What songs should have been singles?

[shelter]

The first songs that should have been A-sides that come to mind are 'The Lonely Sea', 'The Surfer Moon', 'This Whole World' and 'Forever'.

[drbeachboy]

Yeah, Maybe I Don't Know is one of best tracks on 85. Seeing that It's Gettin' Late did fairly well on the AC chart, this one may have fared just as well.

[BillA]

I am surprised they never released singles from the live albums.

"Aren't You Glad" from "Live in London" and "Marcella" from "In Concert" come to mind as good (great as far as "Aren't You Glad" goes) singles. 

"Livin' With a Heartache" from KTSA.

"All I Wanna Do" from "Sunflower" - The Best thing that Mike Love ever did - Certainly a better single that "Cool Cool Water"

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

"All I Wanna Do" from "Sunflower" - The Best thing that Mike Love ever did - Certainly a better single that "Cool Cool Water"

The ironic part is that that was the song that allegedly got Sunflower released as before it was going to be shelved for not having a 'strong single'. Then, they go around and released a terribly hacked up version as the single. WTF

[Eric Aniversario]

The first song that comes to mind, no joke, is "Island Fever"...they really blew their big chance when they appeared on "Baywatch", one of the most watched TV shows in the world at the time, and made a video for what was easily the most embarrassing song on the album, "Summer of Love"??  I was so embarrassed for them!  Totally out of touch...but I think that "Island Fever" had a "Kokomo" radio-friendliness that might have been embraced if given the chance by some DJs in major cities.

Others: (this is a commentary on what I perceive to be more commercially viable selections, not necessarily songs I like better!)

Still Cruisin with a different B-side (not Kokomo)...this led some consumers to reason...well maybe I'll catch the next single, because it'll have Still Cruisin on it!
Keepin The Summer Alive -instead of- Goin On
Angel Come Home & Love Surrounds Me - instead of- HCTN and Sumahama
Come Go With Me -instead of- Peggy Sue
Roller Skating Child -instead of- Honkin Down The Highway
Only With You -instead of- California Saga
Here She Comes -instead of- Marcella
Disney Girls -instead of- Long Promised Road
It's About Time -instead of- Add Some Music To Your Day
God Only Knows -instead of- Caroline No
Little Honda on a single instead of an EP

Solo:
Sail Away -instead of- Summer In Monterey
One More Night Alone -instead of- Givin You Up
River Song -instead of- You & I

[smile-holland]

"Livin' With a Heartache" from KTSA.

An edited version of Livin' With A Heartache (b-side Santa Ana Winds) was released as a single (U.S. ZS9 9033), in May 1980, but didn't chart.

[Newguy562]

"I Do Love You" On BB85
"The Night Was So Young" On Love You
"All I Wanna Do" On Sunflower

[Eric Aniversario]

"I Do Love You" On BB85

Totally agree on that one!  Especially if they had done a tighter single edit, taking out the last minute or so...

[Newguy562]

I think "God Only Knows" should not have been stuck on the B side of "Wouldn't It Be Nice." It sounds amazing that GOK was only No. 39 on the charts, but that's because it was the B side.

I think if GOK had been a A-side after WIGN, it definitely would have been a top-10 and boosted sales of Pet Sounds with another hit.

I think "Kiss Me Baby" could have been a single. And I may be crazy, but I could see "Angel Come Home" doing all right on the charts in 1979 – certainly better than the disco abomination.

For solo songs, I think "Rainbows" would have been a better single choice than "You and I" off Pacific Ocean Blue.

but you&i was so beautiful

[Newguy562]

"I Do Love You" On BB85

Totally agree on that one!  Especially if they had done a tighter single edit, taking out the last minute or so...

 yes if they did that they it would've attracted bb fans & stevie wonder fans as well.

[Newguy562]

Loop de Loop, Our Sweet Love, Soulful Old Man Sunshine all sound like singles to me.

And Let Him Run Wild should have been a separate A-side.

You're right about Loop De Loop, plus Cindy, Oh Cindy, Good To My Baby, Our Car Club, Soulful Old Man Sunshine, Some of Your Love, Vegetables would make the good/strong singles-potential hits imo.

i really wish i heard of this loop de loop song :/

[Rocky Raccoon]

A little different scenario but the fact that "Long Promised Road" was chosen as the lead-off single of the Surf's Up album while "Surf's Up" was saved for single release after the album was already out, leaving it to be a commercial flop.  Bad decision.  I mean, don't get me wrong, "Long Promised Road" is a fine song but "Surf's Up" should have been milked for all it was and it probably would have charted had it been released earlier.