Yesterday I found out that Mumford & Sons have a third album coming out. I read a small bit of blurb about new instrumentation & experiments and so, in the name of science, I went onto Spotify to listen to the first single. It’s awful, forgettable dullness, and I should have expected little else.
You see, I think the third album is where you show whether or not your in it for the long run. First album you have novelty, youth and years of life behind you to deliver. Second album, you can get away with doing whatever you did first time round. Third album, you have to step up and plant your flag, and the first single you choose is important.
So let’s hear it for Bohemian Rhapsody! Oliver’s Army! Papa Don’t Preach! And of course, The Beatles showing how Third Album; First Single should be done… Any other TA;FS suggestions?
No, let’s not.
Born To Run
….and
Great song, corking visuals
This one was pretty darn good:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abGzxWuLQP8
Trash!
It hit big, the album hit big, the tour hit big. Bernard’s gone? Yeah, but we’re still here. And we rock.
Gary Numan – Cars
Can’t stop those fab Furry freak brothers….
Now get this….
Fountains of Wayne – Stacy’s Mom
I think you’ve hit upon something, Dr J.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jyWKm6qVIU
Magazine – A song from under the Floorboards
I’ll “Tuffm” you, young David!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-RDJ4Z4XrQ
I think you’ll find it’s Life During Wartime
http://youtu.be/DblvhECdws0
Oh very well. Here’s David solo 3:1. Shudda binna hit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YU0_1ddQSU
Massive Attack – Teardrop
Probably the best single ever made. And, before you say anything, Risingson preceded the album by a year and was released by a band called Massive.
Great selections everyone, proving the TA;FS theory. I’ve just remembered this one:
Great video. The song you know.
Elvis Costello. Armed Forces. Oliver’s Army.
http://youtu.be/Ow1S4DJtLOk
Blue is the colour of farewell.
Oh come on! This is too easy!
Steely Dan. Pretzel Logic. Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.
And the gems just keep on coming!
Hüsker Dü – “Celebrated Summer”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q76GCw8qQVA
Roxy Music – Street Life
They didn’t care about the state of their hair…
Hmmm. I know Fight the Power was included on the album but it wasn’t recorded for or with it, it was just tacked on the end (in a token, truncated version). So this is the real 3:1 from PE. And it’s better than FTP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWTE1Uj9Z8c
Point of order. Bohemian Rhapsody was from the fourth album. “Killer Queen” would have been TAFS for Queen. Not too bad an effort. As you were
Oh yes! I totally forgot about Queen II. You’re right though, Killer Queen does the job.
Kate Bush again.
Here’s a band that you don’t hear much about nowadays – the Comsat Angels.
From the very fine “Fiction”, this is “After the Rain”
Fleetwood Mac. Then Play On. Oh Well.
Oh Well wasn’t on the original vinyl release. It appeared on the CD and I think it got included on US vinyl on re-release of a revised version.
London Calling:
….Hello? Is this thing on?
Theory panning out pretty well so far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC-YbvFy8lc
Possibly their finest moment. A track that reaches back to the old school (JMJ creating a “loop” from two copies of the same record) and into the near future (drum machines giving way to 70s funk beats). The golden age of hip hop (1986-92) starts here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMPlRaaafao
Three years after Paul’s Boutique, a suitably hallucinogenic comeback.
Obey your master!
Metallica, Master Of Puppets:
Damn!
I meant this:
How could I forget this one:
The Human League. Dare. The Sound Of The Crowd.
New Pop incarnate.
Wowser….
I remember seeing this on TOTP. At 0.30 Knopfler clicks his fingers in a really cool nonchalance. I always do the same when I hear it.
The Cure – Primary
Fannies – Star Sign
Pedants will go for Midnight Lamp… but that was over a year before this.
I have no suggestions to add (for the moment at least) but I would just like to say that there are some fantastic songs posted on this thread.
Your third album/ first single theory has been well & truly proven DrJ.
Good post
I’m your yes man, yes ma’am, I’m your yes man
Solo Lloyd… from the underrated Bad Vibes
Flaming heck, DrJ! You been down to the crossroads or someat?
Best band ever’s best album ever’s first single…
One of their best
http://youtu.be/DYp2LGKOF_M
Got one…
Please forgive my computer numptyness, but I cannot post links/ clips at the moment.
One of my fave album 3/ first singles is Peter Gabriel & Games without frontiers.
Beat you to it , Mr Thebiscuit sir. Uppa da page. Great song.
Under appreciated…
Tune!
Some say it’s Behaviour but Introspective is the 3rd PSB album, and their best, in its full 12″ glory the 1st single from it….
http://youtu.be/L0T3FFrHtLE
It could be argued that Always On My Mind was the first single from Introspective, but I think you can plead the Massive Attack defence used above, it wasn’t *really* the first single…
Oh good. I’m glad the Massive defence is valid.
