5 Flop Songs From 1970 We Can't Help But Love

Lots of flop songs crash and burn dramatically, remembered forever in their failure, but others suffer a quieter fate. There's a hidden beauty in these songs, some of which were simply overshadowed by other, more popular tracks from the same artists. 1970 boasted a host of talented musicians churning out music we're still blasting on repeat today, from rock 'n' roll greats like the Beach Boys to solo records from former Beatles and titans of soul stepping into the limelight. 

In this list we're taking a new angle on flops, leaving behind the more obvious failures, such as singles with high expectations that fans or critics didn't enjoy. The songs we've chosen are from albums that produced much bigger hits — songs that were well received in their respective artists' discographies, but were forgotten in the background. These tracks were simply outshone, as they were released on quality albums and didn't get the recognition of their smash-hit counterparts — but they're worth a listen nonetheless.

According to Beatles biographer Gary Tillery's book "Working Class Mystic," George Harrison's 1970 album "All Things Must Pass" was "the most successful album ever released by an ex-Beatle" — not quite the recipe for a usual flop. And though this album was filled with smash hits like the title song and "My Sweet Lord," there were bound to be some quality tracks that went unnoticed by the masses. "Behind That Locked Door," the seventh on the album, is one of the overlooked gems. 

Harrison said the track was inspired by Bob Dylan, specifically his 1969 album "Nashville Skyline." It is a quiet, nearly sleepy track that captures the enduring spirit of "All Things Must Pass" — reverberating, twangy guitars, gentle vocals, and an essential spirituality that makes each little moment and each passing song feel memorable. "And if ever my love goes / If I'm rich or I'm poor / Please, let out my heart, please, please / From behind that locked door."

"New Morning" is a particularly forgotten project in Bob Dylan's extensive discography, but on it is the stellar track "The Man in Me," which has become a solid hit in the years since its release. Otherwise, though, no one really remembers this album, but the strange, open-verse "Three Angels" is worth a circle back. 

At only a little over two minutes in length, "Three Angels" sees Dylan deliver a serene and magical poetry reading of sorts over a soulful, smooth instrumental. Its organ and soft strings set the backdrop of a starry winter night behind Dylan's laidback voice in a nearly ASMR arrangement: "Three angels up above the street / Each one playing a horn / Dressed in green robes with wings that stick out / They've been there since Christmas morn."

The song received a bit of attention when Timothée Chalamet covered it during his musical guest performance on "Saturday Night Live" in January 2025, but it otherwise has rarely been noticed. Sitting as the penultimate track on the 12-song LP, "Three Angels" was never made to be a hit. With its lackadaisical nature and lack of a chorus or singalong melody, it may be an unorthodox listen, but it's worth appreciating as a quiet, contemplative track full of robust lyrics that can be differently meaningful to any beholder.

This forgotten cut is the opening track of Stevie Wonder's 1970 album "Signed, Sealed and Delivered," so you can probably guess what topped it. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" is one of Wonder's biggest hits ever, and so it's understandable the rest of this album never saw as much light of day. But "Never Had a Dream Come True" is a hidden gem that opens the album, welcoming listeners in as a setup to the memorable hit only two tracks later — and in between, the moderate hit "We Can Work It Out."

This oldies-sounding love song is full of swelling strings and Wonder's emotional vocals, and it captures the early '70s soul sound that would later grow into an industry giant and inspire countless other artists. Its classic feel is soulful and pretty, and Wonder croons: "I never, never had a dream come true / In my every dream, I'm loved by you / And we're free as the wind / And true love is no sin / Therefore, men are men, not machines." It's a simple, earlier track of Wonder's, but it captures a serene joy over an easy-listen arrangement. "Never Had a Dream Come True" may not have enjoyed the heights of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)," but we find it a quality song nonetheless.

The title track of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's 1970 breakout was largely outshone by unforgettable songs like "Our House" — a song deeper than its simple lyrics may imply — and "Teach Your Children." "Déjà Vu" is less of a pretty, melodic track than others on the album. In fact, it's almost jarring and strange, with an unorthodox rhythm and repetitions that don't make for an easy, simple listen.

Understandably, the song didn't find the longevity of the album's hits. Still, there's something here to be uncovered for rock fans. Once it clicks, its sometimes eerie melodies, funky groove, and trademark CSN&Y vocals make for an unforgettable listening experience. Its references to Buddhism and cycles are reflected in these sonics, and in the lyrics as well: "If I had ever been here before on another time around the wheel / I would probably know just how to deal / With all of you," and later repeating: "We have all been here before." It's a moving meditation of substance, and it's a great reason to dig back into this memorable record.

The iconic band's return to their 1960s sound was not an incredible success commercially, but it helped establish the Beach Boys' consistency of output. On "Sunflower," songs like "All I Wanna Do" and "Forever" gained recognition, but one track that hasn't seemed to get the love it deserves, to this day, is "Our Sweet Love."

The smooth and laidback song has a simple groove and high harmonic vocals. A quintessential love song lying hidden in the band's stacked discography, "Our Sweet Love" is sentimental in nature, repeating "Our sweet love / Could last forever," before its last chorus' opening line changes to "Our sweet love / Should last forever." Like many tracks on this list, both from commercially renowned or lesser-known albums, "Our Sweet Love" is a hidden gem among greater successes. It's worth a listen in retrospect, now that the age of streaming, despite its many faults, has made unheralded tracks such as these available to any who go looking.