5 80s power ballads I still love

I’m unashamedly a child of the 80s; I’m too young to remember much before 88, but I’m fascinated by the clothing, the big hair and mullets, the songs. I love U2, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, but for a guilty pleasure you can’t go past the power ballads. These are some of the ones I still love… so come on, get out your iPod and have a listen; no-one needs to know. ;)

5) The Flame Cheap TrickI’ve never been quite sure what the lyrics to The Flame really mean, if the song is about loss or it it’s a statement between lovers. If it is actually the former, then it’s quite like The Police’s Every Breath You Take – a song about obsession and not really a ballad at all.

4) I Want To Know What Love Is ForeignerOne of my favourite angst songs, I always loved the This mountain I must climb/Feels like a world upon my shoulders line. It went to #1 in Aus, the US and the UK, so I guess I’m not the only one.

3) Sweet Child O’ Mine Guns N’ RosesIt would be hard not to include Axl Rose and Guns ‘N Roses in a list like this, but Sweet Child O’ Mine is one of my favourite songs anyway; I love the vulnerability of the song and the guitar solos (of course). Just don’t listen to the cut version; if you’ve only ever heard the edit, you’ve never heard Sweet Child O’ Mine.

2) Home Sweet Home Mötley CrüeHome Sweet Home was probably one of the first hit songs of the MTV generation; its first release never got past #89 in the US, but it was MTV’s most requested song for four months straight. I must admit, I know it more from the ’91 re-release, but it’s a great song.

1) Holding Out for a Hero/Total Eclipse of the Heart Bonnie TylerOkay, so I’m cheating a bit here with two songs, but I can’t separate them so I’m going for the artist instead; if I had to think of one artist to represent the 80s, Bonnie Tyler would get my vote – huge songs, way overdone, but fun as hell. I love Bonnie Tyler as well because of Cate Blanchett in Bandits; if you haven’t seen the scene where she dances to Holding Out for a Hero while chopping vegetables, you don’t know what you’re missing. :)

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4 responses to “5 80s power ballads I still love”

  1. Roads Avatar
    Roads

    Some great choices there, CJ. I can remember having loads of fun with Bonnie T’s It’s a hard egg.Here are a few from my own list from that period. Enjoy.CJ: Thanks Roads! I just think Bonnie Tyler’s songs are such fun; so infectious. When I was younger I used to love parodying them. Now I just watch Cate Blanchett dancing!Great playlist as well. Stevie Nicks, Crowded House, Natalie Imbruglia, Time After Time, Don’t Speak, they’d all be on mine too. :)

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  2. spiritualtravelman Avatar
    spiritualtravelman

    What about some Journey? You gotta love that bad right?FelipeCJ: Oh I love Journey! Open Arms and Don’t Stop Believin’ are classics. Now they’re in my head again!There are so many to choose from, and I wasn’t even able to do one of my favourites because it was from the 90s: Meat Loaf’s I’d Do Anything for Love. I might have to do another list! Thanks for the comment. ;)

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  3. alyndabear Avatar
    alyndabear

    Foreigner is on SingStar, and holding those long notes are KILLER. Good fun!CJ: I’ve played SingStar a couple of times; it’s great fun – though I can never hit the high notes! And there’s actually a SingStar Rock Ballads coming out soon; Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time, Poison’s Every Rose Has Its Thorn – and Meat Loaf’s I’d Do Anything For Love! I might have to check it out. ;)

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  4. Stevo Avatar
    Stevo

    Here is a list of 100 power ballads I made on playlist dot com for my 20 year high school reunion web site1. Every Rose Has It’s Thorn — Poison2. When The Children Cry — White Lion3. I Still Love You — Kiss4. Home Sweet Home — Motley Crue5. Wanted Dead Or Alive — Bon Jovi6. Love Bites — Def Leppard7. More Than Words — Extreme8. Surrender — Trixter9. Is This Love — Whitesnake10. Nobody’s Fool — Cinderella11. Headed For A Heartbreak — Winger12. Carrie — Europe13. Amanda — Boston14. Silent Lucidity — Queensryche15. Heaven — Warrant16. Love Song — Tesla17. Dont Know What You Got — Cinderella18. I Remember You — Skid Row19. Life Goes On — Poison20. Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad — Def Leppard21. The Angel Song — Great White22. The Flame — Cheap Trick23. Foolin’ — Def Leppard24. Screaming In The Night — Krokus25. Something To Believe In — Poison26. Close My Eyes Forever — Lita Ford27. Sister Christian — Night Ranger28. Forever — Kiss29. When I Look Into Your Eyes — Firehouse30. Love of a LiIfetime — Firehouse31. Feel It Again — Honeymoon Suite32. Miles Away — Winger33. Goodbye — Night Ranger34. Sentimental Street — Night Ranger35. Paradise — Tesla36. Sometimes She Cries — Warrant37. She’s Gone — Steelheart38. Angel Eyes — Steelheart39. Mama, I’m Coming Home — Ozzy Osbourne40. Dont Cry — Guns n Roses41. High Enough — Damn Yankees42. I’ll Be There For You — Bon Jovi43. Angel — Aerosmith44. Call To The Heart — Giuffria45. Bed Of Roses — Bon Jovi46. November Rain — Guns N’ Roses47. Wind of Change — Scorpions48. Send Me An Angel — Scorpions49. I’ll See You In My Dreams — Giant50. Crying — Vixen51. Love Walked In — Thunder52. All I Want To Do Is Make Love To You — Heart53. Alone — Heart54. Save Your Love — Great White55. Still Loving You — Scorpions56. Honestly — Stryper57. Two Steps Behind (Acoustic) — Def Leppard58. I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing — Aerosmith59. Love Hurts — Nazareth60. Million Miles Away — Hanoi Rocks61. Love Is On The Way — Saigon Kick62. Patience — Guns ‘N Roses63. Kayleigh — Marillion64. Wasted Time — Skid Row65. Thunderbird — Quiet Riot66. Silence Is Broken — Damn Yankees67. never say — bon jovi68. If You Want My Love — Cheap Trick69. Crimson and Clover — Joan Jett70. Here I Go Again On My Own — Whitesnake71. Janie Got A Gun — Aerosmith72. Cryin — Aerosmith73. What About Love — Heart74. Bringin’ On The Heartbreak — Def Leppard75. Fly To The Angels — Slaughter76. To Be With You — Mr. Big77. Only Time Will Tell — Nelson78. Stone Cold — Rainbow79. Ball And Chain — Aldo Nova80. Dokken – Walk Away — Dokken81. KIX — Don’t Close Your Eyes mp382. Fly High Michelle — Enuff Z’Nuff83. What Does It Take — Honey Moon Suite84. Love Walks In — Van Halen85. Living In Sin — Bon Jovi86. A Man I’ll Never Be — Boston87. Dreamer — OZZY88. House Of Broken Love — Great White89. So Tired — Ozzy Osbourne90. When the Smoke is Going Down — The Scorpions91. Holiday — Scorpions92. Forever Free — W.A.S.P.93. Goodbye To Romance — Ozzy Osbourne94. Feel Like Makin’ Love — Bad Company95. Keep On Loving You — REO Speedwagon96. The Ballad Of Jane — L.a. Guns97. Eyes Without A Face — Billy Idol98. When It’s Love — Van Halen99. Meat Loaf — I do anything for love100. We Are The Champions — QueenCJ: Some great songs on your list. I might change a couple of the Bon Jovi songs but you’ve got some great bands there! Thanks for stopping by. ;)

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