THE 40 GREATEST BALLADS OF ALL TIME! [[As picked by me!)

[timmyfunk]

OK, I have one more list that I was originally against doing. But thanks to some encouragement from a very effective third party, I was able to compile a surprisingly lengthy list. I am by no means a lover of ballads. I always thought that I could name all of my favorite ballads on both hands. I've even been accused of not being a romantic. I'm sure that you guys [[and especially gals) can name off hundreds of personal favorites.

People Make The World Go Round-The Stylistics
You're A Big Girl Now-The Stylistics
Love Won't Let Me Wait-Major Harris
Me And Mrs. Jones-Billy Paul
True-Spandau Ballet
I Miss You-Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
Hope That We Can Be Together Soon-Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
She's Leaving Home-The Beatles
Always and Forever-Heatwave
Close To You-The Carpenters
Be For Real-Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
Close The Door-Teddy Pendergrass
I Don't Want To Do Wrong-Gladys Knight and the Pips
Something-The Beatles
Sweet Sticky Thing-The Ohio Players
Sweet Love-Anita Baker
Emotion-Samantha Sang
How Deep Is Your Love?-The Bee Gees
Every Generation-Ronnie Laws
I Wanna Be Around-James Brown
Heaven Must Be Like This-The Ohio Players
Oh Honey-Delegation
Be Thankful For What You've Got-William Devaughn
Feel Like Making Love-Roberta Flack
Float On-The Floaters
After The Dance-Marvin Gaye
Jesus Is Waiting-Al Green
Everybody Plays The Fool-The Main Ingredient
Harbor Lights-The Platters
Cane-Gil Scott-Heron
Everybody Is A Star-Sly and the Family Stone
Pillow Talk-Sylvia
Woman In Love-Barbara Streisand
What You Won't Do For Love-Bobby Caldwell
Leaving Me-The Independents
Natural High-Bloodstone
You Are My Starship-Norman Connors
For The Love Of You-The Isley Brothers
Gigolos Get Lonely Too-The Time
Let's Get It On-Marvin Gaye
You're My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration-Teddy Pendergrass

[tamla617]

Timmy funk
You've done it again. Its just about Christmas o'clock, I got family, acres of them here, I'll get back to this asap.
In the mean time I have the pleasure to get this in before you or someone like you[[!)

To love somebody...................Roberta Flack!
Its a killer!
Love your list though! Just in case Happy Christmas!

[roger]

"Pillow Talk" by SYLVIA is a ballad??

Oh well ..

Roger

[roger]

I'm not sure if this a "ballad" but it would be my choice for slow tunes ..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwivWKsL65c

Roger

[robb_k]

7823
Ha! Ha! Only ONE song on that list was released before I stopped listening to the radio [["Harbor Lights"-by The Platters)!!!

I'll bet my entire list were songs released before most of you were born!

1. "I'm Yours"-Flamingos
2. "Golden Teardrops"-Flamingos
3. "Red Sails In The Sunset"-Five Keys
4. "A Sunday Kind of Love"-Harptones
5. "The Glory of Love"-Five Keys
6. "If I Can't Have You"-Flamingos
7. "Earth Angel"-Penguins
8."I Need Someone"-James Washington Lee [[& Vows)
9. "Since I Fell For You"-Lennie Welch
10. "Can't Help Loving That Girl of Mine"-Hideaways
11. "I'm So Proud"-Impressions
12. "Half A Man"-Howard Tate
13. "I Want To Be The Boy You Love"-Starlighters
14. "It's Been So Long"-Leaping Flames
15. "Only You"-Platters [[Federal version)
16. "Over The Rainbow"-Moroccos
17. "Why Don't You Write Me?-Jacks
18. "What Time Is It?"-Jive Five
19. "Count Every Star"-Ravens
20. "Intimate Moments"-Gloria Lynne
21. "A House Is Not A Home"-Dionne Warwick
22. "Alfie"-Dee Dee Warwick
23. "I Wish You Love"-Gloria Lynne
24. "A Thousand Miles Away"-Heartbeats
25. "The Way You look Tonight"-Jaguars
26. "Till Then"-Orioles
27. "Harbor Lights"-Orioles
28. "Close Your Eyes"-Five Keys
29. "Island of Love"-Sheppards
30. "Lovers' Island"-Blue Jays
31. "So Blue"-Vibrations
32. "Been So Long"-Pastels
33. "So Far Away"-Pastels
34. "Move On Love"-Charles Perry
35. "September Song"-Flamingos
36. "Goodnight My Love"-Jesse Belvin
37. "Twilight Time"-Platters
38. "What Are You Doing New Years?"-Orioles
39. "Crying In The Chapel"-Orioles
40. "Blue Velvet"-Clovers

