This is a thread for mentioning those un-rated, rarely-heard songs which you believe are as good as, if not better, than the tunes that are considered "classics". Songs that should have been given radio airplay and could have been chart hits.
The singers and groups need not be restricted to the lesser knowns or local talents nor to any decade. Feel welcome to mention those seldom heard treasures by a more well known
artist or even an "undiscovered" cover of a more familiar song
performed by a contemporary or long ago talent.

I'll start off with "Lifelong Fling" from Over The Rhine, off their new "Ohio" double-cd. A fine love song made uncommon by the gorgeous voice of Karin Bergquist. I read the rave reviews at AMG and Pop Matters websites and gave in to temptation to buy the cd. My favorite cd of the year...so far.

"The Sphinx Won't Tell" by Justin Trouble. From an obscure
mid-1980s lp. "Midnight At the Oasis" meets "Walk Like An
Egyptian". A great song in the style of Southside Johnny's more party-oriented tunes.

Other Van Morrison fans may also adore "Linden Arden Stole the Highlights" but I've never heard this on radio and it's
always seemed a hidden gem on "Veedon Fleece". Couldn't
the dj's play it a few times in place of "Gloria"?

Ben Harper's "Diamonds on the Inside" is a wonderful song that never gets the recognitiion it deserves.

"Save it for a Rainy day" by the Jayhawks and "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" by Lucinda Williams are both wonderful pieces that many people haven't heard. I could fill a whole page with Wilco songs that deserve to be heard.

I'm a huge Replacements fan and most of their really good stuff never got much play. "Achin' to be" is a perfect example. It's such a soulful song.

For truly excellent "fun" music a band out of Georgia called Marvelous 3 is absoultely amazing. They never got the recognition that they deserved. My name comes from one of their songs

My all-time favorite surf instrumental classic is "Baja", originally done, I believe, by the Astronauts. But the best version of this often covered song is by the Blue Hawaiians
from the "Live At the Lava Lounge" cd. They add some surf- locale dialogue and give the tune a slight jazzy make-over. A nice update indeed!

"My Heart Belongs to You" by the Westbound Train. A soul/ska ballad that's dying to be heard.

Extreme obscure? "Burn" by Nut. An ultra-sexy mid-tempo
tune from a German (?) singer/songwriter. I know next to nothing about her, and the cd booklet overs no clues. After reading a review of the cd and after a year long hunt, I finally tracked the record down through the Gemm record-searching
website. Definately worth the wait...just hope her second album isn't as hard to track down.

A fun song for my next mixed-tape- "Tina Louise" by Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen. A rollicking little desert country tune that should be a well-loved classic.

"Heartbreak Stroll" by the Raveonettes. Alternative college rock radio might play this noisey bit of pop though it deserves a more widespread attention. Recommended if you like distorted female psuedo-metal rockabilly.

Love is the answer--England Dan & John Ford Coley
Don't throw it all away--Gary Benson
Year of the cat--Al Stewart

What about "Josie" by Steely Dan"? I think it should be better recognized as one of their classics. Also, "L.A. Woman" by the Doors has been in the shadow of "Light My Fire" and other overplayed songs; it's a all-time classic rocker!

tjoeb};>