What's your favorite (non-country) power ballad?

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 28 Mar 2011 2:32 pm

I had hoped to use the Wikipedia citation as a shortcut but I now feel compelled to clarify what I mean by "power ballad."

My power ballads are characterized by some or all of the following elements:

Soft/loud dynamics
Jangly acoustic guitars (preferably twelve-string) followed by crunchy power chords (e.g, E, A)
Electric guitars heavily amped for maximum impact
The singer is usually yearning for lost/absent love
Key modulation to enhance the sense of urgency
Over the top wailing: either the singer or the guitarist
Building to an overwhelming climax or release of the emotional variety

You can mix in a little guilty pleasure too - ever listened to "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus?

Dave, I'll probably burn your suggestions on to a "Torch Song" CD.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 28 Mar 2011 2:50 pm

It's seems to me that "power ballads" are associated with the 1980s... slow/medium tempos, soaring vocal performances, soaring guitars or synth, key changes, lots of emotion and histrionics, and big hair!

Some that come to mind:

* I Want To Know What Love Is: Foreigner

* Open Arms: Journey

* I Don't Want to Miss a Thing: Aerosmith

My Favorites? None of them. $:\$

Dana Blodgett · Post by **Dana Blodgett** » 28 Mar 2011 3:17 pm

How about "Staiway to Heaven" by Led Zepplin?

Robert Mayo · Post by **Robert Mayo** » 28 Mar 2011 3:43 pm

Now as for contemporary songs ...Powderfinger,Cortez the killer,Cowgirl in the sand,Down by the river , all by Neil Young.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 29 Mar 2011 4:58 am

At least two or three band members need to have leather trousers and long hair to make it look authentic. I'm only joking.
"Heat Of The Moment" by Asia is another candidate.

Glenn Suchan · Post by **Glenn Suchan** » 30 Mar 2011 1:49 pm

At this moment, three come to mind:

Etta James: "I'd Rather Go Blind"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YApNirMC9gM

Aretha Franklin: "Prove It"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fU0qNdVe4A

Tracy Nelson: "Down So Low"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThhOewiZWu8

... with an honorable mention to:

Becky Barksdale; "Handle With Care"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwF0MgZgmO8

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 31 Mar 2011 4:42 am

I think the Powerballad is mainly and eighties' music related thing. I like most of the songs better that were mentioned outside of this realm, but they're no power ballads in the real meaning of the word.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 31 Mar 2011 7:38 am

I heard the term 'power ballad' used much, much earlier, especially to Roy Orbison and certain soul singers using a particularly strong rhythmic ballad feel. If Roy wasn't a 'power ballad' singer, then such a term can't be applied to anybody, IMO.

To say that old-school power ballads aren't power ballads because only corporate big-hair-rock power ballads are 'actual' power ballads because that's the way the corporate-rock world wants it is analogous to saying that old-school country music isn't country music because the 'actual' country music is what's coming out of Nashville today - that you should refer to the other as "hillbilly" or "classic country" or whatever, to make a distinction from the genuine article that the suits are pushing now. And this makes as little sense as insisting that the only 'real' country music was made in the 50s and 60s. Appropriate labels often transcend eras. You used the label 'torch songs' - that really started much earlier in the swing-jazz era. No problem using it for later stuff, and it does fit, but it's a more generic term and doesn't necessarily imply the power-ballad rhythmic style. A power ballad has a definite strong-rhythmic-ballad feel. The rhythmic feel of various torch songs can be quite different.

I understand now that the OP wants to restrict to corporate big-hair-rock power ballads. Over and out, but that wasn't the thread title.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 31 Mar 2011 7:52 am

I stick to my opinion. "Pretty Woman By Roy Orbison" had it's gentle moments. I wonder what Van Halen and his singer would have done with this song.
I never liked "Love Hurts" by Nazareth, I'll stick with the Everly's and Gram's version. If i try to define it it doesn't mean I lke it. But I like a few

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 31 Mar 2011 7:55 am

I wonder what Van Halen and his singer would have done with this song.

