This Week's Forgotten Gem of the '80s - Lone Justice's "Shelter"

Well, first of all, this nearly flawless song is not so much the work of Lone Justice the groundbreaking cowpunk/roots rock band as it is an early solo effort from the group's frontwoman, eclectic singer-songwriter Maria McKee. Secondly, and more importantly, it's one of the finest mid-tempo love songs of the rock era not to become a substantial hit on the pop charts.

"Shelter" features a beautiful melody and arrangement that come off very well despite some seriously slick production. But more than that, the precision and conciseness of the songwriting here (McKee co-wrote the tune with The Sopranos star and longtime E Street Band member Steven Van Zandt) speaks volumes about the impressive and rare achievement of writing lyrics to an earnest love song without resorting to cliches and sappy sentiment. Consider a line like "Your struggle with darkness has left you blind/I'll light the fire in your eyes" and the way it simply works with a directness and honesty that feels totally earned. McKee has since built a solid if under-the-radar two-decade solo career doing whatever she wants when she wants to do it, and the music world has benefited much from her graceful journey. But I still think it's a crime that this tune never enjoyed Top 10 exposure as it should have, stalling at a depressing No. 47 in 1987.

• Sample or download "Shelter" here.
• Maria McKee's Official Website
• Compare prices for Maria McKee CDs here.

Album Cover Photo Courtesy of Geffen Records