This Week's Forgotten Gem of the '80s - Mary Chapin Carpenter's "Never Had It So Good"

My initial intention this week was to reach back into the very early '80s, when the popularity of country-pop was at an all-time high and crossover artists were the norm, not the exception. But as I looked into possibilities, I decided it might actually be more interesting to shine a spotlight on one of the artists from country music's neo-traditional period of the mid- to late-'80s who probably should have enjoyed considerable pop success but was somehow denied it. Though she has always held significant appeal for fans of country, folk and pop music alike, Carpenter has carved out a successful yet always modest niche for herself through her earthy, melodic approach to songwriting.

Over the years, this singer-songwriter has released many fine recordings, mostly consisting of her own compositions, but "Never Had It So Good," from Carpenter's 1989 sophomore effort, State of the Heart, certainly set the bar awfully high. Boasting a typically sharp pop sensibility and also employing more than a few rock guitar fills, the track established Carpenter as a reliable and consistent producer of highly listenable and accessible music that also harbored mysterious, welcome pockets of density and complexity. Hook-ridden almost to a fault, perhaps Carpenter's music has had a tendency to straddle too many styles without actually occupying them, but the singer-songwriter's career since has indicated that she's happy with her eclecticism and proud to be a major artist on the Americana scene if never the pop charts.

• Sample or download "Never Had It So Good" here.
• Mary Chapin Carpenter's Official Website

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Columbia Records