Nothing but a Heartache, by the Flirtations.
Great song! I've heard it many times on chirpradio.org. It has a very familiar vibe that should have made it a hit.
by Anonymous | reply 1 | March 22, 2023 4:30 PM |
"Ask" by The Smiths. It didn't chart at all in the US. It fid chart at #12 in the UK.
I first heard it in the early 90s, when the video of it was played in the department store where I worked at the time. My co-workers and I thought it was a pretty cool song, and wondered why we never heard it before.
by Anonymous | reply 4 | March 22, 2023 5:05 PM |
The Beach Boys released the single "Heroes and Villains" in August, 1967. It never made it higher than #16 on 77 WABC-AM's All American Survey, and disappeared completely by September. Rock critics had declared the Beach Boys "out," one going so far as to call them "Doris Days on surfboards." And we had so much good music that summer, it wasn't hard to let go of the Beach Boys.
I bought the 45, and it has been one of my favorite songs ever since. But at the time, I had no idea that "Heroes and Villains" was the cornerstone of an even better album than Pet Sounds, called Smile. That album never got released, though individual tracks ("Wonderful," "Wind Chimes," "Vegetables," "Out Prayer," "Cabinessence") would appear on subsequent Beach Boys albums Smiley Smile and 20/20.
It was only when I bought the Good Vibrations box set in 1993 that I realized the totality of Smile, of which "Heroes and Villains" was but the main part.
by Anonymous | reply 5 | March 22, 2023 5:20 PM |
IMHO, this should have been a monster disco hit back in the day. Perhaps a stronger singer, such as Chaka Khan would have made it so?
by Anonymous | reply 6 | March 22, 2023 5:56 PM |
The First Cut is the Deepest, Keith Hampshire version.
by Anonymous | reply 11 | March 22, 2023 11:59 PM |
GREAT choice, OP. I can’t remember where I first heard it, but I really liked it…and then I saw that video, and I was in love.
My submission would be ANYTHING by Evie Sands. I discovered her a few years ago. It’s crazy that she didn’t become a big star.
by Anonymous | reply 12 | March 23, 2023 12:46 AM |
by Anonymous | reply 13 | March 23, 2023 12:49 AM |
Beth Ditto, “I Wrote the Book”
Such a good song. love Beth.
by Anonymous | reply 14 | March 23, 2023 12:52 AM |
Generationals - Lucky Numbers
Minor college/alt hit, should have been big
by Anonymous | reply 16 | March 23, 2023 1:33 AM |
They should have had more hits, period. Go-Go's - Apology. I heard it once on the radio.
by Anonymous | reply 17 | March 23, 2023 1:34 AM |
Ásgeir - Summer Guest - this is the English version. This is an amazing song. If the world had a shred of taste, this version should have been a bigger hit, or a hit at all outside Iceland.
by Anonymous | reply 18 | March 23, 2023 1:37 AM |
Three Hits - Numbers
An obscure 1980s release that was just too damn good for this sad world
by Anonymous | reply 19 | March 23, 2023 1:40 AM |
Cute song by Simon & Garfunkel. Eldergay New Yorkers will remember it from the commercial advertising The Bronx Zoo in the 70s/80s.
by Anonymous | reply 20 | March 23, 2023 1:44 AM |
Fiction Factory’s “Feel Like Heaven” is gorgeous. I never understood why it wasn’t a bigger hit.
by Anonymous | reply 21 | March 23, 2023 1:48 AM |
J Cole’s “She Knows,” although TikTok has made it trend lately
by Anonymous | reply 22 | March 23, 2023 1:49 AM |
R20 “The Only Living Boy in New York” should have charted too.
by Anonymous | reply 23 | March 23, 2023 1:49 AM |
It's been sampled many times, including by Mariah, but should be better remembered on it own
Renee Geyer - Stares and Whispers
by Anonymous | reply 25 | March 23, 2023 2:03 AM |
And it’s being used in some commercial nowadays.
by Anonymous | reply 26 | March 23, 2023 2:09 AM |
The Five Man Electrical Band had a huge hit in 1971 called "Signs" and were considered a one-hit wonder. But their follow-up "Absolutely Right" was a minor hit in the US, and a bigger hit elsewhere. I love that song, and it was the only single I ever ran out to buy after only hearing it one time.
Billy Paul is known for the sultry "Me and Mrs. Jones", but he had a fun follow-up "Thanks For Saving My Life".
