Best ballad of all time - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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eddietrooper View Drop Down

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Posted: June 06 2006 at 15:39

If a ballad is a slow song then my choice is Life On Mars (David Bowie).

glass house View Drop Down

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Posted: June 06 2006 at 15:26

Y & T - I Believe in You.

Thin Lizzy - Still in Love with You

Hydra - Miriam

GG - Think of me with Kindness

Heino

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Joined: May 23 2006
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Posted: June 06 2006 at 15:01

And Then Came the Last Days of May

written by Buck Dharma on Blue Öyster Cult, the live version on On Your Feet or on Your Knees
is even better: more emotion and that monstrous echo sound from Buck´s white Gibson SG!
A truly beautiful song doesn´t need acoustic guitars at all. Sometimes makes me Cry

Come Away Melinda sung by great late David Byron on Very ´eavy.....Very `umble.

Ocean Gypsy sung by Annie Haslam on Scheheraze

Edited by Heino - June 06 2006 at 16:01

video vertigo View Drop Down

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Posted: June 06 2006 at 05:32

Ivan_Melgar_M wrote:

Sara (Fleetwood Mac)

"The rock and roll business is pretty absurd, but the world of serious music is much worse." - Zappa

Rocktopus

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Posted: June 06 2006 at 04:03

Ghost Rider wrote:

Sorry for the display of knowledge - I try to avoid sounding like a show-off, but literature and language are my main fields of interest and expertise, so it's difficult for me to refrain from direct references when the occasion arises.

BTW, the story told in "Cruel Sister" is also to be found (though with different music) in Loreena McKennitt's "The Bonnie Swans" and Clannad's "Two Sisters". The Pentangle song, however, wins hands down IMHO.

No, no. You're reply was very valid, and not showing off at all. And there was information about one of my favorite songs there I didnt know, as well. Keep sharing you're references.

Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me

Raff

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Posted: June 06 2006 at 03:31

Sorry for the display of knowledge - I try to avoid sounding like a show-off, but literature and language are my main fields of interest and expertise, so it's difficult for me to refrain from direct references when the occasion arises.

BTW, the story told in "Cruel Sister" is also to be found (though with different music) in Loreena McKennitt's "The Bonnie Swans" and Clannad's "Two Sisters". The Pentangle song, however, wins hands down IMHO.

Rocktopus

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Posted: June 06 2006 at 03:05

Ghost Rider wrote:

Rocktopus, Pentangle's "Cruel Sister" (utterly fantastic song Heart

) IS actually a ballad in the literary sense of the word - that is, it is a traditional song with a recognizable rythm, rhyme scheme and all, based on a motif which is quite common in folklore (called "the singing bone" by folklore scholar Stith Thompson). So, I found your mention quite intriguing! Thumbs Up

A fantastic song indeed. A favorite among my favorites. It was on top of the list for that Reason. I also kind of knew it was a choice that could qualify as a ballad in the traditional sense.

Ween - Cold Blows the Wind, is the same song as Gryphon's (among others), 17th. century ballad 'The Unquiet Grave'. I guess people wouldn't expect it from Ween, but its very moving, and Its my preferred version (and their album The Mollusk album is Psychedelic Prog).

Over land and under ashes
In the sunlight, see - it flashes
Find a fly and eat his eye
But don't believe in me
Don't believe in me
Don't believe in me

salmacis

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Points: 3928

Posted: June 02 2006 at 17:05

wolf0621 wrote:

^I think I've got a hairball stuck in my throat[IMG]height=17 alt=Ouch src="http://www.progarchives.com/forum/smileys/smiley18.gif" width=17 align=absMiddle>...FYI: Sebastian Bach is currently featured in a new reality series over here in the US along with Ted Nugent, Jason Bonham & 2 other (I think) metal guys. Apparently the premise is for these 5 to live in the same house together for a while & record some tunes along the way...Yeah, pretty weird (it's on VH1 I think, only saw a little bit of the premiere episode)...

And Bret Michaels was doing some guest judging duty on another reality show called Nashville Star not too long ago (not really sure of his connection to country music)...

I heard about these shows, yeah.

Edited by salmacis - February 07 2009 at 10:55

wolf0621

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Posted: June 02 2006 at 16:57

^I think I've got a hairball stuck in my throat...FYI: Sebastian Bach is currently featured in a new reality series over here in the US along with Ted Nugent, Jason Bonham & 2 other (I think) metal guys. Apparently the premise is for these 5 to live in the same house together for a while & record some tunes along the way...Yeah, pretty weird (it's on VH1 I think, only saw a little bit of the premiere episode)...