These are just 40 I banged out without thinking. I could probably replace at least half with ballads I like better, but just didn't think of them at the time.

[Jerry Oz]

"Be Thankful For What You've Got"? "Everybody Is A Star"?

You're killing me with this one... Of course, mine would be much different. I'll try to post it soon.

[edafan]

If we put timmy funk
and
robb_k together

Do we have the 80 greatest ballads
of all time

What About My Girl by the Temptations
which was picked as a song to put in a time capsule.

OK GANG

Pick 19 more and we have the 100
edafan

[robb_k]

If we put timmy funk and robb_k together do we have the 80 greatest ballads of all time?

What About My Girl by the Temptations
which was picked as a song to put in a time capsule?

7824
Not a chance that we have the Top 80 with our 2 lists. TimmyFunks is WAY TOO recent-dominated, with virtually nothing before the '70s, and mine is much too heavily early '50s, with just a handful '60s added.

"My Girl" is one of my Top 10 songs. So it would have been included on my list if I considered it a ballad. But I don't. To me, it is a mid-tempo song. I can't think of very many ballads sung by The Temptations. To me, "I Wish It Would Rain" is also a mid-tempo, as is "It's Growing", as is "Dream Come True" and "Since I Lost My Baby" and "The Girl's Alright With Me" and the like, and even "Just my Imagination". "Silent Night" is the only slow song by them I can remember.

Am I crazy?

[soulster]

Timmy!

I'm the same way! I'm not big on ballads, but I do love a lot of them.

Forgive me if I repeat a few of your choices, as I have not actually read them yet, but here are a few of my top favorites off the top of my head:

