For the Love of Slow Songs
Posted by Trish Milburn Feb 15 2013, 12:01 am
We all have our all-time favorite songs, and mine fall into several categories. Today, in honor of the month of love, I’m going to share my fave ballads, aka “slow songs” you could probably easily see your high school self dancing to with a cute guy at the homecoming dance.
When I was in high school, there is no telling how many times I watched Top Gun with my friend Jennifer, whose dad was career Navy. Plus, hey, that volleyball scene. 
Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away” is my all-time favorite love song.
I discover a lot of music through YouTube fan videos or when they are used on TV shows. Such is the case for “All You Wanted” by Sounds Under Radio. It’s been used on The Vampire Diaries.
Another song I found when it was used to accompany a fan video for a couple on Spartacus was Trading Yesterday’s “Love Song Requiem”. I love the music, the lyrics, everything about it.
If you watched a movie in the ’80s, chances were you heard a Kenny Loggins. One of my favorites is “Meet Me Halfway” from the movie Over the Top.
Another YouTube find was “Angels on the Moon” by Thriving Ivory.
I’ve been a fan of Shinedown’s for some time now, but I’m on a total kick of listening to their music now since seeing them in concert last Friday. I love their song “Through the Ghost”.
Another of my favorite ’80s tunes is “Broken Wings” by Mr. Mister. There’s a trip in the way-back machine to when I was 15.
Do any of these appeal to you? What are your current favorite ballads? Which ones do you remember dancing to at school dances?
Comments
My favorite slow song has to be Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers. I can’t play the songs you have links to right now as I don’t want to wake up my husband.
PS ~ I do know some of the songs you mentioned and others seem familiar.
Hey, Kaelee, perhaps you should sing a lovely song to the rooster. Well, maybe not! He might like and decide to move in!
Unchained Melody is a true classic, isn’t it? One of my favorites too. Did you know the composer, Alex North, wrote wonderful film scores like Spartacus?
That’s a great song, too.
I wonder who he is visiting today?
Have Fun
Helen
Helen, sadly and extremely irritatingly, we’re still having a few hiccups on the site. You NEARLY got him!
LOL! I totally remember Broken Wings and Take My Breath Away, Trish! Those definitely take me back to high school dances! Classics at this point, for sure
Hmm… Survivor’s The Search Is Over? Journey’s Open Arms? REO Speedwagon’s Can’t Fight This Feeling?
As for now? I haven’t danced like that in ages–maybe Train’s Hey, Soul Sister?
Hey Fedora! I love all of those! And yeah…dance music! :> Love them. And anything Kenny Loggins is good by me.
Oh, Open Arms is another great one. Flashback time.
Trish
I do love my music and of course I love 70′s music and although we didn’t have many school dances there are some songs that I love
Without You Harry Nillson
Have I told you Lately That I love You Rod Stewart
Mandolin Wind Rod Stewart
Unchained Melody The Righteous Brothers
Just to name a few I am sure there are a lot more
Have Fun
Helen
Helen, I’m a fan of Unchained Melody too, and all the ones you mentioned. I know you’re a Rod Stewart fan from way back. Did you hear hid CHristmas CD? :>
Jeanne
Yes I played over and over at Christmas LOL I can never get enough of his voice
Have Fun
Helen
Another for Unchained Melody. I know Rod Stewart has a lot of fans, but I have to say he and his music have never done anything for me.
Trish, I love your music posts. I always come out with a new favorite when I check out your links. You introduced me to Muse who I think are one of my favorite modern bands (along with Mumford and Sons – great to see them doing so well in the Grammys just this week). I love a really heartfelt slow song. I think my fave would have to be Can’t Take My Eyes off You with Frankie Valli. Such beautiful lyrics and so romantic. More recent stuff, I love Chasing Cars which seemed to turn up in every TV show there was. I’m sure it even turned up in Downton Abbey! LOL! Also love Gotye’s Somebody I Used to Know although I’m not sure it counts as a love song. Wonderful to see it winning song of the year in the Grammys too.
Oh, Anna, I came to find Muse from one of Trish’s posts too! :> How cool is that!
Adore Mumford and Sons. Really enjoyed “meeting” the Lumineers from the Grammy’s too. And Fun. So much wonderful music! Grins.
Hey, Jeanne, isn’t that cool about Muse? Their song Undisclosed Desires was a bit of a theme song for MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION. Wonderful lyrics – and just right for my hero and heroine.
