Rare songs...what are they really?

hrd2imgnhrd2imgn Posts: 4,895
edited May 2010 in The Porch
Just wondering what you all think, what makes a "rare" song?

Is it number of total times played? Time elapsed since last being played? How many times it is played during a tour?

just curious as for me shows have become more of song quests, wanting to get something I never heard before. Now PJ is great at throwing in 3 or 4 obscure/rare etc songs per night, but what makes a song rare?

example, they have only played Supersonic 3 times, though a new song it is not played often, is it rare? Can it be rare if from a new album?



just wondering what you all think, is ther a amount played it needs to be under to be rare? 10, 20, 50? Having played over 650 shows, does it have to be played less than 10% of that (65)

what makes it rare?

Is it just playing a song in a venue they never play it? Example, Big wave in the midwest

throw in your 2 cents what is rare to you? NOT SONGS, but what actually makes a song rare
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • catschellercatscheller Posts: 228
    For me, a song is rare depending on the number of times played vs. possible times it could have been played. For example, I noted in my Tour Stats thread that counting the Buffalo show, "Fatal" has only been played 5 times. The first time they played it was in 2003. Roughly counting all the tour shows they've played starting at the beginning of 2003 'til now, they've had (very approximately) 278 opportunities to play it. But they've only played it 5 times or less than 2% of those shows.

    I also understand from the boards here, that is was pretty "rare" that they played Oceans in Columbus since they usually only play it when they're by the ocean. So I feel pretty special getting to hear that! :D

    However, I don't really count covers as "rare" unless they have played a cover more than once. Otherwise, it was just for a special occasion/location/person, etc...
    Columbus, OH 6/24/03
    Columbus, OH 5/6/10
    Cincinnati, OH 10/1/14
  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,425
    It's all relative.

    Who You Are is rare, except on the 08 tour.

    Rats got a workout in 09.
  • Brisk.Brisk. Posts: 11,557
    DewieCox wrote:
    It's all relative.

    Who You Are is rare, except on the 08 tour.

    Rats got a workout in 09.

    Yeah man for sure, but now i consider those songs common because of that.

    I just believe its songs that have been rarely played their entire career. But then again i'm sure once, garden, deep and others of ten was spammed in 91/92 so also the length of time that has been between each song i think is what i'm getting at.
  • pandorapandora Posts: 21,855
    Alone and Undone
  • pandora wrote:
    Alone and Undone

    Two of my favorites- Don't hate me but I've been lucky enough to see each song twice!
  • pandorapandora Posts: 21,855
    pandora wrote:
    Alone and Undone

    Two of my favorites- Don't hate me but I've been lucky enough to see each song twice!
    oh you are so lucky, they remain elusive for me :( someday
  • Brisk.Brisk. Posts: 11,557
    pandora wrote:
    Alone and Undone

    Two of my favorites- Don't hate me but I've been lucky enough to see each song twice!

    :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
  • NYCPJNYCPJ Posts: 764
    Brisk. wrote:
    DewieCox wrote:
    It's all relative.

    Who You Are is rare, except on the 08 tour.

    Rats got a workout in 09.

    Yeah man for sure, but now i consider those songs common because of that.

    I just believe its songs that have been rarely played their entire career. But then again i'm sure once, garden, deep and others of ten was spammed in 91/92 so also the length of time that has been between each song i think is what i'm getting at.

    Its a great point -- i saw Who You Are at all three shows I attended in 2008. Same with All Night and WMA. Hard for me to consider them rarities. By contrast, getting"Undone" at the Beacon definitely qualifies as a rare one.

    I also agree with the second point -- signficant length of time between peformances is an important factor. For example, if you didnt catch the band between 92 and '95, you most likely havent heard Deep (12X since 1995, most of which happened on 2003, but 172X overall). On the other hand, there may be people who caught it 3 or 4 times during the spring/summer 2003!