Precious And Few - Climax
Cherish - The Association
Hey Girl - Freddie Scott
I Love You - People
Johnny Angel - Shelly Fabres
I Will Follow Him [[Chariot) - Little Peggy March
My Baby Loves Me - Martha & The Vandellas
I Found A Love - Wilson Pickett
Something - The Beatles
Lost Someone - James Brown
Goin' Out Of My Head - Little Anthony & The Imperials
You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry - The Caravelles
This Boy - The Beatles
A World Without Love - Peter & Gordon
Let's Fall In Love - Peaches & Herb
I'll Be There - The Jackson 5
Just My Imagination [[Running Away With Me) - The Temptations
The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Since I Lost My Baby - The Temptations
I'm Still In Love With You - Al Green
Baby I Love You - Aretha Franklin
Maybe Tomorrow - The Jackson 5
Oh No, Not My Baby - Maxine Brown
I Just Don't Want To be Lonely - The Main Ingredient
Young Girl - Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
Angel Of The Morning - Merilee Rush & The Turnabouts
Close To You - Carpenters
You're My Everything - The Temptetions
This Guy's In Love With You - Burt Bacharach
Message To Michael - Dionne Warwick
Who Can I Turn To - Dionne Warwick
Then Came You - Dionne Warwick With Spinners
Love Jones - The Brighter Side Of Darkness
Basketball Jones - Tyrone Shoelaces :)
Smile A Little Smile For Me - The Flying Machine
My Baby Loves Love - White Plains
Which Way You- Goin Billy? - The Poppy Family
Superstar - Carpenters
If I Were Your Woman - Gladys Knight & The Pips
Midnight Train To Georgia - Gladys Knight & The Pips
Got To Be There - Michael Jackson
I Wanna Be Where You Are - Michael Jackson
I've Been Tryin' - The Impressions
Hello, It's Me - Todd Rundgren
You Make Me Feel Brand New - Stylistics
Until You Come Back To Me [[That's What I'm Gonna Do) - Aretha Franklin
Superstar/Until You Come Back To Me [[That's What I'm Gonna Do) - Luther Vandross
Could It Be I'm Falling In Love - Spinners
Pillow Talk - Sylvia
Rock & Roll Lulluby - B.J. Thomas
Don't Worry Baby - B.J. Thomas
She's Gone - Daryl Hall/John Oates
Sara Smile - Hall & Oates
Help me - Joni Mitchell
If Not For You - George Harrison
If Not For you - Olivia Newton-John
Daniel - Elton John
I Honestly Love You - Olivia Newton-John
Have You Never Been Mellow - Olivia Newton-John
Fanny [[Be Tender With My Love) - Bee Gees
Help Me Make It Through the Night - O.C. Smith
Let's Pretend - The Raspberries
Questions 67 & 68 - Chicago
Colour My World - Chicago
Just You & Me - Chicago
[[I've Been) Searching So Long - Chicago
I'll Write A Song For You - Earth, Wind & Fire
Easy - Commodores
Love Won't Let Me Wait - Major Harris
Killing me Softly With His Song - Roberta Flack
Fallin' In Love - Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
It's Too Late To Turn Back Now - Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
For The Love Of You - The Isley Brothers
Hold Me Tight - Johnny Nash
Ain't No Woman Like the One I've Got - The Four Tops
I've Got Love On My Mind - Natalie Cole
Circles - Captain & Tennille
How Sweet It is [[To Be Loved By You) - James Taylor
Sweet Thing - Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
Mandy - Barry Manilow
Midnight Blue - Melissa Manchester
I'm Not In Love - 10cc
Can't Hide love - Earth, Wind & Fire
Sweet Sticky Thing - Ohio Players
Special Occasion - The Stylistics
Hard Times - Boz Scaggs
You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine - Lou Rawls
With Your Love - Jefferson Starship
Miracles - Jefferson Starship
Love me - Yvonne Elliman
Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra [[does a ballad have to have lyrics?)
Love Is Blue - Paul Mauriat [[again, does it have to have lyrics?)
All By Myself - Eric Carmen
I Like Dreamin' - Kenny Nolan
I Just Want To Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb
If I Ever Lose This Heaven - AWB
Tough Me In the Morning - Diana Ross
Evergreen [[Love Theme From A Star Is Born) - Barbra Streisand
I Love You - Donna Summer
I Want You - Marvin Gaye
Theme From Mahogany [[Do You Know Where You're Going To) - Diana Ross
You Are The Woman - Firefall
You Make Loving Fun - Fleetwood Mac
Sam - Olivia Newton-John
This Masquerade - George Benson
Don't Ask My neighbors - Emotions
Looks Like We Made It - Barry Manilow
I Call Your Name - Switch


OK, there are tons more I can list up until recently, but i'm tired of brainstorming. I didn't even get into the 80s and 90s!




Am I crazy?

Rob K, it's time for the old-folks home for you. :D

[Jerry Oz]

Not at all. "Just My Imagination" is actually the closest of the classic Temptations songs, although of their later output, "Sail Away" was a genuine ballad, as were "Heavenly" and "I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now".

But I guess it all comes down to an individual's interpretation of what a ballad is.

[robb_k]

Not at all. "Just My Imagination" is actually the closest of the classic Temptations songs, although of their later output, "Sail Away" was a genuine ballad, as were "Heavenly" and "I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now".

But I guess it all comes down to an individual's interpretation of what a ballad is.
7827
I've never heard ANY of those 3 songs!

