Top 5 songs that should have been hits

[jdman]

I was thinking of the top 5 Jan & Dean songs that were not hits but should've been. Here's my list:

5) White Tennis Sneakers
4) Surfin Wild
3) Mighty GTO
2) Horace
1) I Can't Wait to Love You ( would have been a great follow up to I Found A Girl)

[2dean2]

I would add 3 Window Coupe to that. Since it's sister songs were both hits. SC and Hey Little Cobra. And  Barons WLA and Old ladies seldom power shift were as good as most of the day , Just missing that hook that other instrumentals  had.

[jdman]

I like that 2Dean2. I didn't think about the instrumentals. B Gas Rickshaw is the best to me. Definitely could have been a hit( along with the ones you mentioned). But what would people have said.lol Jan & Dean were vocalist to the public. That would have confused most people if one of those songs was a hit. Can you imagine Jan & Dean on Dick Clark performing an instrumental? I guess they would have just skateboarded around the stage.lol

[2dean2]

Maybe they could of faked playing their instruments , like The Chanteys did on The Lawrence Welk Show. Its on YOUTUBE Pipeline's the song . No One is plugged in. 
Makes me wonder if they were a real band.
You know it may have changed music history if they did go on AB with "The Wrecking Crew" and said "These are the guy's behind our sound and Spectors and the BB'S......"

[maryw7]

That's cute conjecture about "fake" instrumentals!!

hmmmmmm   My favorite songs that should have been hits....

I LOVE their version of "Rhythm of the Rain" (soooo very much)
AND "Detroit City"  "My Favorite Dream"  "Hang on Sloopy"  "It's Such a Good Night for Dreaming"  (past 5)
"Whole Lotta Lovin' "

[The Surfer Joe]

Just from the 1960's or do some later ( non record ) songs allowed ?
I'll Go for it anyway-
"Ocean Park Angel"
"Just one of those Days"
31 flavors ( although not really a song, more as a "Jingle"
"Save for a rainy Day Theme"
"California Lullaby"
"Like a summer Rain"-- both versions ( great backing tracks on "Silver Summer" )

[Admin]

I was thinking of the top 5 Jan & Dean songs that were not hits but should've been. Here's my list:

5) White Tennis Sneakers
4) Surfin Wild
3) Mighty GTO
2) Horace
1) I Can't Wait to Love You ( would have been a great follow up to I Found A Girl)

Well, a song had to be released as a single in order to achieve "hit" status . . . apart from an album's chart position (or lack of position).

For example, "Surfin' Wild" and "Horace" were never released as singles. So we'll never know whether they would have achieved hit status.

Just a clarifier . . . for those who may think every song on your list bombed on the charts.

[2dean2]

Yeah they nailed Detroit City. As good as Bobby Bares hit version.

[Admin]

Yeah they nailed Detroit City. As good as Bobby Bares hit version.

Yeah, there are some good covers on the Surf City LP.

[Salzburg Surf Scene]

Interestinng question! I certainly think three of the songs mentioned so far - Surfin Wild, Can't Wait to Love You, Whole Lotta Loving - could have been been successful singles. Surfin Wild could have redefined popular conceptions of surf music - a great raw, garage number.

I'd also add:
Waimea Bay (great production)
Soul City (groundbreaking track - at first it feels a bit like a filler, but as it goes on you realise its absolutely revolutionary dance track)
The Battle of Strawberry Fields (mentioned it on another thread - just love that song!)

[surferbee]

In the early seventies a British music paper did a survey of the top ten favourite Jan and Dean tracks. Stupidly I don't have a copy but the only non single in the top ten (compiled from readers; votes) was Bucket T. By the way Dead Man's Curve was number 1. So Bucket T has to be up there.

[jdman]

That's right Mark. This is just fun. No limits as far as the song being released as a single or not. But I understand what you are saying.

[owen]

Here's my five (which are not that different from everyone else's):

1. Three Window Coupe (definitely should have been a single)
2. Bucket T
3. Easy As 1 2 3
4. Ocean Park Angel
5. Summer Means Fun

and bubbling under at number 6... Like A Summer Rain (the Silver Summer version)

Cheers
Owen

[Ban n Bean]

In the early seventies a British music paper did a survey of the top ten favourite Jan and Dean tracks. Stupidly I don't have a copy but the only non single in the top ten (compiled from readers; votes) was Bucket T. By the way Dead Man's Curve was number 1. So Bucket T has to be up there.

Probably helped in the UK by The Who's cover of the song.

[Ban n Bean]

Yeah they nailed Detroit City. As good as Bobby Bares hit version.

Yeah, there are some good covers on the Surf City LP.

Definitely a fun album:  "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", "You've Come A Long Way From St. Louis" (Sting Rays and Caddies!)