The Carpenters heyday was 1970-1976, but their only top-20 song of the Eighties was great. "Touch Me When We're Dancing" should have been a bigger hit.
by Anonymous | reply 27 | March 23, 2023 2:16 AM |
R26 I love that song
by Anonymous | reply 28 | March 23, 2023 2:27 AM |
[R15] The evening of 9/11, I watched the nightly news on WNEW-TV (Channel 5 in NYC). At the end of the program when they rolled the credits, "New York Minute" played in the background. Whenever I hear this song, I feel the emotions I had from that tragic day.
by Anonymous | reply 30 | March 23, 2023 3:31 AM |
This along with Fanmail literally created the sound of would be the r&b of the 21st century.
by Anonymous | reply 31 | March 23, 2023 3:51 AM |
R31 "literally"
by Anonymous | reply 33 | March 23, 2023 10:18 AM |
The Rumour by Olivia Newton-John. Written by Bernie Taupin and Elton John, who is also credited for the piano and backing vocals.
Very catchy song with a nice music video. It should've been a comeback hit for ONJ.
by Anonymous | reply 34 | March 23, 2023 10:37 AM |
I never understood why 'Til Tuesday got stuck into the one-hit wonder status. They were perfectly suited for the MTV era, and their albums aged very well. This single is a real gem:
by Anonymous | reply 35 | March 23, 2023 10:54 AM |
Their follow-up to Voices Carry did a little better. They were MTV-friendly, but the releases were bad timing. They weren't a male-lead Hair Band or Alternative enough for what was dominating MTV during those days.
by Anonymous | reply 36 | March 23, 2023 11:45 AM |
Not sure if it made the charts but my former owner was a major fan
by Anonymous | reply 38 | March 23, 2023 6:18 PM |
R38 Yikes.
While I never understand celebrities who get lots of fillers, I SURE in the hell don't understand why Kim Carnes would. Wow, what media spotlight are you on that you feel that pressure?
by Anonymous | reply 39 | March 23, 2023 8:06 PM |
Don’t You Want My Love-Nicole from 1986. It made the dance charts but never crossed over. I had never heard of it until listening to a RuPaul interview where he said it was one of his go to lip synch numbers back in the day. I looked it up and it instantly became one of my faves.
She later competed on X-Factor under her real name, Lillie McCloud, and came in 8th. Shame it never worked out for her.
by Anonymous | reply 40 | March 23, 2023 9:46 PM |
Sorry R4 it was HUGE in the clubs in 85. We heard it all the time, saw them live in Mass 86 and they played it. It was a single release in the states.
by Anonymous | reply 41 | March 23, 2023 9:54 PM |
Hey R38 Bette Davis Eyes was the number one song of the year (1980/81?) so yeah it was A HUGE HIT. She clearly has Botox eyes now.
by Anonymous | reply 42 | March 23, 2023 9:56 PM |
*LOVED* Lone Justice. I thought about this thread today when this song popped up on my playlist.
by Anonymous | reply 45 | March 24, 2023 12:09 AM |
IMO, til Tuesday's best album was their third (and final) one, Everything's Different Now. There was some amazing songs on that album. J For Jules should have been a hit, Rip in Heaven was a great little pop song, so many ear friendly songs. The band only got better as they went on, and Aimee put out some wonderful solo albums.
by Anonymous | reply 50 | March 24, 2023 2:00 AM |
Eurythmics should've had a better career in the US.
by Anonymous | reply 51 | March 24, 2023 2:00 AM |
Eurythmics did fine.
by Anonymous | reply 52 | March 24, 2023 2:02 AM |
The could've done better here. Sexcrime (1984) - #81, It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back) #78, Thorne In My Side #68, You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart #64. All should've been top 10 hits.
by Anonymous | reply 53 | March 24, 2023 6:27 AM |
If we're talking things that were huge everywhere but America I present to you one of my secret aughts faves...
by Anonymous | reply 54 | March 24, 2023 6:51 AM |
[Quote]Sorry [R4] it was HUGE in the clubs in 85. We heard it all the time, saw them live in Mass 86 and they played it. It was a single release in the states.
