Just thought I would throw a new topic into the fire........ Assuming the songs that became the singles were never written, what songs could have been released as singles from each album ?
I thought maybe ...Remake. Beauty Queen, Serenade, A Really Good Time, Just Another High, Spin Me Round , Still Falls The Rain , Running Wild , The Main Thing .

Good topic
So in succession

2HB
Beauty Queen
Serenade
Casanova
just another high
Manifesto
Running wild
to turn you on

Excellent topic, thank you Ian S!

Would You Believe
Grey Lagoons
Serenade
Prairie Rose
Whirlwind
My Little Girl
The Midnight Hour
To Turn You On

Re-make re-model is an obvious choice, but I loved the fact the lads kept the first 2 albums single free.
Do the Strand is also obvious, but the precious part of my Roxy soul is so glad they didn't release it as it would have made them too popular with the masses early on-does that make sense?
Serenade is the great lost single.
Three and nine, beautiful lyrics.
Sentimental Fool,, but realistically it would have not been radio friendly, could have been Roxy's Bohemian Rhapsody I reckon.
Ditto Manifesto
Lover-i know it was a b-side, deserved a-side status, another lost single classic, sublime.
There were so many singles from Avalon that theres no options left!

Sorry for moving to a Bryan ferry B-side, but I always thought 'AS THE WORLD TURNS' could be spruced up to make a good single at the right time. Sorry back to Roxy.....

[quote="rendezvous"]Re-make re-model is an obvious choice, but I loved the fact the lads kept the first 2 albums single free.
Do the Strand is also obvious, but the precious part of my Roxy soul is so glad they didn't release it as it would have made them too popular with the masses early on-does that make sense?


Feather Boa Lovers,

W2 always approaches this side of the hallowed cyber hall with trepidation. He fears being ambushed by those 'Bay City Rollers'

That said, Ian S has launched a great thread that deserves a considered response from all thinking Roxologists.

Before he gives you his take, W2 would say that Il est completement d'accord avec the great "rendezvous" regarding the precious part of his Roxy soul and his attitude to singles makes complete emotional sense. Making them too popular would only have encouraged the unwashed!

More than this, these are the 'single' thoughts of W2:

RM ('72) - reflecting on the scene at the time, the non-album track, VP, was probably the right move. As a second single however, W2 would have recommended 2HB. He thinks the market could have taken it and it would have enhanced their ArtRock cred. Plus it is a
fabulous song.

FYP ('73) - the unreleased 'Do The Strand' was doubtless the huge missed opportunity but what the great unwashed would have made of; "Louis Seize he prefer Laissez faire strand" is an open question?

STRANDED ('73) - without doubt 'Serenade" would have been a killer single. W2 just loves PT's drumming on this - not to mention the lyrics and the flat out pace.

CL ('74) - again, there is a clear choice, 'Casanova'. Although W2 prefers latter versions, particularly the take with TBFO. Thinking back to the year in question, the original would certainly have done the trick.

SIREN ('75)- Difficult one this. Effectively with LITD & BEB, they made
absolutely the right choices. The only other one W2 would have thought a possibility would be 'She Sells'. It's a jaunty little number and would probably have charted as a single albeit it's not one of W2's favourites.

MANIFESTO ('79)- The title track was the missed opportunity and would, W2 thinks, have made a bridged the evolving Roxy styles well.

F&B ('80)- Again, W2 would have gone with the title track. It has great atmosphere and would have kept their ArtRock edge in the record buying publics face.

AVALON ('82)- IWNSHO, the correct choices were made. Beyond that, probably 'The Space Between' has the peps to be a single.

An interesting exercise n'est-ce pas mais W2 must go before "The Rollers" get him.

Salutations,
Windswept

A great choice. One of my favourites. Brilliant sax solo. And like you fed up with French nonsense

Thank you for your kind words Windswept2.

Casanova is my favourite Roxy track of all time. I just feel it was too dark for the TOTP or chummy radio1 audience to be a single. It's magnificent.

Sorry to upset Stabbs and Jerry, but I think If it takes all night is awfully cheesy, a throaway filler, it ruined the the emotional and generally dark and sensuous tone of Country Life.

Love to you all.