Here are the first few to come in my mind and I like them all. Potentially missed quite a few so feel free to give suggestions. I decided to rate all the songs from 1-10 just for fun. You can do the same, it's nice to see others opinions :)

VDGG - Refugees (10/10)

VDGG - House with no door (10/10)

Gentle Giant - Think of me with kindness (10/10)
Gentle Giant - Aspirations (9/10)

Beatles - She's leaving home (8/10)

Genesis - Entangled (9/10)

Genesis - The lamia (9/10)

Genesis - The chamber of 32 doors (9/10)

Genesis - Time table (9/10)

Genesis - Mad mad moon (8/10)

King Crimson - I talk to the wind (10/10)

King Crimson - The night watch (9/10)

King Crimson - Book of saturday (8/10)

King Crimson - Epitaph (9/10)

King Crimson - Exiles (9/10)

King Crimson - Formentera Lady (10/10)

Dream Theather - Wait for sleep (9/10)

Steven Wilson - Routine (9/10)

 

Out of your list, I'll choose "Epitaph" by King Crimson. Maybe I'll request it to be played at my funeral, although I won't be able to listen to it.

This one can be deleted as I did the poll. I don't know where/if i can delete it myself.

A poll is a poll and a list is a list. If you want to encourage people to freely list their favourites, have a list. Your poll has "other" but you'll find that far fewer people choose "other" in a poll (and then not even all of them will say what) than list something personal in a list. Of course there are a few crowd favourites for which people are happy to vote, but for this kind of thing I'd always prefer a list, as the majority of people will in fact have their own favourites that are not on offer in the poll.

A lot of these are not ballads really . Just great songs.

A few ballads I would go for that I believe are correct under the definition (ie should have a love theme imo)

Many Too Many - Genesis

Afterglow - Genesis

Close to Believing - ELP

Nights In White Satin - Moodies ( this must be the best and I will vote for this on the poll if its an option)

I would have included From The Beginning - ELP but this is an introspective song that is not about love. Neither is Lucky Man for that matter.

 

H To He, Who Am The Only One

 

 

 

 

Thanks! I prophesise I'm going to buy the album after hearing it.

^

Money well spent :)

 

It's my second favourite album after "Pawn Hearts". Although "House With No Door" is my favourite VdGG ballad, it's my least favourite track on the album. My favourite track on the album is "Lost".

 

 

 

Excellent!

For me VDGG is the "essential" prog band along with Genesis, King Crimson, Yes and Pink Floyd. It might take a few listens before fully understanding it. But once you do, you will be eternally grateful.

I have most of the early albums by Genesis, Yes & Pink Floyd, but I only like the first album by King Crimson.

 

You obviously haven't tried hard enough :)

King Crimson's second album " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Wake_of_Poseidon" rel="nofollow - - Lizard  at all. That album put me right off King Crimson altogether. I've heard snippets of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larks_Tongues_in_Aspic" rel="nofollow - - Starless and Bible Black  but they were far too experimental for my tastes.

You should check out "Red" at least once, it's quite remarkable and less experimental than "Lark's". You might not like Providence but the others might click :)

Also "The least we can do..." and "H to he..." are less experimental than "Pawn Hearts", so you should start with those two (if you are interested in VDGG)

Thanks. I will do.

I listened to Van Der Graaf Generator's "Pawn Hearts" album for the first time last night, but it was a little too experimental for my tastes, and it even sounded discordant in some places. I may listen to the album again though just to see if it grows on me, and it's sparked my interest enough to want to listen to the two more approachable albums that preceded "Pawn Hearts".

Godbluff is the most enjoyable VDGG album imo

Red is an absolute classic. I even bought the 24 disc box set The Road To Red about 3 years ago although I still haven't got through it 

 

It is a commonly acknowledged aspect of Van der Graaf Generator music that it can be difficult to get into. Even the PA biography of Van der Graaf Generator says:  

 

For lot of us their music has proven to be very hard to get into, but it is even harder to live without it once you've acquired a taste for the band. The way the band combines the very personal with the abstract sound of progression creates a fascination that lives on and the way Peter HAMMILL puts his soul in the music seems to be untouchable for other musicians.

 

Yes, I found a number of their albums took several listens before I could appreciate the beauty contained within the music. However, I did fall in love with "Pawn Hearts" the first time I heard it.

 

 

 

For me one of the best is Australian Blackfeathers "Seasons of Change" (arranged with more acoustic guitar and strings)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNJIlbEF6yE" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNJIlbEF6yE

or version by Fraternity (emphasis on hammonds)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2NH18Te4ME" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2NH18Te4ME

Ahh! You took the hardest one first but glad you did :) Give it a few more spins and it might grow on you. Next one "Red"...

Blackfeather's version of "Season of Change" is *the* version......it still sends shivers down the spine....brings back so many memories...it was a big hit down here in Oz. Such a beautiful song and rendition. Fraternity's version is not up to Blackfeather's.

Incidentally, the lead singer of Fraternity is a young Bon Scott (i.e. future AC/DC vocalist).

I have a feeling that this song has something like that I knew this motif earlier from some prehistoric times, before memory appeared.