Song of the Night (#3) Bob Seger - Beautiful Loser

Rocker Bob Seger is fairly well-known to many fans of Classic Rock and Oldies worldwide. Unfortunately, it's mostly for that overheard song Tom Cruise danced to in his underwear.

This reflects Seger's current status as one of Classic Rock's under-appreciated elder statesman, fit only to have one or two of his singles spun on the airwaves for nostalgia's sake. The reality is that Seger and his Silver Bullet Band were one of the best rock outfits of the Seventies; during this decade alone, the band produced nearly ten albums chock-full of excellent stuff. My personal favorites are Mongrel, Night Moves and Beautiful Loser, but every album of theirs from this decade warrants a listen. Musically, the song material ranges from anthemic rockers to slower, more reflective ballads.

I've chosen a song of the latter category for inclusion tonight, hoping to exhibit one of Seger's best qualities: he writes songs that are astonishingly honest and direct in emotion. Beautiful Loser is a masterpiece in weariness and disappointment, all the while being as gorgeous as its title suggests.