Most Underrated 70’s Era Deep Cut?

[Jack the Stripper]

So I’m just curious as to what everyone’s most underrated deep cut is from the 70’s albums and what is it you love about it?

Underrated deep cut could mean a song that wasn't played a lot live or not al all and doesn't show up on greatest hits/compilation releases and for some unknown reason doesn’t seem to get the love and attention you think it deserves. 

Let’s face it though, there’s really probably only a handful of songs from this era that can actually be considered “underrated“ among true Sabbath heads.

Anyhow...

I’m putting “Looking For Today“ up there. Just an all round brilliant piece of writing/musicianship and arrangements. A melodic rock song with an acoustic and flute interlude and Ozzy vocal melodies to die for...Right up there with his best I’d say. Geezer’s lyrics are brilliant as well(as they are on the whole album)and still relevant today. Also love Tony’s outro solo and consider that underrated in itself...Would actually love to hear it in full without the fade-out from the original studio session recordings.

“Sunday’s star is Monday’s scar“ 

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

^^^
Not going to argue with that choice Jack. Always felt it was a fair assessment of the modern pop industry... 40 years before it's time.


I always thought these 3 were underrated... probably rightly so, but I like them:

St Vitus Dance - very similar vibe/sentiments to She Loves You by The Beatles... I prefer StVD.

You Won't Change Me - the best song from TE, but it's always Dirty Women which gets the love.

Over To You - I think Typhon is a fan of this one as well. I could have gone with Shock Wave too.

[Thelemech]

Looking For Today is my absolute favorite Black Sabbath song. I love the vocals so much and the song is a masterpiece a true musical work of art.
I also truly love Shock Wave, so underrated!!
Supernaut rounds out my top three, that song is as potent today as it was back then.

[Charger]

Hmm...after giving this some thought I'd say Wicked World. It was heavily played live in the early days but after that it was completely forgotten...and honestly it's one of their best ever tracks. The riff, the groove and especially the guitar solo part is amazing.

I'd also be inclined to mention Supernaut which is my favourite from Vol 4 and that was NEVER played live in it's entirety which was a travesty to say the least. That features one of Iommi's best groovy riffs ever.

I too will throw in a third one too and that would be A National Acrobat. The heaviest song on SBS and it was only done live a handful of times and that's a shame...I guess the band felt it didn't work well live (and it must have been a real challenge for Ozzy to sing) but it is a stellar track and I don't think it gets quite enough credit...

[Jack the Stripper]

Wicked World is a great pick, as is A National Acrobat. I suppose Sabbra Cadabra could be considered underrated as well, Morseso before Metallica covered it. I’ve never considered Supernaut underrated though. It’s turned up on a few compilations over the years and I just always thought Sabbath fans generally loved that track. I know it’s probably my favourite of Vol 4 and one of my favourite Sabbath songs period.

A lot of songs of TE and NSD are underrated imo.

[Charger]

Nothing on NSD can ever be underrated!

If I'd have to pick something from TE I'd say maybe Back Street Kids...I was never that much of a fan of You Won't Change Me...the synth on it is putting me off...

I was going between Sabbra Cadabra and A National Acrobat but SC was heavily played live back in the day and Acrobat wasn't so I went with that...

Supernaut has been on compilations but it has NEVER been played live in it's entirety so that was pretty much my reasoning there...and it's also not among the first songs people mention from Vol 4...but it SHOULD be....

[Zzzptm]

I'll join with "Looking for Today" as most underrated. I've heard "Spiral Architect" live, never LFT. It's an incredible, powerful tune, but I guess the "greatest hits" compilations are already full up from the first 4.5 albums, there's no room for hardly anything else.

I have heard "Supernaut" live, with Gillan singing. I also agree on "Back Street Kids". Muddy as hell in its sound, but it's the one track from TE that I'll listen to time and again.

[Typhon]

For me it is the very unique songs that I find tend to be underrated.

Over To You - kudos to KDC for remembering how much I love this song.     Not only the melody, but also the lyrics. 

