10 Bad Closing Songs On Great Rock Music Albums
After so much quality, these records ended not with a bang, but with a whimper.
Picture the scene; you're lying in bed, headphones on, most of the way through a great album. You've loved the songwriting, the lyrics, the production, ever little thing about it, and you're just waiting for the band to tie it all together with one last hurrah.
Then, instead of a final masterpiece, you're treated to the sound of the lead singer farting with their armpit for ten minutes straight.
Safe to say you're not a happy bunny.
Whilst this has never actually happened (hopefully), some bands essentially did record a track of flatulence to round off one of their best ever albums.
A record lives or dies by its closer, as that's the lasting image people will have of it. Get it wrong, and it could sink the entire project.
Whilst these albums still stand up on the whole, their final songs leave a lot to be desired. Whether they failed as finales or were just bad songs in their own right, these tracks were either in the wrong place or shouldn't have been on the album at all.
Thankfully, you can just skip them on your next listen.
10. Walking The Dog - Aerosmith (Aerosmith)
Aerosmith burst onto the scene in 1973 with their self-titled debut album.
Ok, "burst" might be a bit strong. It barely made a dent to start with, but it would eventually find an audience over time.
The album is mostly remembered for the song Dream On, which has become a staple of the band's repertoire in modern times. In fact, only Walk This Way has been played live more often.
The rest of the eight track record has some fairly decent stuff on it, but nothing that can hold a candle to Dream On. Most of the other songs would have been a better ending choice than Walking the Dog though.
A blues standard from the early 60s, Rufus Thomas' Walking the Dog has been covered by everyone from The Rolling Stones to Green Day to John Cale.
Aerosmith selected their version to close out their first album, but it lacked the oomph needed to offer a satisfying finale.
There's nothing special about the Boston band's rendition of the classic track and it would have done a much better job a mid-album piece of filler.