Most classic rock bands who are still performing today have brought a majority of their songs to the stage. How else can one test how good a song really is? That being said, there are quite a few musicians out there from the classic rock era who just really have no interest in performing specific songs live. Let’s look at four examples of classic rock songs that were never performed live, and why the bands chose to leave them on the shelf.
1. “The Show Must Go On” by Queen
Queen was known for their powerhouse live performances, especially in their “classic” era of the late 1980s. After that period, Freddie Mercury’s AIDS diagnosis, and his subsequent death, the high-energy tracks have rarely made it to their setlists in the past couple of decades. So, it makes sense why songs like “The Show Must Go On” are rarely performed live on stage. It simply wouldn’t be the same without Mercury.
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2. “Flamethrower” by Judas Priest
Firepower is one of Judas Priest’s greatest albums, so it’s surprising that “Flamethrower” never makes it to their live setlists. It’s not super clear why the band hasn’t played it live. However, Firepower is less than a decade old, so maybe they just haven’t gotten around to it yet.
3. “My Man” by Eagles
Eagles are known for their excellent and chart-topping recordings, but what they’re really loved for is their high-energy performances. Unfortunately, the track “My Man” is one song that never really got any play time during their live sets.
Bernie Leadon was part of the band Flying Burrito Brothers for some time before founding Eagles. Leadon wrote “My Man” for Gram Parsons of the Flying Burrito Brothers (and The Byrds) shortly after he passed away. The song is a sonic representation of the man’s grief over losing his friend, so it makes sense why they never perform it live.
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4. “Tomorrow Never Knows” by The Beatles
It only makes sense that at least one Beatles song would make it to our list of classic rock songs that were never performed live. “Tomorrow Never Knows” is a fan favorite from Revolver, but it was never part of the band’s setlists. Producer George Martin said that this particular song was “unrepeatable”, as the backing track could not be replicated properly. The band stopped touring not long after its release, so we’ll never know what it would have sounded like live.
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