Cornucopia - when one album is so loaded with superb material, it is inevitable that a hidden gem will get lost amongst the greats.  I get a special kind of joy when I hear this one. 

Back Street Kids - I never figured a synthesizer would be one of the best additions to a Sabbath song, but there you go.  My Signature isn't a line from this song for nothing.   

[Jack the Stripper]

Supernaut has been on compilations but it has NEVER been played live in it's entirety so that was pretty much my reasoning there...and it's also not among the first songs people mention from Vol 4...but it SHOULD be....

Ive just never considered it a deep cut or underrated though. It’s in the top 2-3 tracks on  Vol 4. Been on a few of the main compilations and featured prominently in the sets between 72-75 and I think from memory it was even played on the Born Again tour? Whether it was played in its entirety doesn’t make much difference. The main body of the song was played up until the drum breakdown. Was also showcased in a medley on the most recent reunion tours.

Under the Sun was considered a deep cut and under appreciated for quite a time but has really grown in popularity over the years, especially with the later day metal crowd, so much so it was brought out for the 13 and The End tours.

[Charger]

Ive just never considered it a deep cut or underrated though. It’s in the top 2-3 tracks on  Vol 4. Been on a few of the main compilations and featured prominently in the sets between 72-75 and I think from memory it was even played on the Born Again tour? Whether it was played in its entirety doesn’t make much difference. The main body of the song was played up until the drum breakdown. Was also showcased in a medley on the most recent reunion tours.

Under the Sun was considered a deep cut and under appreciated for quite a time but has really grown in popularity over the years, especially with the later day metal crowd, so much so it was brought out for the 13 and The End tours.

Well maybe it's well rated among some fans but it certainly is underrated by the band!

I agree with Under the Sun though...I think before the 13 tour I would have considered it underrated but not anymore as it was a set list staple...granted Ozzy's preformances weren't usually all that good but still.


Another song I was thinking about was Lord Of This World...it was played quite often during the original Reunion tour but since then it was forgotten again...and it is one of the best songs on Master Of Reality...and it should have been the staple setlist song instead of Sweet Leaf for sure.

[Typhon]

Hope I am not getting too technical here, but Jack asked for "underrated deep cuts".

Supernaut is not a deep cut and is arguably not underrated.
Looking For Today, A National Acrobat, both brilliant, both underrated, but are they deep cuts? 

[Jack the Stripper]

As I mentioned in my original post, Sabbath really only have a handful of underrated songs from this era. But I think you can mount a case for “Looking For Today” being a deeper cut. Not played live, doesn’t typically show up on compilation albums and also where it’s placed on the album. Besides “Who Are You” is there another song you’d consider more of a deeper cut off SBS? Most albums generally speaking have a couple of deeper cuts.

[Charger]

It is hard to really define what a deep cut is...everyone tends to have different opinion and it usually also goes together with songs you like.

If I were to list deep cuts from the first 5 albums they'd be something like this

Black Sabbath:
Sleeping Village

Paranoid:
Planet Caravan

Master Of Reality:
Solitude

Vol 4:
St. Vitus Dance

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath:
Looking For Today would be a fair choice...same with Who Are you...

All of these are songs that never really made it into the live setting and tend to be songs not included on compilations...part from Planet Caravan, but honestly pretty much every single song from Paranoid as been featured in one compilation or another.

But are those songs that I consider underrated? No...only Sleeping Village would fit into that category.

So I don't think Deep cut is the same as underrated...sometimes deep cuts remain deep cuts simply because they aren't all that good, thus being rated properly.

[Jack the Stripper]

Just on Back Street Kids, I think that’s a little harder to define. Played live? Rarely if at all. Underrated? Yes definitely. Deep cut? Not sure an opening track of an album can be defined as a deep cut. Wasn’t it also released as a single in some countries?

[Charger]

I think not...Only It's Alright and Gypsy were singles...with Rock 'n Roll Doctor and She's Gone as b-sides....

That's a good point about an album opener...but if a whole album is something of a "deep cut" then maybe...does that apply to TE though that's a different story...