What's your favorite Power Ballad? [Archive]

stellar

10-30-2003, 01:28 PM

Okay, so I was flipping through some MP3s on my Nomad Jukebox by genre when I realized I have a lot of power ballads. And I'm not ashamed to admit that.

I saw the Bed of Roses farscape vid on farscapefantasy and thought it was great, it rejuvenated my love for the 80s staple. So in an effort to compile a database that I can later download: what's your favorite power ballad. I like Carrie by Europe.

And please be careful. You will be berated if you say something that is clearly not a power ballad, even though you think it is/should be. E.g. November Rain is NOT a power ballad. Beth is. It's a fine line, I know.

talyn3

10-30-2003, 01:31 PM

rhapsody in blue

NebariNookiee

10-30-2003, 01:33 PM

Open Arms
*--- ducks flying chairs

jason

10-30-2003, 01:33 PM

"Winds of Change" - Scorpions

-Jason

talyn3

10-30-2003, 01:39 PM

Dust in the wind.

grinner

10-30-2003, 01:42 PM

Fade to Black

NYPinTA

10-30-2003, 01:42 PM

Gee stellar, thanks. Like having 99 Red Ballons stuck in my head wasn't enough!!

NYPinTA

10-30-2003, 01:43 PM

Originally posted by grinner
Fade to Black

Is that a power ballad?
If so, then ditto dammit! :)

Sunderflame

10-30-2003, 01:44 PM

Freebird by Lenard Skynerd, That Smell and Cocaine. And yes I know I spelled that wrong.

NebariNookiee

10-30-2003, 01:45 PM

Oh frell! Why didn't I think of Fade to Black?!!

You mentioned Beth -- another KISS tune off of Carnival of Souls "I Will Be There" is just beautiful -- very haunting melody

stellar

10-30-2003, 01:47 PM

Originally posted by NYPinTA
Gee stellar, thanks. Like having 99 Red Ballons stuck in my head wasn't enough!!

Anything for you.

Judith

10-30-2003, 01:49 PM

Originally posted by NYPinTA
Gee stellar, thanks. Like having 99 Red Ballons stuck in my head wasn't enough!!

When it gets stuck in your head, is it the german version, or the english version?

Damn...now I have to go download 99 red balloons.

grinner

10-30-2003, 01:51 PM

Fade to Black has everything a power ballad needs... slow music and powerful lyrics

I also must say that BOC's 'Don't Fear the Reaper' is one of my favorite almost power ballads ever.

stellar

10-30-2003, 01:52 PM

Originally posted by Sunderflame
Freebird by Lenard Skynerd, That Smell and Cocaine. And yes I know I spelled that wrong.

Not one of these is a power ballad. Freebird? I mean come on.

Power ballads are sung by Bon Jovi, Poison... all slow KISS songs are power ballads. Fade to Black... I have to research that but I don't think so.

18 & Life - Skid Row - Power Ballad

Turn The Page - Bob Seger - NOT Power Ballad.

jason

10-30-2003, 01:53 PM

ooh ooh ooh I change my vote...

"Silent Lucidity" - Queensryche

Forgot about that one the first time around.

-Jason

stellar

10-30-2003, 01:54 PM

Originally posted by Judith_Shakespeare
When it gets stuck in your head, is it the german version, or the english version?

Damn...now I have to go download 99 red balloons.

I think it's the English version that gets stuck in your head. I have to go download it. Regardless, it's not a power ballad. To be honest with you I though Nena was retarded for the longest time before I found out she was German. Can I say that without being edited?

NebariNookiee

10-30-2003, 01:55 PM

Fade to Black is classified as a power ballad. Simple riff, heartfelt emotion, powerful lyrics -- yes, in sections it get's heavy -- that's why it's a "power" ballad.

grinner

10-30-2003, 01:55 PM

Originally posted by jason
ooh ooh ooh I change my vote...

"Silent Lucidity" - Queensryche

Forgot about that one the first time around.

-Jason ugh... I loathe 'Silent Stupidity'... gosh what a pretentious band Queensryche was... ugh.

NebariNookiee

10-30-2003, 01:57 PM

Queensryche's "Operation: Mindcrime" is one of the best albums ever made!!!

jason

10-30-2003, 01:57 PM

:p @ grinner

LOVE the Ryche!!!!!!
Listening to Livecrime right now!!
-Jason

stellar

10-30-2003, 01:58 PM

Originally posted by grinner
ugh... I loathe 'Silent Stupidity'... gosh what a pretentious band Queensryche was... ugh.

