5 Underrated Songs From Beyoncé

Everything Beyoncé does shakes the world. Her album releases are cultural events and her songs are timeless hits. Nothing she delivers goes unnoticed. While none of her songs are completely obscured, she does a few releases that have paled to make the rounds on the radio or become live staples that could use a little more love. Check out five such songs, below.

1. “Kitty Kat”

Produced by The Neptunes, “Kitty Kat” is classic 2000s pop material. Beyoncé rattled off some lines about being mistreated by her lover overtop a sparse electronic beat. This track is evocative of everything that was great about the early days of Beyoncé’s solo career. It’s deeply steeped in hip-hop but, pop-influenced enough to be considered ear candy.

Since 15, comin’ down, reppin’ Texas
How you gon’ neglect this? You is just a hot mess
You can call Tyrone, you ain’t gots to lie, Craig
What about my body, body?

2. “Scared of Lonely”

“Scared of Lonely” closes out I AM…SASHA FIERCE. This album marked a shift in Beyoncé’s career. Her alter-ego, Sasha Fierce, began to adopt a sound that is more closely aligned to the sound we know and love from Beyoncé today. The singer delivers a powerful vocal performance on “Scared of Lonely” that could rival anything she has done in the past few years.

I’m scared of lonely
I try to be patient, but I’m hurting deep inside
And I can’t keep waiting, I need comfort late at night
And I can’t find my way, won’t you lead me home?
‘Cause I’m lost in this dream, I need you to hold me

3. “I Care” (Homecoming: The Live Album Version)

Beyoncé’s Homecoming: The Live Album was a triumph. The live recording of her Coachella (or should we say, Beychella) set managed to contain her sirenesque vocals that reverberated around the desert. Though the album has many gems, perhaps the most underrated one is “I Care.” The 4 track is flawless on the original album version, but her live rendition on Homecoming is something otherworldly.

Ever since you knew your power
You made me cry
And now every time our love goes sour
You won’t sympathize

4. “Ring Off”

“Ring Off” appears on the platinum edition of Beyonce’s self-titled album. Given Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s tumultuous marriage, at first glance, the title would seem to be a commentary on that break-up. Instead, it’s actually her parents’ divorce that she is commenting on here—very poignantly, we might add.

After all your tears
After all that pain’s all clear
Mama, after all them years
We can start all over again

5. “Ave Maria”

Countless artists have taken on “Ave Maria.” At this point, it’s a little worn out. Beyoncé though, delivers an exceptionally stunning version that makes this rendition worth checking out. Her vocal power is a well-known fact. Few artists can hit the soaring high notes in this standard better than Beyoncé does here. Beyoncé also makes the song her own by adding a pulsing beat and translated text.

I found Heaven on earth
You are my last, my first
And then I hear this voice inside
Ave Maria

Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood