Best Overlooked Power Ballads?

What is the best “overlooked” power ballad? That's the question of the day.

Awhile back, dedicated BBG! reader Travis wrote in with that question as a topic suggestion. I think the question is brilliant. For his part, Travis suggested Tesla's “What You Give” as one of the best overlooked Glam power ballads.

For me, I think one of the best overlooked power ballads has to be “I Will Remember” by Queensryche. Everyone here knows I love Queensryche, but “I Will Remember” never gets much praise. If you don't remember (ha!), the song is from Rage for Order.

Does “Sister Christian” count? I like Night Ranger and I always dig singing along with the band in concert...but seems like people don't mention “Sister Christian” much when we talk about power ballads. So, I guess I cheated and selected two songs, but that's okay. You can too. Tell me, what are your choices for best overlooked power ballad? Please, no “I Remember You” on this list!

Comments

[MEWIZEMGIC]

For Shame - KIX
Tear Down the Walls - KIX
Kiss of Death - LA Guns
Cry No More - Arcade
Damn Good - DLR
Billy Idol - Sweet Sixteen
Walk Away - Dokken

[Tommy]

some classics:
Forever - Wild Boys
Stronger Now - Warrant
Wasted Time-Skid Row
Come Take Me Now-Saigon Kick
I Found You - L.A. Guns

Some newer ones :
Snuff- Slipknot
The Past - Sevendust / Daughtry
Mama Said - Metallica
Serenity - Godsmack
(Untitled )- Buckcherry

[CC]

How about Black & Blue's Miss Mystery? Great tune

[KEVON]

Hell yea!!! cry no more by ARCADE def overlooked!! Awesome song

[Metalboy!]

Whoa, man, I like everyone of those picks people have made here. So cool to see everyone's picks for this topic. Really shows the breadth of knowledge and love for our favorite genre of Metal... Glam Metal!

Here's what I got in no particular order... And some of it is admittedly AOR...