Yeah... Metalica is not full of themselves at all... not.

Operation Mindcrime is awesome! Mary!?!

grinner

10-30-2003, 01:58 PM

well NN... there we have to disagree. I think that Operation Mindcrime is total pretentious trash... a throwaway album.

grinner

10-30-2003, 01:59 PM

Originally posted by stellar
Yeah... Metalica is not full of themselves at all... not.

Operation Mindcrime is awesome! and that is why I haven't liked a Metallica album since And Justice for All...

NebariNookiee

10-30-2003, 02:01 PM

DEATH TO BOB ROCK!!!!!!!!!

stellar

10-30-2003, 02:02 PM

Yeah!!! That somewhat producing piece of dren.

Somewhat produce this, Bob!

NYPinTA

10-30-2003, 02:03 PM

Originally posted by NebariNookiee
DEATH TO BOB ROCK!!!!!!!!!

:rollin: :rollin:

grinner

10-30-2003, 02:04 PM

I mean... Metallica was cool before James thought he could sing... when he would scream and shout... I mean come on... he can't sing a lick... Bob Rock sucks... that is one of the reasons that Jason left the band

Judith

10-30-2003, 02:05 PM

Originally posted by stellar
I think it's the English version that gets stuck in your head. I have to go download it. Regardless, it's not a power ballad. To be honest with you I though Nena was retarded for the longest time before I found out she was German. Can I say that without being edited?

Didn't say it was...don't even know what a power ballad is.

When it gets stuck it my head in german, it goes like this:

"Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo CAPTAIN KIRK!".

Johnsgirl727

10-30-2003, 02:12 PM

Originally posted by NebariNookiee
Queensryche's "Operation: Mindcrime" is one of the best albums ever made!!!
I agree. :aok:

NebariNookiee

10-30-2003, 02:14 PM

My first band I was ever in started as a Metallica cover band -- only because they were the one band who we knew the most material from -- so we dove into learning as much of their music as we could. When we broke up we could play all of Kill'em All, Master of Puppets and the Black album, all of Ride the Lightning except for "Escape" and all of ...And Justice for All except for "To Live Is To Die." I can still play most of the songs to this day. My point is that I had studied them so much and for so long that I had learned and understood the Metallica "musical language." Metallica had a specific style that most people attempting to cover couldn’t pick up on. We could play these songs “verbatim” and were damn proud of it.

Anyway – I remember picking up “Load”. About a month after I had picked it up I sat down and attempted to play the songs. In one setting -- without reading tablature or anything -- no one showing me how -- I played the whole album first try. It’s too frelling simple.

Reload and St. Anger should NOT have been made. I don't care what Bob Rock thinks he did for them -- what he accomplished was the utter destruction and "p*ssying down" of one of THE greatest metal acts of all time.

uisceboo

10-30-2003, 02:17 PM

Judith, that's 99Luftbalons (99 Red Balloons). the German version was so much better that the English.

My power ballad: "Break Your Heart" -- Barenaked Ladies -- Damn, Steve Page can belt one out.

NYPinTA

10-30-2003, 02:19 PM

Originally posted by NebariNookiee
Queensryche's "Operation: Mindcrime" is one of the best albums ever made!!!

Agreed.

My ex has a rule- Never buy the second album produced by Bob Rock--of any band.

jason

10-30-2003, 02:21 PM

If you like Mindcrime I'd highly recommend checking out "Operation Livecrime" if you haven't already! The live version of "Suite Sister Mary" is worth the price of admission alone. Both the cd and dvd are amazing!!!!!!

-Jason

NebariNookiee

10-30-2003, 02:24 PM

My ex has a rule- Never buy the second album produced by Bob Rock--of any band.
AMEN!!!!!
I saw Queensryche a few years back and they put on an awesome show -- got to meet them and get autographs too. They had Jackle opening for them! The whole show rocked!

NYPinTA

10-30-2003, 02:32 PM

Yeah, they do kick ass live. Real tight. And Geoff Tate's voice-- Amazing!

grinner

10-30-2003, 03:03 PM

Blah...

