’ll agree these should have been hits. Or, maybe not. But let me issue a challenge. Put these 12 songs on a playlist. Six you will say naaaah! Three you will like or find interesting. Two you will love and keep forever. And one will enter your Top 10 list of all-time great songs. The challenge begins as I rank in descending order of my picks.

12. One Day Tomorrow — Edgar Winter. Winter, taking a break from the straight-ahead rock of Free Ride and Frankenstien, goes solo with a mostly mellow album called Jasmine Nightdreams. Mellow except for the song Shuffle Low, which features searing guitar and ‘Keep on Burning” in which Edgar shows where Steven Tyler picked up that cat hairball scream.

11. Feel Like Calling Home — Mr. Big

This obscure British group, not to be confused with a slightly lesser obscure American group of the same name had a lead singer who went to the Geddy Lee school of high scream you scream. Check it out (the song is nothing like a Rush song FYI). For an encore, the lead singer will put glass bottles on his fingers, clack them together, and say ” Warriors, come out and play-ay.”

10. Jesus Came Down — Lake

Moving from obscurity to more obscurity, let’s go to Germany where a band named Lake put out a few albums , sometimes sounding like Yes. Of Lake songs there are several that could make the shoulda coulda woulda list: ‘TIme Bomb,’ ‘On the Run’ or ‘Jesus Came Down.’

I’m going with Jesus. But you gotta be worried about that guitarist who unleashes a firestorm of guitar licks that almost had me running with the devil.

9. Catch Your Train — Scorpions

Back in the day (and night) we listened to this new genre called ‘heavy metal.’ If it was commercial, it sucked. The Scorpions and UFO, two German bands (speaking of German bands) were a pretty good bet not to be commercial. That changed some 5 or 10 years after I was a little metal head for about 20 minutes. The Scorpions, though could still play metal, they started to do power ballads that topped the charts. Little cash money you know. ‘Catch Your Train’ is not even on the Scorpions greatest hits album. But I always thought it would go worldwide if released as a single. Listen up. There’s a hardcore metal singer and a guitarist, one of the Schenker brothers. (The other is/was in UFO). Put your cotton balls in your ears and crank it all the way to 6. (Just to be safe).

8. Ballad of El Goodo — Big Star

It’s certainly fits the storyline that Big Star would have all sorts of calamities that kept their great music from the masses. But this song, especially, seemed to be an automatic hit.. But no. When you first hear it you say, I know that song, but then you can’t figure out where. It’s a rock and roll template song with soul.

7. Summer Eyes — Nite City

After Jim Morrison, frontman of the Doors, died, the brain behind the mega group, Ray Manzarek, had to do something. So he hooked up with a few LA-based musicians and formed a short-lived group called Nite City. The resulting record isn’t too bad. But it’s highlight ‘Summer Eyes” is kind of like the El Goodo song. In that it instantly sounds like it was a big hit sometime in the past — in the listeners’ minds. Although it did get some radio play — that’s how I first found it in Athens, Ga., while was in high school. Fittingly, the song is anchored by a strong Manzarek organ riff.

6. Oh My Love – Dave Olney

I saw Dave Olney several times in my several years at Auburn. Live music every Thursday night with $5 cover and 50 cents Budweiser long necks. Olney and his band the X-Rays played intermittently. Tight band. I bought the album at a record store and will review it in Myvinylcountdown.com soon. “Oh My Love” I believe did get local or regional airplay. Nothing fancy about it. Except that it will stay in your head forever. This is a very difficult song to find online. Finally found a geriatric Olney, doing well it looks like, still recording, writing books, etc. See video below and go to the 3 minute mark to get the song. It’s a great song and I’d love to see an older video with full backing band, that would bring back memories.

5. This Corrosion – The Sisters of Mercy

This little bit of Gothic darkness is a quite catchy if you ask me. And you can dance to it. Put it on the radio.

4. Gypsy Blood — Mason Ruffner

This song just needs to be on the radio. It’s a road song and will make you drive too fast. Listen to Ruffner on the guitar. Should have been a hit.

3. Sincerely — Dwight Twilley

This guy was severely under-recognied. I could put about five or six songs of his here — off the top of my head.

2. More Than One Heaven — The Swimming Pool Q’s

Blindfold me. And let me randomly pick a list of Swimming Pool Q songs. A majority could have been hits. ‘Pretty on the Inside,’ Celestion,’ ‘ Blue Tomorrow,’ ‘The Bells Ring’. Listen closely for guitar. Bob Elsey, I’ve said it before, is one of the more underrated guitarists in a pop band. He rarely jumps out front, mainly delivering song support with guitar in a way that you rarely see (hear?) In live concerts he steps forward a little. He leaves you wanting more. Jeff Calder is a fine guitarist as well and lyricist. Anne Richmond Boston has a distinct and wonderful tone on vocals. I saw the Q’s in 1978 (or 79) as they opened for the B-52’s at Memorial Hall on the UGA campus. I was in a dorm about 3 minutes walking distance. My introduction to the New Wave thing. I saw them later in Birmingham at the Nick.

1. Cinderella’s Baby — Tonio K. This artist, I’ve talked about before. I’ll save writing about his work and songs until I get to him on the MVC Countdown. But know this: He is one of my favorites and his lyrics and rock sensibilities are in the upper realm of modern rock and roll. Notethis album’s cover is part of my home page. This song sounds radio ready even if the lyrics were not so great. But the lyrics are amazing –a blatant condemnation of the pressure that popular culture put on us to be who we are not, especially women and girls. It’s a culture that encourages women and girls to emulate someone’s sexualized vision of beauty to sell product. . “Don’t you believe it,’ Tonio sings. “when they tell you that your face won’t do and you got to make one up.”

Post Script. I welcome feedback. Let me know if my predictions about how many you like are spot on or waaaay miss the mark. In doing this I resisted to pull some lesser heard Beatles or Rolling Stones (‘Out of Time’ off of Metamorphosis was a Stones song considered. Remember also I was working out of the universe of my collection. That said, I’d love to hear your ‘Best songs that should have been hits.’

AL.com Version of this stoy Here.