Maybe this 1981 tune remains underappreciated on a particularly high level for me because I've always lamented the fact that J.D. Souther, one of soft rock's best but too-often-relegated supporting players, is once again underutilized here. Yes, leading '70s singer-songwriter James Taylor gets top billing and released the song on his solo album, but it would have been nice to hear more of Souther's remarkable voice at the forefront of this gentle arrangement. The fact of the matter is that frequent Eagles songwriting collaborator Souther just may possess a better voice than anyone who's ever served as a full-time member of that band. And that's saying something major, as the high lead vocals and harmonies of relative unknowns like Don Henley and Glenn Frey (coughing chuckle) have always stood tall among the most impressive singers in pop/rock. Check out some of Souther's overly obscure solo work if you'd like to test this bold statement, starting with his only Top 10 pop hit, 1979's shimmering "You're Only Lonely." Of course I'm more than happy to acknowledge that Taylor's baritone here, as always, is as smooth as fresh creamery butter, but the passion and pure hurt both in Souther's harmonies and his few shining moments singing lead on this tune really make me wish his solo work would have received more of the attention he's always deserved.

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