NYPinTA

10-30-2003, 03:05 PM

Originally posted by grinner
Blah... :ppbb:

Third EYe

10-30-2003, 03:31 PM

I like "Stop Me" by Anvil

"March of the Crabs" is pretty good too.

RustySlinky

10-30-2003, 04:35 PM

"Yellow" by *Coldplay* I like. Power Ballad? . . . For you I bleed myself - dry. . .

Link to video: http://www.virtuetv.com/clients/emi/coldplay/emi_coldplay_yellow_56.asx

Lord Loser

10-30-2003, 06:29 PM

Quite possibly the greatest 'unassisted triple play' ever put together.
Ride the lightning
For whom the bell tolls
Fade to Black...

My favorite power balad
Holiday -- Scorp's

stellar

10-30-2003, 07:40 PM

Is it just me or is Axl Rose in the top 2 or 3 ranking for front men of all time? Too bad he's such a dick.

Power Ballad - Home Sweet Home - Motley Crue

Not Power Ballad - Anything by AC/DC

quendi

10-30-2003, 08:57 PM

"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" by Meatloaf

"Troy" by Sinéad O'Connor

NYPinTA

10-31-2003, 07:21 AM

Originally posted by Lord Loser
...My favorite power balad
Holiday -- Scorp's

Another great song. :aok:

And Dream On by Aerosmith.

Kurt_eh

10-31-2003, 08:13 AM

My favourite Power Ball Ad was the one where that guy wins and...

Oops, Power Ballad! My mistake ;) :rolleyes:

MJS

10-31-2003, 08:15 AM

Kiss: God gave rock´n roll to you.
Maybe not power ballad: Mama I´m comign home by Ozzy & friends

ipimen

10-31-2003, 08:49 AM

how about Heaven by Bryan Adams? Not a PB?
Then Every Rose has its thorne by Poison, oh i have one really cool: "If i close my eyes forever" by Ozzy Osbourne and Lita Ford :D

stellar

10-31-2003, 09:02 AM

Originally posted by ipimen
"If i close my eyes forever" by Ozzy Osbourne and Lita Ford :D

There you go! The rare Duet Power Ballad.

xaysana10

11-01-2003, 10:29 PM

Another power ballad fan :beer:

Some of may favorties that I can think of right now:
Sister Christian ~ Night Ranger
I Remember You ~ Skid Row
Fly to the Angles ~ Slaughter

And some more recent songs that may be considered a power ballad:
Here Without You ~ 3 Doors Down
Bring Me to Life ~ Evanescance

Judith

11-02-2003, 12:29 AM

Still don't know what a power ballad is.

You've put up lots of examples, but I haven't heard any of them. I guess I have heard Sister Christian, but that's about it.

Johnsgirl727

11-02-2003, 04:20 AM

Originally posted by xaysana10

I Remember You ~ Skid Row
Fly to the Angles ~ Slaughter
Bring Me to Life ~ Evanescance
Great songs!

Sawyer's Miller

11-02-2003, 06:54 AM

I can't believe you guys missed this:

Stairway To Heaven ~ Led Zeppelin

Get those lighters out!

grinner

11-02-2003, 06:56 AM

My girlfriend's girlfriend - Type O Negative... hey... it works for me:P

stellar

11-02-2003, 08:15 AM

Originally posted by Sawyer's Miller
I can't believe you guys missed this:

Stairway To Heaven ~ Led Zeppelin

Get those lighters out!

Technically, Stairway to Heaven is a make-out song and not a power ballad. It's borderline, but while all power ballads are, to some degree, make-out songs, not all make-out songs are power ballads. The subject matter counts in a power ballad. Generally about a girl (if the girl's name is in the title - this is a plus); can be about a feeling about a girl. Degree of cheesiness is also important in the power ballad.

grinner

11-02-2003, 08:21 AM

stellar... this is meant as no disrespect to you or anything like that... but... who made you arbiter of Power Ballads. It would be personal oppinion on what someone thinks of as a power ballad. Just like some of you like Queensryche and I don't... it is personal opinion. Some might say that Welcome Home(Sanitarium) isn't a power ballad... but if Fade to Black is a power ballad, an argument could be made for Welcome Home(Sanitarium)

Sawyer's Miller

11-02-2003, 09:17 AM

Originally posted by stellar
Technically, Stairway to Heaven is a make-out song and not a power ballad. It's borderline, but while all power ballads are, to some degree, make-out songs, not all make-out songs are power ballads. The subject matter counts in a power ballad. Generally about a girl (if the girl's name is in the title - this is a plus); can be about a feeling about a girl. Degree of cheesiness is also important in the power ballad.

