The Dresden Dolls - "Missed Me" (2003)
Not only is this song underrated, but the Dresden Dolls as a whole are. Maybe their sound is a bit esoteric, but it shouldn't be. They fuse too many quality styles excellently to be misunderstood. In fact, they could choose any one - punk, dance hall, cabaret - and they would likely be a success. But with "Missed Me" they add a dash of lots of different styles and an abundance of piano.
The subject of the track is fairly brutal. The narrative sings about a person who abused her when she was young and groomed her to do so. The narrator still kind of unsees the truth about the situation, though she appears somewhat honest with herself. This song is not for young children, but the Dresden Dolls do such a wonderful job with the sound that any adult should give the song a listen.
Billy Joel - "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" (1977)
There are lots of people who likely knew this song, but nearly 50 years later the track is beginning to fade away a bit while Billy Joel's more poppy songs take more attention away. "We Didn't Start the Fire" has likely been heard by more people now than this stellar track from Joel's fantastic album, The Stranger. That is a real shame as "Scenes..." is like three grades higher than "...Fire."
This is three songs in one but all about characters in one single restaurant who do not know each other. This is a more fleshed-out melody and a lot more complex track than "Piano Man." Joel's piano is the alpha and omega of the song, though. The tune begins with a sweet yet melancholy feel and ends much the same way, but in the middle, we learn about the antagonists and get a ride from rock to soul to blues. It is brilliant.