deep cut

[deep kuht]

noun

1. a song that is less widely played and less well-known than other songs on the same album or by the same artist.

   The band performed a fan-favorite deep cut as part of their encore, and the crowd went wild!

2. anything, but especially media such as a television show, movie, video game, or book, that is not well-known to the general public, but has a fan base or cult following.

   This list of the top 25 horror films of all time has some deep cuts I’d never seen before.

3. a reference to a television show, movie, video game, book, etc., that would be appreciated or understood only by fellow fans, similar to an homage or inside joke.

   My husband’s joke about how he plays sax and I play clarinet, so our kids should learn to play piano and drums and then we can start our own Mos Eisley cantina band is a pretty deep cut.

Word History and Origins

Origin of deep cut¹

First recorded in 2005–10

Example Sentences

“It’s going to be painful. Layoffs are always hard,” Paramount President Jeff Shell told reporters during a briefing on the Melrose Avenue movie lot earlier this month, stressing that Ellison’s team plans to evaluate the operations, then make one deep cut.

From Los Angeles Times

She also has strong feelings about the music in the episode, fighting skeptical producers to use almost the entirety of a Kate Bush deep cut, “The Morning Fog,” even after “Stranger Things” had brought “Running Up That Hill” back to the charts.

From Los Angeles Times

Berg was shoved by officers and suffered a deep cut to her hand — also while wearing press credentials.

From Los Angeles Times

There is little in it that couldn’t be handled as live-action situation comedy; indeed, for long stretches you can close your eyes and let it play in your head like an old-time radio show — “Ozzie and Harriet,” or “Vic and Sade” for the deep cut — which testifies to the quality of the writing and the performances.

From Los Angeles Times

“While ‘The Pitt’ was airing, I started playing the Beatles’ ‘Revolver’ deep cut ‘Doctor Robert’ on a loop, subbing in ‘Doctor Robbie’ each time the chorus came around,” says Glenn Whipp.

From Los Angeles Times