Hey guys, let me ask you: how do you follow a playlist of the most overplayed songs from your favorite bands? If your immediate thought was the most underplayed songs from those same bands, then we had the same exact brilliant idea. Great minds, eh?
What follows is a collection of songs, by the same bands as last month, that are tragically under appreciated. They may not have been released as singles, or received much airplay, etc. Basically, this is a collection of some songs in the artist's catalogue that didn't receive the recognition they deserve. Some of them I will listen to 1000 times before I listen to the songs on last month's collection.
So, without further bush-beating, here we go:
1. Gone Shootin' - AC/DC
This track is one of 9 (or 10, if you're English) of the brilliant tracks off of 1978's Powerage. Mentioned previously as my all-time favorite record, there is just not enough I can say about this album. It's their most eclectic mix of songs, some of their rawest production to date, and certainly some of the band's most brilliant lyrics. "Gone Shootin'" is a bluesy rock ballad of sorts, in which Bon finds himself hopelessly in love with a drug addict. Give it a listen for yourself and experience the bluesy rock swing that will have you dancing to another man's woes.
2. Come Out Swinging - The Offspring
Another track from my list of all-time favorite albums. Noticing a theme, are you? Well The Offspring's 2000 effort Conspiracy of One, as a whole, is criminally under appreciated. It generated 3 singles, one of which is a setlist staple for the band: "Want You Bad," while another is a setlist alternate: "Original Prankster." They play "Prankster" quite often in their live show, but they will swap it out for another fan favorite. Case and Point, I've seen them three times and haven't seen "Prankster" once, but have seen "Want You Bad" all three times. "Come Out Swinging" is the album opener from CO1, and what a strong opener it is. It features a head-banging riff, and catchy yet unfortunately relatable lyrics. Combine that with a brilliant bridge and you have a great song that would never be played live in its 20 years of existence. There are plenty of other gems on this record, too, if you're so inclined. "Denial, Revisited," "Vultures," and "Living in Chaos" come to mind specifically.
3. Dirty Water Dog - Van Halen
There is a big fat stack of songs by Van Halen that I could have put here. Plenty from Roth, and certainly more than a handful from Hagar. But Cherone's time in the band AS A WHOLE is underrated in my opinion. The 1998 tour was criminally under-attended, Van Halen III was criminally under-sold, and Cherone's time with the band was far shorter than it should have been. "Dirty Water Dog" is only one of the handful of tracks from VHIII that is definitely worth listening to more than once. If you're into it, check out "From Afar," "One I Want," and the sole hit from the record, "Without You."
4. What Were You Expecting - Halestorm
A little-known shining star from their debut album, this song introduced the world to Lzzy Hale before she became the powerful bicon of our generation. This is her edgy, tongue in cheek confession to the world that she likes sex just as much as any man, and she certainly is not gonna fall in love with you after one hookup. This has all of the sexy attitude that "Do Not Disturb" and "White Dress" has, but "What Were You Expecting" came significantly earlier in the band's career.
5. Overburdened - Disturbed
One of the band's few early slow songs, this one is a true spectacle, and another off my favorite records of all time list. I find myself listening to this one quite often, which may come as a surprise to you since it is one of their slower tunes. It tells the tale of a line of fallen soldiers waiting their turn at the entrance to hell. They are all wondering how they could have ended up there after giving their lives fighting for their country. This song has all of vocalist David Draiman's best and strongest qualities. His powerful and intense vocal range, and his religious and political inspired lyrics.
6. Riddles - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
This one comes from Sinner, another favorite of mine. This is the album opener, yet it was never released as a single. Instead, in true Joan Jett fashion, she released the covers from this record as the singles. The Sweet's "A.C.D.C." and The Replacements' "Androgynous." I believe that this song deserves more recognition than it ever got because it is some of Joan's best original work, and it contains that angsty anti-government edge that proves Joan Jett is a true punk at heart.
7. Scratch N Sniff - Stevie Ray Vaughan
Lyrically brilliant, musically brilliant, on my all-time favorite records list YET AGAIN, and come on, that title? Only Stevie could write a brilliant bluesy-rock jam, call it "Scratch N Sniff" and get away with it. He does say it once in the song, but I still find myself wondering how he decided upon that for a title. This song is one of many in his catalogue that I listen to and find myself wishing he were still alive and making music. It really was his gift to the world.
8. Only Broken Heart - Warrant
Warrant is one of the many 80s/90s metal acts that continue to perform to this day, and if you see them 20 times I'll wager that the setlist will be damn near the exact same at each of those 20 shows. All hits (and maybe an occasional B-Side) from their prime in the 80s. Several bands from this decade continue to tour and record, though some others will only tour. The frontman of Firehouse has even gone on record saying something along the lines of "don't hold your breath waiting for new music, what's the point? The fans in the audience only wanna hear the old stuff anyway." And sadly, he's not really wrong in saying this. Warrant has put out a couple really solid records with their current vocalist Robert Mason, but not many of their fans actually care. Which is a real shame, cause these albums are ripe with some under appreciated gems, especially "Only Broken Heart."
9. Dancing On Glass - Motley Crue
A fantastic song by a fantastic band. The band's notorious reputation for booze, drugs, women, etc. was certainly always well-known to their fans, so why did a song- featuring a brilliant metaphor for heroin- so harshly underperform compared to the mild and boring "Home Sweet Home?" Someone explain that to me.
10. Dot Your Eyes - Five Finger Death Punch
Not much to say about this one. The band is in top form here, it's an undeniable headbanger, yet it is criminally ignored compared to "The Bleeding." Bleh, "The Bleeding".... no thanks.
11. Just For - Nickelback
This song marks the exact spot when the Canadian rock group that everyone loves to hate transitioned from post-grunge to straight up hard rock. Anyone who has ever witnessed someone they care about get their heartbroken can easily relate to this one. And say/think what you will about the band, but a good song is a good song. And "Just For" is a good song.
12. It's So Easy - Guns N' Roses
This one is a bit of a stretch. It was released as a single, it's definitely a hit for the band, and it was their opening song from the Not In This Lifetime Tour, but it far undersold the boring and mindless "Paradise City." And it certainly doesn't get any radio play today, not like the unfinished and nauseating "Sweet Child O' Mine." Do yourself a favor, every time you feel like listening to "Paradise City" or "Sweet Child O' Mine," listen to "It's So Easy," "My Michelle," Rocket Queen," "It's So Easy," and "Nightrain" instead. Did I list "It's So Easy" twice? Oops...
BONUS: Bob - "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al"'s 2003 studio effort Poodle Hat features some of Al's finest work. "Bob" is a key example of Al's brilliance on this record, as he composed an uncanny likeness of Bob Dylan, and the song's lyrics are entirely comprised of palindromes. Find me another artist that can do that successfully. I DARE you.
Well, there you have it. The Under-Playlist. I promise you, this collection is a more interesting and worthwhile listen than last month's edition.
Synic Selects Vol. VII - The Under-Playlist
1. Gone Shootin' - AC/DC
2. Come Out Swinging - The Offspring
3. Dirty Water Dog - Van Halen
4. What Were You Expecting - Halestorm
5. Overburdened - Disturbed
6. Riddles - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
7. Scratch N Sniff - Stevie Ray Vaughan
8. Only Broken Heart - Warrant
9. Dancing On Glass - Motley Crue
10. Dot Your Eyes - Five Finger Death Punch
11. Just For - Nickelback
12. It's So Easy - Guns N' Roses
Bonus: Bob - "Weird Al" Yankovic
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