Bands Whose Most Famous Song is Nothing Like Their Other Output

[Antepli Ejderha]

Been meaning to start this for ages because of Cracker 'Low'' which sounds nothing like any of their other stuff, especially as it's probably the only song that most people know of theirs.

Nil thread coming.

[Patrick Thistle]

The Rembrandts, "I'll be there for you". At least, according to someone I knew at university who bought their LP.

[pebblethefish]

Beck "Loser". In that it has a tune.

[ad hoc]

Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters"

Actually a number of "heavy" (whatever that means) tend to have their most famous song as a sort of quiet melodic one. Arguably Stairway to Heaven is like this too (though it does have a heavy guitar, Plant-squealing bit towards the end)

[Sam]

I once gave Wild Cherry's eponymous album a listen, after reading that they started out as a straight-up rock band playing mostly covers, who didn't do much except tour universities until they wrote 'Play That Funky Music'. I can't really remember whether the rest of the album was similar or different stylistically, but I can certainly remember coming away from it with a very clear idea about why it's the only song of theirs anyone has heard of 46 years later. It's a fascinating career trajectory: from playing gigs for cash and fun to writing a genre-defining global smash hit and then almost immediately dropping back down to perhaps just a little above their previous level.

(With apologies for the tangent, I have just learnt as a result of checking the release date on Wiki that Vanilla Ice's 'Ice Ice Baby' was originally released on single as a B-side, with the A-side being a cover of 'Play That Funky Music'. And I've also learnt that Vanilla Ice's real name is R Van Winkle. Robert rather than Rip, sadly, but still. I imagine you all knew these facts already, so I shall now let you get on with your normal programming.)

[Sporting]

I was just thinking that for many artists it's impossible to say what their most famous song is.

[Flynnie]

Blur’s Song 2 is by far their most famous song in the States

[1974ddr]

Can I suggest that The Divine Comedy's best known song is probably their theme to Father Ted, which isn't particularly representative of their oeuvre?

[Guy Profumo]

Wasn't Willy de Ville's album markedly different from his hit single?

[jwdd27]

Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters"

Actually a number of "heavy" (whatever that means) tend to have their most famous song as a sort of quiet melodic one. Arguably Stairway to Heaven is like this too (though it does have a heavy guitar, Plant-squealing bit towards the end)

Extreme's - "More Than Words" is another prime example

[Jah Womble]

One could argue that The Stranglers' Golden Brown - undoubtedly their best-known tune - is in some ways atypical, but it was a fair while after their rockier heyday. And I guess they'd dabbled with harpsichord and waltz-time before.

Similarly, after a few years of shape-shifting psychedelic pop, the Boo Radleys' Wake Up Boo! was their most obvious attempt to bag a Top 10 hit (which they did). Even so, there was a definite dark side to its lyrics. Later releases returned to something closer to the band's original sound - and predictably didn't bother the chart stattos quite as significantly.

Beck "Loser". In that it has a tune.

Beck 'not writing tunes' is now a thing?

How odd.

[Tony C]

Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters"

Actually a number of "heavy" (whatever that means) tend to have their most famous song as a sort of quiet melodic one. Arguably Stairway to Heaven is like this too (though it does have a heavy guitar, Plant-squealing bit towards the end)

I think Stairway to Heaven is a good call.

Possibly Steely Dan’s Reelin’ In The Years could be included. While the lyrics concerning a doomed love affair are typically Fagan’s, the screaming guitar solos of Denny Dias, the Beach Boys’ harmonies and general radio chart play catchiness of it don’t represent the band at all.

[diggedy derek]

When it comes to Steely Dan, the one that strikes me as atypical is Rikki Don't Lose That Number.

Divine Comedy is a great shout I think. What about Babylon Zoo, whose 'hit' was an uptempo remix that was very different to their more dirge like usual output? Perhaps you could advance a similiar argument for Cornershop, too, although I think Cornershop are great.

[longeared]

Extreme's - "More Than Words" is another prime example

This was my first thought on seeing the thread.

Fairground by Simply Red. Most of their output is either balladeering or Mick Hucknall's brand of blue eyed soul, whereas that had a big dance influence, big chorus, sounded like nothing they did before or since and took them into places that a Simply Red song wouldn't normally go. Whether it is their most famous song is debatable, but it was all over the radio for months and was their only UK number one single.

Stay Another Day by East 17.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Songs of Love is a brilliant song, but it sounds like this. This is kind of what the Divine comedy sound like. I suspect that no more than 5% of the people who have seen the show have heard this version of the song. Gaybo had him on the late late singing this just after dermot Morgan died. I was in college at the time and my dad rang Me the next day to tell me that the bishop's son was on the late late, anf the father Ted theme tune was beautiful

[Satchmo Distel]

'Who Knows Where The Time Goes?' by Fairport Convention transcends folk-rock and would be a great ballad in any genre. 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' is much more personal than the social realist folk that Ewan MacColl specialized in.

[ale]

I was wondering about Blur Song 2 as well.And Golden Brown.

Along with

Phil Collins-In Air Tonight
Kraftwerk-Model
PiL-Public Image
Patti Smith-Because The Night
Motors-Airport

And has Chuck Berry Ding A Ling already been done to death on this board?

[Tony C]

Patti Smith is a good call.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

He banged it out for a melodic interlude for a play either he or his missus were in. I don't think he expected it to be the biggest selling American single of 1972 as far as I know he didn't much like any of the cover versions which is his loss. Roberta flack was a bit of a genius. I suspect an element of prince/sinead O'connor vibes about it. The ewan mc coll song that you hear the most in ireland, with him singing is the Manchester rambler, which plays in my head when eim is telling about his walking holidays.

[Patrick Thistle]

There is some crossover with the worst song is the most famous thread. Friday I'm in Love should be mentioned here. (Although I don't think it's a bad song at all.)

The Terrorvision track everyone else seems to know was the dancey remix of Tequila that got to number 2 in the charts.

[Nocturnal Submission]

I think Stairway to Heaven is a good call.

I'm not so convinced. Zeppelin's back catalogue is very mixed, from heavy tub-thumpers to a large number of very gentle songs. I suppose that you could say that the structure, the way the song builds from a folk-like start to a heavy rock finish, isn't typical of one of their tracks but the softer part certainly isn't atypical.

[RobW]

Until 'Enjoy the Silence' (or 'Personal Jesus'), could you argue that 'Just Can't Get Enough' was Depeche Mode's most famous song? It is still incredibly popular, particularly on the football terraces and unlike anything they did thereafter due to Vince Clarke leaving.

[ale]

Would Boomtown Rats Mondays be one for inclusion? If you played their run of early hit singles-and the brief few that followed- to somebody for the first time they could only conclude how far it was from being representative of the band catalogue.

[Satchmo Distel]

'Brass In Pocket' by The Pretenders

'Heart Of Glass' by Blondie

'If You Leave Me Now' by Chicago (they did similar ballads later but this was the first, 7 years into their career and really a Cetera solo effort).

'Without You' by Harry Nilsson, being a cover.

[elguapo4]

Happy Talk- Captain Sensible