This Weeks Forgotten Gem of the 80s Jamie Sheriffs Waitress in a Diner

Readers who have visited this site previously have probably caught wind of my significant admiration for "What About Me," an '80s pop song from the Australian band Moving Pictures that became a modest American hit in both 1982 and 1989. I genuinely enjoy the pronounced melodrama of this track, but more than anything else the piano-based melody remains one of the most haunting '80s tunes I can remember. But I'm actually not here particularly to spotlight this song yet again; instead, I'm strongly reminded of it by another early-'80s ballad - also drenched in piano - that has caught my ear this week.

Back in 1980, singer-songwriter Jamie Sheriff released a major-label album called No Heroes that attracted some serious attention on the pop music scene. Unfortunately, despite a long working career as a musician for film scores, among other things, Sheriff has been known for few other prominent recordings during the past three decades. Even so, his "Waitress in a Diner" is another successful example (actually predating "What About Me") of a pop song strongly dramatizing the experience of an overlooked blue-collar member of America's service industry. Sheriff's vocal performance here bleeds passion and honesty, and it's absolutely criminal that more '80s fans (including myself) don't remember his highly worthy musical contributions more often. I don't know if this comparison is accurate in a particularly obvious way to music fans, but I can't help noticing a resemblance between the raw, unbridled singing styles of both Sheriff and a quietly legendary British artist of the '60s and '70s I've been listening to obsessively lately, the great Terry Reid. The phrase "forgotten gem" can certainly have no better illustrative examples than these two unsung artists, but true fans of music are really missing something if they've never heard their work. Consider this a gentle but forceful nudge in the direction of changing that.

• Listen to "Waitress in a Diner" in its entirety here.
• Top '80s Songs of Self-Pity & Self-Absorption
• Jamie Sheriff's Official Music Website
• Compare prices on Terry Reid CDs here.

Album Cover Image Courtesy of Polydor