Cool that I introduced you and Jeanne to Muse. I found them through the Twilight soundtracks. They’re Stephanie Meyer’s favorite band, so they’ve done a lot of work for the Twilight movies.
I like that Gotye song, too. It’s different.
High school dances were so far back in my past, I don’t remember much about them. But what I do remember are the slow songs played in the bars, especially at or near closing time. There’s a good one by Jim Reeves titled ‘He’ll Have to Go’ that is a killer slow dance tune.
Oooh, love that one, Karen!
I don’t know that one. Will have to look it up.
Trish what a great blog!
And what a lot of memories it brings back.
As soon as I read the first couple of graphs, this song came to mind. I’ll give my age away I’m sure, but in middle school and high school, this was the song. I don’t much like the message in it either, but it swamps me with nostalgia.
It’s Sad Eyes by Robert John. You may have to copy the link. I have no idea how to make it hot.
That is a sad one, Cassondra, but a good slow-dance song.
I didn’t recognize the name of the song or artist until I hit the link and listened. Then I remembered the song. That’s a good one, too.
I love music blogs! They nearly always lead to my adding songs to my iPod.
Favorite ballads on my playlist include “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke, “This Guy’s in Love with You” by Herb Alpert, “Time in a Bottle” by Jim Croce, “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton, “Leather and Lace” by Stevie Nicks and Dan Henley, and “Truly, Madly Deeply” by Savage Garden. I love the Righteous Brothers. “Unchained Melody” is wonderful; so is “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.” Listening to those takes me back not only to dancing to them but also to a concert that left me a bigger Righteous Brothers fan than ever.
I think any list of best ballads compiled my readers and writers should definitely include Dan Fogelberg’s “Longer”:
Through the years as the fire
Starts to mellow,
Burning lines in the book of our lives,
Though the binding cracks and the
Pages start to yellow,
I’ll be in love with you.
Hey Janga! I’m a HUGE Fogelburg fan! Love, love love his work. About the only CD I don’t listen to over and over is the Windows and Walls CD – he was in th emiddle of a divorce and it showed. Grins.
Love all your other choices too!
Jeanne, I agree about Windows and Walls. The title song leaves me in tears every time, but “Believe in Me,” although also so sad, is on the playlist for my first ms.
Do you know Don Williams’ songs? “You’re My Best Friend” is one of my favorite love songs ever. And although it’s not a love song, “Good Ole Boys Like Me” is just a perfect lyric–and surprisingly sophisticated for a country song. Who expects references to Tennessee Williams and Thomas Wolfe in a country lyric?
It is a good song, but it is SO sad! I do like Don Williams songs as well, and yes, the cool references, remind me of the way Sting uses the most amazing references – Nabakov, Rice, other literary references, etc – really cool. It’s fun when I realize some of fav musicians are actually literate! Ha!
“You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling” always reminds me of Top Gun, too.
Funny story about Fogelberg — I was in Santa Fe for a work conference a number of years ago, and a couple of us decided to take a day and go up and visit Bandelier National Monument. On the way, there was this Indian casino, out in the middle of nowhere, and Fogelberg was doing a concert there. I don’t know why that struck me as funny, but it did.
My husband and I have had a song for about 45 yrs. Never my Love by The Association. What’s nice is every once in a while we still hear it played on the radio.
THat’s a great one, Catslady! My DH and I have a “song” too – It’s a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. :>
Aww, that’s sweet. Hubby and I don’t really have a song, but I always think of him when I hear Bon Jovi’s “Dead or Alive” because it’s one of the first songs I heard him play on guitar.
Anything Righteous Brothers is at the top
of the list for Honey and I. Especially
Unchained Melody, which we sang to
each other in our courting days! Also a
big favorite for me: Earth Angel by the
Penguins. Oh, my, all the wonderful
slow songs that came out of that time!!!
A favorite from a much later time is
Breathe!
Pat C.
Hey Pat! Righteous Brothers have been a BIG favorite today! Love that. :> I’m going to have to give this some thought and scan through my iPod….
More Righteous Brothers love. They’re such a classic.
A couple songs my husband and I like to slow dance to are:
Stars Fell on Alabama
Could I Have This Dance for the Rest of my Life
The first song we ever danced to was Satin Doll. I’ll never forget that night. Sigh…
Connie, love your suggestions. My first slow dance was to Blueberry Hill – still get misty eyed when I hear that song!
Aww, a sweet memory. What’s funny is that hubby is a musician, he plays guitar and writes music, but he is not what one would call a good dancer. How can someone who is a musician have such terrible dancing rhythm?
Take My Breath Away, definitely.