And Bret Michaels was doing some guest judging duty on another reality show called Nashville Star not too long ago (not really sure of his connection to country music)...

salmacis

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Posted: June 02 2006 at 16:43

Elvis, imo, was far far better at ballads in the 60s and 70s. His voice gained a power and emotion that could save almost anything. My favourites are the Motown style 'Only The Strong Survive', the country/folk ballad 'I'm Leavin', the pathos laden 'It's Easy For You'. Some are actually painful to listen to, like 'It's Midnight', 'Hurt', 'My Boy' and his heartbreaking version of 'Unchained Melody' that is by far the best version imo. It's from a TV special he did literally months before his death and he looks in a very bad way indeed, but the vocal is so, so powerful and haunting that despite the enormous physical effort it required to pull it off, it remains a triumphant last hurrah nonetheless.

Edited by salmacis - February 07 2009 at 10:55

wolf0621

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Posted: June 02 2006 at 15:46

Nature's Way - Spirit

I'd Love To Change The World - Ten Years After

Alexis - James Gang

Just Between You And Me - April Wine

Itchycoo Park - The Small Faces (is this considered a ballad?)

Castles Made Of Sand - Hendrix

Celluloid Heroes - The Kinks

Still Got The Blues - Gary Moore

Rushman

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Posted: June 02 2006 at 15:31

Thank You - Led Zep

If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
If mountains crumbled to the sea
There would still be you and me

Kind woman, I give you my heart
kind woman, nothing more

Little drops of rain
Whisper of the pain
Tears of love lost in the days gone by
My love is strong
With you there is no wrong
together we shall go until we die

my my my

Inspiration's what you are to me
Inspiration, love you see

And so today, my world, it smiles
Your hand in mine, we walk the miles
Thanks to you, it will be done
For you to me, are the only one

Happiness, no longer sad
Happiness, I'm glad

If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
Mountains crumble to the sea
There would still be you and me

Equality 7-2521 View Drop Down

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Posted: June 02 2006 at 15:01

Wake Up - Coheed & Cambria

"One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. "

Tyroler664 View Drop Down

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Posted: June 02 2006 at 07:37

Nothing else mattters - Metallica

cuncuna

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Posted: June 02 2006 at 01:20

I think that ballad can't exist,since "all time" hasn't passed, and, in fact; it is supposed to be endless; so, you see, my mind is falling appart trying to reach that neverending future and the ballads in it... thanks a lot!

¡Beware of the Bee!

Ivan_Melgar_M View Drop Down

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Posted: June 02 2006 at 01:14

There are so many, Prog and non Prog:

White Mountain (Genesis)
July Morning (Uriah Heep)
Mama (Pink Floyd)
Lady D'Arbanville (Cat Stevens)
I would do Anything for Love (But I Won't do That) (Meat Loaf)
Mithrandir aka This Fading Age (Glass Hammer)
Julia (Pavlov's Dog)
Carpet Crawlers (Genesis)
Breathe (Pink Floyd)
Epitaph (King Crimson)
Lucky Man (ELP)
Only You (The Platters)
My Way (Frank Sinatra)
Sara (Fleetwood Mac)
Love Hurts (Nazareth)
Objects in the Rear View Mirror may Appear Closer than they Are (Meat Loaf
Guinivere (Rick Wakeman)
Woyaya (Osibisa)
In the Court of the Crimson King (King Crimson)
The Silent Sun (Genesis)

Among 200 others.

Iván

darren

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Posted: June 02 2006 at 00:49

Not prog but:

"I'll Stand By You" - The Pretenders

"they locked up a man who wanted to rule the world.
the fools
they locked up the wrong man."
- Leonard Cohen

Raff

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Posted: June 02 2006 at 00:46

Rocktopus, Pentangle's "Cruel Sister" (utterly fantastic song Heart

arnold stirrup View Drop Down

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Posted: June 01 2006 at 22:22

Kotro wrote:

Something

Frank Sinatra thought so.

As for me, I'd go with Lucky Man. What other ballad has a killer moog solo at the end?

So much music. So little time.

WaywardSon View Drop Down

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Joined: April 23 2006
Location: Brazil
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Posted: June 01 2006 at 21:29

Rocktopus, I also started wondering about what one would consider a true ballad.

I said Silent Lucidity, but ít is really a song about dream control.

I remember slow dancing to "A Whiter shade of pale" every Friday night at a rock club with this gorgeous blonde...about fifteen years ago...ah sweet memories...