Carrie Underwood is amid her Denim and Rhinestones Tour. Along the trek, the country superstar has showcased just how many hits she has in her back catalog. It’s hard to deny the star power of songs like “Blown Away” or “Before He Cheats” when an arena full of people are screaming the lyrics back to Underwood like their lives depend on it.
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But for every up-tempo anthem and stirring ballad that has made a splash throughout Underwood’s career, there are several songs that have not received the same dues. With Underwood’s incomparable vocals in mind, if given single status, any one of her deep cuts could have had the same success.
We’ve compiled a few such songs that we believe deserve more love. Find our picks for Underwood’s five best deep cuts below.
1. “Change”
“Change” had many ears on it when Underwood performed it on American Idol’s Idol Gives Back TV special. Despite stealing the show – which also featured Alicia Keys and Sir Elton John – the song has since fallen further down in the Underwood ranks. Underwood carries the inspiring message in the song on a bed of her rich vocals. It’s time to give this one a renaissance.
2. “Unapologize”
You know what they say: “once it’s out there, you can’t take it back.” Underwood plays around with that idea on “Unapologize.” She navigates regret after blurting something out to her significant other, despite it holding some truth. “I love you” came flooding out / Couldn’t make it stop, couldn’t shut my mouth…I unapologize / I meant every word, she sings.
3. “Cupid’s Got a Shotgun”
While most of Underwood’s Blown Away is riddled with sweeping dramas, she tucks away this barn-burner for a welcomed change of pace. “Cupid’s Got a Shotgun” is a stomper, complete with wry lyrics and a full-bodied chorus. All of the songs on Blown Away could find a comfortable home on Broadway, it’s just that most of them live in New York while this one is honky tonkin’ down in Nashville.
4. “I Know You Won’t”
Underwood secured her second No. 1 country album with Carnival Ride in 2007. Among the tracklist was the somber ballad “I Know You Won’t,” penned by Steve McEwan, Neil Thrasher and Wendell Mobley. Underwood performs some vocals acrobatics across this track – which is reminiscent of Celine Dion’s “All By Myself.” Like Dion, Underwood cuts straight to the heart with piercing vocals and emotional lyrics on “I Know You Won’t.”
5. “Wine After Whiskey”
“Wine After Whiskey” crafts a heart-piercing metaphor about relationships failing to measure up after finding true love. You can’t settle on anything less / And that’s what gets me / It’s like having wine after whiskey, she sings in her lower register for a truly emotive performance. The track was originally supposed to appear on Underwood’s Play On but, was instead saved for the darker-edged Blown Away. It’s one of Underwood’s most sincere deliveries.
Photo by Randee St. Nicholas / UMG
