This Week's Forgotten Gem of the '80s - Deep Purple's "Call of the Wild"

British hard rock legends Deep Purple will always be most closely associated with the '70s, and for good reason, but the band launched a reunion with its classic lineup during the mid-'80s that produced more than a few high-quality original tunes. One track in particular, "Call of the Wild", from the group's 1987 The House of Blue Light release, marked a return to form for lead singer Ian Gillan and guitarist/bandleader Ritchie Blackmore, together again to plumb their long-standing creative tension. Though far removed from the burgeoning pop metal movement of the mid-'80s, the song's commercial viability was evident and should have turned it into a bona fide pop hit. Alas, the tune went underappreciated then and remains still today a relatively lost classic of the sweeping expanse of '80s hard rock.

• Sample or download "Call of the Wild" here.
• Official Deep Purple Website