[robb_k]

7828
I forgot to add "Hey Girl" by Freddie Scott, and "High On A Hill" by Scott English.

[soulster]

While i'm in the mood, i'll do a few more ballads I like:

I Love You Always Forever - Donna Lewis
Time Will Reveal - Debarge
Fire And Desire - Rick James w/Teena Marie
How Am I Supposed To Live Without You - Gloria Branigan
One Of Us - ABBA
Stay Awake - Ronnie laws
Lady - The Whispers
Special Lady - Ray, Goodman & Brown
Saving All My Love For You - Whitney Houston
Vision Of Love - Mariah Carey
head Over heels - Tears For Fears
Can't We Fall In Love Again - Phyllis Hyman and Wayne Henderson
Lately - Stevie Wonder
Heavanly - The Temptations
Yearnin' For Your Love - Gap Band
It's Gonna Take A Miracle - Denise Williams
Sykiyaki - A Taste Of Honey
The Lover In You - The Sugarhill Gang
Tell Me If You Still Care - SOS Band
I Like It - DeBarge
Another Night - Aretha Franklin
Comin' In And Out Of Your Life - Barbra Streisand
The Rain - Oran "Juice" Jones
Happy - Surface
I Want My Girl - Jesse Johnson
She's Out Of My Life - Michael Jackson
Nobody - Keith Sweat
Beautiful Stranger - Madonna
Eternal Flame - Bangles
Amazed - Lone Star
Bump & Grind - R. Kelly
Don't Send Me Away - Garfield Fleming
Crazy Love - Ce Ce Penniston
All Around The World - Lisa Stansfield
Against All Odds - Phil Collins
Circles - Atlantic Starr
Feeling Love -Paula Cole
How Do I Live - Tricia Yearwood
Stay - Lisa Loeb
Hold On - EnVogue
I Still Believe - Mariah Carey
I Still believe - Brenda K. Starr
I Want It That Way - Backstreet Boys
I Wanna Know Your Name - Walter & Scotty
My Objective - Miles Jaye
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police
Love Me Down - Atlantic Starr
Just The Two Of Us - Grover Washington Jr. featuring Bill Withers
Hello Like Before - Bill Withers
Lost In Your Eyes - Debbie Gibson
Waiting For A Girl Like You - Foreigner
We're In This Love Together - Al Jarreau
Deja Vu - Dionne Warwick
Secret - Madonna
Prison Bitch - Heywood Banks
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World - Prince
We've Only Just Begun - Bobby Womack & Brotherhood
Too Close - Next


There's many more, and i'm tired, so i'll spare you all the pain.

[soulster]

7827
I've never heard ANY of those 3 songs! You have to start expanding your listening. There's a whole new world of music that you haven't heard, and don't judge it before you hear it!

[timmyfunk]

"Pillow Talk" by SYLVIA is a ballad??

Oh well ..

Roger

Hell, just check out any clip of Sylvia on Soul Train. Those people ain't doing no club banging on that song.

[timmyfunk]

"Be Thankful For What You've Got"? "Everybody Is A Star"?

You're killing me with this one... Of course, mine would be much different. I'll try to post it soon.

Again, they ain't club bangers. They maybe a little faster in tempo than most ballads.

[Ngroove]

