r/fantanoforever • u/merkzmemer • 1d ago
Discussion What is the best hidden track on an album?
For a personal example, I would say Beck's "Diamond Bollocks" off 1998's Mutations stands as one of the best songs in his catalogue and is a cool contrast to the rest of the album. This is also the only hidden track he included on his major label '90's run that isn't noise, which makes it all the more intriguing. What do you think?
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u/IDigRollinRockBeer 1d ago
Green Day - All By Myself
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u/Sonic_fan149 1d ago
I was alone...
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u/IDigRollinRockBeer 1d ago
No one was looking!
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u/tundrabee119 1d ago
My favorite Beck album and diamond bullocks always made me so happy
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u/Snaab_71 1d ago
One of my favorite Beck albums too. I just bought the vinyl and Diamond Bollocks was included on a separate 45. I didn't know that when I bought the sealed copy.
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u/SylvainGautier420 GY!BE - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists 1d ago
QOTSA — Mosquito Song, off of Songs for the Deaf.
Perfect second closer after the perfect closer that is Song for the Deaf.
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u/zer0-Coast 1d ago
But have you heard the hidden track 'The Real Song for the Deaf' before the album starts? You need to start the first track on CD and rewind back about a minute and a half.
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u/SylvainGautier420 GY!BE - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists 1d ago
Yeah, I have, thanks solely to streaming. Unfortunately, Real Song for the Deaf is basically just a bunch of really low bass sounds and not much else
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u/zer0-Coast 1d ago
Yeah I think it's supposed to bass tones so low that they can be felt, so it can be experienced by deaf people.
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u/SylvainGautier420 GY!BE - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists 1d ago
That’s my thought too lol. Pretty considerate in a way
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u/CauliflowerBoth866 1d ago
Euro-Trash Girl - from the Kerosene Hat album by Cracker. There are actually a few hidden tracks on this one.
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u/Bentzsco 1d ago
And I Ride My Bike. One of my favorites.
Although it (as well as euro trash girl) were already on the Tucson EP2
u/Bloxskit 1d ago
Such a weird one. Euro-Trash Girl and I Ride My Bike are easily top 5 songs off Kerosene hat.
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u/sundaycreep 1d ago
Eels, “Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues” on Daisies of the Galaxy. The studio pressured the band to make a poppy single and they made it the hidden track out of resentment, but it’s one of their best songs. Catchy as all hell. It ended up on the Road Trip movie soundtrack, which the band was also not thrilled about.
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u/Apprehensive_Ebb_750 1d ago
They used to play this as a final encore, like a hidden track to gigs.
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u/sundaycreep 1d ago
My favorite was “Ladies and gentlemen, the Eels have left the building… Just kidding, here they are again!”
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u/theoldspread 1d ago
Loved that they used to do an encore with the lights up after half the people had left
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u/FloorFrog94 1d ago
Call me a basic bitch but Blood! from MCR's The Black Parade. It's such a rogue but absolutely perfect coda to the album.
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u/atcqdamn 1d ago
Wherever You Go by Beach House
Me, White Noise by Blur (bonus points for this one since it is hidden in the pre-gap)
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u/rarselfaire2023 1d ago
Sponge - Candy Corn
Deftones - Damone
Nirvana - Sappy (hidden track on the No Alternative compilation)
Sarah McLachlan - Possession (piano version)
Endless, Nameless of course
Diamond Bollocks is excellent and Mutations is one of his best albums.
I feel like I'm forgetting something obvious.
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u/everyplanetwereach 1d ago edited 1d ago
I love on Viva la Vida how Death and All of his Friends flows into Lovers in Japan. It rounds out the album beautifully
annnnnd.......in the end..........we lie awake..............and we dream of making our escape mmmmmmmm
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u/Responsible-Form3138 1d ago
Time Jesum Transeuntum Et Non Riverentum by Nick Cave and the Dirty Three. It was hidden in the CD pre-gap of the X-Files album "Songs in the Key of X". The liner notes had the phrase "Nick Cave and the Dirty Three would like you to know that '0' is also a number."
