Great albums with terrible last songs

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

Kind of a palate cleanser and comedown after a very long single-minded album

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.

Love Secret Life of Arabia, this is the worst suggestion yet imo.

Maybe I overreacted with it being the worst but you have to concede it sounds completely out of place in that album.

This 'out of place' thing - same with "Bike" - I'm not getting it tbh.

While I'm the Bike guy, I also don't get it with Secret Life Of Arabia. Love that song.

Never understood the idea that Secret Life Of Arabia is a weak track. Took me years to even see the point of view that its a piece of fluff, but even then only relatively to the rest of the album.

Now there's Shake It... Hesitate to say Let's Dance is a classic album, but that song is the dampest of squibs to close with. Even Tonight and NLMD's closers are not bad.

I don't mind Secret Life of Arabia but it kinda blew my mind to find out it was actually on the album proper. I'd assumed it was a bonus track for years.

I love Secret Life of Arabia but I'm a huge stan for the "Heroes" album in general. Light My Fire off Protection is still the most OTM answer here for me.

"Listening Wind" into "Overload" fits fine, texturally and moodwise

― vermicious kid (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 10 April 2018 11:38 (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Agree 100% with this, the whole second side of RiL has a gradual darkening of tone, it's a really well-sequenced record.

"Night Rally" on This Year's Model is definitely one of these. Though I guess most versions have bonus tracks.

Court and Spark is dead right but Mitchell was a repeat offender with The Hissing of Summer Lawns - 9 tracks of amazing limpid jazz pop and then a leaden, overblown synth requiem for the kicker.

This 'out of place' thing - same with "Bike" - I'm not getting it tbh.

― Buff Jeckley (Tom D.)

like, if it didn't come out of music-hall tunes about gnomes and scarecrows but out of interstellar overdrive, maybe?

the doors had some amazing album closers but jesus h. christ jr, 'the soft parade' is some awful garbage

'Mother's Lament' from Cream's Disraeli Gears.

"Night Rally" on This Year's Model is definitely one of these. Though I guess most versions have bonus tracks.

― frogbs, Wednesday, April 11, 2018 7:26 AM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the version i have ends with radio radio, but i've grown to really like night rally, even though it's a comedown from lipstick vogue (still the best costello song).

xp Mother's Lament is fine with me, gives the record a personality it might not have had without it. it's an obvious goof, and a nice artifact of '60s british whimsy, even if it's objectively not as good as the rest of the album

"The Soft Parade" rules btw.

nah, soft parade the album is as concise and punchy as the doors ever got, but that song is basically jim declaiming nonsense into his sick bucket after the party's finished

I prefer Jim declaiming nonsense to when he thinks he as something to say tbh.

“Thoughts on a Grey Day” on Bare Trees

ts: "there's a killer on the road/his brain is squirming like a toad" vs. "girl you gotta love your man/girl you gotta love your man"

Secret Life of Arabia and Lady Grinning Soul are both fantastic. Bowie was great at closers.

"B.I.B.L.E." on Liquid Swords.

"Bike" rules btw, favorite song on that album!

Court and Spark is dead right but Mitchell was a repeat offender with The Hissing of Summer Lawns - 9 tracks of amazing limpid jazz pop and then a leaden, overblown synth requiem for the kicker.

― startled macropod (MatthewK), Wednesday, April 11, 2018 5:38 AM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

close thread, hating on "shadows and light" is really something else

"B.I.B.L.E." on Liquid Swords.

― explosion from DOOM courtesy of id software (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, April 11, 2018 8:01 AM (fifteen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

fair bc it's a different artist but it's a good song

"The Soft Parade" rules btw.

― Buff Jeckley (Tom D.), Wednesday, April 11, 2018 8:36 AM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Seconded, it rules. Ridiculous, but ruling.

"there's a killer on the road/his brain is squirming like a toad"

Never got why this was the go-to lol Jim Morrison lyric. Guy was like 27 when he wrote that, and while it isn't the most profound lyric ever written, Kurt Cobain wrote reams worse and no one ever picks on his stupid lyrics

sorry to derail, carry on

In terms of rock and roll toad lyrics I think Marc Bolan edges it with his "Hiding in the road/Like a Pasolini toad".

Honestly surprised by the Bike love. Is it just blasphemy to dismiss any Syd Barrett?

Not at all, it's a great song, almost sui generis Syd, toytown psych gone slightly psychotic.

If you ever hung out with stoner music guys in college (or were one), you would have a special place for “Bike” in yr heart!

Ha! I guess I'm missing the appropriate social context then.

Your the kind of girl who fits into my world
I’ll give you anything everything if you want things

Classic for that lyric alone

Yeah, there's also just value in a fun / silly (but not entirely silly) song... I actually think its closing position on that LP is perfect.

seems like if you like zany sing song whimsy like "Lucifer Sam" or "The Gnome" then "Bike" isn't really far off. idgi maybe there are Syd fans that are "Vegetable Man was a little too far, dude should've reigned it in" but personally anytime i hear a new Syd track no matter how shambolic im like please sir i'd like some more

as far as bad ending songs i was listening to Zappa's "We're Only In It For the Money" this morning and i love that album but i dont think i've made it through a single listen of "The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny" (and i _love_ Lumpy Gravy so noise collage isn't an auto turn off for me, it's just not very engaging coming after a dozen fast uptempo flower punk songs)