Lemme give this a spin..
Sorry, but any "greatest" lists excluding, overlooking, or forgetting Peabo Bryson, is non grata to me - I'm serious!
40. Misty Blue - Dorothy Moore
39. On The Wings Of Love - Jeffrey Osborne
38. What You Won't Do For Love - Peabo Bryson & Natalie Cole
37. Tender Love - Force MDs
36. Sweet Love - Anita Baker
35. Shower Me With Your Love - Surface
34. All This Love - DeBarge
33. Let's Get Closer - Atlantic Starr
32. Since I Lost My Baby - The Temptations
31. Pillow Talk - Sylvia
30. Walk On By - Isaac Hayes
29. Three Times A Lady - The Commodores
28. I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Baby - Barry White
27. Unforgettable - Nat King Cole
26. Only You [[And You Alone) - The Platters
25. You Make Me Feel Brand New - The Stylistics
24. Shining Star - The Manhattans
23. Natural High - Bloodstone
22. Oh Girl - The Chi-Lites
21. Baby Come Close - Smokey Robinson
22. If You Don't Know Me By Now - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
21. Come On Over - Teddy Pendergrass
20. Yes, I'm Ready - Barbara Mason
19. I Only Have Eyes For You - The Flamingos
18. Love's Theme - Barry White & the Love Unlimited Orchestra
17. Ooo Baby Baby - The Miracles
16. Love On A Two-Way Street - The Moments
15. I'm Still In Love With You - Al Green
14. Could It Be I'm Falling In Love - The Spinners
13. Me & Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul
12. Betcha By Golly Wow - The Stylistics
11. Stay By My Corner - The Dells
10. La-La [[Means I Love You) - The Delfonics
9. Love Won't Let Me Wait - Major Harris
8. The Closer I Get To You - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
7. Tonight, I Celebrate My Love - Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack
6. You're Still A Young Man - Tower Of Power
5. Cause I Love You - Lenny Williams
4. Close The Door - Teddy Pendergrass
3. Turn Off The Lights - Teddy Pendergrass
2. I'm So Into You - Peabo Bryson
1. Feel The Fire - Peabo Bryson

[soulster]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballad
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballad

[robb_k]

7831
"Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" - The Spinners?
To me that's either a really fast mid-tempo or slow fast song-not anywhere near a ballad.

[timmyfunk]

Lemme give this a spin..
Sorry, but any "greatest" lists excluding, overlooking, or forgetting Peabo Bryson, is non grata to me - I'm serious!
40. Misty Blue - Dorothy Moore
39. On The Wings Of Love - Jeffrey Osborne
38. What You Won't Do For Love - Peabo Bryson & Natalie Cole
37. Tender Love - Force MDs
36. Sweet Love - Anita Baker
35. Shower Me With Your Love - Surface
34. All This Love - DeBarge
33. Let's Get Closer - Atlantic Starr
32. Since I Lost My Baby - The Temptations
31. Pillow Talk - Sylvia
30. Walk On By - Isaac Hayes
29. Three Times A Lady - The Commodores
28. I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Baby - Barry White
27. Unforgettable - Nat King Cole
26. Only You [[And You Alone) - The Platters
25. You Make Me Feel Brand New - The Stylistics
24. Shining Star - The Manhattans
23. Natural High - Bloodstone
22. Oh Girl - The Chi-Lites
21. Baby Come Close - Smokey Robinson
22. If You Don't Know Me By Now - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
21. Come On Over - Teddy Pendergrass
20. Yes, I'm Ready - Barbara Mason
19. I Only Have Eyes For You - The Flamingos
18. Love's Theme - Barry White & the Love Unlimited Orchestra
17. Ooo Baby Baby - The Miracles
16. Love On A Two-Way Street - The Moments
15. I'm Still In Love With You - Al Green
14. Could It Be I'm Falling In Love - The Spinners
13. Me & Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul
12. Betcha By Golly Wow - The Stylistics
11. Stay By My Corner - The Dells
10. La-La [[Means I Love You) - The Delfonics
9. Love Won't Let Me Wait - Major Harris
8. The Closer I Get To You - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
7. Tonight, I Celebrate My Love - Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack
6. You're Still A Young Man - Tower Of Power
5. Cause I Love You - Lenny Williams
4. Close The Door - Teddy Pendergrass
3. Turn Off The Lights - Teddy Pendergrass
2. I'm So Into You - Peabo Bryson
1. Feel The Fire - Peabo Bryson

Dude, as I said in the beginning, I'm not into ballads like that. And nothing that Peabo Bryson has ever moved me like that.

