Buttmunker

It is amazing to me how songs can get a "second chance" at life, after their initial failure to catch on. This resurgence, of sorts - how does it happen? A hit can occur the 2nd time around - the same version, mind you - because of a TV show using it, or because some organization decided to use it as their "theme." For example, At This Moment by Billy Vera re-charted in 1987 because it was used in an episode of the popular TV-series Family Ties. At This Moment became a #1 hit, but originally it only charted at #79 in 1981. Ever since 1987, everyone around at that time knows the song. If that never happened, if the song never had a second life, if you asked someone if they remembered At This Moment from 1981, they'd probably say: "what? what song?"

Same thing with Get Together by The Youngbloods. The song originally charted at #62 in 1967 - a minor hit, but does anyone really remember that song in '67? It wasn't until 1969 when the National Conference of Christians & Jews used the song as their theme, and caused the song to re-chart to #5. Now it is one of the oft-played songs on Oldies stations.

These two examples are the obvious ones - obvious, by that I mean there was a reason why the song re-emerged. A TV show, and a conference. But what about all the other songs that got a second chance at immortality?

Here's a short list: (with possible reasons)

1) Valerie by Steve Winwood
originally charted in 1982 at #88; re-charted in 1987 at #9
(possible reason: to capitalize on his late-80's comeback on hits "Higher Love," "The Finer Things," and "Back In The High Life Again.")

2) Dream On by Aerosmith
originally charted in 1973 at #59; re-charted in 1976 at #6
(possible reason: to capitalize on the success of "Sweet Emotion" from a year earlier.)

3) On The Dark Side by John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
originally charted in 1983 at #64; re-charted in 1984 at #7
(possible reason: featured in the movie Eddie & The Cruisers.)

4) I've Never Been To Me by Charlene
originally charted in 1977 at #97; re-charted in 1982 at #3
(possible reason: I HAVE NO IDEA. Maybe a DJ remembered the song and played it on a "Throw away the format weekend" or something. Either way, bravo! It is such an unusual song to be a hit in 1982, considering all the hard rock acts that were high on the charts that year.)

5) Layla by Eric & The Dominos
originally charted in 1971 at #51; re-charted in 1972 at #10
(possible reason: NO CLUE. Maybe the first time around, they didn't have the long solo portion on the single, then decided to re-release the song with the famous solo.)

6) Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood
originally charted in 1984 at #67; re-charted in 1985 at #10
(possible reason: NO CLUE. Someone must have had faith in the song and kept pushing it. That's nice when that happens.)

7) She's Gone by Hall & Oates
originally charted in 1974 at #60; re-charted in 1976 at #7
(possible reason: to follow-up their hit "Sara Smile" with a song their record company felt didn't get a chance.)

8) Dedicated To The One I Love by The Sherelles
originally charted in 1959 at #83; re-charted in 1961 at #3
(possible reason: to follow-up on the success of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." But can you imagine a world without this song? Funny how great songs can possibly fall to the wayside. Scary.)

9) You Keep Me Hangin' On by Vanilla Fudge
originally charted in 1967 at #67; re-charted in 1968 at #6
(possible reason: VERY GOOD LUCK, I guess.)

10) When I'm With You by Sheriff
originally charted in 1983 at #61; re-charted in 1989 at #1
(possible reason: PACT WITH THE DEVIL. Out of the blue, radio stations started playing this forgotten song from 1983 - the rumor is, the original singer eventually became a parcel delivery person, and while he was making a delivery he heard his song on the receptionist's radio. He told the reception: "that's ME!" The receptionist signed for the package, said 'whatever,' and sent him on his way. The group re-banded and formed Alias in 1990.

It is a phoenemon in the music world, I guess, when a song can be plucked from obscurity and made into a bona fide hit song. Any thoughts?

thismeansyou

Somewhere I read that Simon & Garfunkel's The Sound of Silence was no big deal when it was first released in its original form, then some years later (1970?) someone added drums and bass and stuff and it was a hit.

Mondo Kane

Nine Inch Nails' "Head like a Hole". The album came out in '89 but the memorable, opening song achieved greater success 2 years later. Maybe because it sounded a little like "Smells like Teen Spirit".

bothanspy

I believe We Will Rock You was a throw-away B-Side for We Are the Champions

naseeb

"Ice Ice Baby" was a b-side and supposedly blew up only after being accidentally played by a Dallas DJ

Drexl

Suzanne Vega's acapella "Tom's Diner" from the album Solitude Standing wasn't a hit (and I don't think it was even released as a single) until DNA added backing "instruments" a few years later.

