Super-sugary 80s ballads contest

[Presto-digitation]

Wanted Dead Or Alive is the best song on that list and still a great song. Say what you want about Bon Jovi, that's a killer cut. There's also nothing "sugary" about it either. It's not a love song.

[Presto-digitation]

Still Loving You is the best power ballad of the 80s. Great dynamic to it.

 

I'll add in the non-single by Kiss, I Still Love You. A tremendous heavy/ballady/bluesy cut.

[circumstantial tree]

Before I became a Rush fan, Journey was my favorite band of all time (which was only a two year period), although I still regarding among my faves after Rush took the top spot.

 

Most of the songs I like by Journey are not the sugar pop ballad variety. They only ever became the power ballad band when "Escape" came out in 1981 with the single "Who's Crying Now?"

 

I'm sure it's coincidence but it was when Jonathan Cain joined that they took on that "super group" status with power ballads.

 

I prefer the Gregg Rolie albums, with "Departure" (1980) being my favorite one.

[Rick N. Backer]

QUOTE (H. P. L. @ Jul 13 2012, 03:25 AM)

QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Jul 12 2012, 11:38 PM) I refuse to vote.  This type of crap made listening to music in the late 80s miserable.  Plus, they all got beaten badly when Duran Duran released Ordinary World.  I know it was released in 93 but still... The way I see it, there's fun crap and hateful crap. These super-pop-ballads fall in my "fun" side. While, not intentionally, Durans will always fall in my "f****ing hate their guts" category. That's too bad. John Taylor is one of my favorite bass players. "Double Duran's," as J.J. Jackson called them, first two albums are quite good.

[Super Phil]

A couple of honorable mentions:

 

Kix - Dont Close Your Eyes

 

Dokken - Alone Again

 

There is a studio track on Beast From The East called Walk Away that I always really liked too.

[The Cat 3]

The winner is "Honestly" by Stryper.

[Rod in Toronto]

[Hatchetaxe&saw]

The Power Of Love by Frankie GTH gets my vote, it's a beautiful track.

 

The rest are about as palatable as monkey balls flavoured ice-cream.

[H. P. L.]

QUOTE (Hatchetaxe&saw @ Jul 16 2012, 02:19 PM)

The Power Of Love by Frankie GTH gets my vote, it's a beautiful track. The rest are about as palatable as monkey balls flavoured ice-cream.

I always knew you were a softie at heart!

Did you hear Anneke Van Griesbergen's version?

[MCM]

QUOTE (Rick N. Backer @ Jul 12 2012, 10:05 AM)

QUOTE (Lost In Xanadu @ Jul 12 2012, 10:45 AM) QUOTE (RodrigoAltaf @ Jul 12 2012, 04:51 AM) - Mr. Big - To be With You - Bad English - When I See You Smile     I would also like to add: Motley Crue - Without You I actually like Every Rose . . ., Wanted . . ., Don't Know . . ., and Can't Fight . . . I graduated high school in 1985, so these are right in my wheelhouse.   LiX, Without You but not Home Sweet Home? I graduated HS in 85 also, all of these are the soundtrack to every HS event, dance, new boyfriend and bad breakup. Lot more fun listening to them now though.

[MCM]

QUOTE (Unattractive Truth @ Jul 13 2012, 09:30 AM)

QUOTE (Xanadoood @ Jul 12 2012, 11:50 AM) QUOTE (Unattractive Truth @ Jul 12 2012, 01:07 PM) The first song that came to mind was Drive by The Cars. I don't consider that sugary in the least. It has a cool vibe to it. Well, sure.   The Cars were as cool as the other side of the pillow.   Ha Ha! I love that. The Cars were cool enough that everyone could like them without reproach.

[Rick N. Backer]

QUOTE (MCM @ Jul 16 2012, 09:44 PM)

QUOTE (Rick N. Backer @ Jul 12 2012, 10:05 AM) QUOTE (Lost In Xanadu @ Jul 12 2012, 10:45 AM) QUOTE (RodrigoAltaf @ Jul 12 2012, 04:51 AM) - Mr. Big - To be With You - Bad English - When I See You Smile     I would also like to add: Motley Crue - Without You I actually like Every Rose . . ., Wanted . . ., Don't Know . . ., and Can't Fight . . . I graduated high school in 1985, so these are right in my wheelhouse.   LiX, Without You but not Home Sweet Home? I graduated HS in 85 also, all of these are the soundtrack to every HS event, dance, new boyfriend and bad breakup. Lot more fun listening to them now though. Then I'm sure you'll join me in saying that the "real" REO ballad in the poll should have been Keep on Loving You.

[nobodys hero]

QUOTE (Rick N. Backer @ Jul 17 2012, 06:52 AM)

QUOTE (MCM @ Jul 16 2012, 09:44 PM) QUOTE (Rick N. Backer @ Jul 12 2012, 10:05 AM) QUOTE (Lost In Xanadu @ Jul 12 2012, 10:45 AM) QUOTE (RodrigoAltaf @ Jul 12 2012, 04:51 AM) - Mr. Big - To be With You - Bad English - When I See You Smile     I would also like to add: Motley Crue - Without You I actually like Every Rose . . ., Wanted . . ., Don't Know . . ., and Can't Fight . . . I graduated high school in 1985, so these are right in my wheelhouse.   LiX, Without You but not Home Sweet Home? I graduated HS in 85 also, all of these are the soundtrack to every HS event, dance, new boyfriend and bad breakup. Lot more fun listening to them now though. Then I'm sure you'll join me in saying that the "real" REO ballad in the poll should have been Keep on Loving You. ^^ I agree. Hands down winner if it were in this poll. I just saw REO in May and that one was too sappy for me to listen to. I liked hearing their earlier songs such as Golden Country and Son of a Poor Man, though.

