...is 'Minstrel In The Gallery' from 1975. Bear in mind that Jethro Tull had enjoyed a string of hits up to 1971 and had then more or less stopped trying for more hits (certainly in the UK). But this promo video was shot for Minstrel, it was shown in several countries and Ian promoted it with an interview on OGWT in the UK. So they were giving it a push. Great riff, great lyrics and would have sounded remarkably vibrant in 1975 (if the bloated, weedy stodge that we're seeing most weeks on the 1976 TOTP re-runs is indicative of what was the chart norm the year before).

But no, not a hit.

They were Swedish:

Great piece of catchy power pop

Electric Guitars didn't miss out on being a hit due to lack of airplay on Radio 2. They went through a period (and may be still in it) of playing a song to death so you were fed up with it by the time it was actually released.

no-one else did (according to them it got to number 1,000,076 in the chart).

it's Ben & Jason "Air Guitar" btw.

I think it's rather mighty.

by Wire.

Big Decision by That Petrol Emotion.

But I'll just stick with one:

Ghetto Rock

Did not chart. Que?

"yes we are so ghetto, yes we are rock and roll"

Imagine how good this sounded in 92!

Hmm, they're not lookers either - maybe there's a trend here...

I don't know if this was a hit.
I don't even know if it was a single.
I do know that it's awesome.

number 43 on re-release counts as not being a hit. They did play on Letterman though.

Del Amitri "Kiss This Thing Goodbye"

post..

by George Harrison.

I am on my phone and can't locate the video.

My fellow Beatles fixated friend (sadly no longer with us) and myself were completely wowed on release and anxiously listened to Paul Burnett's Tuesday Top 40 countdown in increasing anticipation as to how high it had got. But it wasn't there.

One of his greatest poppier moments.

Always thought Ringo was the shortest fab...

There is Orange Juice.

oeuvre of Stuart Adamson.

The more I listen to it, and having read Alan Glenn's book, the more I'm convinced that he got screwed.

Here's my two submissions:
"The One I love" - the normal BC one, with lots of loud guitar

The 'grown up and atypical one' - Fragile Thing

I will beat this drum until it breaks - they don't get the credit they deserve, and have been underserved by lazy lazy stereotyping.

Well, that and "Peace in our Time". That was shit.

Denny Laine's original version from 1967 is wonderful but unaccountably flopped. The same can be said for many one-off singles of the time of course (like Tomorrow's 'My White Bicycle') but Laine had form with the Moodies and so may have expected better.

Her is a very odd promo film.

...this. The Long Ryders 'Lewis & Clark'. Saw them live at the time, after seeing the WT appearance. One of the few 80s acts I bothered with in the 80s (along with Husker Du and the Icicle Works and a soft spot for the Human League...)

No visuals but t'riffic music.

and a Walker Brothers pastiche, but it should have been a big hit

This moves a long a pace too:

And what about this?

For this three minute slice of perfection?

No justice.

Mint Royale - Show Me

Jonathan Richman sings Abdul and Cleopatra - a neglected classic. This was released around the time when he charted with Egyptian Reggae but failed to chart. There is footage of him on Top of the Pops performing New England which didn't chart either but, to my mind, this should have been one of his most celebrated songs instead of the usual Roadrunner, Pablo Picasso or more recently I was Dancing in a Lesbian Bar. This song also contains one of the best guitar solos in any Jonathan Richman song, not that there are many contenders for that accolade.

...one of the most annoying songs ever written? I remember seeing him on TOTP with it when I was a kid and even then thinking 'This is a really annoying piece of music'...

the Ice Cream Man.I love it but I suspect it's THE track to drive Richman non-believers crazy.
Also wanted to give a shout-out to Modern Lovers guitarist Leroy Radcliffe. Simple but effective stuff.

and I must say the public got it right.While you may enjoy these songs there's nuthin' about any of them that would induce the general public to make them interstellar.So there you have it and there they are and there they shall remain.

The Auteurs - Lenny Valentino

Pop Levi - Love You Straight

The Sleepy Jackson - Good Dancers

"Left My Heart In Tokyo" hitmakers Mini Viva, and their second single "I Wish". This only reached number 73 in the charts, in Christmas week 2009, overlooked and unloved when everyone else was debating the Rage Against The Machine vs X Factor "issue". It is to my mind one of Xenomania's best songs and best production jobs, but despite possessing all the drama and neon melancholy of Pet Shop Boys' Love Comes Quickly, or Girls Aloud's Call The Shots, it would appear that no sod was interested. But I played it over and over becoming quite obssessed with the song and its perfectly pitched video to a point which was probably slightly unhealthy.

Mini Viva released one more, excellent, single ("One Touch") and that managed to miss the charts completely. Shame.

You In The Night by Fashion.

A lost classic from 1984

and Ways To Be Wicked by Lone Justice from 1985.

Only got to no 58, criminal!

and one from the States that should have been the start of a chart residency:

I loved this, and EVERYONE remembers it from the 80s (it was the music in the McEwans lager advert) Did it bother the chart? Nope. Number 97 I think.

And this - a great pop tune from the world's worst dancer, Barry Flynn - and his band Bonk (snigger)

(but shoulda been)

from 1988 charted at 90

From 1993 - marvellous song

Robert Palmer - endlessly wonderful song from someone I was always a bit ambiguous about - massive talent but something unsympathetic about him maybe?

Possibly a little to fey for the Loaded Generation

and

This was produced by Youth and included various Primal Scream members but only got to 45. Sorry about the poor clip but a great song all the same.

Well it got to No 27 which is technically a hit, but it's one of those tunes a lot of people seem to have missed. One of Jarvis's best lyrics too :

this gem from the early 80s when it was still conceivable that reggae records could be hits, but despite lots of evening radio airplay it wasn't:

Natural Ites - Picture On The Wall.

Number 36??????

I always thought this song deserved better. Written by Andy Bell (Ride/Oasis/Beady Eye,) only made 29 then 19 on re-release. Surprised that Beady Eye havent covered this. Its a great song.

Yes Elton had a non-hit that should have been.

In the middle of his mostly uninspired album years from the late 70s on the single Ego was I thought, and still do think is, one of Elton's best.

I don't think it even registers on any compilations.

liked "Ego" too. It appears on the 4CD box set "To Be Continued..." but I'm not aware of it being on any regular comp.

But when this fantastic song stalled at number 96 in the charts I guess ACR knew they'd never quite make it

as it is it seems that it's a one way ticket to obscurity, for most

In an alternate universe, this lot were as big as... er... Cheap Trick at least