R41 What clubs? College clubs? That might be true, but it was nothing like "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" by Tears For Fears, which was truly HUGE in 1985.
by Anonymous | reply 57 | March 24, 2023 11:12 AM |
"How Can You Give Up" ('til tuesday) sounds like a hit to me. And it doesn't have typical Aimee Mann lyrics, which could have helped it on the Hot 100.
by Anonymous | reply 58 | March 24, 2023 12:38 PM |
R8 Muskrat Love from Captain & Tennille was a top 10 hit in the US. It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. I think it’s a dumb song but it was nevertheless popular.
by Anonymous | reply 59 | March 24, 2023 12:49 PM |
Belinda Carlisle's "Real" album was almost completely ignored back in 1993. It's probably her most solid release and a nice shot at a more typical 90s sound. The lead single deserved to be a big hit:
by Anonymous | reply 60 | March 24, 2023 1:55 PM |
R61 One of their best singles. And their best album.
by Anonymous | reply 62 | March 24, 2023 2:14 PM |
Another moment America was asleep at the switch....
by Anonymous | reply 63 | March 24, 2023 6:56 PM |
Love Runs Out by Ryan Tedder (AKA One Republic) is a great song and video.
by Anonymous | reply 64 | March 24, 2023 8:25 PM |
Christina A and Linda Perry have written some really good ballads. I never heard "Life Me Up" until recently.
by Anonymous | reply 65 | March 24, 2023 8:26 PM |
R42. My bad. This was the song link I meant to post.
by Anonymous | reply 67 | March 26, 2023 8:22 PM |
Eurythmics did do fine, BUT they were ahead of their time. Should've been bigger.
by Anonymous | reply 69 | April 20, 2023 10:40 AM |
Nah. They were too chilly.
by Anonymous | reply 70 | April 20, 2023 3:43 PM |
Magic Town, a less known effort from The Vogues.
by Anonymous | reply 71 | September 18, 2023 8:19 PM |
Shed Seven - Dolphin.
It stalled at No. 28 in the UK, but didn't make a dent in the USA. My local radio station, KROQ Los Angeles, played it a lot, though.
by Anonymous | reply 72 | September 18, 2023 9:34 PM |
A Barry Mann & Cynthia Weill collaboration, R71.
by Anonymous | reply 73 | September 19, 2023 12:51 AM |
(R63) nobody slept on Adina Howard's version.
by Anonymous | reply 75 | September 19, 2023 3:01 AM |
River Deep - Mountain high. Phil Spector's best production in my opinion.
by Anonymous | reply 76 | September 19, 2023 3:21 AM |
Thanks OP, I love this fucking song!
by Anonymous | reply 77 | September 19, 2023 4:17 AM |
R76, that reminds me of the time in the ‘80s, when Nancy Reagan, then First Lady, sang a similarly-titled song from the American Songbook (the actual title now escapes me) at some White House event, & Jane Pauley hosted the Today Show. Jane was about to air Nancy’s performance under the mistaken belief Nancy was performing the hard rocking Tina Turner song. “This,” Jane said with bemusement , “I got to see.”
by Anonymous | reply 78 | September 19, 2023 8:25 AM |
R71 wins. What an amazing (and virtually unknown) Mann-Weill song.
by Anonymous | reply 79 | September 19, 2023 5:20 PM |
This Keith Hampshire recording of "The First Cut Is The Deepest" is my favorite version of the song & should have been a bigger hit.
by Anonymous | reply 81 | September 19, 2023 5:45 PM |
by Anonymous | reply 83 | September 19, 2023 6:48 PM |
Bump
by Anonymous | reply 84 | March 14, 2025 10:46 PM |
R8 that song was #1
by Anonymous | reply 85 | March 14, 2025 10:49 PM |
I never understood why this song never became more of a gay anthem
by Anonymous | reply 87 | March 14, 2025 11:46 PM |
I challenge DataLoungers to sample such lost and forgotten obscurities as “Hey Jude”, “You Light Up My Life”, “Physical”, and “Iris”.
by Anonymous | reply 93 | May 5, 2025 1:27 AM |
River Deep Mountain High
by Anonymous | reply 95 | May 5, 2025 2:15 AM |
The Flirtations look good and sound good, but need more catchy hooks and more upbeat, less sad sounds.
Also, they're in the middle of what a dilapidated Celtic Castle? Yeah that's weird. They're not hippies. They need more disco looks. Presentation matters.
by Anonymous | reply 96 | May 5, 2025 2:29 AM |
R96, you go back to 1969 and make those things happen for them..
by Anonymous | reply 98 | May 5, 2025 2:38 AM |
The end monologue should be more popular even if it's just as meme
by Anonymous | reply 100 | May 5, 2025 5:30 AM |
R99 Huh? That song was HUGE.
by Anonymous | reply 103 | May 5, 2025 12:18 PM |
R102, that song was big and it's still a big hit on Spotify today.
by Anonymous | reply 105 | May 5, 2025 12:37 PM |
R105 It's considered seminal and a classic today, but it peaked at No. 18 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock list when it was released. My feeling is it should have been "bigger' (what this post asks about) and charted more like Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" released the same year.
by Anonymous | reply 106 | May 5, 2025 5:08 PM |