It just doesn't fit...

Mr. Lonesome:

I was recently reading about the composition of The Cure’s Disintegration. It was pretty fascinating. The one thing that stuck with me is Robert Smith discussing the inclusion of “Lovesong.” Besides the fact that there is no general given way to spell it (it’s listed variously, even on the same records, as either “Lovesong” or “Love Song”), many critics (and fans, and fantics, if you will) feel as though it is completely out of place on the record. An actual love song on an album with such lyrical despair felt wickedly odd. To Smith’s credit, he said that song made the album what it is; rather, the album would be completely different without it: "That one song, I think, makes many people think twice. If that song wasn't on the record, it would be very easy to dismiss the album as having a certain mood. But throwing that one in sort of upsets people a bit because they think, 'That doesn't fit'."

Of course, this is coming from a guy who would specifically write pop tunes as singles just because he felt people labeled the band as such and such at any given time (i.e. “The Lovecats” and “Let’s Go to Bed” to escape the purely goth image, and then writing the songs for Disintegration when he felt people found Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me as too poppy). So, it makes sense he would include “Lovesong” on the album. And truth be told, musically, I think it fits perfectly. I couldn’t imagine Disintegration any other way.

That being said: are there any songs out there that you find to be inappropriate for an album you love, whether it didn’t fit, or you just didn’t like it?

For me, I’m going to start with “Illegal Alien” from the self titled Genesis album. This is one of my favorite records, mostly because it starts off so creepy, with “Mama” – then, you get a song about ghosts, with “Home By the Sea” and “Second Home By the Sea” – excellent melody to that song, and Mr Collins never sang so intensely as he does on “Mama” and “Home By the Sea.” “That’s All” is another great tune, second in the track listing. “Illegal Alien” was released as a single, and I guess it is a bit catchy. But when it’s followed by a song about a P.I. (“Just A Job to Do”) and the surreal “Silver Rainbow” I think the weird, campy, silly “Illegal Alien” just sounds very out of place. I always end up tracking past that one. And it really bothers me, because I think it ruins an otherwise creative record.

What comes to mind for you fellas? 

Mr. On'ry

First of all I'm going to completely disagree with you on "Lovesong".  I think it's a brilliant tune and fits perfectly on the album, maybe not lyrically but certainly sonically. 

This is a great topic though and got me thinking about some of my favorite albums.  The biggest and best example I can come up with off the top of my head is "Repo Man" by Ray LaMontagne.  I honestly think that his most recent album, God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise, is not only his best album but it's one of my favorite albums possibly of all-time.  Like Top 30 or 40 albums ever released...ever.  I think it's that good.  But that opening track, the aforementioned "Repo Man" is a throw away track in my book.  What's worse is that it opens the album!  In fact I got so used to skipng it right away that I honestly forgot the song existed and when I burned it to my iPod, sans "Repo Man", I started to think that the second track, "New York City's Killing Me" actually started the album.  That first track though is just so out of place, especially sonically, and frankly just not that good.  Thank the musical gods that wasn't the first song I heard off this record or I might never have discovered one of my favorites.   

We need to 'repo' one song from this

Mr. Mean:

 

I actually like “Lovesong” too. In fact, I am sick when Cure fans dismiss the song because it charted in the top 10 and was poppy. The Cure had gone pop before that so put on your black eyeliner and shut the eff up. The extra tracks they added to the cd of Disintegration ruin the album for me. I actually made a cd to mimic what the original album had, with “Disintegration” ending the album. Flows so much better that way. The extra tracks are just filler and should be B-sides instead.

Not familiar enough with Ray LaMontagne to comment, but I think I am going to check that album out on your recommendation.

One of mine is “Orion” in the middle of Master Of Puppets. No, I am not bringing up Metallica to fuel some fire here. I really do think “Orion” just needs to go away. It doesn’t work at all. The album as seven songs would be so much better.

Another is on The Cult’s Love, an all-time favorite album of mine. “Brother Wolf Sister Moon” is right in the middle of the album and it just meanders along. It’s long and drawn out and it just ruins the flow of the album. It would be best as used at the very end, though “Black Angel” is already there and is the other slow song on the album. I like that one better of the two, so I’d rather just eliminate the other song.

A major gripe of mine is having a US release of a UK band and the US label tweaking the running order or adding/eliminating songs. Case in point: “How Soon Is Now” smack dab in the middle of the Sire release of Meat Is Murder. Eff that. The song is not even that great anyway. I have a copy of cd on Rough Trade with the UK tracklisting and it eliminates “How Soon Is Now”, so the album flows exactly how it should. That said, they could eliminate the title track as well because, well, yeah.

Yazoo (Yaz in the US for some stupid reason) had their debut album, a classic in its own right, released in the US (on Sire, of course) and they eliminated what I think is one of their best songs, “Tuesday”. Once again, I went to the UK cd pressing on Mute and bought that so I could have “Tuesday” and hear the album the way Yazoo wanted it to be.

The Wolfgang Press’s album Queer was released in the UK without “A Girl Like You”, which ultimately ended up being their biggest single. When 4AD released the album in the States, they added it but it just does not work with the rest of the album. I bought the import so that may have some bearing on my gripe, but the album flowed so well. I am not against tacking on a song at the end of a cd release as a bonus track, single only release, b-side, whatever. I think this is making the case for vinyl if you ask me.