[roger]

Hell, just check out any clip of Sylvia on Soul Train. Those people ain't doing no club banging on that song.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChgErscF4kk

Well Mr Timmyfunk sir, I'm not quite certain what "club banging" is, but I've just watched the above clip and the dancers seem to be moving as I would expect them to do to a groovy mid-tempo number. :)

As Jerry_Oz has mentioned, it seems that different people have different interpretations about what a "Ballad" is. For me, to qualify as a "Ballad" a song has to be .. slow in tempo .. very dramatic [[almost operatic in structure) .. and will most likely have lyrics that are sad.

This is a song that has already got mentioned that SYLVIA co-wrote that I would definitely consider to be a "Ballad" ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eNGkt2DE78

Roger

[roger]

Not at all. "Just My Imagination" is actually the closest of the classic Temptations songs, although of their later output, "Sail Away" was a genuine ballad, as were "Heavenly" and "I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now".

But I guess it all comes down to an individual's interpretation of what a ballad is.

I consider this tune by THE TEMPTATIONS to be a ballad Jerry_Oz ..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIQMyzAVAOY

Roger

[Jerry Oz]

7827
I've never heard ANY of those 3 songs!

How did you forget THE quintessential ballad from your era, robb_k: Pledging My Love by Johnny Ace?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT_eOiTwtoQ

[Jerry Oz]

Soulster, there's almost too many to mention. Your list is a lot like mine, but I'd add "Send For Me" [[Atlantic Starr), "Yearning For Your Love" [[Gap Band), "Jojo" [[Boz Scaggs), and "Try Again" and "How 'Bout Us" [[Champaign) to it. To be honest, I once set out to put together a CD set of nothing but my "favorite" slow jams and it wound up with nine discs before I gave up.

[Jerry Oz]

Again, they ain't club bangers. They maybe a little faster in tempo than most ballads.
I wasn't knocking them or you for including them, partner. It was just food for thought for me because I typically have associated "ballad" with some state of being in, falling in, or losing love. That's not to say that I'm right or wrong. And I'm surprised that you didn't mention "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" by the Persuaders on your list, BTW...

[marv2]

"Always and Forever" by Heatwave

[Ngroove]

Dude, as I said in the beginning, I'm not into ballads like that. And nothing that Peabo Bryson has ever moved me like that.

It's OK, potato, patato, but there's always oughtta some song that "makes sense", according to mood - somewhere, unless one is truly made of stone, "everyone's a romantic".
Aw, nuts - forgot Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves A Woman", and probably more Barry White and many more. Oh well, it's a "Top 40", not "Top 100", if anybody can think up a hundred.

[Ngroove]

7831
"Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" - The Spinners?
To me that's either a really fast mid-tempo or slow fast song-not anywhere near a ballad. OK, then...."Sadie", then...not exactly as well known as "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", but still pretty heavy...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXFuDXMGBN8

[edafan]

7824
Not a chance that we have the Top 80 with our 2 lists. TimmyFunks is WAY TOO recent-dominated, with virtually nothing before the '70s, and mine is much too heavily early '50s, with just a handful '60s added.

"My Girl" is one of my Top 10 songs. So it would have been included on my list if I considered it a ballad. But I don't. To me, it is a mid-tempo song. I can't think of very many ballads sung by The Temptations. To me, "I Wish It Would Rain" is also a mid-tempo, as is "It's Growing", as is "Dream Come True" and "Since I Lost My Baby" and "The Girl's Alright With Me" and the like, and even "Just my Imagination". "Silent Night" is the only slow song by them I can remember.

Am I crazy?
Robb you are correct
but I still like the 2 lists

edafan

[ollie]

Everybody got his her best of slow jams/ballads in the mind and heart, and there are so many great slow jams Tim. I do love the P slow jams, Bootsy, Gary and the rest could truly slow it down. Marvin Gaye was a slow jams master. So was Little Willie John, James Brown, Bobby Bland, Smokey Robinson, Jimmy Scott, and many more.

A few out of my head, and leave out the Jazz slow jams.