[D3strukt]

We Built This City: Starship.

[librarian]

all of it

[Akron162]

I rather listen to Genesis singing about mutant midgets or girls beheading guys with croquet mallets than that cheesy garbage.

[Unattractive Truth]

QUOTE (MCM @ Jul 16 2012, 06:47 PM)

QUOTE (Unattractive Truth @ Jul 13 2012, 09:30 AM) QUOTE (Xanadoood @ Jul 12 2012, 11:50 AM) QUOTE (Unattractive Truth @ Jul 12 2012, 01:07 PM) The first song that came to mind was Drive by The Cars. I don't consider that sugary in the least. It has a cool vibe to it. Well, sure.   The Cars were as cool as the other side of the pillow.   Ha Ha! I love that. The Cars were cool enough that everyone could like them without reproach. Hey you!

[MCM]

QUOTE (Unattractive Truth @ Jul 17 2012, 06:51 PM)

QUOTE (MCM @ Jul 16 2012, 06:47 PM) QUOTE (Unattractive Truth @ Jul 13 2012, 09:30 AM) QUOTE (Xanadoood @ Jul 12 2012, 11:50 AM) QUOTE (Unattractive Truth @ Jul 12 2012, 01:07 PM) The first song that came to mind was Drive by The Cars. I don't consider that sugary in the least. It has a cool vibe to it. Well, sure.   The Cars were as cool as the other side of the pillow.   Ha Ha! I love that. The Cars were cool enough that everyone could like them without reproach. Hey you!   How's it going? Wife and kids all doing well? I'm still pissed about the Vegas date being Thanksgiving time. Would have loved to meet up with you guys again.

[MCM]

QUOTE (Rick N. Backer @ Jul 17 2012, 08:52 AM)

QUOTE (MCM @ Jul 16 2012, 09:44 PM) QUOTE (Rick N. Backer @ Jul 12 2012, 10:05 AM) QUOTE (Lost In Xanadu @ Jul 12 2012, 10:45 AM) QUOTE (RodrigoAltaf @ Jul 12 2012, 04:51 AM) - Mr. Big - To be With You - Bad English - When I See You Smile     I would also like to add: Motley Crue - Without You I actually like Every Rose . . ., Wanted . . ., Don't Know . . ., and Can't Fight . . . I graduated high school in 1985, so these are right in my wheelhouse.   LiX, Without You but not Home Sweet Home? I graduated HS in 85 also, all of these are the soundtrack to every HS event, dance, new boyfriend and bad breakup. Lot more fun listening to them now though. Then I'm sure you'll join me in saying that the "real" REO ballad in the poll should have been Keep on Loving You. Ooohhh, my teeth hurt just thinking about that one. That album was so overplayed. I still love it tho!

[TheAccountant]

QUOTE (Super Phil @ Jul 15 2012, 12:38 PM)

Dokken - Alone Again

What a great song that was!! Heck, that was off of "Tooth and Nail", if I remember correctly, and that album was loaded with good songs. Been a while since I listened to it. Dam, got to try to pull it out an give it a listen.

 

What a fine album that was. On top of "Alone Again" it had the title track, "You Just Gut Lucky" & "Into the Fire". Bunch of other good songs as well. Overall (IMO) it was the best Dokken album. "Breaking the Chains" had a great title track but that was about it. "Under Lock and Key" had "In my Dreams" and "The Hunter" plus some other very good songs and was very good but not up to "Tooth and Nail". "Back for the Attack" had some totally kick but guitar work but the songs just don't measure up to "Tooth & Nail" and "Under Lock and Key".

 

I clearly have a major sweet tooth. What a lot of you folks call to sugary for your taste is perfect for me!!!!

[H. P. L.]

QUOTE (Rick N. Backer @ Jul 17 2012, 03:52 PM)

QUOTE (MCM @ Jul 16 2012, 09:44 PM) QUOTE (Rick N. Backer @ Jul 12 2012, 10:05 AM) QUOTE (Lost In Xanadu @ Jul 12 2012, 10:45 AM) QUOTE (RodrigoAltaf @ Jul 12 2012, 04:51 AM) - Mr. Big - To be With You - Bad English - When I See You Smile     I would also like to add: Motley Crue - Without You I actually like Every Rose . . ., Wanted . . ., Don't Know . . ., and Can't Fight . . . I graduated high school in 1985, so these are right in my wheelhouse.   LiX, Without You but not Home Sweet Home? I graduated HS in 85 also, all of these are the soundtrack to every HS event, dance, new boyfriend and bad breakup. Lot more fun listening to them now though. Then I'm sure you'll join me in saying that the "real" REO ballad in the poll should have been Keep on Loving You. Sorry, that's too cheesy even for me. I would have never put it in my poll. I have my standards.