Late Night Music Part 11...............80's Hair Band Power Ballads
We all remember them- the "slow songs" heavy metal, glam rock, punk rock, and hard rock bands would put out to A- get on the Top 40 and B- build a wider fanbase. We all remember the lit cigarette lighters, arms swaying, the tears, and the hair blowing in the wind machines. I always thought the "Monster Ballads" CD commercial was hilarious in saying "every bad boy has a soft side". To qualify for this list, the song had to be released in the 80's even if the band existed in other decades. Also receiving votes in this category were "The Flame" by Cheap Trick, "Heaven" by Warrant, "Easy" by Faith No More", and "Fade to Black" by Metallica, but I was afraid of getting sued by Lars Ulrich. On to the list.
Tesla- "Love Song". This song DRIPS of power ballad-ness. Seriously, can this song be any more emotional? It's seriously almost like a country song. Interesting fact- I know someone who walked down the aisle to this song at her wedding, and I am SO serious. I guess I could see the redneck aspect of this song. Tesla is one of those bands that always seems to be forgotten in the 80's hair band talk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_2w4vl9mt8
Poison- "Every Rose Has Its Thorn". One of the last power ballads, Brett Michaels just shows how awesome he was before he turned into the idiot on the trailer trash of America show "Rock of Love". This is one of the few on this list that actually sounds REALLY good with just a guy sitting down playing on an acoustic guitar. Also one of my favorite karaoke songs, it is not only Poison's biggest hit, it was also their last. Ironic, I guess every rose DOES have its thorn.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFIKPGVTwEY
Europe- "Carrie". Europe is barely good enough to be on this list. Other than this song and their contribution to NBA jump ball's "The Final Countdown", what did these guys even do besides be another really bad band with geography in their name (America, Little Texas, Kansas, Boston, Miami Sound Machine, Londonbeat, etc.). Hilarious opening to this video though- the opening lyrics are "when lights go down", but what happens right when these words are sung? Watch and see!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj1JXL-zvyw
Foreigner- "Waiting For a Girl Like You". Another great forgotten band of the era. Lou Gramm had the perm for the white man rockin' and kept it flowing even in his old age. This performance from 1993 is included because I saw Foreigner perform at a water park, yes you read that correctly, a water park in Jackson on this same tour. For some reason I remember those two cars being on the stage set. Just goes to show how much power ballads were in demand just a few years later.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXjJCbA5qc4
Bon Jovi- "Wanted Dead or Alive". We all remember this song and the accompanying movie "Young Guns". This song put "Slippery When Wet" on the map and jumped into every karaoke joint in America after Jon Bon Jovi became spokesman for the geriatric rockers of America and trying to steal camera face time watching Philadelphia Soul Arena Football, which he owned. Only problem- I really can't see Jon Bon Jovi as a cowboy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFro05ieV5c
Scorpions- "Wind of Change". Our friends from Germany really made a huge splash with this hit. I love the fact that lead singer Klaus Meine is really whistling. No crackers for him before the show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2Eyao-2KWo
Motley Crue- "Home Sweet Home". Some people call this 1985 mega hit "the original power ballad", and it's a great song, but I have NEVER really been on the Motley Crue band wagon. Also, how can you really think this song is heart felt when it's on the album "Theater of Pain"?.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4457H6Gxd8
Def Leppard- "Bringin' On the Heartbreak". Great pre-mainstream Def Leppard. Also before Phil Collem joined the band and officially disqualified them from being a "hair band". If you are wondering what I'm taking about, look at any picture of Def Leppard from "Pyromania" or "Hysteria" and tell me if I'm wrong. Also, Rick Allen is one of the best drummers ever, but will he please put a shirt on sometime this millenium? Joe Elliott also fails the fashion test with his Flock of Seagulls-esque outfit. Anyway, these guys still rock.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1-j9hEPenM
Aerosmith- "Angel". Aerosmith's 1987 power ballad put them back on the map along with their comeback album "Permanent Vacation". Steven Tyler absolutely ROCKS this song. For my money, I don't think any band can do a power ballad better than Aerosmith.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQQV2m6QyBE
Journey- "Open Arms". Ok this one is iffy. Was Journey really a hair band? They were abunch of guys with long hair that claimed to be a hard rock band, but made all of their hits from power ballads, even on their "comeback tour" in the late 90's. Tell me if you can watch this video and notice something that should stick out like a sore thumb to you that is different than all the other ones.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfYInIWoO1k