Bobby Bland_I'll Take Care Of You
The Dells_Stay In My Corner
Etta James_At Last
The Miracles_A Fork In The Road
Walter Jackson_What Would You Do
Theola Kilgore_This Is My Prayer
Barbara & The Browns_To Know I Can't Touch
Isaac Hayes_Going In Circles
Eddie Kendricks_Honey Brown
The Emotions_I Could Never Be Happy
Average White Band_A Love Of Your Own
Minnie Ripperton_Baby, This Love I Have
Esther Phillips_You & Me Together
Stevie Wonder_Blame It On The Sun
Gladys Knight & The Pips_Signed Gladys
Eddie Robinson_God's Love Song
Bar Kays_Summer Of Our Love
Hodges, James & Smith_Can't Be Alone
Billy Paul_I`ve Got To Put This Life Down
The Isley Brothers_For The Love Of You
Jeannie Reynolds_Look What Your Love Has Done To Me Ma
Bobby Womack_Doing it my way
The Soul Children_Whats Happening Baby
The Dramatics _In The Rain
Loleatta Holloway_I'll Be Gone
Candace Love_Never In A Million Years
Allspice_She's A Lady
The 11th Commandment_Have You Had Any Heartaches Lately
Majestic Arrows_The Magic Of Your Love
Lenny Williams_Think What We Have
Roy Ayers_Searching
Bohannon_I Wonder Why
Michael Henderson_Be My Girl
Chocolate Milk_That's The Way She Loves
Hank Crawford_Teach Me Tonight
Dexter Wansel feat. Terri Wells_The Sweetest Pain
Leon Ware_Rockin' You Eternally
Houston Outlaws_What Am I Going To Do
Randy Brown_I`d Rather Hurt Myself
Tyrone Davis_Be With Me
Lakeside_Given In To Love
Sugarhill Gang_Passion Play
Keni Burke_Risin' To The Top
L J Reynolds_Key To The World
SOS Band_Tell Me If You Still Care
MTUME_Sweet For You & Me [[Monogamy Mix)
Slave_For The Love Of U
One Way_You
Ohio Players Just A Minute
Fatback Band_So Delicious
Tashan- So Much In Love

There is an old song called If I Had You, exist in many versions, i like the version from the 20', early slow jaming.:cool:

[robb_k]

7836
Yes Ollie, Now we've got the idea!

Frölich Weihnachten und ein gutes Neues Jahr!

[splanky]

All Tim's list did was portray his own personal taste. Actually, in that way the thread may as well be titled TimmyFunk's 40 Favorite Ballads Of All Time subtitled Although I'm Not Really Into Ballads :)...Anyway, I've always liked ballards and dig most of the stuff on everyone's list so I won't attempt one of my own. I will say that putting Robb k and Tim's list together
wouldn't create any great combination for my taste because as Robb himself says, he stopped listening to music after 66 or 67 and Tim only cherry picks the seventies...

[Jerry Oz]

These threads are great. It's all great discussion because I daresay that nobody on these boards would have the same songs for either of the genres. I did like how there was consensus on many of the funk cuts on Timmy's other thread, though.

[tamla617]

So would I Jerry!

[timmyfunk]

All Tim's list did was portray his own personal taste. Actually, in that way the thread may as well be titled TimmyFunk's 40 Favorite Ballads Of All Time subtitled Although I'm Not Really Into Ballads :)...Anyway, I've always liked ballards and dig most of the stuff on everyone's list so I won't attempt one of my own. I will say that putting Robb k and Tim's list together
wouldn't create any great combination for my taste because as Robb himself says, he stopped listening to music after 66 or 67 and Tim only cherry picks the seventies...
I don't know if I cherry pick from any period. But I do think any amalgamation of numerous lists would produce a pretty comprehensive collection of ballads, Funk singles or Funk albums.

