Songs that should have been singles but weren't

[Razor X]

More often than not, my favorite songs on any given album are not the ones that are chosen to become singles. I'm not always the best judge of what will succeed commercially (most of what I like doesn't these days ) but every now and then there's a song on an album that seems like a real missed opportunity. One such song that immediately comes to mind is Patty Loveless' "When The Fallen Angels Fly", the title track of her 1994 album which won the CMA Album of the Year. I think this song would have been a smash hit had Epic released it to radio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siw_MJsQkco

[Matt B]

There are quite a few that I've loved through the years. One I would've liked to see become a big hit was "The Lucky" by the Warren Brothers.

Also, "Lost" by Little Big Town was a great song.

[Chris D]

There are quite a few that I've loved through the years. One I would've liked to see become a big hit was "The Lucky" by the Warren Brothers.

Also, "Lost" by Little Big Town was a great song.

"Lost" as well as the acoustic version of "Stay" by LBT.

"One Blue Sky" from Sugarland's EtR album has always been a personal favorite of mine.

Since Martina McBride is recording a new album, I'll assume "Loveland" won't be a single. I love that song so much, it has the best story and emotion.

"Rocking Horse" by Sara Evans (from Restless) is great, I heard it was going to be a single but they chose other songs instead. It was one of the first country songs I really liked, but that was before I even knew who Sara Evans was.

"I Wish I Were The Rain" by SHeDAISY from their Knock on the Sky album is another amazingly clever song that needed a chance to shine, in my opinion. Ditto for "She Gets What I Deserve" from Fortuneteller's Melody, I didn't that they would ever write a cheating song; us mormons don't like to cheat or be the other man/woman. But she sure made a great song out of it!

[Stormy]

Nothing Bout Memphisp--Trisha Yearwood.

[Razor X]

Nothing Bout Memphisp--Trisha Yearwood.

I agree. There's still hope that they might release that one, if they decide to release a fourth single from that album. They probably won't though, since none of the first three have done much on the charts.

[Stormy]

I still think it was a huge marketing mistake not to phase her over to Americana around Real Live Woman. But ah well.

[Drew]

Some of the ones I can think of:

Joe Nichols - Real Things (might still be released), All I Need Is A Heart
Dierks Bentley - Wish It Would Break, Soon As You Can
Tim McGraw - Somebody Must Be Praying For Me, Nothin' To Die For
Kenny Chesney - Just Not Today
Rodney Atkins - In The Middle
Eric Church - Lightning (a video was released, but I don't think the song was officially released as a single)
George Strait - Texas, I Ain't Her Cowboy Anymore, That's My Kind Of Woman, If The Whole World Was A Honky Tonk
Trace Adkins - Words Get In The Way
Brooks & Dunn - Again, Memory Town, Cowboy Town
Garth Brooks - In Lonesome Dove
Trent Willmon - At The Ropin' Pen, Love Don't Have To Be So Hard
Jake Owen - Ghosts

[LittleSable]

I don't think it would have gotten any radio play as a single, but when I bought Dierks Bentley's self-titled album, I feel head over heels in love with the last track - Train Travelin'. I LOVE train songs, and that song also made me go back and listen to the Del McCoury Band.

I would have loved to have had a couple more singles from Alan Jackson's" "Like Red on a Rose" as well; especially "Don't Change on Me" and "The Firefly's Song."

Big & Rich - Deadwood Mountain. Releasing this could have capitalized on the popularity of the HBO show.
Brad Paisley - Out in the Parkin' Lot. It was a duet with Alan Jackson; I think it would have done well.

[Stormy]

Also, Elizabeth Cook's Mama You Wanted to Be A Singer Too.

[Matt B]

I forgot about "Ghosts" from Jake Owen.
Also, "Again" is a strong choice.

[KathyP]

College - a duet with Pat Green and Brad Paisley. It was on Green's Lucky One CD. Not sure if it was on one of Brad's CDs. Fun little diddy, with a spot on message (IMO).

[Brody]

Brad Paisley - Out in the Parkin' Lot. It was a duet with Alan Jackson; I think it would have done well.

Guy Clark song. Just sayin'.


