Underrated songs from your "favorite" artists

[TerpWomenFan]

Love the opening bassline. Most popular song from Atlantic Starr is Always.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Most popular song from Skyy is Call Me. They had three #1 R&B songs.

 

[Centerstream]

Man, I have so many "favorite" singers. This one recently popped up on my YouTube feed...

 

[Bigboote]

Great topic! I'd been thinking of something like "the best song on the album wasn't the hit", but this is much more straightforward. As did the OP, I'll start with some R&B. I've been known to say "EWF are so good I even like their spiritual stuff", and here's an example.

 

[Centerstream]

Meat Loaf featuring Cher

 

[Bigboote]

Although this came out after Carly and James were together, is's probably about unrequited love between Carly and someone she worked closely with.

 

[Kaizen]

 

[TerpWomenFan]

Great topic! I'd been thinking of something like "the best song on the album wasn't the hit", but this is much more straightforward. As did the OP, I'll start with some R&B. I've been known to say "EWF are so good I even like their spiritual stuff", and here's an example.

I miss Maurice White so much. A genuine genius.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

The Commodores had tons of great slow songs. This is the song that started it all.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

The Jackson 5 is legendary. However, this song doesn't get the great credit it deserves.

 

[meyers7]

I'm gonna lean into that "favorite" (lean into the " "). Journey isn't my "favorite" band, but they're ok. Anyway they have a lot of very popular songs (Don't Stop Believing, Faithfully, Open Arms, etc.)

However the one of theirs I really like is Stone In Love.

(ok not sure who made this video for it, but it's pretty funny)

 

[meyers7]

Blues Traveler's biggest hits were Hook and Run-Around.

This one never got a lot of play....should have.

You Don't Have To Love Me

 

[Ozimoto]

Always thought this Foreigner song did not get the airplay it deserved.

 

[Scud49]

Santana's "I'll Be Waiting" from their Moonflower album:

 

[Jaydumo20]

Any and every Steely Dan non-charting hit.

 

[Conndog]

James Gang had some good songs- Funk #49, Walk Away- but I also like "Midnight Man". Love the voice of the female singer Mary Sterpka!

 

[Scud49]

Any and every Steely Dan non-charting hit.

Yep, like this one. I think only Steely Dan would kick off a song with a Larry Carlton guitar solo...!

 

[Scud49]

Steve Miller - buried deep in his catalog of fine music, is this gem: "Sacrifice":

 

[Kaizen]

Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind is a studio album by American singer/producer Linda Ronstadt, released in October 1989 by Elektra Records. Produced by Peter Asher

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I think this song would have gotten a lot more traction with Bob Dylan , Arlo Guthrie or Willie Nelson, because it can hit you as rather dark, and John Denver didn't do dark:

 

[AidanFan20]

Any non-hit or non-single by The Carpenters.

 

[Ozimoto]

I think this one from Mama Cass Elliot should get more recognition. Makes my day when I hear it, which isn't often enougn.

 

[Martin]

 

[Kaizen]

Any non-hit or non-single by The Carpenters.

Merry Christmas, Darling - The Carpenters​

 

[Kaizen]

Merry Christmas, Darling - The Carpenters​

Richard Carpenter composed the music for this song in 1966 when he was 19 years old. Frank Pooler wrote the lyrics twenty years earlier, in 1946, when he also was only 19 years old. The song Pooler had written was to be a Christmas gift for his girlfriend, whom he was missing while being away from her during a visit with his parents at Christmas time. However, their relationship ended before he was able present it to her.

Twenty years later, Pooler was the choir director at California State University in Long Beach, when both Karen and Richard Carpenter were members of the choir. Richard and Karen were performing locally during the Christmas season and had tired of playing the usual Christmas fare. Richard asked Pooler, their favorite professor, if he had any ideas for different Christmas songs.

Pooler remembered the Christmas song he had written many years before and mentioned it to Richard, adding that he didn't think much of the melody anymore. Richard said he would try his hand at writing new music for the lyrics. Within about 15 minutes he was finished creating a song, written by two teenagers who were a generation apart, that was destined to become a Christmas classic.

The song was first released as a single (yes, a 45) on November 20, 1970, and earned gold record status. This song sparked the idea of a Christmas album by The Carpenters, and on October 13, 1978, "Christmas Portrait" was released with this newly recorded version of the song. Karen re-recorded her vocals for the album version as she felt that she could give the vocals a more mature treatment. This newly recorded version was presented on their TV Christmas special in 1978, as seen here, and became a hit all over again.

Karen Carpenter - March 2, 1950 - February 4, 1983 (32 years old)
Frank Pooler - March 29, 1926 - January 19, 2013 (86 years old)