Don't Ever Wanna Lose Ya - New England (also covered by Bronz)
Only Way Out (Rosalita) - Cry Tuff
Carrie Ann - Mr. Meana
Take Your Time - Os-Lo
My Blue Moon - Baltimoore
Stop Breakin' My Broken Heart - Sic Vikki
Sweet Melody - Lancia
Do You Remember - Babe Blu
Someday - FM
Hearts Keep On Burning - Roulette
Time Is All We Need - Fingerprints
Love Lies Dying - Strangeways
Don't Cry No More - Biloxi
Does Anybody Really Fall In Love Anymore - Kane Roberts (written by Bon Jovi and Sambora)
Tears Don't Put Out The Fire - Alien
Waiting In Vain - Cold Sweat
Might Be Over - Lorraine
Close Your Eyes - Kid Cyote
For A Little While - Kinki Stunt
I've Got You - Sweet Cheater
Bette Davis Eyes - Sweet Lips (Kim Carnes cover)
Forever - Vince Neil
Someday - Valentine
Pretender - Cry Wolf
Giving Yourself Away - Ratt (penned by Diane Warren)
Is It Me - Kid Trigger
Somebody To Love - Wired
Love Kills - Vinnie Vincent Invasion
Love Is All You Need - 220 Volt
This Time - Sleez Beez
Miss You In A Heartbeat - The Law (covered by Def Leppard)
If You Needed Somebody - Bad Company
Midnight Blue - Lou Gramm
What Love Can Be - Kingdom Come
Edie (Ciao Baby) - The Cult
Being There - Tora Tora
There Was A Time - Baton Rouge
Save Your Love - Great White
In The Ghetto - Fair Warning (Elvis cover)
Love Walked In - Thunder
Burning Heart - Vandenberg
When I'm Gone - Michael Schenker Group
I'll See You In My Dreams - Giant
Too Many Hearts - John Norum
Forever And Eternal - Pretty Maids
Cry No More - Arcade
I've Been A Fool Before - Cobra
Don't Wanna Hear Your Heartbreak - Badd Boyz
Out Of Love - Blue Murder
Cold Heart - Trouble Tribe
See You Someday - Lillian Axe
Close My Eyes - Trans Am
Lost In The Night - Victory
I'll Be There - Hardline
Stranded - Tangier (written by the lead singer of Baton Rouge!)
Dreamin' About You - Kick Axe
Shot O' Love - Babylon A.D.
Because The Night - Keel (written by Springsteen, hit by Patti Smith, done right by Keel!)
Nobody Knows - Roxy Blue
Kiss This Love Goodbye - Wildside
Hold On - Britton
Too Far Gone - Brass Kitten
Rachel - Mr. Scary
Better Left Unsaid - Swingin' Thing
If I Say - King Of The Hill
Love Can Make You Blind - Every Mother's Nightmare
Crazy Love - Nitro
Wild Angels - Pretty Boy Floyd
This Time It's Love - D'Molls
I Want You To Want Me - Tigertailz (Cheap Trick cover)
Every Sunrise - Cats In Boots
Love Is Pain - Roughhouse
When You Need Someone - Shy
Please Come Back - Jailhouse
Run To The End - Bai Bang
Hold Onto Love - Theatre
Can't Take Our Love Away - Hot Boy
Hold Onto Tonight - Heaven's Edge
Could It Be Love - Sons Of Angels
Big Love - B B Steal
First Love - Tin Drum
Does It Matter - Hollywood Underground
Afraid Of Love - Danger Danger (Paul Laine on vocals... Thanks, Kenny O!)
Keep The Fire - Heaven
Do It All For You - Saxon
Mystery - Dio
Lonely Nights - King Cobra
Without You - Schoolboy Crush
Let It Rain - Kidd Wikkid
Rainbow - Blonz
What Keeps Me Loving You - XYZ
Cry To Me - Darby Mills
Falling In And Out Of Love - Femme Fatale
Close Behind - The Pandoras
Forever Tonight - Precious Love
Hold On - Burns Sisters
Now That It's Over - Laos
Hold Back The Night - Robin Beck
Let Me Be The One - Witness
Nobody Dies Of A Broken Heart - Fiona
Love Doesn't Last Forever - Chrissy Steele
A Little Bit More - Atsushi Yokozeki Project (Cherrie Currie on vocals)
Rare Diamond - Doro
My Misery - Phantom Blue
Timeless Love - Saraya
Love Hurts - Bad Romance (cover of a cover of a cover and a duet with Tom Keifer!)
Hold On The Line - Jaded Heart
Who Cries Now - Unruly Child
Crystal Tears - Kid Blue
Bad For Each Other - Shark Island
Miss You - D'Priest
Reasons Why - Ginger Lynn
Don't You Know - Sargant Fury
How Do You Say Goodbye - Sweet Teaze
In The Name Of Love - Lion
The Deeper The Night - Steeler
It's Up To You - Icon
Dangerous Love - Deadringer
Lonely Road - Leatherwolf
Every Beat Of My Heart - Von Groove
One Love - Zambelis
Love Can Change You - Julliet
Changing Hands - Autograph
Tonight I'm Falling - TNT
Don't Walk Away - Danger Danger
More Than Words Can Say - Alias
Lady Of Secrets - Helter Skelter
Waiting For You - Fisc
I'll Be The One Tonight - Dimage
Gone Away - Pistol Dawn
Chain Around Your Heart - Le Mans
Give Up Your Heart - Roxx
I Need Your Touch - St. Elmo's Fire
I Can't Wait - Dirty Blonde
Don't Turn Out The Light - Blue Blood
Janie - Dr. Grind
Lonely Without You - XYZ (Bobby Pierson on vocals)
Can't Go On This Way - Cruella D'Ville
Save Your Love - Young Gun
Call Me Angel - Tokyo Blade
Stop! In The Name Of Love - Hotlegs
Walkaway - Legs Diamond
Desperate Heart - Steve Stevens & The Atomic Playboys
Tell Me Why - Tattoo Rodeo
Watch Me Fall - Shag
Baby Blue - Riverdogs
Fire And Rain - Badlands (Jake E. Lee's band covers James Taylor! Killer!)
Kari-Ann - Far Cry
How Can Love Just Fade Away - Concrete Jungle
Don't Wanna Let You Go - Quiet Riot
Please Don't Leave Me - John Sykes
True Romance - Blue Tears
Heart Of Gold - Sweet F.A.
Once In A Lifetime - Lixx Array
Lessons - American Angel
Into The Night - Hooker
Wait And See - Charlemagne
Love Don't Live Here Anymore - Sven Gali
Hard Luck Woman - Jetboy (Kiss cover)
Missing You - Banshee
Lonely - Street Fighter
I Don't Wanna Cry No More - Helloween
All I Care For - Gotthard (RIP Steve)
You Only Have To Dream - Vice
Coming Home - Keen Hue
One Step Away - Wicked Kin
The Neon Fairytale - Bang Gang
Four Seasons - Killer Dwarfs
Memories Of You - Kuni
Time After Time - Ozzy
Summer Breeze - Type O Negative (Loggins & Messina cover)
It's Only Love - Hurricane
Best Of Friends - Dangerous Toys
I Walk Alone - Hericane Alice
Without You - K.K. Wilde
Take Me To Your Heart - Aces High
Love Games - Vamp
Blood And Tears - Danzig
These Arms Of Mine - Rock City Angel
True Love And Other Fairytales - Electric Angels
Dying To Be Loved - Electric Boys
Little Lianne - Shake City
I Need Your Love - Somethin' Wild
Somewhere In America - Problem Child
Hollywood Dreams - Swedish Erotica
Send Me An Angel - Helter Skelter (different band)
Misstreated Heart - Spellbound
I Wanna Know - M.i.ll.ion
Shouldn't I Be (Lying In Your Arms) - Fury
Norma Jean - Chain Gang
Hear You Say - Big Bang Babies
Pennies From Heaven - Maximum
Baby Doll - Big House
Don't Turn Your Back On Me - Mazeran
I Don't Love You Anymore - London Quireboys
First Cut Is The Deepest - Little Angels
Take This Old Heart - Kiss Of The Gypsy
Paint You A Picture - Blackboard Jungle
Slippin' Away - Junkyard
Red Rose - Roxx Gang
When Your Gone - Paradise
Time Has No Mercy - T.O. Joker
The Time Has Come - Poetic Justice
Love Ain't Enough - Southgang
Just A Wish - 21 Guns
Bring Home Your Love - Harlot
Take Me Back - Heaven (different band)
Stay With Me - Crystal Roxx
Where Are You Now - Roxus
Don't Let Go - Dare (Thanks, Al!)
Wasted Love - Roxx
Stay - Sha-Boom
Only Lonely - Kid Wicked
Long Way From Love - Mark Free
I Believe In You - Stryper
Heaven Can Wait - Casanova
Sleepless Nights - Melidian
Goodbye - Jillson
Momma - Rock Boulevard
It's Not Goodbye Forever - Cleavage
Gypsy Heart - LeCompt
Remember Me - Mae West
I Hate Kissin' You Goodbye - Tuff
Over The Rainbow - Impelitteri (Instrumental cover of Judy Garland classic)