Here’s Pixies.
If you count Come On Pilgrim as an album, or.
If you don’t.
Third album – released with a new singer and new (second) guitarist
Iron Maiden – Run To The Hills
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa3Oa4t2j4A
The Jam – All Mod Cons
From Go For It, the first single was Just Fade Away.
A superb slice of Powerpop – that failed to find a wider audience (not chosen for Radio 1 Playlist and Chrysalis didn’t push it much further)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1s00EzehUs
The first single from All Mod Cons was David Watts/A Bomb in Wardour Street…
Ah, was reading it as first track!
OK – convoluted logic time:
David Watts release was a result of Wellers lost confidence (hence being sung by Bruce Foxton), and A Bomb In Wardour Street was probably the only track finished from All Mod Cons at the time of the single release.
Therefore, the first single from All Mod Cons was Down In The Tube Station At Midnight.
Undeniably one of PWs best songs, and better supporting the theory in the OP
Fairport Convention, Unhalfbricking, A Sailor’s Life. No more need be said.
Madness – 7
First Single: Grey Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS4JS3BU2yo
Oops – missed that one above
The ‘Oo – I Can See For Miles
The only single lifted from The Who Sell Out
I’ve done it again, haven’t I
Oh fine. Ignore me then. That’s fine with me.
FINE.
Sorry Moose – too much beer, not enough checking.
How about Suede – Trash.
Damn fine single from a damn fine album ……
(oh, already done – move away from the keyboard you drunken lump!)
Too much beer. That’s always your excuse when you’ve got no time for me. Your dinner’s in the oven, I’m going home to mother.
From the peerless Machine Gun Etiquette – Love Song
And still they keep coming:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfsYSPCNWCw
he doesn’t make records like that any more!
whatever happened to him?
Well it’s certainly beginning to stack up as a theory
It felt like they were just getting started whereas Duran and Culture Club were starting to look a bit ropey by the time they got to TA:FS
(Union of the Snake and The War Song not embedded here)
Manic Street Preachers – Faster
There’s this…
http://youtu.be/f3t9SfrfDZM
Or this
Green River was when Creedence really started motoring, not least with the first single, their only UK number one…
More compelling evidence
(“Can’t Get There From Here” off “Fables of the Reconstruction” by REM)
All Right Now. Free’s third album was Fire And Water and the first single was… You don’t need me to post it.
Hmm – you really are on to something aren’t you? This from Ladies of the Canyon….
Don’t remember seeing this video at the time, it’s rather good
(“Hey Boy Hey Girl” – Chemical Brothers, off “Surrender”)
The Small Faces’ third official album was Ogden’s… therefore:
One last one from me
http://youtu.be/Swzp1eeOMj4
(“Souvenir” from OMD’s “Architecture and Morality”)
Yep, there’s definitely something in this theory…
This single was the first record i ever bought.
Glad I scrolled down this far before posting. First album for me, on the back of this single!
Prodigy – Firestarter
Adam & The Ants – Stand And Deliver
The Boo Radleys – Wake Up Boo
Ultravox – Slow Motion
Japan – Quiet Life
The Byrds – Eight Miles High
Blondie – Picture This
Chris Isaak – Wicked Game
Slade – Mama Weer All Crazee Now
Squeeze – Another Nail in My Heart
Definitely something in this.
https://youtu.be/sPLEbAVjiLA
The Replacements – I Will Dare
From the corker Let It Be
https://youtube.com/watch?v=RJcCzWcgPsY
Brilliant theory which has been proved in spades here.
Can I play devil’s advocate for a second and ask: what a 20 year old would make of all this?
Is it all arcane knowledge from an ancient civilization?
We were all brought up to see that third album as difficult. Do people still think this way in the mp3 , Spotify age?
Wings – Jet
He’s been very quiet for sometime now. Must be working on new material.
Not sure why this is down here. Supposed to be on the Gerry Rafferty comment and now just looks stupid…..
Were you posting from an iPad? Seems to be an issue with tablets.
Here’s a prime example of Dr J’s theory: Billy Bragg’s “Levi Stubbs’ Tears”, from “Talking with the Taxman”
Just mentioned that on the ‘Storytelling’ thread; and what a wonderful song it is, too.
Counting Crows. This Desert Life. Hanginaround.
Nicki Minaj – Pills ‘n’ Potions
Interesting album. No less than four singles are included which were released before the album itself, thus rendering the Massive defence void.
Kendrick Lamar – The Blacker The Berry
http://youtu.be/6AhXSoKa8xw
The version of “i” released as a single is quite different to the one on the album.
