Mega hits that the artists weren't sold on

[gohusk]

Apparently Toto wasn't sold on this song and it ended up selling millions


Dio didn't like this one because it sounded to "pop" for his taste. Apparently the rest of the band had to convince him that it should be on the album


Wondering what other stories there are out there with artists looking to discard songs that ended up being their biggest hits.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Page & Plant hated what became of Stairway to Heaven about 10 years after they wrote & released it. They even offered huge money donations to numerous radio stations around parts of this country during the late 80's to stop playing it, or even banning it altogether.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Neil Young was quoted that his 1st big hit, "Heart of Gold" was a "bore" due to the mainstream popularity it brought him..and he never thought it would ever go on to become the hit it was...but that phase inspired him to change directions and to subsequently be more of a rocker, radical and activist.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders was opposed to releasing "Brass in Pocket" as a single. "This goes out over my dead body", she told album producer Chris Thomas, only to be overruled and then had to watch, appalled, as it went to No.1 in 1980.

She said "I never thought it was that great. Was it pop? Motown? Rock? It didn't seem to know what it was."
"I used to cringe when I heard my voice on those early Pretenders recordings, and then that fucker went to #1."
"I remember walking around Oxford Circus hearing it blasting out of people's radios and I was mortified."

 

[rsw626]

Radiohead hated Creep and didn't want to record it. The guitar distortion on the song is the guitarist trying to fuck up the recording. They even got to a point where they wouldn't play it anymore.

Both Gallagher brothers from Oasis have said multiple times that they hated Wonderwall.

 

[TheDayMan]

REM hates shiny happy people. It was apparently a joke, but their label made them release it.

 

[gohusk]

Page & Plant hated what became of Stairway to Heaven about 10 years after they wrote & released it. They even offered huge money donations to numerous radio stations around parts of this country during the late 80's to stop playing it, or even banning it altogether.

Never heard that one. Apparently Lynryd Skynyrd can't stand playing Free Bird at this point. Don't blame them. I couldn't imagine people constantly wanting me to keep playing something that I've been playing for 40+ years.

 

[Wazmankg]

Never heard that one. Apparently Lynryd Skynyrd can't stand playing Free Bird at this point. Don't blame them. I couldn't imagine people constantly wanting me to keep playing something that I've been playing for 40+ years.

Being sick of it due to overplay, in the case of Stairway or Free Bird... and I imagine many other iconic songs their creators are sick of, is a lot different than not being sold on it before it became a huge hit.


Keith Richards wasn't sold on Satisfaction and thought it might make a nice filler song for their next album.

 

[Wazmankg]

REM hates shiny happy people. It was apparently a joke, but their label made them release it.

They're right.. and I like REM.

 

[Cyder]

Cypress Hiils had 2 big hits on their first album, "Hand on the Pump" and "How I could just Kill a Man". The first single they released was maybe the worst song on the Album "The Funky Feel One" but "Hand on the Pump" was on the B side. The Producer, D.J. Muggs had no idea the other 2 songs would go over like they did

 

[RP-29]

Amy Lee hates her most popular song - at least the studio/radio play version.

The record producers for Evanescence's debut album "Fallen" insisted that they permanently add a male rapper to the band or they would refuse to publish the album. Evanescence refused to do so and walked away. A couple weeks later the two sides compromised by including the male rapper only in their lead single "Bring Me to Life".

 

[navamind]

Creep by Radiohead. My Iron Lung was Radiohead's reaction to Creep's success.

Cobain was also embarrassed by Smells Like Teen Spirit.

 

[RP-29]

Cobain was also embarrassed by Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Give the guy credit, though... He was like "If I have to play that song one more time..." ...and he followed through...

 

[beardown07]

REM hates shiny happy people. It was apparently a joke, but their label made them release it.

That makes two of us. Top 10 of worst songs ever made.

 

[gohusk]

I read somewhere that the Beastie Boys weren't too fond of their level of play or the quality of their songwriting with Licensed to Ill.

 

[SU Nittany Tide]

They thought this song was stupid so the lead singer tried ruining it by yelling the whole time. Their biggest hit.

 

[shopson67]

They thought this song was stupid so the lead singer tried ruining it by yelling the whole time. Their biggest hit.

He was pissed during the recording that the drummer came up with a nice groove for it.

 

[Indrid Cold]

Train In Vain was a toss in song, didn't appear on the song list on the cover of the London Calling double LP. I read that Joe Strummer particularly hated it.

Pete Townshend said that Let My Love Open The Door was "just a ditty".

I thought that Shiny Happy People was a great song and took it as ironic/satirical from the get go....however, Africa is probably one of the worst songs of all time. Trash!

 

[beardown07]

They thought this song was stupid so the lead singer tried ruining it by yelling the whole time. Their biggest hit.

That kinda doesn't make any sense, seeing as how it is a cover song.

 

[DragonfromTO]

They thought this song was stupid so the lead singer tried ruining it by yelling the whole time. Their biggest hit.

Whose idea was it to cover it then? Did the label throw it on them?