As you can see most of these are double whammies -- Overlooked Power Ballads by Overlooked Bands... A lot of these are really obscure, no doubt, but very many of them sound like they shoulda been hits. Most of them are from the mid 80's to early 90's. Happy Hunting! As you go you will realize what a crime it is that this genre of Metal faded so quickly. Bring on the violins!

p.s. "You See Me Crying" is one of THE most glaring examples of Overlooked Power Ballads. One of my faves of all time! And Let's not forget "Seasons Of Wither", either...

[Metalboy!]

Oh, yeah... And MEWIZEMAGIC... You are so right! "For Shame" and "Tear Down The Walls" are Overlooked Powerballads, no doubt! Both shoulda been Radio Hits!

[nogodnowar]

lillian axe "the day that I met you"

[nogodnowar]

lou grahm "Midnight Blue"

"i used follow yeah thats true, but my followin' days are over, now i just gotta follow through.....i remember what my father said, he said son, life is simple, its either cherry red....or midnight blue"

more pop than power perhaps. but worth a mention indeed

[Mike]

Wow Tommy, I had completely forgot that Warrant tune Stronger Now but I agree! It was a standout on an obscure album for sure.

[nogodnowar]

metalboy!

great list

cannot believe midnight blue from lou gramm came into your head as well!!!

cannot believe it

[dale schmucker]

black n' blue miss mystery love this song!!!!

[Gary]

Standing Alone - Tyketto

Mama I'm Coming Home - Ozzy

[Sean]

Heft by Fastway.

[MEWIZEMGIC]

Adding three as I was thinking about it:

Voices - Cheap Trick
Anytime - MSG
Brian Jack - Hard Goodbye

Obvious one:
House of Broken Love - Great White

[MEWIZEMGIC]

Whoops - Hard Goodbye by Brian Jack

[Metalboy!]

Mewizemagic!

Are you from Maryland?!

Can't believe you know that Brian Jack tune...

I used to roll up to the Seagull Inn and Network in Pasadena from Annapolis practically every other weekend and must have seen him in Child's Play about a dozen times there. Crazy they didn't get more airplay especially with "Rat Race".

I was gonna say "Voices" by Cheap Trick, too!

Also, I forgot to credit The Nirvanas for turnin' me onto John Norum! I think that's who turned me onto 'em. Hey, if it was you guys, Cheers! And same to whoever it was if it wasn't you!

I've got a ton more to list but I'm too tired... I will follow up within the next day or so, if I can...

[dale schmucker]

w.a.s.p- forever free

[strutter]

y&t i believe in you
KISS i still love you

[Scott]

Enuff Znuff - I could never be without you

[Shadow]

W.A.S.P.- Hold on to my heart
Ozzy-tonight(RR on guitar)
Quiet Riot Winners Take All
Journey- I'll be alright without you (a hit but overlooked compared to their other songs)

and Boston- A Man I'll Never Be