Top 20 Hair Metal Power Ballads of the 80's

 

There's so much crap going on these days, and I am well aware of all of it. I am just too awe struck by the idiocy of the so called leaders of this country, that I choose to live in the past for a while.

Sooooo, What better way to live in the past than to rattle off the top 20 hair metal ballads of the 80's.

This isn't going to simply be a listing of the songs with the most air play. It will be a list of songs based on musical content. For example, More Than Words by Extreme will most definitely NOT be on this list. Neither will Home Sweet Home by Motley Crue. There will be a couple radio hits, but most of this will be great songs that were overlooked by the music machine that is the radio.

So, here's a good idea for a date night. Grab that lighter, the laptop, some beer, cuddle up with your

 significant other, and lets get on with this list. Listen to every song as you read this! NOTE: The titles of the songs here are also links to the songs.

Number 20: Hideaway by Leatherwolf.

An under rated band, as most of the bands listed here will be. This ballad had power, skillful guitars, good strong vocals, and a chorus that knocked you into the next room. The first time I heard this one, I was convinced that Leatherwolf would be the next 'big' band. The problem was that this song was released in the LATE 80's. Not really enough time to catch on before the 90's. 

Number 19: Sunlit Nights by Racer X 

Yeah, we GOTTA throw some Racer X in here. This band should have been huge, but I guess the radio execs were scared of all the crazy guitar to push them. Oh wait...They pushed Mr. Big. I got nothing.

Number 18, I Saw Red by Warrant

This one was a radio hit, but it was not their biggest hit. I include it in this list because of the sheer emotion in the music, and Jani Lane's vocals. RIP, Jani. I got to open for him back in 2004, and got to hang with him. Great guy.

Number 17, Livin' Without You by Shotgun MessiahThis song is great on so many levels. It is the PERFECT breakup song. And it would be equally perfect today. A girl probably wouldn't have heard the song, so you give it to her, and she listens, and hears the lyrics, and thinks that the guy is heartbroken until she hears the line 'Living without you don't bother me.' Then, it heads into the line 'If there's a tear in my eye, it's not for you. Don't flatter yourself.' The girl would be shocked and angry, especially if SHE was the one doing the breaking up. 

Number 16, Don't Close Your Eyes by Kix

A very deep and heart felt anti suicide song. Very emotional singing, deep lyrics, and music. Not much more to say, other than great song.

Number 15, Alone Again by Dokken

Dokken wrote great ballads. Period. It was hard to narrow it down to one, so we'll just go with their first one. The guitar solo in this is phenomenal. Glen Tipton of Judas Priest thought so too. 

Number 14, The Flame by Cheap Trick

Yeah, I know that this was a mega radio hit, but it was definitely worthy of it. And, someone would have gave me crap had I left it off!

Number 13, Ballad of Jayne, LA Guns Kind of a deep song for LA Guns, but a great song none the less. Jayne Mansfield, the working man's Marilyn Monroe is immortalized by the Guns, but I can answer their question. Q: What happened to Jayne? A: She died in a car accident. What a shame.

Number 12, House of Pain by Faster Pussycat

LOVE this song. Not sure why, but its been one of my favorite ballads since it came out. MUCH better than Bathroom Wall, right? 

Number 11, Without You by Motley Crue

Calm down now! I promised that Home Sweet Home wouldn't be on the list! Without You is a song that Crue actually put effort into. Its a great song. Vince Neil actually sings, and the music actually does something, unlike that other one that ends with a hummer from Vince. 

Number 10, Love Song by Tesla

Another one that if I had left out, someone would have been all over me for!

Number 9, Fly High Michelle by Enuff Z'Nuff

Yes. I put them in the list. They were a great band. Extremely talented, and this song DOES belong in the top 10. Listen it it! I guess people couldn't get past the band's look. What a shame. I'd rather they had made it big than say...Winger. I'd put them deeper into the top 10, but there are some great songs coming up.

Number 8, Screaming in the Night by Krokus

Not your typical power ballad, but it still kicks ass. Can someone tell me what the song is about please?

Number 7, Dreams by Van HalenLove this song. It soars like an F-18. (Ok, that was bad I know, but this video is one of the only places you get to see the Blue Angels these days thanks to you know who!)

Number 6, Fly to the Angels by Slaughter

This song is great. A perfect and beautiful eulogy. Can't really say much more than that, other than Mark Slaughter and Dana Strum make an appearance further down in the list. NO PEEKING!

-See what I did there with Dreams and Fly To The Angels? ;)

Number 5, Together as One by Stryper 

This is Stryper's best ballad. Great piano, and a great guitar solo. Why this song isn't a hit for the first dance at weddings, I will never know. 

Number 4, Forever Free by Wasp

Yes. Forever Free by Wasp is number 4. Think about it, it is everything you'd expect if you heard the term 'power ballad' for the first time. Ok, go ahead and give me hell about it. This list was harder than I thought! It was either this or Nobody's Fool by Cinderella! 

Number 3, Quicksand Jesus and Wasted Time by Skid Row

These two songs are equal. I sat there for 20 minutes trying to decide between the two. Both have very deep lyrics, dark and powerful music, great singing, intense lyrics, and are just overall great songs, so I decided to list them both at number 

Number 2, Painted Skies by Crimson Glory

Ok, this song rules. It features one of the greatest metal singers of all time, in one of the first progressive/speed metal bands to make it big. All though, Crimson Glory never made it huge, they have a hell of a cult following, and this album is one of the most respected prog metal albums of all time.

Number 1, That Time of Year by Vinnie Vincent Invasion

I've been saying this for years. This song has it all, and then some. It is probably one of the best written preformed, and produced ballads I have ever heard. Sadly, this great song was overlooked. There is really no excuse for it. Emotion, great guitar, vocals...Everything. 10/10

Ok, as I mentioned earlier, this was MUCH harder than I thought, but I did have a good time, and I listened to every song I posted here, so it was a good night. 

Let me know what you think, and if I left something off. I had fun, hope you did too!

Honorable Mention and a spot as #1A to Love Kills, by Vinnie Vincent Invasion.

Because it was in the soundtrack of A Nightmare on Elm Street 4.