Well! This happens to be my favourite kind of music - The order I am placing the songs is the order I best remember them in, not necessarily my ranking of the songs - ranking them would be criminal
*1) Winds of Change - Scorpions*
This song is one which never fails to give me shivers all over - This powerful rock ballad, with the most amazing vocals by lead singer Klaus Meine was written to commemorate the breaking down of the Berlin Wall
*2) November Rain - Guns’n Roses*
November Rain is one of the best known rock ballads the world over - This epic ballad was written and performed by Guns’N Roses at the height of their fame. The song is backed by some amazing lead and rhythm guitar, with Axl Rose’s very typical vocals
*3) Bridge over Troubled Waters - Simon and Garfunkel*
Another ballad which sends shivers down your spine when you hear it, Paul Simons vocals take this ballad to a new height, the words are amazing
When you?re weary, feeling small / When tears are in your eyes, I’ll dry them all.
I´m on your side, oh, when times get rough / And friends just can?t be found
Like a bridge over troubled water / I will lay me down
*4) Everything I do - Bryan Adams*
This all time favourite ballad from the motion picture’Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’ sees Bryan Adams at his absolute best. A combination of moving lyrics and music, along with harder rock sections makes this a must have for any one who is in to hard rock
*5) Sweet Child O’Mine- Guns’n Roses *
Again, GNR at their height - a brilliant rock ballad and a great melody
*6) I would do anything for love - Meat Loaf *
A truly’monster’ ballad - Held the top of the charts for a very long time when it was released in 1993. If you havent heard it, listen to it, and if you don’t have it, download it, steal it, buy it, do something! Great piano introduction and highs and lows, crescendos which thunder in and steal quietly out
*7) Broken Wings - Mister Mr.*
A moving song, brilliant lyrics, was released in 1985 and is one of those songs which takes you to a different plane. Was the theme song for Formula 1 for some time, I think in 1999
*8) Under the same sun - Scorpions*
Scorpions - the name symbolises quality rock. Their music has thrilled fans over the world over, for decades now. This song has very powerful lyrics, on the futility of war and killing, and with some brilliant guitar work.
*9) Still Loving You - Scorpions*
One of the most powerful ballads of all times, beginning with a soft intro, with guitar work, and soft vocals, building up into a crescendo of guitars roaring and then suddenly dropping back into a soft haunting melody in minor chords
*10) Dear or Alive - Jon Bon Jovi*
One of Jon Bon Jovis solo albums - Young Guns II from the motion picture soundtrack, has Jon Bon Jovi belting out some the most amazing music ever written, and very different from his Bon Jovi albums. Some Amazing guitar intro work on this album with an acoustic guitar
*11) Blaze of Glory - Jon Bon Jovi*
I wake up in the morning
And I raise my weary head / I got an old coat for a pillow
And the earth was last night’s bed/ I don’t know where I’m going
Only God knows where I’ve been / I’m a devil on the run
A six gun lover / A candle in the wind
If you don’t have Blaze of Glory, buy it! All the songs are brilliant
*12) Don’t you Cry - Guns N Roses*
Another brilliant balad by Axl Rose and company- A moving ballad which moves easily from soft guitar and piano to powerful vocals, moving back quietly into the soft places, heart rending vocals!
Give me a whisper / And give me a sigh
Give me a kiss before you tell me goodbye
Don’t you take it so hard now/ And please don’t take it so bad
I’ll still be thinking of you / And the times we had . baby
And don’t you cry tonight / Don’t you cry tonight
*13) I don’t want to miss a thing- Aerosmith*
Even if you are not a rock fan, you would have seen the Bruce Willis starrer -’Armageddon’. This contains the evergreen song from Aerosmith, a great love rock ballad
*14) Stand - Poison*
This is one of my favourite rock ballads, this uses a real choir along with the rock band and the harmonies and vocals on this song are brilliant. A very uplifting song.
We all carry the cross and speak what we’re taught
Lies and money become the white man’s god
We’ve burned all our bridges one too many times
The time has come now to draw the line
*Chorus:*
You know you’ve got to / Stand, stand, stand for what you believe
*14) The Creed - Petra*
This is a spiritual number, based on the Apostles Creed, and has been written and performed by a gospel rock band. The song is very very powerful, beginning with some very powerful vocals, moving into a power packed rock performance, a brilliant song - Even if you are not into Gospel Rock, listen to this number
*15) Always - Bon Jovi*
Need I say more?
*16) Black Velvet - Alannah Myles*
I personally wouldn’t classify this as an out and out rock ballad, but this is one of the most amazing songs ever performed. The bass on this song is one of the best of all times, right up there with’I want to Break Free’ and’Eye of the Tiger’. Very sultry, very sexy, and a great song.
*17) Blood Red Skies- Judas Priest*
UN believable intro vocals, high pitched and very very powerful, in minor chords
As the sun goes down, I move around / Keeping to the shadows
Life, hangs by a thread / And I’ve heard it said, that I’ll not see tomorrow
If that’s my destiny, it’ll have to be / So I’ll face the future
Running out of time/ I’m on the line
But I’ll go down fighting
The voice goes into a hiss, the drumbeats pound your heart, the guitars *growl
Felt the hand of justice
Telling wrong from right
Threw me out upon the street in the middle of the night
Cybernetic heartbeat / Digital precise
Pneumatic fingers nearly had me in their vice
Not begging you / I’m telling you
Enter Screaming Vocals which are amazingly powerful, with the background of drumbeats and growling and roaring guitars
You won’t break me / You won’t make me
You won’t take me/ Under blood red skies
The’skies’ part climbs to an unbelievable high
Please, Please listen to this song!
*18) Don’t Speak - No Doubt*
People might not like this song making the list, but hey, Gwen Stefani is awesome, and the song is one of the best I’ve heard.
*19) Holiday - Scorpions*
What can I say? Simply listen maadi. Powerful vocals, guitar, everything, slows, lows, highs, energy rock.Scorpions are the kings of rock ballads
*20) More than Words - Extreme *
O K this is not really a rock ballad, but one of the best songs ever written and performed. The song is entirely on an acoustic guitar, with brilliant vocals by the lead singer Nuno cortez. Very difficult to play, very easy to listen and sing along.
*Endnote*
At the end of this list, which has taken me a loooong time to write, which I shouldn’t be doing since I am sitting in office, I am still not satisfied with it. A lot of good songs have been missed out, which I may not have heard, or which I have heard but I didn’t feel that they fitted into