Starship- "We Built This City on Rock n Roll". Just for good measure and a good laugh, this is how you DON'T make a power ballad. How funny is it to believe that this is the SAME GROUP that while called Jefferson Airplane, had the psychedelic Woodstock hit "Don't you want somebody to love you"? Seriously, Starship might be the biggest embarassment in the history of "rock n roll", and should have set a precedent in changing your band name too many times. Anyway, enjoy the video, thanks for reading everyone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsdj9NRzqC4
Tesla- "Love Song". This song DRIPS of power ballad-ness. Seriously, can this song be any more emotional? It's seriously almost like a country song. Interesting fact- I know someone who walked down the aisle to this song at her wedding, and I am SO serious. I guess I could see the redneck aspect of this song. Tesla is one of those bands that always seems to be forgotten in the 80's hair band talk.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Poison- "Every Rose Has Its Thorn". One of the last power ballads, Brett Michaels just shows how awesome he was before he turned into the idiot on the trailer trash of America show "Rock of Love". This is one of the few on this list that actually sounds REALLY good with just a guy sitting down playing on an acoustic guitar. Also one of my favorite karaoke songs, it is not only Poison's biggest hit, it was also their last. Ironic, I guess every rose DOES have its thorn.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Europe- "Carrie". Europe is barely good enough to be on this list. Other than this song and their contribution to NBA jump ball's "The Final Countdown", what did these guys even do besides be another really bad band with geography in their name (America, Little Texas, Kansas, Boston, Miami Sound Machine, Londonbeat, etc.). Hilarious opening to this video though- the opening lyrics are "when lights go down", but what happens right when these words are sung? Watch and see!
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Foreigner- "Waiting For a Girl Like You". Another great forgotten band of the era. Lou Gramm had the perm for the white man rockin' and kept it flowing even in his old age. This performance from 1993 is included because I saw Foreigner perform at a water park, yes you read that correctly, a water park in Jackson on this same tour. For some reason I remember those two cars being on the stage set. Just goes to show how much power ballads were in demand just a few years later.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Bon Jovi- "Wanted Dead or Alive". We all remember this song and the accompanying movie "Young Guns". This song put "Slippery When Wet" on the map and jumped into every karaoke joint in America after Jon Bon Jovi became spokesman for the geriatric rockers of America and trying to steal camera face time watching Philadelphia Soul Arena Football, which he owned. Only problem- I really can't see Jon Bon Jovi as a cowboy.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Scorpions- "Wind of Change". Our friends from Germany really made a huge splash with this hit. I love the fact that lead singer Klaus Meine is really whistling. No crackers for him before the show.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Motley Crue- "Home Sweet Home". Some people call this 1985 mega hit "the original power ballad", and it's a great song, but I have NEVER really been on the Motley Crue band wagon. Also, how can you really think this song is heart felt when it's on the album "Theater of Pain"?.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Def Leppard- "Bringin' On the Heartbreak". Great pre-mainstream Def Leppard. Also before Phil Collem joined the band and officially disqualified them from being a "hair band". If you are wondering what I'm taking about, look at any picture of Def Leppard from "Pyromania" or "Hysteria" and tell me if I'm wrong. Also, Rick Allen is one of the best drummers ever, but will he please put a shirt on sometime this millenium? Joe Elliott also fails the fashion test with his Flock of Seagulls-esque outfit. Anyway, these guys still rock.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Aerosmith- "Angel". Aerosmith's 1987 power ballad put them back on the map along with their comeback album "Permanent Vacation". Steven Tyler absolutely ROCKS this song. For my money, I don't think any band can do a power ballad better than Aerosmith.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Journey- "Open Arms". Ok this one is iffy. Was Journey really a hair band? They were abunch of guys with long hair that claimed to be a hard rock band, but made all of their hits from power ballads, even on their "comeback tour" in the late 90's. Tell me if you can watch this video and notice something that should stick out like a sore thumb to you that is different than all the other ones.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
Starship- "We Built This City on Rock n Roll". Just for good measure and a good laugh, this is how you DON'T make a power ballad. How funny is it to believe that this is the SAME GROUP that while called Jefferson Airplane, had the psychedelic Woodstock hit "Don't you want somebody to love you"? Seriously, Starship might be the biggest embarassment in the history of "rock n roll", and should have set a precedent in changing your band name too many times. Anyway, enjoy the video, thanks for reading everyone.
http://www.youtube.com/wat
That's not Larry Bird in the back, it's Phil Collem, see what I mean?
If I could only be this cool......
Still rockin' hard after all these years
From Woodstock to this......congratulations!
posted by General 5A Pigott at 5:22 PM
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