Hiro11

"Ruby Tuesday" was released originally as the b-side to "Let's Spend the Night Together" but when that song was (pretty much) banned, they played the B-side. Voila, instant hit!

bralph

I seem to remember Welcome To The Jungle getting re-released after Sweet Child O' Mine made GNR huge.

davejt1

Stairway to Heaven by Zeppelin - never released as a single. When it was released, most reviews of their 4th album barely made mention of the song.

whaaat

Time of the Season by The Zombies

atlantamoi

Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" took eons to climb up the chart.

nodeerforamonth

I remember "Open Arms" from Journey being out for a long time before charting.

Goo Goo Dolls "Name" took awhile too.

Talkin2Phil

Layla with solo probably got re-release after Duane Allman's death

Spiderbite

What a great song! How many songs can you name where the chick sings about how much of a slut she is and then tries to tell other women to not follow her whoring ways.

I am including a link to the lyrics since many of the kiddies and rockers on this forum have either probably never heard of the song or would never listen to it if it came on the radio: http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/mewit...erbeentome.htm

One of my favorite re-charters is from my high school years: Where Are You Now? by Synch (aka Jimmy Harnen w/ Synch).

It originally charted in 1986 at #77 and for whatever reason reached the #10 spot in April of 1989. Don't know the story behind it but I always wondered if it was due to Sheriff's success like this just a few months earlier with When I'm With You...some DJ looking for an old no-hit that could become a new one.

It's a shame stuff like this will probably never happen anymore since radio stations are so pre-programmed now and DJs can only play the same 10 songs the stations make them play.

The Bus

Actually, the hit (and better) version of 'The Sounds of Silence' came from Wednesday Morning 3 A.M.. That album and single languished for a while and did not chart until years later. S&G were on their way out of the music business and then 'TSoS' hit, they made a bunch of money, and used it to record a second album.

mike1978

The Proclaimers had a big hit with "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" (thanks to the Benny & Joon soundtrack) several years after it was first released as a single.

Modern English's "I Melt With You" was a minor hit in both the early 80s and 90s, although I think the 90s release was either a new version or remix.

Mondo Kane

I was always confused why this was "re-released". But if you listen to the songs back to back, there are only extremely minor adjustments made in the 90's version with the instruments and the vocals. So I guess this qualified as a "remix".

Numanoid

Nik Kershaw's first single "I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" peaked at #47 (UK). After the success of his second single "Wouldn't It Be Good", "Sun" was re-released and this time made it to #1.

Numanoid

Gary Numan's slightly remixed "e-reg" version of "Cars" hit the top 20 (UK) in 1987. The same version charted again in '94 thanks to it being used in a beer commercial. Counting its initial success in 1979, when it made it to #1, the song made the UK top twenty in three successive decades.

rw2516

SMOKE ON THE WATER. Originally on Machine Head(72?). Hit the radio around '74-75. Half the members on the song weren't in the band anymore.

HERE I GO AGAIN by Whitesnake. Originally on a previous album then re-recorded for the WHITESNAKE album and the famous video with Tawny Kitean(sp?) on the hood of the car.

HEY,HEY, WHAT CAN I DO by Zeppelin. B-side of Japanese 45 of Immigrant Song(1971). Became big after radio play 20 years later.

SILVER SPRINGS by Fleetwood Mac. B-side of Japanese 45 of Go Your Own Way. Became hit with live version from live reunion cd almost 20 years later. Didn't HYPNOTIZED and one other Fleetwood Mac song from the Bob Welch days become hits after Rumors was released?
SENTIMENTAL LADY was the one I was thinking of.

benedict

From the film "Watership Down", Mike Batt's Bright Eyes as sung by Art Garfunkel:In Mr Batt's own words....

DRG

UB40's "Red Red Wine" was originally released in 1983. It went to #1 in the UK and most of the world, but only hit #34 in the US. In 1988 a DJ caught onto the song at resurrected it. It finally hit #1 in the US that year.

DRG

I recently discovered this song, and I think it's surprisingly moving. I was really shocked when I actually listened to the lyrics, considering when it was made. I can't help but think this song was possibly an inspiration for the character of Jenny in "Forrest Gump", excepting that Jenny made different end decisions than the character(?) in the song.

Buttmunker

Actually, Red Red Wine was resurrected due to the reggae finale tacked on ("Red Red wine you make me feel so fine, you keep me happy all of the time..."). The original version didn't have that.