10 Underrated Bruce Springsteen Songs You Should Listen To

"The Wish" was slept on for quite a while before it earned its spurs as one of the high points of Springsteen On Broadway. In fact, you'd have a point in deeming the Broadway acoustic version as the definitive one; it is more intimate, less contrived, you can hear the lyrics a little more clearly, and Bruce's older-sounding voice seems better suited for this heartfelt trip down memory lane. There is only one reason we chose to go with the studio version: the musical arrangement makes it easier to dance to it with your mom.

A warm and plain-spoken tribute, its simplicity and candor make it seem as if Bruce really was "taking requests in the kitchen", when someone in the family asked if a song about his mom wasn't long overdue. In his autobiography, Bruce writes that for him, she represented "truthfulness, consistency, professionalism, kindness, compassion, manners, thoughtfulness, pride in yourself, honor, love, faith and fidelity in your family, commitment, joy in your work and a never-say-die thirst for life." The few memories narrated in this song are enough for listeners to understand why.

It may not be "a house on a hill with a garden and a nice little yard", but it's a mother's song for the ages.