Remember Album Cuts?
Before Billy Joel played his song “Zanzibar” a few weeks ago, he asked the crowd if we remembered album cuts. You know, that filler on an album between all the singles? Many in the sold-out crowd responded yes, and I thought, Has the iPod killed album cuts? With the technology now for kids to download the singles they want, none of them will ever listen to album cuts. Soon artists won’t even record them; there will be no albums to fill.
The more I thought about it, the sadder I became. True, I buy albums because I love the singles, but the album filler songs are the best. Those are the songs you hope to hear live in concert. I may love “Where It’s At” and “The New Pollution” off of Beck’s Odelay, but my favorite tracks are “Readymade”, “Hot Wax” and “Novocaine”. The songs people often throw away are usually the best on the entire effort.
Without going through your iThingy think of your favorite album, and think about the most memorable tracks. Were they the singles? Or was it track six where the drummer sings instead? I have a feeling that in a few more years ‘album cuts’ will become a thing of the past.
It started with people buying sheet music, then moved to recorded singles with a B-side, and eventually we came to albums, even double albums, full of music. If everything is cyclical, this could be a phase that will someday blow over. At least many of my music geek brethren hope. Until that time comes around, I’ll be clinging to all of my albums and listening to everything I can. Leave no track behind is my motto. I like albums that way they are, just leave me the music and be gone with you.
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