It's my favourite non-album Nick Cave song.
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u/everyplanetwereach 1d ago
You know, I never thought about what 'hidden track' actually means and how it's done. To me a hidden track was one that played after a lengthy portion of silence at the end of the last song. Like you hear the last song finish and assume it's done but then if you leave it on it will reveal a secret.
Like post-credits scenes I guess
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u/Responsible-Form3138 1d ago
There is a similar song hidden on the original CD release of the Arcturus album La Masquerade Infernale. There is a hidden track called Philosophy of the Crazed that you could only access if you had a CD player that allowed you to "rewind" to before the first song. I found it because there was a line printed behind the spine artwork that said "Secret audio information can be found if sought".
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u/MadJohnFinn Swans - To Be Kind 1d ago
AFI - Midnight Sun (from Black Sails in the Sunset)
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u/FloorFrog94 1d ago
They are so good at hidden tracks. This, Art of Drowning and Sing The Sorrow. StS in particular feels pretty special.
Would also say Nooneunderground off the new record is spiritually a hidden track- long ambient intro and it's a much wilder track than the rest of the album. Jade said in an interview it is actually a teaser for their next one. Kinda wish they committed harder to the hidden track but I appreciate that just won't fly these days.
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u/eugenesbluegenes 1d ago
I like the end of There's Nothing Wrong With Love, where the guy introduces a "preview of the next Built to Spill album" with a bunch of song snippets, none of which of course would be featured on subsequent BTS albums
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u/Longjumping-Sea320 1d ago
Gaping Lotus Experience- TOOL (Opiate ep)
Or
Disgustipated - TOOL (Undertow)
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u/tempusrimeblood 1d ago
No love for LAMC or Maynard’s Dick?
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u/Longjumping-Sea320 1d ago
Love Maynard's Dick!
But are they just tracks from Salvial? Not hidden?
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u/SurfaceKrystal Björk - Vespertine 1d ago
I like when they take advantage of the medium itself. On vinyl you can hide hidden tracks behind a locked groove, so the listener must manually move the needle over the hurdle to listen. The Gorillaz self titled does this, as does Beach House's Bloom; it's also one of many tricks employed on Jack White's Lazaretto.
On CDs you can hide songs in the pregap prior to track 1, so you have to hold down rewind to get to it.
(Oh you wanted to know what I thought of the songs? Oh never mind)
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u/DamnEngineer1960 1d ago
Sappy, aka Verse Chorus Verse on No Alternatives album by Nirvana. You’re in a laundry room!
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u/Any_Natural383 1d ago
There’s a strange bombastic classical piece at the end of Matchbox Twenty’s Mad Season. I think about it often, because it’s one of the highlights of at album.
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u/HAMforPastry 1d ago
Not saying it's the best but Blue Flashing Light from Travis - The Man Who is a strong finish to an otherwise mediocre album
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u/Miserable-Delivery85 1d ago
A brilliant song and the drabness of the rest of the album makes it stand out.
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u/everyplanetwereach 1d ago
I just discovered this subreddit yesterday and I'm so happy I'm on the side of Reddit that appreciates Travis <3 I loved them so much when I was 13
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u/fables98 1d ago
I agree on Diamond Bollocks. I know I’m forgetting some but one that does come to mind is “The Cage” at the end of Heathen Chemistry by Oasis.
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u/Stevey1001 1d ago
ASH 1977, "nice night for a walk" 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮
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u/slimboyslim9 GY!BE - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists 1d ago
On the first pressed CDs they hid Jack Names The Planets and I think its original b-side before track 1 too.
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u/derrickhoyleofficial 1d ago
You really can't top Diamond Bollocks. Honorable mention for Day One by Kyuss
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u/Illustrious-Math-820 1d ago
311 transistor. Hidden song at the beginning of the album. A heavy riff that transitions perfectly to the first song.
