Kiss

Someone tell me some good power ballads by Kiss- this is a lickle bit urgent! Thanks!


Love
Laura

FOREVER!

pm Hellman (not sure is there these days, but he is the Kiss specialist)

Beth is a good one

KISS doesn't have an unending list of ballads/slow songs...but here we go, at least pertaining to me....though from what I have seen on this board..some people have some pretty bizarre ideas about what consitutes a Ballad when they call something like The Distance or Misunderstood one.

Beth (1976): The first one....and the best known. Sung by their drummer Peter Criss. It's from the Destroyer album and has appeared on numerous compliations. KISS doesn't get any mellower than this. It's produced by Bob Ezrin, notable for his production with Pink Floyd on The Wall, Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell. By no means is "Beth" a power ballad. That song existed before the term power ballad existed. For the most part Beth is a classical strings arrangement. It was written about Peter's wife at the time..Lydia.

Shandi (1980): from the Unmasked album. Lesser known and a bit uptempo for a ballad, but I suppose it qualifies as it borrows from Country. Sung by Paul Stanley...the arguably best vocalist of the group and one of the best as a whole out of rock and roll. "This is a song about a girl" as Paul would introduce it. As if you couldn't figure that one out.

A World Without Heroes (1981): From The Elder. Another collaboration with Bob Ezrin. This one is sung by the man with the tongue, Gene Simmons and is a poignant statement on the need for heroes in this world. "A world without heroes...there's nothing to be. It's no place for me."

Just A Boy (1981): Also from the Elder and sung by Paul Stanley. This one has always gripped me and you can hear in his voice the fear and trepidition. Basically about growing up and being faced with taking a huge step by taking on major responsibility and being scared ****less.

I Still Love You (1982): Probably the first ballad that takes on Power Ballad status with it's fierce attack in some sections. But make no mistake..this is a sad and depressing one reflected both in the guitar and Paul Stanley's voice, capturing perfectly how one feels in that moment post break up when they face the reality of it. "And when I think of all the thing's you'll never know. There's so much left to say
'Cos girl, now I see the price of losing you, will be my hell to pay." This is really one of their more underrated pieces of work. The best version is arguably the live performance from Unplugged in 1995. This song hails from the album Creatures of the Night.

A Million To One (1983): From Lick It Up, their first post make-up album. This is pretty much all out power ballad and definately one of their most underrated songs period. It's a favorite among many KISS fans who to this day bemoan the fact the band ignored it and never performed it live. It's a bit in your face for a ballad, but it pretty much fall under the definition. I'm probably crossing into the same territory where people here call The Distance a ballad, but you'd have to hear it to understand.

Reason To Live (1987): This track comes off the group's Crazy Nights album. The album itself is considered one of KISS worst in the KISS Army Camp, mostly for it's production. Ron Nevison did the same thing to KISS that he did to Ozzy's Ultimate Sin album. There are plenty of great songs on these two albums, but Nevison really brings them down. Anyway, Reason To Live is pure late 80s power balladry...keyboards and all. It was a pretty big hit on MTV video wise....staying at number 1 on Dial MTV for several weeks before being ousted by Def Leppard's Pour Some Sugar On Me (USA) when it premiered. So it does fall under the category of being somewhat one of their more recognizable singles...but more than likely most people were into the video for the girl in it..a Playboy magazine centerfold. As far as what the song is about...basically a post break up tune that says "**** You" to the one that dumped you.

Forever (1989): This is one of KISS chart toppers. It's from Hot In The Shade and cowritten with Michael Bolton (the connection he has with the band is their guitarist, Bruce Kulick , and Michael used to be in the band BlackJack together.) It's tone is upbeat...a proclamation of one's love lasting forever.

Everytime I Look At You (1992): This track comes from Revenge, an album that ranks at the top as far as KISS classic albums to own. The song itself didn't chart as a single and the video was never played on MTV (nor is it available otherwise other than as a bootleg.) I'd argue that this is one of their best ballads. It does continue the same vein as Forever...but I find it much more interesting musically and vocally. It probably would have done better had the music climate not been stacked against the band at the time.

I Will Be There (1994): This was written by Paul Stanley for his son and is off the Carnival of Souls album. The album itself is controversial. It was to be the follow up to Revenge...however the pieces fell into place as far as arrangements for the Reunion with the original members in make up, so it was put on the back burner and released as is in the midst of the Alive WorldWide Tour..so it basically went unnoticed except by KISS fans.

I Finally Found My Way To You (199: This is off the "reunion" album Psycho Circus, sung by Peter Criss. It's no Beth and is largely forgotten. I've found myself enjoying it at rare moments...but it's mostly product as with all things KISS since 1996.

Nothing Can Keep Me From You (1999): I'm only bringing this up cuz I'm trying to be as complete as possible. This one isn't even written by any of the band members and appears on the Detroit Rock City soundtrack. The movie failed. The song was pummeled by the KISS Army...afraid that it will be the last new track the band will ever put out. It was an attempt to copy Aerosmith's success with "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." Both tracks were written by Diane Warren (though in all fairness, she had written with Paul Stanely in the past...the best of the lot being Hide Your Heart." Paul's vocals on this song are good..but it's status as pure product detracts from it's enjoyment for me personally and for most KISS fans...plus it's the first the band has done that none had a hand in writing...unacceptable for a KISS fan.

And that covers the KISStory of ballads.

REASON TO LIVE... no doubts...

forever, reason to live, turn on the night (could possibly be considered), You Love to hate me


and the ones mentioned above

Beth is the only one I can think of now...Bleeding Purist has a great list of songs.

Stephanie