Genesis – “Should have been” hits

In it’s early days Genesis was not a hit making machine. They were in a category called “progressive rock” or prog rock. Essentially it was mostly long songs, tended to be less vocals and more musicianship. While some of the songs are quite good (and many people enjoyed them all), it is not what we are looking at today.

In fact, nearly all the songs I’ve chosen are from the Phil Collins era. He helped steer Genesis away from prog rock into more of a hit rock act. The original singer Peter Gabriel had his own string of hits as well going solo, but Phil definitely took the group in a different direction (aided by the well rounded duo of Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford).

As usual with this type of article, the songs were not hits, but definitely could have been. Genesis did have quite a few hits, so finding some gems that weren’t proved a challenge.

In order of release:

A Winter’s Tale – This song was released as the second single (non-album), but it flopped. I think it has charm, but maybe the world wasn’t ready for it. It has quiet verses with very little instrumentation and that probably is what helped make it not a hit, but the chorus rises up and has a good melody. [Link in Spotify]

Undertow – Looking inward about power struggles between the conscious and subconscious mind. From the first album without Peter Gabriel, it is written by Mike Rutherford, the guitarist. It has a pleasant-sounding verse that builds up for the chorus with a nice ethereal guitar sound. [Link in Spotify]

Snowbound – Dealing with sorrow and disappointment through the roller coaster of emotions. It harkens back to the wonder of seeing a snowman in winter, how it can put a smile on your face. The song talks about knowing how you aren’t alone in your struggles. Perhaps not hit material, but still a good song. [Link in Spotify]

Many Too Many – A hit in the UK, but not in the US. Another song about heartache and love, also frustration and desperation. It does follow in the vein of Snowbound where it has quiet verses with a chorus that climbs in volume a bit. It fades away in the end, actually feeling shorter than it is. [Link in Spotify]

Man Of Our Times – A quicker tempo song than the previous choices talking about the struggles of social issues, politics and war. A man lost in thoughts, unsure of what to do but striving for tomorrow. It is a majestic song. Even though it clocks in just about 5 and half minutes, it still could have been a hit. [Link in Spotify]

Alone Tonight – A hauntingly beautiful track that captures the feeling of loneliness and compassion. For some dealing with being alone can be challenging, yearning to escape and find companionship. Unlike some of the previous songs it has a bridge that musically helps make it more unique sounding. [Link in Spotify]

Me And Sarah Jane – Coming in at 6 minutes long, this was too long as it is to be a hit, though could have been shortened I suppose. I just like chorus and the synths sprinkled throughout. This song explores themes of nostalgia, lost love and the passage of time. You get a peek into this relationship when love was in bloom. [Link in Spotify]

Just A Job To Do – A strong vocal performance is highlighted in this song and “bang bang bang” it hits (though not on the charts). The lyrics seem to point towards finding someone who did them wrong and getting justice. No matter what you will be found. This song is more guitar driven than most of their songs, which generally rely on synthesizers. [Link in Spotify]

Since I Lost You – Phil Collins wrote this song in response to Eric Clapton’s tragic loss of his son in 1991. It met with the approval of Eric himself. Anyone who has lost a child in such a manner has had their world torn apart. It is difficult to go on in life with your heart broken in pieces but one must. [Link in Spotify]

[Bonus Track] – Fading Lights – Stretching the meaning of a hit song here, this song clocks in at 10 minutes long. So maybe not a hit in the strictest sense, it is a beautiful song in many ways. The vocals speak to relinquishing the past, to remember how things once were. The instrumentation though really carries this song. In their last album as a group (can’t count “Calling All Stations” as it is terrible), they harkened back to the song structure Genesis was known for in the past. Very fitting. [Link in Spotify]

*some excerpts from wikipedia

Billy Joel’s Should Have Been Hits

I’m still working on a title for this type of article looking at artists songs that I think should have been hits but weren’t for various reasons. Although in some cases, the songs are just plain good, and you might want to give them a listen anyway.

