Our Top 10 Badfinger songs list is an enjoyable look back at a band that celebrated fame in the 1970s in the shadow of The Beatles. The band has often endured many comparisons to the Beatles for various reasons. The biggest reason is that Paul McCartney composed one of the band’s biggest hits entitled “Come and Get It.” The Badfinger recording of “Come and Get It,” sounded so much like The Beatles that many people thought it was The Beatles. Badfinger recorded a handful of great albums loaded with fabulous songs. They have easily gone down in classic rock history as one of the most loved bands to come out of the 1970s.
This article will look to present some of the most popular and artistic Badfinger songs the band released during their 1970s run. The group had a small string of hits but also delivered a handful of brilliant albums in the early 1970s. In 1969, the band released their first record entitled Maybe Tomorrow under the name The Iveys in only a handful of countries. The group changed their name and released the first worldwide officially released Badfinger album in 1970 entitled Magic Christian Music. Later that year the group released No Dice. In 1971 Badfinger released Straight Up. In 1973, Ass. The band released two albums in 1974 entitled Badfinger and Wish You Were Here.
After the release of the Badfinger album Wish You Were Here in 1974, the group did not release another album until 1979. Founding member Peter Ham passed away in 1975. Their seventh album entitled Airwaves contained only two original members on the record. Badfinger would only release one more album of original material entitled Say No More in 1981. However, in 2000 an album entitled Head First was released. It was a Badfinger album that had been recorded in the mid-1970s that had never been issued.
# 10 – Name Of The Game
We open up our Top 10 Badfinger songs with a huge favorite. The great Badfinger song “Name of the Game,” was the closing track on the legendary album Straight Up. It was Badfinger’s third album. The song has always been overshadowed by the two big hits from the album “Baby Blue,” and “Day After Day.” Nonetheless, this was a great Badfinger song written by Mr. Peter Hamm.
# 9 – Lost Without Your Love
While most of this top 10 Badfinger songs list will focus on the early material released while Peter Ham was in the band, for historic purposes we cannot ignore some of the later material. Additionally, in our opinion, some of the material released in the late 70s was actually still pretty good. The song “Lost Inside Your Love,” was released on the album entitled Airwaves. The album was released in 1979. At the time only two original members of the band Badfinger were still in the group. Original member Tom Evans composed the song “Lost Inside Your Love.”
# 8 – I Miss You
The song “I Miss You,” was released in 1974 on an album simply entitled Badfinger. “I Miss You,” was the second single released from the record. The album is significant because it was part of a new contract signed by the band with Warner Brothers Records. The album and singles released did not chart well. The ‘Glory Days that Badfinger experienced in the early 70s would soon come to an end with the passing of Peter Ham one year later.
# 7 – Maybe Tomorrow
If we were taking a strict history angle honest top 10 Badfinger songs list this one would have to be included regardless of the quality of the song. However, one listen to this great track and it becomes quite clear that this song belongs on this list. “Maybe Tomorrow,” was the first single released by Badfinger in 1969. It was at a time before the band was even called Badfinger. At the time the group was called the Iveys.
# 6 – Carry On Till Tomorrow
The Badfinger song “Carry On Till Tomorrow,” was released on the album entitled Magic Christian Music. The brilliant magic Christian music album was released in 1970. It stands as the first official Badfinger album. The wonderful song “Carry On Till Tomorrow,” was the opening track on side two of the record. The song was produced by Paul McCartney. “Carry On Till Tomorrow,” was written by Peter Ham and Tom Evans.
# 5 – Apple Of My Eye
The Badfinger song “Apple Of My Eye,” was released in 1973. The song was issued on Badfinger’s final album with Apple Records entitled Ass. The song was written as a tribute to Apple Records by Peter Ham. It’s a beautiful song that signified the end of an era for Badfinger and their relationship with the Beatles Apple Records.
# 4 – No Matter What
These next four Badfinger songs represent the band’s biggest hits of their career. These are the songs that most people connect with Badfinger. If you grew up in the 1960s 70s or 80s you have heard these songs many times on the radio. We start off with the great Badfinger song “No Matter What.” The song was released on the No Dice album. The song “No Matter What,” was a top 10 hit for Badfinger in the United States. “No Matter What, ” peaked at number seven on the United States Billboard Hot 100.
# 3 – Baby Blue
How can you not love the beautiful Badfinger song “Baby Blue?” This great Badfinger song was released on their 1971 album entitled Straight Up. The song “Baby Blue,” was released as a single in 1972. It became a top 20 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peaking at number 14. The song was produced by Todd Rundgren who would become a legendary producer and songwriter in his own right.
# 2 – Day After Day
It was tough to pick between the next two Badfinger songs for our number one spot on our top 10 Badfinger songs list. Both songs are easily the most popular and most successful Badfinger songs ever released. In the number two position is the great track “Day After Day.” The song was released on the 1971 album straight up. Badfingers “Day After Day,” became their highest-charting song. “Day After Day,” reached the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States picking at number 10. The song “Day After Day,” was produced by The Beatles George Harrison.
# 1 – Come and Get It
How many of you heard this song for the first time and thought it was The Beatles? Come on, put your hands up! This song has Paul McCartney written all over it and yes we know the reason why. Composed by Paul McCartney, the members of Badfinger all must have had a heart attack when he gave it to them to record. The song was a huge hit for the band and simply became their signature song. If you had to name one Badfinger song we would argue that ninety ninety times out of a hundred people would name “Come and Get It.”
Updated June 9, 2023
Top 10 Badfinger Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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The author neglected to mention that Pete Ham and Tom Evans both committed suicide. Very sad story involving some really bad management deals. Also, I think the Ham/ Evans song “Without You” should be mentioned since Harry Nilsson recorded it and made it a worldwide smash. There are many strong songs Badfinger recorded that could have easily made the list. Ten more that I would have included:
Crimson Ship
Perfection
Knocking Down Our Home
We’re For The Dark
Midnight Caller
Dennis
In The Meantime/Some Other Time
I’d Die Babe
Walk Out In The Rain
Take It All
Note: “Baby Blue” was used as the final closing song to the TV show “Breaking Bad”
While everyone is entitled to their opinion to say that “I miss You” is one of Badfinger’s top songs is crazy, it’s one of the worst ( my opinion). “Apple of my Eye”? “Maybe Tomorrow “? How about “Just A Chance” or “Love is gonna come at Last” or “Timeless”? So many great songs to choose from. “No Matter What” is considered in many circles to be the greatest power pop song ever and you have it ranked 4th. “Come and Get it” #1? Seriously? You really missed the boat with your list. Just curious Did you ever see the original band live? They didn’t perform Come and Get it .
I appreciate all the work from Ms Roberts that went into preparing this article.
One song that is sorely overlooked, though, is
“Without You” which certainly belongs in the Top Ten, if not the Top Five.
If it wasn’t for Badfinger’s original, Harry Nilsson might have only been a blip in Late 60s/Early 70s music scene and charts, as it was the song that brought Nillson I’m not the mainstream m
,Conclusion of original post which launched before completion:
as it was the song that brought Nilsson into the mainstream market.
Loved this group. Bad finger had a “Beatlesque” quality. I truly enjoyed their music. So sad that 2 members lost their lives. I. Believe their popularity would have grown and maintained itself over time. I am saddened about their loss or maybe our loss of this talented group??????