I assume you're joking. (I missed the smiley on that one).

FWIW - "Pretty Woman" wasn't in my list of power ballads. It was a rocker from the get-go.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 31 Mar 2011 8:00 am

I was not joking, just imagining. I'm out of here.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 31 Mar 2011 8:03 am

Sorry, no offense intended, but this is what I was referring to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spvhWQh61fM

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 31 Mar 2011 8:11 am

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 31 Mar 2011 9:30 am

YMMV.

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 31 Mar 2011 2:38 pm

Joachim Kettner wrote:I never liked "Love Hurts" by Nazareth, I'll stick with the Everly's and Gram's version. If i try to define it it doesn't mean I lke it. But I like a few

"Dream On" is Nazareth's best power ballad. It was written by the band, and Dan McCafferty is actually singing instead of shrieking as he normally does.

But speaking of power ballads, "Without You" comes to my mind. I like Badfinger's version the best. Harry Nilsson's version is too polished and Heart destroys the song completely.

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 2 Apr 2011 10:49 am

One of my favorites is "Solitaire" by Neil Sedaka and also his slow version of "Breakin' Up is Hard to Do".

Though she's mainly considered a country singer, I think Trisha Yearwood's "The Song Remembers When" would rank right up there with the best of 'em........JH in Va.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 2 Apr 2011 11:37 am

Here's a blurb from Wikipedia regarding the power ballad:

Power Ballads

Simon Frith identifies the origins of the power ballad in the emotional singing of soul artists, particularly Ray Charles and the adaptation of this style by figures such as Eric Burdon, Tom Jones and Joe Cocker to produce slow tempo songs often building to a loud and emotive chorus backed by drums, electric guitars and sometimes choirs.

According to Charles Aaron, power ballads came into existence in the early 1970s, when rock stars attempted to convey profound messages to audiences. He argues that the power ballad broke into the mainstream of American consciousness in 1976 as FM radio gave a new lease of life to earlier songs like Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" (1971), Aerosmith's "Dream On" (1973), and Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" (1974). Other notable examples include Nazareth's version of "Love Hurts" (1975), Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is", Scorpions "Still Loving You", (both 1984), Heart's "What About Love" (1985) and Whitesnake's "Is This Love" (1987).

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 2 Apr 2011 11:41 am

Though she's mainly considered a country singer, I think Trisha Yearwood's "The Song Remembers When" would rank right up there with the best of 'em........JH in Va.

Good call Jerry, I would also add "On a Bus to St. Cloud" as another one of her notable contributions.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 2 Apr 2011 12:23 pm

There is only one power ballad I will admit to liking as it is probably my least favorite form of music (hairspray drenched rockers with pointy guitars and tights):

Dream On by Aerosmith. The best of them all.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 2 Apr 2011 1:04 pm

It's not my favorite genre either. Most of it doesn't stand up very well over the years.... sounds kind of dated, 70s and 80s, overblown and pompous. Other than that it's fine.

Gary Meyer · Post by **Gary Meyer** » 3 Apr 2011 11:54 am

Jeff becks version of "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" (Charles Mingus tune). No vocals,but somehow it seems like it should qualify (maybe a sub genre).

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 4 Apr 2011 6:41 am

Sorry fellas but, for me, it's been, handsdown,

Counting Flowers on the Wall.

(With a honorable mention to "They're Coming to Take Me Away...)

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 4 Apr 2011 7:28 am

Ray Minich wrote:Sorry fellas but, for me, it's been, handsdown,

Counting Flowers on the Wall.

non-country ?
power ?
ballad ?

.... OK

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 4 Apr 2011 7:30 am

Little Stevie Wonder's Joy Inside My Tears (now playing) has my vote.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 25 Apr 2011 6:02 am

"Maria" by Blondie.

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What's your favorite (non-country) power ballad?

what's your favorite power ballad

Well at least this comes to min...Jeff Beck's