This time, it is Billy Joel. A longtime favorite artist of mine, who unfortunately got tired of the song-writing grind over 30 years ago for the most part. He is known as the “Piano Man” partly due to his popular song of the same name, but also because he primarily plays piano. Incidentally I skipped many songs from his most recent records as he had far more actual hit songs during that period.

These songs I’ve selected are only from stuido albums and technically includes one hit. I’ll get into that technicality with the comments on each song. As with before I will link to Spotify so you can listen to the song for yourself if you’ve never heard it. I hope you will give them a listen either way – don’t take my word for the qualities of the entries. Finally, as with many artists there are a great many good songs, this just a short list of some of my favorites.

In order of release:

She’s Got A Way – This song is a quiet ballad that was a hit – about 12 years after its release. It was a hit on a live album, not the studio version. I think the studio version has a rawer tone to it. It is mostly piano and vocal, but it is a beautiful song talking about various characteristics of his first wife even though he doesn’t know why he likes them. [Link in Spotify]

Weekend Song – A lively song, it actually sounds familiar the first time you hear it. It’s a celebration of joy, of life, of freedom. The feeling you get when you get off your M-F 9-5 job and have the weekend to enjoy. It is a fun. A little guitar solo sprinkled in as well. A good-time song. [Link in Spotify]

Billy Joel – late 70’s

You’re My Home – Another love song for his first wife, Elizabeth, because he couldn’t afford to buy her anything. She was his rock, his home. While it does compare his wife to a house in some ways, works. It has overall light instrumentation that gives it a pastoral sound. [Link in Spotify]

I’ve Loved These Days – Everyone looks back to their past from time to time and this song embodies that feeling. You reach a time in your life where your past informs you on how you got to be where you are today. In fact, this song probably has been used as a song for high school graduations. A beautiful solo clarinet is in it as well. Original title was “These Rhinestone Days” – so glad he changed it. [Link in Spotify]

Scenes From An Italian Restaurant – One of his longest songs, it is technically two songs in one. The opening and closing are quiet slow tempo passages preparing you for the story (that takes place in the past) in the middle and finishing it at the end. The middle section has a story about Brenda and Eddie with a far more upbeat tone than the beginning/ending. Some of Joel’s best piano work and another blistering sax solo included within. [Link in Spotify]

Everybody Has A Dream – Indeed, everyone has a dream, and we should be enouraged to pursue them. Billy was going through a rough patch after divorce, so what better way to get yourself on track again – write an inspirational-type song. It is a gospel influenced song that gradually builds in volume with a choir (oddly now knowing it was originally written as a folk song). [Link in Spotify]

Half A Mile Away – This describes two people who are physically close but emotionally distant. Again, written due to the problems that can come up in relationships, it is actually an upbeat sounding song. There are some horns added in here among the oohs’. [Link in Spotify]

Billy Joel late 80’s

Until The Night – No doubt after listening to this you might think of the Righteous Brothers as it is in that style. A slow beat guides the song until the cresendos in the chorus picks things up. The song invariably points towards a couple who are together in the morning, go their separate ways to their work and then meet up again in the evening. It was a hit in the UK, but not America. [Link in Spotify]

Famous Last Words – Although this song seems to indicate he was done writing pop songs (as we would eventually find out), it is about making mistakes and seeking redemption for those past errors. It has a nice jolly feeling to it, the lyrics reference “Gone With The Wind” in part of it. I like the organ in the background as well. [Link in Spotify]

Turn The Lights Back On – After so many years not writing songs, amazingly Billy Joel turned up with this gem. It makes it seem like there will be more to come. The song reflects that he probably shouldn’t have been gone so long from making new music. It was time to turn things back on, but did he wait too long? In his mid-70’s, not necessarily likely but who knows. [Link in Spotify]

Billy Joel – now

(some notes are partially taken from Wikipedia)

Top 10 “obscure” songs by Pink Floyd

This subject matter may not interest everyone, but thought I’d try something different. I will pop one of these up everyone once in a while to give you songs of artists I enjoy but who have songs not everyone may have heard before. In other words, they aren’t hits. You may have only heard about them if you bought their albums. If possible, I will link to them on Spotify so you can listen and see if you agree.