But my be all favorite in the 80s is: AT THIS MOMENT by Billy Vera and the Beaters. Breaks my heart every time I listen to it.
Also loved: LADY IN RED, MAKING LOVE OUT OF NOTHING AT ALL, LOVE SONG (Tesla), and HAZARD by Richard Marx.
You and I must be the same age because I love all these songs, too.
There are so many, many great songs! I’m currently in love with Act of Valor by Hunter Hayes, and Would you Go With Me by the darling Josh Turner. Blake Sheltons Honeybee is a fab love song, but is more of a fast dance song. :>
Nickelback’s Far Away is so fabulous for a slow dance…
Grins. I tend to download stuff for running to it, but I do have a FEW Slow songs!
Oh, I can’t believe I didn’t include “Far Away.” I love that song. I know Nickelback has their haters, but I really like them. I’ve seen them in concert twice, and they put on a really good show both times.
Okay, now this is really sad because I don’t recognize ANY of those songs! I am SUCH a relic when it comes to music !!
I still love The Tennessee Waltz because my parents always danced to it when it came on the radio. There is something about seeing your parents dance in the kitchen when you are a child that makes you feel safe.
I love Unchained Melody.
At Last by Etta James is another favorite and great to dance to if you have a good partner.
To show you how antique my tastes are, here are the words to my favorite love ballad. Does anyone recognize it?
You my soul, you my heart,
You my bliss, o you my pain,
You the world in which I live;
You my heaven, in which I float,
O you my grave, into which
I eternally cast my grief.
You are the rest, you are the peace,
You are the heaven upon me bestowed.
That you love me makes me worthy of you;
your gaze transfigures me;
you raise me lovingly above myself,
my good spirit, my better self
Wow, Louisa, that’s one of my FAVORITE pieces of music, especially in the Liszt transcription. It always makes me tear up (mind you, when I try to play it, I think the neighbors tear up – it’s not the easiest thing on the piano!). Great choice! Here’s a youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyMKe53oDMs
Love At Last too but this one’s the corker!
It truly is a gorgeous piece! And I love the Liszt transcription as well. I’d love to hear you play it! Thanks for the link. This is an absolutely beautiful rendition!
I got hubby a card once for either Valentine’s Day or our anniversary that played “At Last.”
Trish, I, too, have a soft spot for “Broken Wings” – takes me right back to Jr High School!
The first song my husband and I danced to was “With or Without You” by U2 so that’s a favorite as well.
For my WIP, I just added “Down” by Jason Walker and “Sleeping to Dream” by Jason Mraz – love both of these!
Ah, U2. They were so big during that era. Good song.
When I met my husband, 27 years ago, this song was playing and it’s still “our” song
Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away”.
And when we got married, we had this song played “Love will keep us alive” by The Eagles.
When we hear these 2 songs, they bring back beautiful memories!
Nice memories. I just love that Berlin song.
Trish, what a great post! I’m away from home, typing on the iPad in an Atlanta Bread Co., or I’d type more.
I love Elvis’s song that includes the line “I can’t help falling in live with you.” Also: Mike & the Mechanics “In the Living Years,” Don McLean “Starry, Starry Night,” All American Rejects “When Darkness Turns to Light,” Five for Fighting “Superman” (of course!). I know there are others, but the CDs are at home.
Ooh, a couple of my faves, Nancy. I always tear up in The Living Years!
More good selections.
I just thought of another I love — “I Will Find You” by Clannad, from the Last of the Mohicans soundtrack.
Oh, and “Wind Beneath My Wings.”
I sang that as a talent act in a pageant.
God I’m old.
You Were Always On My Mind- Willy Nelson
True Companion- Marc Cohen
For You- John Denver
This Years Love- David Gray
Your Song- Elton John
Sometimes When We Touch- Dan Hill
Never Thought That I Could Love- Dan Hill
Corrina, Corrina- Leo Kottke
Love Song- Loggins & Messina
Your Beautiful- James Blunt
How Can I Tell You- Cat Stevens
First Time I Ever Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack
Always -Bon Jovi
Kathy’s Song- Simon & Garfunkel
Amazed- Lonestar
Still the One- Shania
Something- George Harrison
I’m Yours- Jason Mraz
Sweet Melissa- Allman Brothers Band
Angie- Rolling Stones
Wish You Were Here- Pink Flloyd
I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing-Aerosmith
I’m not a big fan of country, funny since I live in Nashville, but I do like that Lonestar song.
I forgot Nights in White Satin- Moody Blues