    Breath - -another example, though its been played a lot less overall than Deep. (once in 2000, once in 2006, a handfull in 2003, none in 2008, etc)
    6/3/06 (East Rutherford 2)
    6/24/08 (MSG1)
    6/25/08 (MSG2)
    7/1/08 (Beacon Theater -NYC)
    10/30/09 (Philly3)
    5/18/10 (Newark, NJ)
    5/20/10 (MSG1)
    5/21/10 (MSG2)
    10/18/13 (Brooklyn 1)
    10/19/13 (Brooklyn 2)
    5/1/16 (MSG 1)
    5/2/16 (MSG 2)
    3/30/20 (MSG)
    9/3/24 I(MSG1)
    9/4/24 (MSG 2)
  • MG79478MG79478 Posts: 1,665
    "Fatal" has only been played 5 times.

    Fatal has been played on 4 times ever, even more rare than you thought!
    pandora wrote:
    Alone and Undone

    Two of my favorites- Don't hate me but I've been lucky enough to see each song twice!

    Undone Twice!?!?!?! It's only been played 3 times ever! Let's hope we hear it at MSG 2! I don't consider alone that rare, I've heard it 4 times, that is about once every 10 shows.
    DewieCox wrote:
    It's all relative.

    Who You Are is rare, except on the 08 tour.

    Rats got a workout in 09.

    This sums it up pretty well. I don't consider WMA, Who you are, and rats rare anymore, but I did at one time. Wash is not rare to me, I've heard it six damn times. But it has only been played 9 times since 1996. There are a lot of factors, some are specific to the person.

    I think some songs don't get much rotation even when they are new, and they are destined to become truly rare. "All or none" comes to mind. Some songs are just destined for obscurity. I don't think Pilate, help help, or Bushleaguer will ever get massive playtime as the pool of songs grows with every album.
  • Brisk. wrote:
    pandora wrote:
    Alone and Undone

    Two of my favorites- Don't hate me but I've been lucky enough to see each song twice!

    :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

    No worries I promise they will play Undone in Berlin! "OK keeping my fingers crossed for it!" :mrgreen:
  • ParksyParksy Posts: 1,749
    DewieCox wrote:
    It's all relative.

    Who You Are is rare, except on the 08 tour.

    Rats got a workout in 09.


    agreed. It really does depend. I would think that logically the time the song was written/released to the amount of times played... then factor in how long it's been since the song has been played would make it rare.

    And obviously songs that have never been played live are also rare.
    Toronto 2000
    Buffalo, Phoenix, Toronto 2003
    Boston I&II 2004
    Kitchener, Hamilton, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto 2005
    Toronto I&II, Las Vegas 2006
    Chicago Lollapalooza 2007
    Toronto, Seattle I&II, Vancouver, Philly I,II,III,IV 2009
    Cleveland, Buffalo 2010
    Toronto I&II 2011
    Buffalo 2013
    Toronto I&II 2016
    10C: 220xxx
  • NYCPJNYCPJ Posts: 764
    MG79478 wrote:
    Alone and Undone

    Two of my favorites- Don't hate me but I've been lucky enough to see each song twice![/quote]

    Undone Twice!?!?!?! It's only been played 3 times ever! Let's hope we hear it at MSG 2! .
    DewieCox wrote:





    Undone - played 4 times -- they never listed the Beacon Theater performance in the set lists, since not part of the official tour:

    Pear Jam
    Beacon Theater NYC
    7/1/08
    MAIN SET: Low Light, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter in a Small Town, Sleight of Hand, Harvest Moon, Master of War, Down, All Night, Corduroy, Even Flow, Light Years, Army Reserve, WMA, Marker in the Sand, Wasted Reprise, Wishlist, Why Go, Do the Evolution

    ENCORE #1: Undone, Who You Are, Given to Fly, Black, Crazy Mary

    ENCORE #2: No More, Last Kiss, Alive, Baba O'Riley
    6/3/06 (East Rutherford 2)
    6/24/08 (MSG1)
    6/25/08 (MSG2)
    7/1/08 (Beacon Theater -NYC)
    10/30/09 (Philly3)
    5/18/10 (Newark, NJ)
    5/20/10 (MSG1)
    5/21/10 (MSG2)
    10/18/13 (Brooklyn 1)
    10/19/13 (Brooklyn 2)
    5/1/16 (MSG 1)
    5/2/16 (MSG 2)
    3/30/20 (MSG)
    9/3/24 I(MSG1)
    9/4/24 (MSG 2)
  • Brisk.Brisk. Posts: 11,557

    No worries I promise they will play Undone in Berlin! "OK keeping my fingers crossed for it!" :mrgreen:

    That's what i like to hear!