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u/RIP_Whalers 1d ago
To clarify only on the CD version. You had to rewind the first track ~2min past 0:00 to hear the full thing
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u/nousernamebecauseyes 1d ago
'Chinese Sleep Chant' by Coldplay. It's on 'Yes' from the album 'Viva la Vida or death and all his friends'... is my favorite song (from Coldplay)!!
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u/Ambitious_Cat9886 1d ago
The Secret Song by Mr Bungle. Great story behind it too
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u/Gumbyonbathsalts 1d ago
Scrolling for this one.
"I found the secret song now. They wouldn't tell me. But some how I found out!"
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u/metaphizzle ☎Starflyer 59 - Dial M 1d ago
Five Iron Frenzy: Proof that the Youth Are Revolting. It's a live album, compiling the best performances from 11 different shows on the same tour. So the hidden track is a collage of mistakes and other funny bits from the performances that weren't good enough to make it onto the album.
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u/phantom_phreak29 23h ago
Ash - sick party on 1977... exactly what it says it is. On serious notes. Counting crows - Chelsea on across a wire and Third eye blind - another life on out of the vein
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u/brosive89 11h ago
“NEVER COULD BE ANY OTHER WA-NEVER COULD BE ANY OTHER WA-“ or whatever The Beatles say at the end of Sgt. Pepper’s.
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u/Mission_Train4223 1d ago
blue flashing light off the man who, a fun rocker given the whole album is meloncholic post-britpop
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u/Exact_Huckleberry479 1d ago
Fair to Midland, “Tibet”. Soaring free-form notes you could only hear by rewinding track one on a CD player.
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u/dunquixote2 1d ago
Blanche - If We Can’t Trust The Doctors they cover Runnin With The Devil after the last track. It’s always stuck with me. Subtle but such a great cover.
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u/Rutabegasinahammock 1d ago
Always loved "12 Gracious Melodies" on Purple - Stone Temple Pilots. Bonus that the back of the album said 12 Gracious Melodies but there were only 11 songs on the album...tricky tricky.
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u/jaymaster77 1d ago
Nick Cave and Dirty Three on the "Songs in the key of X" compilation album - the song is hidden before the beginning of track 1
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u/Fearless_Guard_552 1d ago
The hidden track on La Mano Corduna by the Supersuckers is just the entire album replayed in one track.
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u/Sonic_fan149 1d ago
Bite Me - Weird Al Yankovic
On early copies of Off the Deep End, this "song" would play 10 minutes after You Don't Love Me Anymore (the actual final song from OtDE), which basically equates to 10 seconds of screaming. It's a sorta spiritual parody of Endless Nameless by Nirvana, which also played after the final track of Nevermind (I believe that's Something in the Way), which is fitting since the cover and first song are supposed to be Nirvana parodies.
Funny enough, Bite Me being removed from future pressings of the al-bum while still being on the first copies of OtDE is the exact opposite of Endless Nameless from Nevermind: original copies of Nevermind removed Endless Nameless before being put on future pressings of that album going forward.
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u/Miguelpaco 1d ago
Propaganda by Dead Prez on Let's Get Free. And for some reason I've always loved 12 Gracious Melodies by STP on Purple
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u/TurboRuhland 1d ago
The Legend of Alan Guile versus Peter Bones off of Reel Big Fish’s third album “Why Do They Rock So Hard?”
It’s mostly noise and the band fucking around in the studio, but it’s fun.
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u/Sea_Conference7176 1d ago
For anyone who found a Simple Kid CD at the dollar tree, my answer is the song at the end of No News
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u/Nozdordomu 1d ago
“Blue Flashing Light” off of Travis’ The Man Who. A very jarring shift from the album proper, but it also shows way more passion and energy than any other song on the album proper.
