1. Dolly Parton – When Possession Gets Too Strong
With 42 studio albums it’s no surprise some songs are forgotten, but for the lyrics alone this one deserves another listen.
2. Screaming Lord Sutch (& Friends) – Flashing Light
Featuring Jimmy Page, John Bonham and Jeff Beck, all of whom later disowned it as garbage.
3. Paul Westerberg & Tom Waits – Lowdown Monkey
A wonderfully messy home recording that demands to be rescued from obscurity.
4. James Taylor – Carolina in My Mind (’68 version)
From his debut album, and featuring Paul McCartney and George Harrison, a completely different version of Taylor’s signature song.
5. Beck – Thunder Peel
The sound of Eels meets Ween meets directionless anger and amateur vocal impressions.
6. Makeout Videotape – Island Groovies
Predating his ‘solo’ career, this Mac Demarco number is a valuable artefact of his then-nascent potential.
7. Ike and Tina Turner – Tell Her I’m Not Home
Slightly before the nose powder issues, and well before ‘The Best’, a strong R&B track with a baffling spoken-word intro.
8. Hall and Oates – A Lot of Changes Coming
First released on a pre-success retrospective this song has an absolutely perfect pop-rock-ballad piano track.
9. Mudcrutch – Long Way from Home
Recorded by Tom Petty’s first band, notable for seemingly being the only halfway-passable song released by the group.
10. Bob Dylan – O Little Town of Bethlehem
Yes, Dylan has a Christmas album. The critics say it’s ironic, the ears say it’s an abomination.