The more you dig through an impressive catalog, the more it rewards you, and that‘s certainly the case with Bob Seger. And beyond such chart hits and signature tunes as “Night Moves,” “Against the Wind,” “Hollywood Nights” and “Old Time Rock and Roll,” are some great deep cuts from his vast catalog that are often overlooked.

Beginning with his late ‘60s Detroit sessions and through to the Silver Bullet Band era, Seger, born May 6, 1945, honed a songwriting craft across a whole album beyond those radio hits. Dig through those albums, and some songs start to stand out. Here are 11 that do just that.

“Till It Shines”—Stranger In Town (1978)

His 1978 album is almost like a greatest hits release, with no less than four significant singles. Right in between some of those is track four. It builds slowly, starting with an acoustic guitar and quickly fills out the arrangement. That’s Detroit pal Glenn Frey on the guitar solo. (The two would remain good friends and occasional co-writers, and Frey would sing on such Seger recordings as “Fire Lake” and “Against the Wind.”)

“The Fire Down Below”—Night Moves (1976)

This track is vital for the arc of the album, following the thrilling one-two punch of the opening numbers, “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” and “Night Moves.” All feature the great musicianship of the Silver Bullet Band.

“Sunspot Baby”—Night Moves (1976)

The album was a breakout success, thanks to three singles, most notably the title track and “Mainstreet.” This one is about a woman the narrator knew “who did me so wrong” by walking off with his Amex card and a mountain of debt. Its rhythm section, courtesy of the Muscle Shoals session players, is the lead on this catchy, overlooked track that leads off side two.

“Shame on the Moon”—The Distance (1982)

This Rodney Crowell-penned number, which hit #2 on the Hot 100, was one of Seger‘s signature hits in the early ‘80s, with a melodic groove and timeless arrangement. The song also reached #15 on the country chart, becoming Seger‘s only top 40 entry in that radio format.

“Her Strut”—Against the Wind (1980)

The classic rock song was actually the B-side to “The Horizontal Bop,” the fourth (and final) single from the humongous album. The track, which gave the album a groovy spin, has drawn criticism for the way its lyrics depict women (“once she starts in walking, the lady will be all they ever dreamed”). But Seger himself has said that its inspiration was Jane Fonda as a very ’80s woman. “I wanted to write a song about how women have become so confident,” he’s been quoted as saying. Years later, Fonda, herself, noted, “I am flattered, to say the least and you’ll know why when you hear the lyrics.”

“Get Out Of Denver”—Seven (1974)

This straightforward rocker offers punchy drumming and a dead-on lead vocal. The very tight song—just 2:44 on the album—makes it one of Seger‘s most focused records of the early 70s. It‘s a standout track from Seven, which critics call a “lost classic.” This live version, recorded in Detroit a year later, is a highlight from his first concert album, which has sold more than five million copies.

“Lucifer”—Mongrel (1970)

The closing track of side A of the third album from the Bob Seger System opens as a piano-based structure that grows into the full band. The driving rocker reached #84 on the Hot 100 and is considered to be among the best of his early era by Seger fans.

”Heavy Music (Part 1 and Part 2)” (1967)

A local hit in Detroit, this two-sided single, complete with finger snaps, was representative of the music coming out of the Motor City. The track focused on repetition and groove, establishing Seger well before he broke through nationwide. Live Bullet contains an 8-plus-minute performance.

“Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man”—Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man (1969)

His first Top 20 pop hit thanks to its catchy hook, at the heart of his earliest identity as a recording artist, and his arrival to a national audience. However, after this initial taste of success, it would be another eight years before he scaled such heights on the pop singles chart.

“Katmandu”—Beautiful Loser (1975)

An absolute crowd-pleaser for Seger that was often featured in his live shows. It‘s an unabashed, all-American power-pop rock and roll blast—in its review, Cash Box noted its “down-home, rockin’ piano”—even though the rest of the album explores much more languid territory.

“Feel Like a Number”—Nine Tonight (1981)

Originally released as the final song of side one of 1978’s Stranger in Town, the uptempo song took on new life as a concert favorite and was also prominently featured in the steamy 1981 thriller Body Heat, starring William Hurt and Kathleen Turner, making her film debut.

Seger’s enormous catalog is available in the U.S. here, in Canada here and in the U.K. here.

Related: Our recap of Seger’s farewell concert in 2019