Prince – Uptown
http://youtu.be/8H_pvvRetLA
Pity those whose third albums yielded no singles; The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Brian Eno, Buzzcocks….
Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers – “Egyptian Reggae”, off “Rock ‘n Roll with the Modern Lovers”.
A bit of a minor classic.
Can’t believe nobody has mentioned 10cc with I’m Not In Love, first single from third album The Original Soundtrack.
Except, d’oh! I think it might have been Life is Minestrone.
So do I!! I’m having a real Dire Straits love affair at the moment and this is a belter of an album. This song can still make me cry. I’m going to see Mark Knopfler live soon and I’m beyond excited ❤️
This theory. It all stacks up
How about Blur “Girls And Boys”
Or The Modfather himself with “The Changingman”
I think “The Changingman” was the second single from “Stanley Road”, Lester, with “Out of the Sinking” being the first.
The version of Out of The Sinking on the album is a different version. That single was released in 1994 way before any album was due, so technically Changingman was the first single taken from Stanley Road. And that’s all from Pedant’s Corner……
Funny, I thought it was the first single from ELO’s first album
James. Gold Mother. Come Home.
The Four Tops hit their stride with Shake Me, Wake Me from their third album On Top.
Stevia Wonder – Fingertips Part II
http://youtu.be/hjCfRvcXuY0
The Temptations – Since I Lost My Baby
A case for disproving the theory:
Oasis
Be Here Now was album #3 and was bloated, overblown, over-produced, somewhat aimless and predictable (if I’m honest, dull in places too).
Lead single D’You Know What I Mean was all of the above packaged onto 7″ of plastic (or CD single).
Hitting their stride ? Treading water and getting lost in a cocaine haze and media profiles.
BUT, in retrospect Be Here Now ain’t all bad.
Doesn’t that sort of prove the theory? Oasis ran off the rails with the first single from the third album; it’s the point where you step up or tread water.
um … yeah.
Forgot about the downside of the stated theory.
But I reckon they got back on the rails (albeit in a slower, more hit & miss type way) with Standing on the Shoulder of Giants (I like it, not many others do). Heathen Chemistry and Don’t Believe The Truth are great albums, but can’t escape the shadow of the critical f**k up of Be Here Now
I think they stopped “being Oasis” and became “band that reminds you of how good Oasis were” to most listeners, merits of the later material (or otherwise) aside.
Nail hit firmly on head there Sir!
They Might Be Giants – Flood – Birdhouse in your Soul
I can’t believe I forgot this. Career-defining!
Yep
Although second single ‘Moving’ was better, this a’ TOON!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W-AJlTHL1I
Controversial? And yes, jackthebiscuit, it IS the third Specials album!
How could we have left out Dunfermline’s finest – the Skids?
The first single from “The Absolute Game” was “Circus Games”…
Talking Heads with Fear of Music – first single was Life During Wartime
http://youtu.be/DblvhECdws0
Good call on Special AKA Zanti. Great song, I dont think they played it when I saw them a few years ago.
Didn’t see Fear of Music further up the thread.
So how about the (now) much derided U2. After a disappointing second album, October, they came back with War and the first single was, if I’m not mistaken, New Year’s Day
The reunited The Special AKA .AKA The Specials don’t play anything from In The Studio. More’s the pity.
When is a line up, not a line up, eh?
Galaxie 500 – This Is Our Music
Elton John – Tumbleweed Connection
Dire Straits – Making Movies
Curtis Mayfield – Superfly soundtrack
Randy Newman – Sail Away
The National – Alligator
and can I stretch this one given it was his third entirely solo album…Gene Clark – No Other
I’m not going to post a song, but I’ve been through this thread and a good 90% of these songs are on my Ipod. Maybe because we’re talking bands that released singles rather than ‘album’ bands. I love a good singles band me.
Bjork, “Army of Me”
Post
The Boo Radleys, “Lazarus”
Giant Steps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3syHCPMJucM
I hate purity, I hate goodness. I want everything corrupted.
F.A.S.T.E.R.
PJ Harvey, “Down by the Water”
To bring you my love
If I could call to the witness box, Mr Julian Cope
I wonder how many of the artists who pulled a blinder on the first single from the third album were on three-album deals? No hit = no renewal. Just a thought.
XTC – Drums And Wires – Making Plans for Nigel
Their first top 20 single, and perhaps the one XTC track that ‘everyone’ has heard of.
Seems legit
The Rolling Stones: ‘Out Of Our Heads’…..erm…..there wasn’t one.
45s, EPs and LPs released by The Stones in the 60s were almost entirely made up of new material. Gives a bit of a lie to the idea of ‘nasty old Decca’ that the group were so eager to nurture!