What Other Song(s) from Dude Ranch would've been a better Single than Apple Shampoo and Dick Lips?

[Brannigan]

This one kinda interested me for some time. It's weird that these were made as singles, and then Josie came after, which was more successful. So then I thought, What song(s) had higher chances of being a Good single for DR, and Perhaps, made for a great music Video? I asked this in General Discussion, but then I thought it might've been Better off as it's own Topic. Idk, Something fun to think about.

[RELEASE SOMETHING]

Dick Lips stays, Emo and a Waggy could replace AS

[thongrider]

Untitled and I'm Sorry

[boxelder]

IIRC apple shampoo and dick lips were promo singles released in australia by rapidly… not sure MCA considered them true singles for the stateside market, just an exclusive for oz since the fanbase was huge there. still, both odd choices too.

i think if there were a third single itd have to be pathetic. it may have even been considered too; it’s listed w the other singles on the cover of the advance dude ranch cassette. 

[Thibaut182]

A New Hope and Enthused (in a parallel universe, Blink would have made a very fun video about Star Wars with A New Hope given how much Mark was a huge fan of Star Wars even wearing a Princess Leia shirt in the M&M's video and during the Warped Tour 1997)

[thongrider]

20 hours ago, thongrider said:

Untitled and I'm Sorry

I don't think these would be better than "Dick Lips" though.

[radioactive tomdog]

1 hour ago, boxelder said:

IIRC apple shampoo and dick lips were promo singles released in australia by rapidly… not sure MCA considered them true singles for the stateside market, just an exclusive for oz since the fanbase was huge there. still, both odd choices too.

i think if there were a third single itd have to be pathetic. it may have even been considered too; it’s listed w the other singles on the cover of the advance dude ranch cassette. 

My Dick Lips CD says it's made in the US and is a Cargo/Grilled Cheese release. I guess it could be considered an EP as opposed to a single? Not really sure what the intention was. 

And not to nitpick but the advance version of Dude Ranch was CD, not a cassette. 

[boxelder]

19 hours ago, wannabe corn dog said:

My Dick Lips CD says it's made in the US and is a Cargo/Grilled Cheese release. I guess it could be considered an EP as opposed to a single? Not really sure what the intention was. 

And not to nitpick but the advance version of Dude Ranch was CD, not a cassette. 

oh! weird. definitely an oddity, and not a song i’d consider single material 

[Champ182]

I didn't realize anything other than Josie and Dammit were released as actual "singles" in the US to be honest. I don't think any other songs would've caught on as radio singles, MAYBE A New Hope due to the late 90s interest in novelty songs plus the fact that the Star Wars movies got re-released around that time.

[radioactive tomdog]

I'm surprised @daveyjones hasn't commented yet to help clarify.

The Dick Lips CD also appears to have been released prior to the actual album. 

[daveyjones]

On 5/15/2021 at 11:48 AM, Brannigan said:

This one kinda interested me for some time. It's weird that these were made as singles, and then Josie came after, which was more successful.

@wannabe corn dog @Champ182 @boxelder

the only two singles released from dude ranch were "dammit" and "josie." in the US at that time a "single" meant

1.) the song was sent to radio and listed on billboard single charts
2.) quite often, but not always, a video was made

the apple shampoo CD was australia only, released on the rapido label (which had a relationship with cargo) prior to the album's debut in order to promote it when blink played some dates down there. so basically just like the 1996 wasting time CD before it. i bought it on import in may 1997 at lou's records in encinitas IIRC, but it came out earlier in the spring. the dick lips CD was also released in advance of dude ranch on cargo as a demonstration of their new distribution partnership. i bought it upon release. my impression is that it was intended for local buyers in the punk scene to counter any notions that blink had sold out by signing to MCA. both CDs provided non-album tracks to fans that were either unreleased or available on vinyl only. both CDs should be considered EPs.

"pathetic" was intended to be a single for dude ranch as it is advertised along with "dammit" and "josie" on the cover of the dude ranch promo CD. but "josie" underperformed on radio. my guess is because it's too fast for alternative rock formats. since "pathetic" is also a speedy pop punk tune, that's why i feel it was dropped from the plan after "josie."