Mr. Lonesome:

On’ry, I think you misread my comment about “Lovesong” – especially this line: “And truth be told, musically, I think it fits perfectly. I couldn’t imagine Disintegration any other way.” Additionally, I have a special place in my heart for it because it was my favorite singular song to play on the bass. That’s right. I made my former bandmates, who loved bands like Train and Matchbox 20 ::shudder:: cover The Cure. This is why I’m awesome.

I, too, am unfamiliar with that LaMontagne album. I’ll look into it this weekend. And I love “Orion” actually. I think it’s a fantastic instrumental, and it fits where it is on the record, and with the sound as a whole on the record.

I like how you brought up the US/UK thing, Mean. I know the Stones had a lot of it going on. It has me flummoxed as to how a record company can choose how the artist wants to be expressed. But I will stop there, I literally could go on for pages about it.

I do have one addition: “Seamus” off Meddle. It’s the track that keeps that record from being, arguably, Pink Floyd’s best. It doesn’t fit with the mood of the album, and it’s rather silly. I’m fine with the upbeat “San Tropez” on there, cos it’s catchy. I think “Seamus” and that howling dog need to go.

Mr. Mean:

 

I love how we can even disagree on a Metallica album we both love. Hahahaha

Good point about the Stones…it was rampant back then though. The Beatles had albums come out over here that were nothing like the UK version. Same with the Kinks. I don’t think it is as bad these days. Labels will just tack on bonus tracks for the most part and be done with it.

Agreed on “Seamus”. It just does not work at all. I do love “San Tropez” a lot though. Great song.

Mr. Lonesome:

Very true!! But, I think Master of Puppets is a perfect album. I really don’t dislike any of those songs in any way.

Yeah, the 60s had some weird thought of “well, Americans aren’t like the English. We need to trick them and mix things up a bit. They’ll never know the difference.” Strange concept to me.

One guy is tired of talking about this band

Mr. Mean:

See, right there…”Orion” is the one song that keeps me from thinking the album is perfect. Eliminate that song and you have a brilliant 45 minute LP. Another thing that upsets me about it is the fact that it is the second longest track on the album! I could have used another few minutes of thrashing on “Battery” if they wanted to keep the length.

The thing was this: at the time in the UK, even well into the punk/new wave days, bands released singles and they were not on the albums. One of my favorite bands of the punk era, The Jam, released a ton of classic singles that were not on albums and were not collected until they released Snap! a year after they broke up. Americans were into the singles, so the albums had to be altered to fit some singles on them, and they omitted songs in the process. The art of the single got away from the UK in the 70s until punk came into focus. Many bands of that era released singles that were not on the album. The Clash’s first album is another one. The UK version is almost unrecognizable compared to the one we saw here in the States. When Sony remastered their catalogue in the late 90s, they at least had the decency to release both the UK and US version here.

Mr. Lonesome:

Well, this might be an inaccurate assessment, but I’ve always felt that instrumentals were preferred by musicians. I learned how to play it on the bass, and I have an insane appreciation for the composition of it. The main chord sequence is killer, the solos are some of my favorites from Kirk, and Cliff’s melodic bassline during the breakdown in the middle. The time signature changes also present a fun challenge. It totally makes me wanna geek out.

Mr. Mean:

And that is a good point. I am not a musician, just a huge lover of all music. My ears dictate what I like and what I don’t. The time signatures and intricacies mean nothing to me. I can’t play note #1 or sing in perfect tune. But I like music. Being a musician gives you a different appreciation for certain things in songs. 

Mr. Lonesome:

Absolutely. And not that it means I’m wrong or I’m right. But I do love “Orion” for maybe the same reasons you do not!

And back to your US/UK releases, you hit it on the head. I was actually looking at Stones releases last week, and the US versions totally had those singles on them, where as the UK versions did not (i.e. “The Last Time” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” being on the US release of Out of Our Heads).

Mr. On'ry:

Don't forget that AC/DC and Judas Priest had entire albums reworked and renamed for US consumption.  Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, the list is endless of bands who had the occasional song excluded from either the US or UK versions of their releases.  It's ridiculous and drives me up a wall. 

I refuse to speak on Metallica anymore.  I will not comment.

Mr. Mean:

Yeah dude I tend to forget about those bands. AC/DC especially. Hell, Dirty Deeds didn’t come out in the States until 1981 I think.

Quit being a brat. We were not even arguing about Metallica. We actually (holy crap!) had a decent discussion on the matter that shed some actual light on where we both are. But you’re too chicken to say if “Orion” sucks or not.

Mr. On'ry:

Just because you weren’t cursing at each other didn’t mean that it was a disagreement.  You even said it yourself: “I love how we can even disagree on a Metallica album we both love.”   And it didn’t shed any light – he likes it because he’s a musician, you don’t because your “ears like what they like”.  I’m just tired of talking about this band.  Every single conversation one of you brings them up.  You’re making me hate even the albums I like at this point. 

Oh and if you must know I think Orion is a decent song.  It’s my least favorite track on the album but I also wouldn’t remove it either.  So there.    

Mr. Mean:

Well up yours then.

*You tell us, what songs don't seem to fit on otherwise stellar albums...