    Add LBC and about a hundred other songs too :D
  • restlesssoulrestlesssoul Posts: 6,951
    ive got 3 alones and the first playing of undone. ;)

    but

    Deep is definitely rare.
    Of the girl
    thin air
    all those yesterdays
    even habit is pretty unplayed
    Van '98, Sea I+II '00, Sea '01, Sea II '02, Van '03, Gorge, Van, Cal, Edm '05, Bos I+II, Phi I+II, DC, SF II+III, Port, Gorge I+II '06, DC, NY I+II '08, Sea I+II, Van, Ridge , LA III+IV' 09, Indy '10, Cal, Van '11, Lond, Van, Sea '13, Memphis '14, RRHOF '17, Sea I+II '18, Van I+II, Vegas I+II '24
  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,425
    Brisk. wrote:
    DewieCox wrote:
    It's all relative.

    Who You Are is rare, except on the 08 tour.

    Rats got a workout in 09.

    Yeah man for sure, but now i consider those songs common because of that.

    I just believe its songs that have been rarely played their entire career. But then again i'm sure once, garden, deep and others of ten was spammed in 91/92 so also the length of time that has been between each song i think is what i'm getting at.

    I'd still say somethin like Who You Are is a rare. It hasnt been played since.

    I say it's total times played, then how much they have or haven't played it on recent tours.

    What about somethin like Wash that pops up once a tour and then never comes back til next tour?


    What about the case with Who You Are, where it was played for the whole 08 tour, compared to Wash, which pops up once a tour every tour. I'd give the nod to WYA as the more rare song, so long as it stays outta the setlists this whole tour.


    I
  • Brisk.Brisk. Posts: 11,557
    DewieCox wrote:
    Brisk. wrote:
    DewieCox wrote:
    It's all relative.

    Who You Are is rare, except on the 08 tour.

    Rats got a workout in 09.

    Yeah man for sure, but now i consider those songs common because of that.

    I just believe its songs that have been rarely played their entire career. But then again i'm sure once, garden, deep and others of ten was spammed in 91/92 so also the length of time that has been between each song i think is what i'm getting at.

    I'd still say somethin like Who You Are is a rare. It hasnt been played since.

    I say it's total times played, then how much they have or haven't played it on recent tours.

    What about somethin like Wash that pops up once a tour and then never comes back til next tour?


    What about the case with Who You Are, where it was played for the whole 08 tour, compared to Wash, which pops up once a tour every tour. I'd give the nod to WYA as the more rare song, so long as it stays outta the setlists this whole tour.


    I

    Okay well more common then :P
  • catschellercatscheller Posts: 228
    Fatal has been played on 4 times ever, even more rare than you thought!

    Oops! I guess when I looked at the songs list and saw that they only played it 4 times, I didn't think they were including Buffalo yet!
    Columbus, OH 6/24/03
    Columbus, OH 5/6/10
    Cincinnati, OH 10/1/14
  • decides2dreamdecides2dream Posts: 14,977
    other side!


    'nuff said.
    ;)
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • realmgeorgerealmgeorge Posts: 301
    hopefully my 14 show quest for nais ends in new york this weekend. Other than that, otherside is the overall #1 rare song at this point with strangest tribe a distant 2nd. If they bust out otherside in NY, I will absolutley lose it. I love that song so fuckin much...... but alas, my #1 remains nais, and I wAit some more....
    and love, what a different life had I not had this love with you.
  • MG79478MG79478 Posts: 1,665
    but alas, my #1 remains nais, and I wAit some more....

    My favorite bathroom break song!

    Honestly, 14 shows is not that long to wait for a song. Keep at it!
  • pandorapandora Posts: 21,855
    I have my wishlist that I just don't seem to get. Yes, the rare songs are personal, different for each of us if you choose to play the game. Each time you hear they played without you, it reinforces the wish and before you know it it is a quest.
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