Rock And Pop Anthems That Never Made The Charts

[EdmundD]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54390878

I can't say I know all of these. Anybody know any others?

[Deskdiary]

I’m an unapologetic soul and funk fan; it’s the only music I listen to - I have a box room that has 4021 twelve inch singles, all in alphabetical order that drives my wife mad (“we could make better use of that room”), and for me the biggest disgrace ever is that I Found Lovin’ by The Fat Back Band, only ever made it to number 49 in the uk charts.

[Mozz71]

DD, didn't I Found Lovin' chart on reissue? I'm sure I remember it being one of two versions of the song in the charts in about '87/'88?

The biggest funk flop in the UK for me was a Billboard number one: Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) by Sly and the Family Stone. We didn't really embrace funk over here.

[Deskdiary]

Mozz, Steve Walsh, a great soul and funk DJ (who died very young) popularised I Found Lovin’ and re-released it with him doing the hook, which I think, although can’t be sure, resulted in his version charting higher.

The Fat Back Band were a proper funk band, with I Found Lovin’ crossing over a bit, but songs like Bus Stop, harked back to George Clinton.

I saw them live at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon in the 80s, and to this day it’s easily the best concert I’ve seen.

[Mozz71]

A little bit of Wiki-ing tells me that Steve Walsh's version reached number 9 in 1987, the same week, Fatback's original, reissued on the back of the cover version peaked at number 7.

I was probably a little more commercial in my listening back then. A friend done me a few tapes of bands like Cameo, Zapp and The Gap Band, which got me into funk (plus, of course, Prince).

[royfromaus]

Well, back from the pub...good to see everyone is in complete harmony with the lack of my presence.

Everything seems to be making sense now.

[ladybirder]

You been playing with those lesbians again Roy;-)

[royfromaus]

No...I was given a safe space away from the lesbians :o)

[Sunk]

Don’stop believin’ was initially a flop in the UK.

But it charted in 2009 reaching No.19. three decades after its initial release. It spent atotal of 21 non-consecutive weeks in the top 40 during its November 2009 – April 2010 run.

[Mozz71]

It reached number 6, not number 19. :-)

[royfromaus]

Didn't it reach no2?

[Mozz71]

Roy, that was the Glee version, we're talking about the Journey original.

[royfromaus]

So it's only an anthem if sung by the original artist...got it.

This thread is slowly starting to come together.

[Mozz71]

//So it's only an anthem if sung by the original artist...got it.//

I blame Boris for this. Closing the pub an hour earlier.

[pixie374]

//anthem
/ˈanθəm/
Learn to pronounce
noun
1.
a rousing or uplifting song identified with a particular group, body, or cause.
"the song became the anthem for hippy activists"
2.
a musical setting of a religious text to be sung by a choir during a church service, especially in Anglican or Protestant Churches.//

If it helps...

[royfromaus]

And as I have said, Pixie...most of the songs mentioned are just that...songs


Not anthems.

[pixie374]

Well, yes... I had my own definition of an anthem, as a type of song, which was obviously wrong as well.

[barry1010]

Red Right Hand by Nick Caves, especially after Peaky Blinders

[Togo]

Never released as a single. I think it would have been massive. Only those of us who bought the Album back in 1973 knew, and we were not telling. This is a real anthem.

[royfromaus]

What makes it an anthem, Togo?

[Togo]

12 months later they did this. Still blows me away.