Classic Rock Bottom

New Feature alert:  I am going to try adding the album covers.  I dont own every album so sometimes I will lift the track off of a greatest hits package or some other compilation.  I will post the album cover I lifted the MP3 off of and note the release title it first appeared on in case there are differences - I know the fine tuned ear will call me out on this if I don't explain.  I will note where this is the case...

 

Also, the beach was awesome, but had some free time I didn't account for.  As a music nut, guess what I thought about?



This is a "By Request" edition of Hidden Treasures.  The theme is "ballads".  Not to be confused with "traditional, broadside and literary" ballads, no, these are more in the category of "Power". 

The 80's was the core "ballad factory", this is where it all became formulaic and boring (in my humble opinion).  It has been said that an album released in the 80's must contain a ballad to have any chance of chart success, I'm sure this played into why these tunes became so cookie cuttered.  This makes finding Hidden Treasures and Gems a bit tough because everyone has some, and Mtv grossly overplayed them. So if your expecting "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", "Babe", "Home Sweet Home" or "Open Arms" logout and go turn on VH1 Classic, this list will try go deeper inside and around the ballad factory era and find some real hidden treasures... 


So kick back, grab a box of kleenex and lets see how this turns out...

 

Title: How You Gonna See Me Now
Artist: Alice Cooper
Album: From The Inside
Year: 1978

 

This track gets no love when it comes to influencing the Power Ballad era.  But for me, it's the original.  And who knew Alice had this one in him?  Who else could write a lyric like "Please dont see me ugly babe".  I suppose it all makes sense when you place it in the midst of an album about an insane asylum.

 


Title: Reason To Live
Artist: KISS
Album: Crazy Nights
Year: 1987

 

Maybe this track got lost because it came at the end of the 80's power ballads/big hair stuff, or maybe theres a better, more technical, explanation someone else can help out with.  But this is KISS at their Power Ballad best.  What a beautiful track, the bass lines hums perfectly to the melody and Bruce Kulick whips up a very melodic and fitting solo to spill your emotions over the edge.

 


Title: Ball and Chain
Artist: Aldo Nova...
Album: Aldo Nova
Year: 1982

 

I really thought Nova was on the fast track to super stardom when Fantasy came out, and I thought it was confirmation that Ball and Chain hit the charts as a follow up.  But alas, this slipped off the charts as fast as it hit, and then Aldo went away only to pen more emotionally jarring tunes for the likes of Celine Dion.  But I digress...  Ball and Chain is a very cool ballad with great lyrics.

 


Title: I Live My Life for You
Artist: Firehouse
Album: 3
Year: 1995

 

Its a crying shame this track got lost in the middle of the 90's, what a great ballad, perfectly written, tightly played, and brilliantly produced.  I guess it was too clean for the 90's.

 


Title: I'll Be Over You
Artist: Toto
Album: Farenheit
Year: 1986
(Track was lifted off of a Toto compilation titled Love Songs - the remaster was better than the track on Farenheit)

 

Luke belts out a very strong and bluesy ballad.  As it is with most ballads, the real hidden gem is the lyrics and how they touch you personally.  So it is here, but we get the added benefit of Luke's guitar work as well.

 


Title: Three Times In Love
Artist: Tommy James
Album: Three Times In Love
Year: 1980
(Track is from a compilation titled 'The Solo Years', the original album is not available)

 

Maybe this would have been best as a mystery artist for Jon's feature, but I dusted it off first.  9 years after his last chart success Tommy James, sans the Shondells, reappeared with this one.  Although it hit the Top 40, it did so briefly, but not before I was able to purchase the 45, etch the melody into my brain and reclaim it as a hiddem treasure in this column some 30 years later.

 


Title: The Best Was Yet to Come
Artist: Bryan Adams
Album: Cuts Like A Knife
Year: 1983

 

This track is most famously known as a track written about Dorothy Stratton (Playboy Playmate of the year in 1980, I believe) - she was tragically murdered by her jealous boyfriend/agent.  If memory serves me correctly this was never released as a single but gained a lot of attention and some radio ariplay because of it.  All that aside, it is a well crafted and classic ballad worthy of a fresh listen.

 


Title: What Can I Say
Artist: Chicago
Album: 16
Year 1982

 

It's simply not possible to have a ballad list without a Peter Cetera sung track.  This is one of the best tracks off the hit laden and David Foster produced "16".  It has romantic lyrics and is very melodic in a very catchy way.  Still graces my player often, especially when the wife is around :-)

 


Title: Call to the Heart
Artist: Guiffria
Album: Guiffria
Year: 1985

 

Greg Guiffria leaning back and playing an enormous rack of keyboards while a bright white light silhouette’s him from behind.  Thats the image I see in my mind every time I think of this track, and then the drums come in and the track grabs you.  This one even broke into Mtv rotation for awhile.  Great slide guitar solo in the middle.  Craig Goldy is the guitar player, he went on to play with Dio (check out his work on Magica, classic).

 


Title: Holiday
Artist: Scorpions
Album: Lovedrive
Year: 1979
(Track was lifted off the greatest hits package titled 'The Mercury Years - Disc 1' - its a remix and is true to the original but has better mastering)

 

If you can get past the album cover and actually listen to Lovedrive you'll find a very good classic rock masterpice.  At the end of it you find this gem.  It seems that their later "ballads" followed this pattern to a degree, and to some extent became a bit tired.  But this is the original and thats always the best.

 


 

As a bonus, here are 3 very personal favorites I thought you may enjoy...


Title: That's the Way of the World
Artist: Earth Wind & Fire
Album: That's the Way of the World
Year: 1975

 

Maurice White has always had a way with melody and lyrics.  This slow jam not only still sounds great today, but lyrically its still valid.  I love EWF and they kicked off a stretch of classic albums starting righ here with this one.

 


Title: Crazy Love
Artist: Poco
Album: Legend
Year: 1978

 

Country Rock Pioneers?  YES!!!  I think Poco gets left out of too many discussions when it comes to influential bands and sounds.  This track is heartfelt and so good to listen to.

 


Title: Make Believe
Artist: Le Roux (formerly Louisiana Le Roux)
Album: Last Safe Place
Year: 1980

 

Heres a real buried treasure.  Le Roux was on the verge of big things when band shake ups dropped them into obscurity.  Last Safe Place is a top to bottom hiddem gem.  This track always tugs at the heart strings, and isn't that what a ballad is supposed to do afterall?


 

Wrap it up and put a bow on it...

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Scott, Scott, Scott...you have outdone yourself. I say that and I haven't even listened to the playlist yet. I know this to be the case because you picked one of my favorite Kiss ballads to be a part of this playlist. Also, I absolutely love the Poco song that you included in your bonus section. I can't wait to listen to this. I will reply again as soon as I listen to the whole thing.

I was very pleasantly surprised to see this tonight. See, folks, you request it, and we do our best to present it to you. And Scott, you gotta admit it, making these playlists is fun as hell.

I'm about to watch Kiss on Leno, but I'll be listening to this real soon.
Okay, I listened last night before going to sleep. I've actually heard 6 out of the 13 tracks here. Excellent playlist, my favorites being Alice Cooper, Kiss and Poco. I also really liked the Aldo Nova tune and the Bryan Adams tune, two songs I had never heard before. Good call on the Toto and Giuffria songs as well. Call To The Heart always made me think of Journey and Steve Perry, and it still does.

My favorite playlist so far. Thanks for getting to my request so quickly Scott.
Wow, I had allmost forgotten about "Reason to Live". Must've been decades since I last heard it. Great song!!

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