I know I haven’t blogging as much lately, but there’s just too much listening to do. I can’t be expected to write when there are so many great albums floating around. But every once in a while, I get into a musical conversation with some of my friends that simply must be discussed.
A non-music geek recently asked me what I thought to be the most underrated songs of all time. I asked if he’d ever heard of SK6ers or The Damnwells and he said “no.” I told him that I really had nothing to offer him then, because virtually everything I listen to would be “underrated” to him.
So I started trying to answer this question for myself. It’s taken me a very long time to be honest. There are so many songs that I pump up with every opportunity. Songs like “You Can Always Come Home” and “The Hills and Manhattan.” These are songs that I love with every fiber of my being but to most people they aren’t underrated, they’re just songs by bands they’ve never heard of. So, I decided to pick ten songs from bands/artists that I’ve been listening to forever. No Mumfords, no Lumineers, just songs from bands that I’ve spent the greater part of my adulthood with.
If It’s The Beaches – The Avett Brothers
For my money, only a few can rival the Avett’s songwriting prowess. From the opening line of this song, I knew it’d be a favorite of mine. A lot of my favorite songs are sort of self deprecating. I gravitate towards the songs where the artist knows that they aren’t good enough, or understands that what they’re doing can’t last forever. “If It’s The Beaches” is just that. It’s a song of desperation with heartbreaking optimism. And I love it.
If It’s the Beaches
All Things – Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers
Fine. Maybe it can’t really be underrated if it’s never been released but this song needs to see the light of day. Virtually every SK song focuses on love and family, and the idea that we all have to do the most with the short amount of time we have in this world. There are so many unreleased SK6ers songs that I wanted to add to this list, but “All Things” gets the nod.
All Things
I am a Leaver – The Damnwells
All Damnwells songs are underrated. They should be played in every Target, on every radio station and in every home in America at every given musical moment. Alex Dezen writes well enough to let you know that he’s far smarter than you are, but honest enough to let you share in his grief. This is my favorite version of this song, and if you don’t love it yet, you will.
I Am A Leaver (alternate stripped)
Words – Ryan Adams
Somewhere along the way, I amassed a ridiculous Ryan Adams collection. 723 songs at last count. That’s admittedly absurd, but I really do love them all. Of all the RA tunes, there are 20 or so that no one really discusses in “how awesome is Ryan Adams” discussions. “Words” is one I always make sure to bring up. It was in the movie “Elizabethtown” but wasn’t even on the soundtrack. A second volume of the movie’s music had to be released because of demand though, and “Words” made the cut.
Words
Michigan – Josh Rouse
Rouse has released a ton of records. Some are great, some are good but the songs don’t get much better than “Michigan.” A pretty straight forward song, it revolves around a young man’s letter to his parents whom he’s left behind in their hometown. he’s just trying to find his way and luckily, Uncle Ray and Aunt Terry gave him a place to land. Just listen to it already.
Michigan
Walt Grace’s Submarine Test, January 1967 – John Mayer
A lot of people don’t like Mayer. A lot of people think he’s an ego maniac and a down right shithead. I think he’s one of the strongest songwriters in the country. In every Mayer song, there’s at least one or two lines that just amaze me, and as a start-to-finish story, Walt Grace’s tale may be my favorite.
Walt Grace’s Submarine Test, January 1967
Company Calls Epilogue – Death Cab for Cutie
DCFC is one of my favorite bands. I’m much more into the older albums than the newer and CCE is one of my old favorites. This song is up there with heart wrenchers like “Champagne High” and “A Spot for my Sister.”
Company Calls Epilogue
When I Can Afford to Lose – Will Hoge
Another one of those “she’s no good for me, but I don’t care” songs. Hoge is a brilliant storyteller, and while a lot of artists seem to only write about boy meets, girl, boy loses (or keeps) girl, Hoge is so much more talented. I think I am a pretty predictable Hoge fan. Most of my favorites are the ones that everyone loves, but this is one that I don’t hear as much about. In all honesty, you can’t go wrong with Hoge records.
When I Can Afford to Lose
Skeleton Key – Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s
I fell in love with MNSS when I heard The Dust of Retreat. It was by far my favorite album of 2006 and this is one of a handful of songs that makes that album so great. MNSS has had some ups and downs since, but the ups are amazing enough to weather the downs. If you’ve never listened to them, give them a shot and let me know what you think.
Skeleton Key
Jerk – Brad Passons
To round out this list, I give you a very old song from my good friend, Brad Passons. “Jerk” is the song that all guys can relate to – especially those of uswho were trying to understand women in our late teens and early twenties, when we were all realizing that girls our age somehow hated nice guys. It’s a song I really wish Brad would re-record, as it’s not quite as crisp as it could be. Brad’s still writing cheesy love songs, and he’s been co-writing for a while now.
Jerk
OK, so there’s ten songs by artists I’ve loved forever that I think are a bit underrated. If you’d like, I can always talk at long length about underrated Pearl Jam, DMB, Ben Harper, Willie Nelson, Matt Nathanson, Queen and Switchfoot songs (among others). What are some of your most underrated songs?
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