[radioactive tomdog]

thanks for the insight. although, i find it a bit odd that MCA would release that CD just to appease the local punk scene and squash "sell out" rumors. 

couldn't it just have been the same strategy as the apple shampoo CD except for a US tour? 

[daveyjones]

30 minutes ago, wannabe corn dog said:

i find it a bit odd that MCA would release that CD just to appease the local punk scene and squash "sell out" rumors. 

i am not suggesting it was deliberate strategy to "appease" anyone. but dick lips was a small, limited-run independent release that was only sold locally in indie record shops. the CD was definitely marketed directly to the punk scene. financially, it was to demonstrate the new relationship between cargo and MCA, and to test the distribution channels for their product (just like face to face's over it EP on victory records).

and no, blink was not touring when it was released. just playing local dates here and there after they got back from australia.

[Champ182]

15 hours ago, daveyjones said:

@wannabe corn dog @Champ182 @boxelder

the only two singles released from dude ranch were "dammit" and "josie." in the US at that time a "single" meant

1.) the song was sent to radio and listed on billboard single charts
2.) quite often, but not always, a video was made

the apple shampoo CD was australia only, released on the rapido label (which had a relationship with cargo) prior to the album's debut in order to promote it when blink played some dates down there. so basically just like the 1996 wasting time CD before it. i bought it on import in may 1997 at lou's records in encinitas IIRC, but it came out earlier in the spring. the dick lips CD was also released in advance of dude ranch on cargo as a demonstration of their new distribution partnership. i bought it upon release. my impression is that it was intended for local buyers in the punk scene to counter any notions that blink had sold out by signing to MCA. both CDs provided non-album tracks to fans that were either unreleased or available on vinyl only. both CDs should be considered EPs.

"pathetic" was intended to be a single for dude ranch as it is advertised along with "dammit" and "josie" on the cover of the dude ranch promo CD. but "josie" underperformed on radio. my guess is because it's too fast for alternative rock formats. since "pathetic" is also a speedy pop punk tune, that's why i feel it was dropped from the plan after "josie."

Cool thanks for the insight! That is all definitely what I assumed was the case.

[Smalls]

14 hours ago, wannabe corn dog said:

thanks for the insight. although, i find it a bit odd that MCA would release that CD just to appease the local punk scene and squash "sell out" rumors. 

couldn't it just have been the same strategy as the apple shampoo CD except for a US tour? 

Fuck man makes me smile everytime I see your s/n “wannabe corn dog”. Glad you’ve kept it all these years!

[Brannigan]

idk, out of all the other songs on the album, the one I kept going back to as a potential single was Voyeur (strange choice, I know). Aside from the lyrics, it's both catchy, bouncy, and probably fun to sing along too. It also helps that it was a live staple up to the end of the EOTS era (IIRC) and more easier on the ears than the straight-up assault that Josie and some of the other songs were; and if Blink wanted to also present their comedic/filthy side of the band, this would be perfect. But then again, they weren't considering it as a single, and I have no idea how it would've been recieved back then (for good or bad). Certainly would've made for a funny music video tho.

 

[radioactive tomdog]

I always thought Untitled was the most accessible non-single on the album. 

[Brannigan]

53 minutes ago, wannabe corn dog said:

I always thought Untitled was the most accessible non-single on the album. 

That would've been my other choice too. 

- Live staple from that time

- performed on TV in Australia (Recovery)

- also an easy listen, pretty dynamic song

 

and Tom may have had a successful single before All the Small Things.

[Champ182]

I can't even imagine a hypothetical world in which any other Dude Ranch songs were hits. The fast pace of everything OTHER than Dammit, and especially the sound quality of the album as a whole, just does not fit on the radio at all. Even in the 90s when "hits" on the radio were way more eclectic.

[Brannigan]

On 5/24/2021 at 7:52 AM, Champ182 said:

I can't even imagine a hypothetical world in which any other Dude Ranch songs were hits. The fast pace of everything OTHER than Dammit, and especially the sound quality of the album as a whole, just does not fit on the radio at all. Even in the 90s when "hits" on the radio were way more eclectic.

True, but Dammit and Josie were both Remixed and Edited for Radio Play, so I don't think it would be too much of a stretch to say it could be possible.