Often times these songs might not even sound like the group/singer in question because of how different they sound. In today’s case, it is Pink Floyd. They are well known for mostly 2 albums “Dark Side of the Moon” and “The Wall”. There may be other things you’ve heard by them, but most people know just these two albums. So I present to you 10 songs that I think are really good, but unless you are passionate about the group, may have never heard before.

In order of release:

If – This acoustic strummer sung and written by Roger Waters has a quiet walk down memory lane feel to it. The guitar solos are lazy sounding ones as well, which works. The lyrics are introspective in nature, but it is a good song to listen to like on a lazy river. [Link on Spotify]

San Tropez – A jaunty jazzy sounding song by Roger Waters. It talks about an idealized day in Saint-Tropez, a commune in southern France on the French Riviera. It just has a nice wistfulness about it. An equally jazzy guitar solo fits the mood perfectly. It also has a bouncy jazzy piano solo. It is a nice song to listen and relax. [Link on Spotify]

Wot’s….Uh the Deal – A strange title, but then again it is on a movie soundtrack. Written by David Gilmour and Roger Waters, sung by David, it has an overall quiet tone with acoustic guitar and some piano. In fact, no guitar solo really, just a little piano ditty. It talks about taking advantage of what opportunities life gives and how they affect you later on. [Link on Spotify]

Free Four – A synthesizer-based number (wirtten by Roger Waters) with some acoustic guitar from an album for an obscure movie called “Obscured by Clouds” (ironically). It has rather simple beat and melody, but it is as close to a pop song as Pink Floyd can get. It has a nice guitar solo as well. I think it could have been a hit song even though it is slightly morbid in the lyrics partially referring to the evils of the record industry. [Link on Spotify]

Stay – Piano based and a strong song written by Richard Wright(with Roger Waters) but sung only by RIchard Wright (keyboardist). Again, written mainly for the movie “Obscured by Clouds”. It is about a one-night stand so doesn’t have the most riveting chorus but is touching in its own way and has a nice drippy guitar solo. [Link on Spotify]

Nobody Home – While “The Wall” album was immensely popular, this song may have been skipped by many. It wasn’t a hit (not that Pink Floyd typically had them) and is a quiet song. Once again written by Roger Waters to piano. It has some interesting lyrics and you’ve even got Gomer Pyle (a 50’s TV show character) lending his voice near the end. It is about trying to call someone, and no one is answering even though the caller is reaching out for help. I just think it is a well written song.

Two Suns In The Sunset – Be warned this does have a slightly harder sounding middle section but the rest of it is pure beauty even if it is talking about the end of the world (one sun is an atomic bomb btw). Roger Waters is at it again with this mainly acoustic gem. The middle break is a little brutal (and has Roger’s whiney type of voice) but the sax solo at the end blisters. [Link on Spotify]

On The Turning Away – Written by David Gilmour (and Anthony Moore) is on the first album without Roger Waters in the band. Some of the songs aren’t as strong, but this is a hidden winner. It seems to be about helping each other and not turning away. It wouldn’t be David Gilmour without a long strong hard guitar solo to close it out, but overall, this song has a quiet plaintive tone to it. [Link on Spotify]

A Great Day For Freedom – This song recalls the day the Berlin Wall came down and how the hopes and dreams for what that meant didn’t really happen (at least at the time). Written by David Gilmour and Polly Samson (now his wife). It is mostly piano focused with again a wonderful guitar solo by David Gilmour. [Link on Spotify]

Coming Back to Life – Soley written by David Gilmour it tells of how he was in poor spirits until meeting his wife and how his life took a wonderful turn and he “came back to life”. It has an interesting opening guitar part that moves into a mostly instrument free zone where he laments that he didn’t realize he missed her until he found her. It then picks up the pace with a stready beat. As is the case of many great songs from Pink Floyd, the guitar solos tear it up. [Link on Spotify]

Hope you checked the songs out even if not a Pink Floyd fan and gave them a listen. Maybe you found one or two you really liked. Interestingly most were written by Roger Waters who despite many not caring for his politics (or even his voice in some songs), does have a way with melody and lyrics.