:rollin: Oh boy. I don't know whether to laugh or cry here.
<flame on>
Stairway - not cheesy? Well Robert Plant the guy who wrote the lyrics hasn't performed the song live since Live Aid. He thinks it's very cheesy.

Oh, and there is definately a reference to a girl. "There's a lady who's sure all that glitters..."

Have you ever heard the Rolf Harris version? Man that was the Gorgonzola of cheese. Grinner- you'd have loved it!

BTW Have you seen "Wayne's World" recently - remember the whole denied gag? I thought it was *very* funny - because I've been there...Well the shop had a Gibson double neck on display, it had to be done... :shrug:

Tellin' me which song fits in which pidgeon hole...I've been a Zep head longer than I care to say. Let's just say the Mullet was a fish and not a hair cut back then. Hell when Robert Plant decided back in '90 that LedZep were kinda cool after all - I was there in the front row of the Manic Nirvana tour - listening to songs like No Quarter played live for the first time since '77.

See what happens? I've gone and gone off on one. And at my age too....
</flame on> :cough: recover sense of humour...

"Does anybody remember laughter?"

stellar

11-02-2003, 09:56 AM

Originally posted by grinner
stellar... this is meant as no disrespect to you or anything like that... but... who made you arbiter of Power Ballads.

Nobody made me the arbiter of Power Ballads, but it is something that I'm working towards. I appreciate your patience. Patience - Guns N' Roses = Power Ballad.

stellar

11-02-2003, 10:05 AM

Originally posted by Sawyer's Miller
Stairway - not cheesy? Well Robert Plant the guy who wrote the lyrics hasn't performed the song live since Live Aid. He thinks it's very cheesy.

Oh, and there is definately a reference to a girl. "There's a lady who's sure all that glitters..."

Have you ever heard the Rolf Harris version? Man that was the Gorgonzola of cheese. Grinner- you'd have loved it!

BTW Have you seen "Wayne's World" recently - remember the whole denied gag? I thought it was *very* funny - because I've been there...Well the shop had a Gibson double neck on display, it had to be done... :shrug:

I though that Plant wouldn't sing/play it without Page and vice-versa.

That bit in Wayne's World was pretty good. Trivia: In the film version, the riff Mike Myers was playing was recognizably STH, but in the video/HBO relase it is not recognizable. For legal reasons, you see. I didn't see the movie in the theater, so I can't verify it; however on VHS it doesn't sound like STH.

Power Ballad pigeon-holeing is not an exact science. It's more like interpretive dance. This is my art.

Actually, I'd like some advice on whether or not I should buy How The West Was Won. I've got BBC Recordings and I listen to it ad naseum. I really like the Blues tangents on that album. Is HTWWW better? equal? not worth the $25?

Sawyer's Miller

11-02-2003, 10:36 AM

No worries - I was trying to be funny...

Page & Plant worked together in the mid 1990s - producing two albums (The unledded album for MTV Unplugged - in which they were mostly plugged...) and Walking Into Clarksdale. I read an interview with Jimmy Page recently - basically he doesn't know why Robert won't play Stairway.

I quite like HTWWW - Over The Hills And Far Away is excellent - the stand-out part of the 3 disc set is the acoustic set. Fantastic stuff.

I would also contemplate getting the two disc DVD. I ripped the soundtrack into CDs for my car. They haven't left it since. :)

Lord Loser

11-02-2003, 07:36 PM

Originally posted by grinner
Some might say that Welcome Home(Sanitarium) isn't a power ballad... but if Fade to Black is a power ballad, an argument could be made for Welcome Home(Sanitarium) This is a good point, but I think the key is 'balad'. Even though Sanatarium is my favorite song from Master, I don't think that it would qualify as a balad. Hmmm, though the more I think about it, a balad is not necessarily a love song. So I guess the case can be made for both. But if you're going to include Sanatarium, then I suppose we'll also have to include Rooster by Alice in Chains, as it probably qualifies under the same circumstances. Interesting...