The first single off their eponymous debut album, this bluesy power ballad -- usually accompanied by a full orchestra in concert -- was the band's first major hit. The song has become popular in mainstream media, notably 2005's comedic flick 'Be Cool,' as well as 2010's episode of 'Glee,' covered as a duet by Neil Patrick Harris and Matthew Morrison.
Both Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora both sing on the album version of this power ballad, but Sambora usually sings the song on his own when performed live. The song came out during the pinnacle of Bon Jovi's popularity and instantly became No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100.
Brett Michaels wrote this song in a Texas Laundromat one night after learning that his stripper girlfriend had been cheating on him. This is the only Poison song to reach No. 1 in the U.S.
James Hetfield wrote this ultra personal song for his former girlfriend while he was on the phone with her -- holding the phone in one hand and strumming the guitar in the other. Hetfield never intended to release the power ballad, but after drummer Lars Ulrich heard the song he convinced Hetfield to put it on their self-titled album, otherwise known as 'The Black Album.'
06
'Love Bites'
Def Leppard
At the very end of the song you can hear producer Mutt Lange mumbling into a synthesizer, "Yes it does, bloody Hell." Fans mistook this mumbling for "Jesus of Nazareth, go to Hell," but the band corrected this notion on a documentary for the 'Hysteria' album.
This power ballad has the big-haired, glam rockers beggin' to get a girl back, only to realize that it's too late. Featured on their second studio album, 1988's 'Long Cold Winter,' this song was the band's most successful single, reaching No. 12 on Billboard Hot 100 and No. 10 on Mainstream Rock Tracks.
'American Idol' contestants have covered this song multiple times. Diane Warren -- writer of the power ballad classic -- gave season 7 winner David Cook a standing ovation the night he performed the song. Even 'Idol' judge Simon Cowell praised Cook's song choice, dubbing the song "one of the great songs of all time."
Beginning and ending with an acoustic guitar run, 'I Remember You' immediately soared to the Top 10 of the charts. In an interview with frontman Sebastian Bach, he admitted that the power ballad was the prom song of 1990: "You talk about making memories! Literally the whole country of America did their prom dance to 'I Remember You' one year, and that's a real heavy memory to beat."
Clocking in at almost nine minutes, 'November Rain' is the longest song to reach the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
'Faithfully' is often mistakenly named 'Forever Yours,' as those lyrics are used frequently in the song. The ballad's theme was about a rocker on tour away from his family -- a lyrical theme that has since been used by other bands such as Bon Jovi and Guns N' Roses.
1. Skid Row, "I Remember You" was one of my favorite Power Ballads! This is a great list you've composed.
Posted at 9:19AM on May 31st 2009 by residualdaddy2