Four underrated Foreigner songs worth multiple listens

Foreigner can be somewhat of a divisive band. We here at AudioPhix have certainly been a bit too harsh on the band (OK, maybe it has mainly been me). The group started as slightly hard-rock goodness and then became a bit of soft rock awfulness.

There were some hidden gems along the entire way, however. In fact, many of the band's later hits covered up some B-side greatness. Some might have tuned the band out if they were rock purists, but the songs that follow might bring them back in.

Is Foreigner worthy of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction? Maybe. The band was inducted this year. But the songs below at least make a good case for them.

4 underrated Foreigner songs you are missing out on

"Long, Long Way from Home"

Normally, a song like this does not appear until later in a band's catalog. In fact, the whole theme is a bit arrogant in retrospect. Lou Gramm penned the song about struggling in New York City after leaving his hometown of Rochester and then gaining a bit of success.

From the band's debut album, Foreigner had not yet found the fame they would later discover. They did, of course, but we might many times ask a band to reflect on their past not on their debut album. Instead, this track is a hard-rock homage to rock itself. The volume and confidence are impressive.

"Dirty White Boy"

Why should this be an "underrated" song by the band? Because it has long since been overtaken by the drivel that is songs such as "Waiting for a Girl Like You," but "Dirty White Boy" is a roughened rocker that holds its own decades after its release. And, sure, it's inspired by Elvis Presley, but we can forget all about that.

The truth is that even if you didn't know anything about this fast rocker, the better. Presley would have never sounded this way. Thankfully, Foreigner at their best, did.

"Woman in Black"

The problem with this song is that it appears on the band's best-selling studio album of original material (Records outsold 4, but Records was a compilation album) and the record produced a vast number of big hits such as "Urgent," "Waiting for a Girl Like You," and "Juke Box Hero." "Woman in Black" was simply a bit too dark to break through for the adoring masses.

Still, this funk-rock hummer is worth multiple listens. The chorus almost - almost - resembles a current Ghost song. It's bleak, but fun.

"Fool for You Anyway"

Speaking of bleak, this mid-tempo rocker is about a person whose mate has cheated on them but they love them anyway. One might scream to the narrator, "Have some self-respect!" Instead, do yourself a favor and listen to this gem.

It's not as fun as the other three songs on this list, but it's no less fulfilling. You might even find some catharsis from the track.

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