Peter Frampton: Frampton Comes Alive - “Jumping Jack Flash”
It’s a classic album and one of the best-known and probably most played live albums around. The song is also iconic and very well-known. It’s one of several classic rock tunes that Frampton had been incorporating into his set list over the years. The song also appeared on his debut solo album, Wind of Change, from 1972. As this was a live album from a Frampton gig then it seems natural to include it.
It’s a decent version of the song and has some great guitar as you’d expect from Frampton. For me, though, it still feels an odd fit on the album. It’s like a load of great Frampton songs played live, and this one was added in as an extra. It doesn't spoil the album, but it’s not a track I’d miss if it wasn't there and had been replaced by another.
David Bowie: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - “‘It Ain’t Easy”
The Ziggy Stardust album was certainly a classic and helped launch David Bowie as a huge rock star. There was a general theme for the album and songs that held them together under the Ziggy persona, except for this one. “It Ain’t Easy” just doesn't seem to fit in.
It’s quite a different style and sound from the much more glam rock selection on the album. There were several other songs around at the time that were a much better fit, “Amsterdam” or “Velvet Goldmine” as just two examples. The song was also the only non-Bowie composition on the record.
Written by US songwriter Ron Davies it was originally intended for Bowie’s Hunky Dory album but didn't make the list in the end. It’s by no means a bad song, it’s just out of sync with the rest.
Pink Floyd: Meddle - “Seamus”
This Pink Floyd album clearly shows the transition as the band moves from their psychedelic past towards the classic The Dark Side of the Moon and all that follows. Meddle has some great tracks on it, but as soon as I mention the one with Steve Marriott’s dog, you know what I mean. “Seamus” has a nice bluesy riff about it and could be a bit of fun, but in reality, it has to be a filler and there’s no great reason to have it included or even played.
Apparently, David Gilmour was dog-sitting for Marriott’s Border Collie Seamus at the time. But surely they didn't have a ‘take your dog to work day’ back then? One story reckons that someone noticed the dog keeping time with the music and decided to record it on a song. With other great songs on the album, like “Echoes” and “One Of These Days,” the band was surely barking mad to include “Seamus.”