Songs that were the lead single, opening track AND best song on the album

[DJ Bob Hoskins]

Pretty self-explanatory really: It has to have been the first single released from the album it's on, and has to be track #1. "Best song on the album" is subjective of course, but since my taste is impeccable, I shall be the judge of your submissions (if I am familiar with them) and my judgement shall not be, erm, peccd.

Off the top of my head:

Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana (Nevermind)
Protection - Massive Attack (Protection)
Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve (Urban Hymns)
What's The Frequency, Kenneth? - R.E.M. (Monster)

There are loads more I'm sure, so please start your typing fingers now.

[BJBMK2]

For Tomorrow by the Blur. Encapsulates everything that Blur were about, in roughly 4 mins. Damon Aaaaaaalbarn never wrote a better lyric in his life. He's written great lyrics since. But nothing comes close to this perfect mix of pop and art. (Or Pop and Brit?...no, not really, this is bigger then all that).

Super Bon Bon by Soul Coughing. Fantastic single, should have been huge. But they weren't allowed to be.

Novocaine For The Soul. Eels. This paint by numbers life is fucking with my head.

[DJ Bob Hoskins]

<checks clipboard> Those are all fine but you have to write down the name of the album each song is on CHRIST DO I NEED TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO YOU PEOPLE?

<clears throat> Sorry, carry on.

[The Culture Bunker]

Not an example from the band's best work by any means, but:

New Order - 'Regret' from 'Republic'

I love the song, but the parent album is patchy at best, probably due to being the work a band in the process of falling apart.

edit: 'Sowing the Seeds of Love' was the opening track to a Tears for Fears compilation I have, not an actual album. Doh.

[DrGreggles]

The Dark Is Rising - Mercury Rev - All Is Dream

[DrGreggles]

What Time Is Love - KLF - White Room

[BJBMK2]

<checks clipboard> Those are all fine but you have to write down the name of the album each song is on CHRIST DO I NEED TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO YOU PEOPLE?

<clears throat> Sorry, carry on.

:(

For Tomorrow, is from Modern Life Is Rubbish (1992)
Super Bon Bon is from Irresistible Bliss (1996)
Novocaine From The Soul is from Beautiful Freak (also 1996).

Are we friends again?

[DrGreggles]

The Concept - Teenage Fanclub - Bandwagonesque

[DJ Bob Hoskins]

:(

For Tomorrow, is from Modern Life Is Rubbish (1992)
Super Bon Bon is from Irresistible Bliss (1996)
Novocaine From The Soul is from Beautiful Freak (also 1996).

Are we friends again?

's fine, we're good. I knew them all anyway*

* I only knew the Blur and Eels ones, so thanks buddy

[DJ Bob Hoskins]

Not an example from the band's best work by any means, but:

New Order - 'Regret' from 'Republic'

I love the song, but the parent album is patchy at best, probably due to being the work a band in the process of falling apart.

edit: 'Sowing the Seeds of Love' was the opening track to a Tears for Fears compilation I have, not an actual album. Doh.

That's the spirit. It can even be a bad song on a bad album by a terrible artist, it just has to fill the 3 criteria in the thread title.

In fact I expect there are a lot of 'later years / past their prime' type examples since a lot of artists in creative doldrums will only have the one good track on the record which naturally fulfills all 3 criteria.

No time-wasters please. Anyone who nominates Wannabe by the Spice Girls clearly hasn't listened to the album otherwise they'd know that 2 Becomes 1 is the best song on it.

Edit: of course compilation albums don't count, so....sorry but you are now barred from music.

[DrGreggles]

Beetlebum - Blur - Blur

[Brundle-Fly]

[jobotic]

Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot off of Daydream Nation

[DJ Bob Hoskins]

Beetlebum - Blur - Blur

Ooooh, close. The correct answer was the title track from Parklife. I had previously pointed out in another Blur thread that Essex Dogs is the best track on Blur (with Beetlebum a close 2nd).

Edit: Bugger, Parklife is not the first track on Parklife. My point about Beetlebum still stands but after all that grandstanding I feel my error is too humiliating to ignore so I'll just let you all post now and take some time to work on myself.

<runs away in tears>

[DrGreggles]

Gimme All You Lovin - ZZ Top - Eliminator

[Norton Canes]

They're Here - EMF - Stigma

[DrGreggles]

Don't Stop Till You Get Enough - Michael Jackson - Off The Wall

[DrGreggles]

Generation Sex - Divine Comedy - Fin De Siecle

[BJBMK2]

Generation Sex - Divine Comedy - Fin De Siecle

Yeah, but that album also has National Express, and The Certainty Of Chance. The former being the better pop ready single, and the latter being just one of the most immaculate modern ballads there is. Not to put down Generation Sex, but I wouldn't call it the best thing on that album (on an album where I like almost every track).

[holyzombiejesus]

Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot off of Daydream Nation

Not a single

[holyzombiejesus]

Freak Scene by Dinosaur Jr. (Bug)

[DJ Bob Hoskins]

<re-enters thread with mascara running down face>

Generation Sex seems like an obvious choice, but on reflection I think Sunrise or possibly Sweden are better works.

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough from Off The Wall is a great call.

[buzby]

What Time Is Love - KLF - White Room

Hmm, not sure about about it being a lead single as such, more like it got rounded up onto the album that it's success inspired them to create.. The reworked Live From Trancentral version of WTIL? existed on it's own as a standalone single before they decided to revisit the White Room OST aborted album (which the original Pure Trance WTIL? was also not part of).

[rue the polywhirl]

Radio Free Europe by R.E.M is the earliest single from Murmur by some way (a couple of years) and by some distance the best song on the album (a couple of centimetres).

Technically is also true for Leaving New York from Around The Sun. It definitely is the opening track from the album and is the least worst song off it.

[rue the polywhirl]

<re-enters thread with mascara running down face>

Generation Sex seems like an obvious choice, but on reflection I think Sunrise or possibly Sweden are better works.

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough from Off The Wall is a great call.

Rock With You is currently on the line, demanding to have a word.

[jobotic]

Not a single

Blimey.


I meant to say Freak Scene

[DJ Bob Hoskins]

Radio Free Europe by R.E.M is the earliest single from Murmur by some way (a couple of years) and by some distance the best song on the album (a couple of centimetres).

Fractions of a millimetre at most, but I'll allow it.

Interestingly, musicologists have carried out extensive research on this subject over the course of several decades, and concluded that Murmur is one of the only albums ever recorded which contains no best song. Scientists have attempted to recreate this phenomenon by recording a compilation of Velvet Underground tracks in a sterile, anechoic chamber to no avail.

[PaulTMA]

The Dark Is Rising - Mercury Rev - All Is Dream

Soz but Nite And Fog was the lead single.

[imitationleather]

Not an example from the band's best work by any means, but:

New Order - 'Regret' from 'Republic'

I love the song, but the parent album is patchy at best, probably due to being the work a band in the process of falling apart.

The four singles released from that album were the first four tracks, which I thought was a bit weird and a definite sign that the band themselves didn't have much faith in the quality of the record.

[Dr Rock]

Te One I love REM Document

Not lead single!