Disc Jockey Discoveries

What are some of the songs over the years (in any format) that became big hits as the direct result of a DJ playing a personal favorite album cut, the flip side of a single, or some other obscure track tucked away in the vaults? In other words, are there any songs that became hits unintentionally by either the artist or the studio?

Wasn't Rod Stewart's "Maggie May" a song a high-profile DJ preferred to play over its original "A" side, "Reason to Believe"?

Moody Blues drummer Graeme Edge sometimes tells the story of a DJ in the Pacific Northwest who played "Nights in White Satin" (album cut, not the single... before it was famous) at the same time each night so he could take a bong break... and people started requesting the song more and more.

"Brandy" by The Looking Glass was a "B" side, and a stiff. Harv Moore at WPGC flipped it over, and almost single-handedly turned the record into a hit.

Get the story here: Allmusic.com

"Bohemian Rhapsody". Queen were under pressure (har har) from their label to edit the six-minute song down to three before releasing it for radio airplay, and instead Freddie Mercury himself "leaked" the whole track to DJ Kenny Everett, with instructions that he was never to play the song on the air (and a huge wink).

These days, such an act would undoubtedly prompt the label to sue the artist, the DJ, and the station that played the song, but in 1975, it propelled a moderately-successful band into the stratosphere.

"Black Water" by the Doobie Bros. became a huge hit after someone (don't know who) flipped "Another Park, Another Sunday" over and started playing "Black Water." "Another Park..." was only a minor hit..."Black Water" obviously huge.

Tommy James & the Shondells recorded "Hanky Panky" in 1962, I believe. It went nowhere after release on both Snap and Red Fox labels. Only after an enterprising Pittsburgh DJ heard it and played it on the air did it finally make its belated (Summer 1966) trip up the chart.

Wasn't Sam Cooke's "You Send Me" an original "B" side? I read somewhere that it became the "hit" when a local DJ played it and it started getting a following that exceeded the "A" side.

GlennSummers said:

Wasn't Sam Cooke's "You Send Me" an original "B" side? I read somewhere that it became the "hit" when a local DJ played it and it started getting a following that exceeded the "A" side.

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Bob Keene...produced "You Send Me" as the A side, the b - side was Summertime by the Gerswins from Porgy and Bess. Bob Keene later discovered Ritchie Valens.

The most famous story of a B-side hit becoming a hit Is "Earth Angel" the B-side of "Hey Senorita" by the Penguins.

The highest chart ranking B-side was Na Na Na Na hey Hey Goodbye as a B-side intentional throw a way was flipped over by a Georgia DJ and It shot to #1 and the rest as they say is Rock N' Roll history. It was eventaully released as an A-side but was originally the b-side on the PROMO dsic.

The same story applies to the Champs( #1 in 1958) "Tequila"..the b-side to "Train To Nowhere". An LA DJ preferred the thowaway b-side.

Paige Turner said:

What are some of the songs over the years (in any format) that became big hits as the direct result of a DJ playing a personal favorite album cut, the flip side of a single, or some other obscure track tucked away in the vaults?

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Charlene's 1977 stiff "I've Never Been To Me" got a new life in 1982 to the point that Motown re-issued the single after Q-105 in Tampa started playing it.

THE_VIKING said:

Wasn't Rod Stewart's "Maggie May" a song a high-profile DJ preferred to play over its original "A" side, "Reason to Believe"

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"Maggie May" was the a-side... I an a huge fan of "Reason To Believe"...I try and collect every version of the Tim Hardin ditty..other favorite versions are by Cher and Bobby Darin. Turned out to be a somewhat two sided hit for Stewart "Reason To Believe" peaked at #62 ...later Stewart and former bandmate Ron Wood(Faces) recorded "Reason To Believe" and It peaked at #9.

GlennSummers said:

Wasn't Sam Cooke's "You Send Me" an original "B" side? I read somewhere that it became the "hit" when a local DJ played it and it started getting a following that exceeded the "A" side.

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You Send Me was the flip side of Twistin' The Night Away, which became a hit for Rod Stewart, although Rod Stewart was not the only one to cover Sam Cooke music. Bring It On Home To Me was a flip side that became a bigger hit too.

Silkie said:

GlennSummers said:

Wasn't Sam Cooke's "You Send Me" an original "B" side? I read somewhere that it became the "hit" when a local DJ played it and it started getting a following that exceeded the "A" side.

Click to expand...

You Send Me was the flip side of Twistin' The Night Away, which became a hit for Rod Stewart, although Rod Stewart was not the only one to cover Sam Cooke music. Bring It On Home To Me was a flip side that became a bigger hit too.

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The original "You Send Me" 1957 ,#1 on Keen records was the A-side... w/"Summertime" ...in 1961 or 62 RCA Released "Twsitin the night away" with 2 b-sides "You Send Me" and "One More Time" (supposedly, UK version)... the supposed UK version charted in the US , so "You Send Me" later version(might even be a re-recording,not sure if RCA bought the master from Bob Keene, never charted). Sometimes these two get crossed up in the reference venues.

hornet61 said:

THE_VIKING said:

Wasn't Rod Stewart's "Maggie May" a song a high-profile DJ preferred to play over its original "A" side, "Reason to Believe"

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"Maggie May" was the a-side...

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It was re-issued as the "A" side. Early promo copies had RTB as the "A" side, I have a rather cue-burnt one stashed away somewhere.

Oldbones said:

hornet61 said:

THE_VIKING said:

Wasn't Rod Stewart's "Maggie May" a song a high-profile DJ preferred to play over its original "A" side, "Reason to Believe"

Click to expand...

"Maggie May" was the a-side...

Click to expand...

It was re-issued as the "A" side. Early promo copies had RTB as the "A" side, I have a rather cue-burnt one stashed away somewhere.

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Great info....amazing how fickle the studio heads are ..........they get a little sampling from the audience and change horses.