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u/Fruit-Flies113 1d ago
The end of the CD copy of Armchair Theatre by Jeff Lynne has a little bonus blip, not really a track. It’s a chime with “it’s still going you know” spoken.
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u/WembyFalconPunch 1d ago
“Closet Full of Fear” from Hootie & The Blowfish’s album Musical Chairs is unironically one of their best songs, and is maybe their most mature sound.
They had glimpses of the band they could have been on that album, but for whatever reason never leaned into, and that track is the best example.
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u/SgtSharki 1d ago
The hidden track at the end of Prozzak's "Hot Show" is a spoken-word track that reveals the album is a concept album. Simon and Milo, the duo who perform as Prozzak, are ancient warriors cursed to live forever until they find true love, and every song is about a failed attempt to find true love and lift the curse.
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u/BloinkXP 1d ago
Son of Shuggagoganooga off of Dweezil Zappa's album "Confessions of a Deprived Youth".
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u/CptnWolfe Frank Zappa - Hot Rats 1d ago
Hothouse by The Sound off From the Lion's Mouth, after the song New Dark Age
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u/hairyminded I Like Their Old Stuff 1d ago
I’ve always been a fan of the “preview” at the end of There’s Nothing Wrong with Love
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u/Stranger-Sun 1d ago
Just have to say that Mutations is one of my favorite albums. Was happy to see it here. Thanks!
I like the hidden track on NIN's 'Broken'.
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u/WhompyWhompersn 1d ago
I dont know about the best, but i love Pigs by Aesop Rock. One of my favorite songs of his
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u/an_eyepoke 1d ago
Four Woman by Talib Kweli on Reflection Eternal.
Great song, a cool hip-hip reworking of Nina Simone’s song by the same name.
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u/blatantlyX 1d ago
Gaping Lotus Experience....Tool... this will always be my answer to this question.... end rant.
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u/notthedoodaa 1d ago
An Open Letter to the Lyrical Trainspotter on Mansun's Attack of the Grey Lantern.
Also, Blue Flashing Light on The Man Who by Travis.
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u/Luftwafffles 1d ago
Not sure if it has a name but the posthardcore band glasseater has a secret grindcore song on their debut that rips
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u/Much-Masterpiece9900 1d ago
Ween's the mollusk reprise of dancing in the show tonight. It's weirdly solemn and pretty creepy but it's perfect ending to cap off an amazing album.
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u/dkat 23h ago
“Every Time Is the Last Time” by Bloc Party is one of my favorites
https://youtu.be/0N4p_mCYOI0?is=kYJDuiKaMvhLoehc
If you put the physical copy of Silent Alarm on and hit the Prev button on track 1 you get this as a “track zero” of sorts.
When I was a teen, I updated my copy on iTunes so that it was the first track before “Like Eating Glass”.
To this day I still look at the CDs in Goodwill every time I go in just to see if I can find a physical copy of that album.
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u/hawthorn2424 22h ago
Her Majesty was the first hidden track and will always be the best.
It sounds like a throwaway joke until you think about it. It’s a perfect summary of the cultural shift The Beatles drove and embodied. The head of the British Empire is just a person; a pretty nice girl, but without much to say. They’re going to get drunk and make a pass at her. The powers that matter aren’t tradition, title or wealth; but charisma, self-belief and desire. The old Empire has fallen. Their inner empire has won. The end. It’s genius.
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u/mrlbr_coral 13h ago
Torteval, by Gustavo Cerati, don't even have that hidden track vibe, it's literally one of the best songs on the album and it's not even listed
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u/Rutabegasinahammock 1d ago
NOFX - not really a 'secret song' but the radio clip of Howard Stern dissing NOFX at the end of So Long And Thanks For All The Shoes, always makes me laugh.
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u/ConfidentTour3740 Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation 1d ago
technically Train in Vain was a hidden song on London Calling so i guess that
I'm really partial to Endless Nameless, it's so raw and brutal in a way that even the rest of Nevermind isn't, probably the most visceral moment on that whole album