Mandy Moore's 10 most underrated songs and deep cuts

We know Mandy Moore’s greatest hits by heart, but these are the songs tried and true fans will never forget.

10. “I Like It”

Buried in the lower rankings of Mandy Moore’s debut album So Real, “I Like It” sounds like nothing else on the record. Although it shares a producer with mild hit “Walk Me Home,” the sensual ballad injects a touch of maturity that the then-15-year-old singer handled well. “I Like It” would sound tame in the hands of Bedtime Stories-era Madonna but not at all out of place. Moore obviously slays her falsetto and, sonically, the song still holds up.

9. “You Remind Me”

2003’s Mandy Moore ditched the requisite teen-pop-with-background-dancers style and leaned into an adult contemporary sound that fit Moore like a glove. “You Remind Me,” while tracked just below lead single “In My Pocket,” was ultimately relegated to deep cut status even though it marked a vast improvement over her previous records. The song, a certified bop, incorporates tinges of cultural influences her peers hadn’t yet flirted with.

8. “Swept Away”

Because it bears repeating over and over until it’s common knowledge, Mandy Moore’s 2007 folk-pop album Wild Hope is, was, and remains a triumph. As the first album she entirely co-wrote, nothing had ever sounded more her. “Swept Away,” a bonus cut from the iTunes edition of the album, strips it all the way down to acoustic guitar, accordion, and an untouched vocal belting out heartfelt lyrics about love in the face of insecurity. A perfect love song.

7. “Pocket Philosopher”

Moore explored another shade of folk-pop on 2009’s Amanda Leigh, which employed harpsichord and sounded more dramatic and artistic than anything on her previous music releases. “Pocket Philosopher,” apart from boasting an incredible title, turned up the dramatics with theatrical instrumentation — horns, strings, piano — reminiscent of a stage musical. It’s playful and exuberant while also managing to sneak in personal messaging in the subtext.

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6. “The Whole of the Moon”

When most teen pop singers attempt to transition into adult careers, they do something bold. Whether it’s obliterating their squeaky clean image with mature imagery or taking a huge creative left turn, it’s a cross most child stars must bear. Mandy Moore eschewed the over-sexualization norm to produce an album of covers — bold. Coverage contains some of Moore’s best work, but on “The Whole of the Moon,” a cover of The Waterboys’ 1985 rock song, the singer has the time of her life letting loose. You can practically hear her letting go of the “Candy” pigeonhole.

5. “Saturate Me”

Mandy Moore’s self-titled third album was full of bangers lying in wait to burn up adult contemporary radio. Unfortunately, only “Crush” enjoyed moderate A/C radio success, but a slew of the album’s deep cuts could have not only been hits but changed the sound of pop music in the early aughts. “Saturate Me,” a torch ballad with a distinctively atmospheric sound, elevated the album to its consistent heights and pushed the limits of pop forward.

4. “Latest Mistake”

Once again, there’s not a bad song to be found on Wild Hope. Similarly, there’s not a song to be named that couldn’t have found a comfortable home on adult contemporary radio at one time or another. Songs like the insanely catchy uptempo snack “Latest Mistake” slide right into place with the likes of Sheryl Crow, Natalie Merchant, and Counting Crows. The song creates a memorable mood and makes Moore’s rich vocals the rightful lead instrument.

3. “It’s Gonna Be Love”

As far as Mandy Moore albums go, you really can’t count out or go wrong with the A Walk To Remember soundtrack. Moore contributed her voice to nearly one-third of the album’s songs. Some might say the soundtrack surpasses the film, but that’s a different discussion. On “It’s Gonna Be Love,” Mandy Moore goes off vocally, soaring over the love song and taking advantage of her full range like we hadn’t heard before. Everyone needs to know this song.

2. “What You Want”

For Mandy Moore diehards, it might seem ridiculous to rank “What You Want,” a So Real throwaway track, at No. 2. But maybe it doesn’t. The song, while riddled with the oh-so late-’90s over-produced style you either accept or loathe, should have been the follow-up single after “Candy.” There, it has finally been said. It’s impossible not to have fun listening to young Mandy live her pop star dreams on “What You Want,” even all these years later.

Next: 13 classic Mandy Moore songs you need to listen to right now

1. “Song About Home”

There’s a larger discussion to be had about the the best Mandy Moore song period, but her most underrated, hands-down best deep cut has to be “Song About Home” from Amanda Leigh. In just four minutes, the song packs an emotional punch as Moore waxes nostalgic about “home” and repurposing its definition in adulthood and marriage. Not to mention, the spare production makes way for Moore’s career-best and chill-inducing vocal delivery. Like an episode of This Is Us, try not to cry during the ballad’s acoustic outro.

Which Mandy Moore deep cut is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

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Mandy Moore’s 10 most underrated deep cuts

By Reed Gaudens | Aug 7, 2017