Great albums with terrible last songs

I always assumed the purpose of “And This Day” was to run out the album length to the (titular) hour...

Thriller, "The Lady in My Life."

I like And This Day. It's not, like, a great song, but as aimless jams go it's OK.

There are worse tracks on it for other reasons, but nothing bores the shit out of me like 'Going Home' at the end of Aftermath

― i'm surprised to see your screwface at the door (NickB), Tuesday, April 10, 2018 2:30 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

'Goin' Home' is in the middle of the LP.

last track on the US version

And maybe the quintessential example, Neil Young and Crazy Horse’s excellent, overlooked album Broken Arrow ends with a pointless cover of Baby What You Want Me To Do that sounds like it was recorded on a Walkman from the back of a tiny club.

― kornrulez6969, Tuesday, April 10, 2018 6:06 AM (three hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

good pick, it really is an underrated album but i think this cover version kind of makes it feel cheap and tossed off (the *album* cover, which looks like a Xerox of a nice piece of art, doesn't do any favors either.)

I really can't think of many good examples of this. I mean, Mercury Rev's Boces probably didn't have to end with Girlfren, but equally why not - at least it's completely bonkers

I also think of “And This Day” along the same lines as the Gaffney song at the end of Sebadoh III – sort of a closing endurance test, to leave the listener bruised & battered. Punk rock, man...

yeah like Fodderstompf

Somebody feel like convincing me "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party" on "Ummagumma" is not a load of old pony?

"Ummagumma" not really a great album though tbf.

kornrulez, The category is "Great albums with terrible last songs." You may not like "Oddfellows Local 151" but is it terrible?

I kinda like it. It's not my favorite song on that album, but in no way is it album-ruiningly terrible.

Ummagumma ends with a mindblowing Saucerful Of Secrets and the studio album is a lie made up to scare children

I kinda like it. It's not my favorite song on that album, but in no way is it album-ruiningly terrible.

― like hell, but with more ketchup (Ye Mad Puffin), Tuesday, April 10, 2018 9:30 AM (seven minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

personally i love doomy r.e.m. a la "oddfellows" "old man kensey" and "i remember california"

oddfellows is one of my favourites on document, would definitely rather hear that than any of the hits these days

'Me In Honey' isn't terrible, but it's a very nothingy way to end a very good album.

Welcome to Sky Valley

Oddfellows is decent. Verses better than chorus.

xp isn't that last track technically a hidden track?

The Beach Boys 'Today'

― PaulTMA, Tuesday, April 10, 2018 5:40 AM (ten hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

xp yeah but still, I wish this had never existed

M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, "Outro" is the moment when it finally hits the schlock it's been skirting for the whole album

I also think "New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down" sucks

lol I think I had mentally blocked "Twisted" out of Court and Spark

Maybe a bit of a challop, but I never really liked the way "Her Majesty" caps off Abbey Road. It's almost like they had too good an ending and they felt an urge to goof on it to show that they weren't taking themselves too seriously with those dramatic chords.

terrible may be an overstatement, but I don't need to hear Torn Curtain by Television again

I have the opposite opinion about "Her Majesty"; I find it reasonably charming and wish it had been taken seriously, or at least included in its "entirety" (though not necessarily last).

The "cut off in mid-song" gimmick wasn't any more welcome when it appeared on Dark Side of the Moon (isn't this where we came in?). I mean I get that you are cheekily experimenting but songs are good, more songs please

I love the fact that Mercury Rev put Girlfren out as a single, whatever in the name of fuck that was supposed to achieve

haha did they!! that's amazing. david baker was too good & pure for this earth

The "cut off in mid-song" gimmick wasn't any more welcome when it appeared on Dark Side of the Moon (isn't this where we came in?)

You mean The Wall.

xp

Yes, they retitled Girlfriend 'The Hum Is Coming From Her'. Apparently there was an argument over which title it would have, so they compromised by using a different one on the album and single. I wonder if that is the reason why it had to come out as one. Surely not. Fuck knows.

https://www.discogs.com/Mercury-Rev-The-Hum-Is-Coming-From-Her/release/7245371

There's a killer live take of And This Day, as a filler on one of the reissues. It pretty much smokes the standard version imho. And yes, it goes on forever but still, it makes it. Whats the last track on Notorious Byrd Brothers? I seem to remember that as a major dud (unless you were tripping, maybe).

anagram: crap, sorry, mea culpa

Also i never liked the medley at the end of Down by the Jetty. Those horns! Yeesh! Btw i just got the Wilko era Feelgoods box from Amazon, and while yes the Cds are nicely done, (remastered etc)and the booklet could've used a proofreader. The DVD is to die for. And is worth the purchase price by itself. My god they were a phenomenal live act in their day.

In fact, think i'll watch it now!

The Byrds had an odd habit of ending their albums with less than stellar tracks.

Massive Attack’s Protection.

Not only do I hate studio albums with live cuts tacked into the end but this cover isn’t good either.

Space Odyssey, that's the one. From it's cornball title on down.

Oh I just saw it was already mentioned.

OK, here's an actual great album (ymmv) with an actual terrible last song - Get Your Goat by Shudder To Think. Funny, the song is called, and funny it is not. In fact it's embarrassing.
Still, the good thing about last songs is they're easy to skip, which was what I always did back in my STT-worshipping days. Just played the song again and it hasn't improved with the years.

I bet ILM consensus says otherwise, but for me it's "Too Long" on Discovery. This is one of the few albums I actually will stop before the last track ends.

Matt #2 – I have a pal who is a STT fanatic! You guys should share notes...

terrible may be an overstatement, but I don't need to hear Torn Curtain by Television again

― kornrulez6969

i'm gonna listen to it again right now!

Love "Torn Curtain", can't imagine that album without it

David Bowie - Heroes. The Secret Life of Arabia is not only the worst one in an otherwise classic album but it’s one of the worst in his entire discography. The last note of Neukoln should have been the real closer.

Not a fan of that album myself btw (I find it’s excess of mid range annoying and the overall performances and production too stiff for me) but as a passive listener that song sticks out so much everytime I go on a Bowie marathon.

Another one:

Led Zep - III : Hats off to Roy Harper

Such a blah song in perhaps my favorite album of theirs.

It’s so Hard from Psychocandy is mildly infuriating because “something’s wrong” would’ve been the perfect closer.

Fiery Yellow from Stereolab’s Mars Audiac Quintet

Hints at the sound they would go for on their following albums but it doesn’t work here tbh. Sticks out too much in this album and it’s way too kitsch even for Stereolab.

It is kind of a skipper although I kind of get its purpose