Mountain excelled with power ballads, and much earlier in time than most that have been mentioned:
Theme for an Imaginary Western
For Yasgur's Farm
My Lady
Nantucket Sleighride
etc...
I totally agree with Gruno about the Skids' Quicksand Jesus. (Which brings readily to mind In a Darkened Room and Wasted Time off of the same album- 1991's Slave to the Grind).
In addition, I echo Yaman Aksu in his partiality to Marillion's Sugar Mice. (I'm a Wisconsinite, after all, and to my knowledge it's the only prog tune to mention Milwaukee.)
5.) Dream Theater- The Spirit Carries On
4.) Transatlantic- We All Need Some Light
3.) Nightwish- Swanheart
2.) Queensryche- Silent Lucidity
1.) Pink Floyd- Comfortably Numb
'The smell of strange colours are heard everywhere'- Threshold
I've always had a soft spot for this hair-metal power-ballad classic:
Who can forget that classic by Sherriff called "When I'm With You"?
I used to love that song back in high school.
Library Jon
PG's Ghost - Nice to see you here, my block off the old chip!
Now keep posting. There are too many people here who want to know you're here to keep the old man honest, Pete!
"My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician, and to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference"
President Harry S. Truman
Headed for a Heartbreak - Winger
Great power ballad enhanced by amazing solo by Reb Beach evoking Allan Holdsworth in the outro.
For the record "power ballads" can come from pop, blues, hard rock, metal, they aren't restricted to heavy rock.
Last edited by PeterG; 02-22-2013 at 03:24 AM.
Some great ones here with "I Saw Red," "When I'm with You," "Headin' for a Heartbreak," "Silent Lucidity" - love 'em all.
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
An answer later but expect something from some of the following Whitesnake, Bad Company, Rainbow, Springsteen, Dire Straits, ELO, Styx, Meat Loaf, Queen, Thin Lizzy, Fleetwood Mac, Supertramp, Foreigner on my list!
If it's possible to have a blues "power ballad", then I have to add Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble's Life Without You, particularly the typically incendiary live versions (such as the one on the In Step remaster), where SRV would take off on the guitar solo and wail for several minutes.
re: More than a Feeling.
I fall into the 'not a power ballad' camp...No one feels the urge to whip out a lighter for that one....anything with that kind of 'chugging' chorus is not a power ballad, IMO.
Now the other Boston tunz mentions (e.g. Amanda, Holly Ann): power ballad.
What about:
"Nobody's Fool" - Cinderella? 1st time @ 2nd base with that one!
"When the Children Cry" - White Lion (though lyric-wise, doesn't really fit the power ballad theme)
"Carrie" - Europe
Death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit
I almost forgot about The Police's "Every Breath You Take."
Library Jon
So Gruno's response to Winger got me thinking about the amazing Tears For Fears and one of my favourite songs of all time, Woman In Chains.
I never would have classed it as a power ballad but it has all the attributes? Plenty of power when Phil Collins comes in with his signature style - Oleta Adams deserves equal billing on this one.
Todd Rundgren "Hello, It's Me", "I Saw The Light"
Libray Jon
I'm with you on that. I think "power ballad" is a product of 80s hair metal. Now I know many will disagree, and that's fine. But when I think of power ballads I think 80s, commercial, sticky sweet, hairspray bands with teased hair and puppy dog eyes ...re: More than a Feeling.
I fall into the 'not a power ballad' camp...
There've been some good rock ballads though. Boston has done a couple I've liked, but I stopped caring about Boston because it seems like all they do is sappy ballads with big guitar chords. Ballads have ruined a few bands over the last 3-4 decades.
Ruined in my eyes I guess. The ballads helped those bands commercially, obviously. I mainly thinking of Chicago and Journey. They started out as adventurous, fusiony rock bands, then they had a few very popular ballads and that was that.
Being a child of the '80s, I'm a sucker for some power ballards:
Corey Hart - Never Surrender
Heart - Alone , These Dreams , What About Love , All I Want To Do Is Make Love To You
Jefferson Starship - Miracles
Pat Benatar - We Belong
Great White - Save Your Love
Your list is impressive. I think I love you, sonic.
What about these other power ballads & standard ballads from the artists you chose. Do you like these below:
"Stranded", "The Woman In Me"
Ever heard the original? How about her other ones like "One Love", "Painted Desert", "Somebody's Baby", "Everytime I Fall Back"?
"House Of Broken Love"?
Actually I cheated. I used a list of power ballads to quickly compile some good ones I know. If I worked at it I'm sure I could dig up more. But Heart and Pat Benatar were artists that first came to mind ... along with Vixen. Chalk in this one:
Vixen — Cryin', On the Edge of a Broken Heart.
That is the original is it not? The writers apparently did their own version later, but I haven't heard it yet.Pat Benatar - We Belong
Ever heard the original?
Great White have quite a few I think. Can't remember them all though.Great White - Save Your Love
"House Of Broken Love"?
And then there's Whitesnake — Whitesnake - Is This Love , Here I Go Again, Don't Break My Heart Again
Ozzy Osbourne — Goodbye To Romance
Too many to mention.
Last edited by sonic; 02-24-2013 at 02:37 PM.
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