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I second the Elizabeth Cook mention, too.

Overall nice list of choices, even some I'll have to go back and listen to again.

[Jordan Stacey]

There was already a couple mentioned that I thought would make great singles. But I don' understand "Nobody Drinks Alone" by Keith Urban wasn't released.

[Peter Durward Harris]

There have been some major blunders by record labels. Crying time (Buck Owens) and Today I started loving you again (Merle Haggard) were both released as B-sides, leaving others to show that the public loved these songs. Crystal chandeliers (Charley Pride) wasn't released as a single in America, but became his most recognized song elsewhere including Britain and Australia. I recall a gypsy woman (Don Williams) wasn't released as a single in America, but became a top 20 pop hit in Britain.

Regarding albums where the singles released were not the tracks I expected to be singles, the album I remember most in this context is Reba McEntire's "What am I gonna do about you". It seemed so obvious to me that the best ballad was "Till it snows in Mexico" and the best up-tempo song was "Take me back", but neither was released as a single. I think other (minor) artists eventually released covers of these songs as singles but of course they didn't get much airplay. In fact, I picked out three songs that I expected to be singles but the third one (whose title escapes me) wasn't a single either. All the chosen singles were very successful but even so ....

[Razor X]

Speaking of Reba, there was a beautiful ballad on her For My Broken Heart CD called He's In Dallas, which I was sure would become a single when I first heard it.

[Matt B]

There was already a couple mentioned that I thought would make great singles. But I don' understand "Nobody Drinks Alone" by Keith Urban wasn't released.

I actually think KU didn't want it as a single because it was from a terrible part in his life.

[pwdennis]

Buck Owens wasn't terribly impressed with "Crying TIme", even though he wrote it - it wasn't until Ray Charles recorded it that Buck even started including it in his live shows. Buck always said that Ray's version was THE version of the song

I think "Today I Started Loving You Again" is a great song but I don't think it had great commercial appeal. Sammi Smith , an excelent singer got it to #9 and various other artists recorded and released it as a single, none with noteworthy success. Meanwhile the A side "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" soared to #1, no doubt aided by the fortuitous release of the Bonnie and Clyde movie with Faye Dunaway and Warren Beaty

"I Recall A Gypsy Woman" was released as a single by the then-better known Tommy Cash (it went to #16) . Rather than split the chart action , Don's label chose to release his excellent version of "Amanda". It wasn't quite Don's turn in sunlight as the record reached only #33. The big hits were still a year away. Waylon , of course took "Amanda" to number one six years later, but I much prefer Don's recording of the song

"Crystal Chandelier" had already been a hit for Carl Belew less than two years before Pride recorded the song. I think Pride's label and producers were pretty good at assessing material for him - 35 consecutive songs made it to #1 on the Billboard and/or Cashbox Country charts

George Strait recorded a song "My Infinite Love" on his HONKYTONKSVILLE Cd that was better than about 90% of the songs he actually released as singles

I think the Randy Travis STORMS OF LIFE album had at least three more good singles on it - probably all ten songs would have made good singles

[Trailer]

I agree with Jake Owens' Ghosts...that's a great song.

Some other should-have-beens:
Anthony Smith - Up to the Depth
Craig Morgan - The Song
Blake Shelton - Cotton Pickin' Time
Jason Aldean - Lonesome USA
Sara Evans - The Secrets We Keep
George Strait - Why Can't I Leave Her Alone

[Razor X]

I think the Randy Travis STORMS OF LIFE album had at least three more good singles on it - probably all ten songs would have made good singles

Particularly the title track and My Heart Cracked (But It Did Not Break).

[Rainbow]

"Who Invented The Wheel" by Trisha
"These Are The Days" by Jo Dee Messina
"Long Distance Lover" by Reba
"The Last Time" by Lee Ann Womack
"One's A Couple" by Lee Ann Womack
"Talkin' to Myself Again" by Shelby Lynne
"You Stay With Me" by Faith Hill
"When This Woman Loves a Man" by LeAnn Rimes
"Beyond The Blue" by Martina McBride

Others have mentioned "Nothin' Bout Memphis", "Till It Snows In Mexico" and "He's In Dallas", I could not agree more.