Showing posts with label Power Ballad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Power Ballad. Show all posts

Monday, 27 January 2014

Foreigner - Waiting For A Girl Like You

This fantastic power ballad was a hit both sides of the Atlantic in November 1981. Foreigner were never that huge over here in the UK, I think because their sound had no place in the music scene of the UK between 1978 and 1982 as we had Punk, New Wave, Mod, Ska, Disco, Pop and New Romantic movements happening. They had minor hits here with Cold As Ice and Hot Blooded, but their sound was more American rock (not bad seeing as two members of the band were British).

This was a bit of a crossover for the band as their previous albums were more hard rock so this was a lot more easier to play on radio stations and it caught on with the listeners who got it into the charts. The single was the second from the album 4 and reached number 8 in the UK. It also featured Thomas Dolby on keyboards just before he started his solo career. Also this single spent 10 weeks stuck at number 2 in the American charts having two other singles jump over this track to get to number 1. The follow up singles never dented the UK top 40 which is a shame as they are great tracks from a really great album too. Here's the single

Saturday, 3 November 2012

Queen - We Are The Champions - We Will Rock You

A huge hit for Queen, this power ballad and stomping anthem single was released in October 1977 as a double A Side. These tracks came off the album News Of The World which was released shortly after the single came out.

We Are The Champions was written by Freddie Mercury and has become one of the most played songs in the world, is one of the most played sporting anthems too. The idea of the song came from audience participation, having a live crowd chanting and waving arms to a song. The video of the song was the first one to use fans from the fan club as the audience to a ''live'' show of the band playing the new track. At the end of the video shoot, the fans were then treated to a real live show by the band and a copy of the new single. The band were to use the fans in videos of future releases!

We Will Rock You is also one of the most well known songs ever and also is often used in sporting arenas, A backing track of claps and stomping with the band singing on top, was such a simple idea and the classic Brian May guitar solo at the end finished an awesome track. The video to this track was recorded on a very cold snowy day in October in the back of Roger Taylor's garden. You can see just how cold the band were as they mimed the track.

The single reached number 2 in the UK and went gold, the single got into top 10 charts around the world too. We Will Rock You is the first track on the album with Champions following along, in America they still play both tracks as one from the album!

Here is the cover and label from the single