[soulster]

I forgot to add "Make Me Your Baby" - Barbara Lewis to one of my two lists. I doubt anyone is paying attention to my posts, but i'll keep posting on. :)

[Jerry Oz]

Ah, but funk is a genre all to itself. Ballads can refer to country, R&B, rock, and any other type of music that you can imagine. That's why robb_k can have a list of ballads, even though he stopped listening to the radio 45 years ago but he won't have a list of funk songs. Funk was in its infancy when he threw his radio away.

[jillfoster]

This is one of my favorites from the early days, and such a shame that such a Beautiful song that was a hit has been all but forgotten in modern radio. I haven't heard this played on radio since the 70's.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV7br6vudNQ

[soulster]

Ah, but funk is a genre all to itself. Ballads can refer to country, R&B, rock, and any other type of music that you can imagine. That's why robb_k can have a list of ballads, even though he stopped listening to the radio 45 years ago but he won't have a list of funk songs. Funk was in its infancy when he threw his radio away. Actually, robb_k could have some funk. There was quite a bit made by the early 70s. James Brown, Sly & The Family Stone, The Isley Brothers, Parliament, and a few others could be on it...if he liked funk, that is.

[ollie]

Rob dir auch froehliche Weihnachten und guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr.

I believe funk is older than the PFunk, Sly Stone, James Brown, Bootsy, Larry, Junie, The Temps, The Meters, and the rest. A 'funky feeling' can be heard in many genres, and not only in the funk genre.

[splanky]

Ollie said:

I believe funk is older than the PFunk, Sly Stone, James Brown, Bootsy, Larry, Junie, The Temps, The Meters, and the rest. A 'funky feeling' can be heard in many genres, and not only in the funk genre.

I completely agree. Though generally James Brown is credited with inventing Funk as a genre
funk goes way back to early blues roots and probably even further back than that to some
cats playing hot rough cross rhythms on forgotten instruments in various parts of Africa...

[Jerry Oz]

Actually, my point wasn't so much whether robb_k would have funk songs on his playlist as it was there are ballads for nearly every genre of music, so there are probably as many recorded ballads as there have been funk songs in total. Jazz, blues, soul, reggae, pop, rock, calypso, country, standards, etc. They all have ballads. Some of us have very narrow playlists and some [[like me) listen to damned near every type of music. Consequently, my list of favorite ballads is in the hundreds. It's much easier for me to narrow down my absolute favorite funk cuts because fewer songs qualify for that distinction. So the great ones are easier for me to designate over the others.

[robb_k]

7839
Funk was one of the main reasons [[and really the main one of those) why I stopped listening to the radio. I forgot that I continued to listen to Jazz stations through the '70s. I like a little bit of Funky Jazz, when the melodies are sweet, and the instrumentation is old fashioned [[they use real piano, real woodwinds, real horns, and there's not to much reverb and noise in the sound [[acoustic or near-acoustic sound). I just don't like the sound of instrumentation starting at the beginning of the '70s, and don't like the sound of the new studios.

I like James Brown until about 1965, when he started to get Funky. I like The Parliaments until they started to get funky [[e.g. I like their Doo Wop and Motown-sounding recordings).

I like "Little Stevie Wonder" and only Stevie Wonder's earliest recordings. I like The Impressions until their latest ABC cuts, and only like the earliest few Curtom recordings. I don't like Curtis Mayfield's solo work, but his pre 1969 recordings are among my favourites.

[splanky]

7839
Funk was one of the main reasons [[and really the main one of those) why I stopped listening to the radio. I forgot that I continued to listen to Jazz stations through the '70s. I like a little bit of Funky Jazz, when the melodies are sweet, and the instrumentation is old fashioned [[they use real piano, real woodwinds, real horns, and there's not to much reverb and noise in the sound [[acoustic or near-acoustic sound). I just don't like the sound of instrumentation starting at the beginning of the '70s, and don't like the sound of the new studios.

I like James Brown until about 1965, when he started to get Funky. I like The Parliaments until they started to get funky [[e.g. I like their Doo Wop and Motown-sounding recordings).

I like "Little Stevie Wonder" and only Stevie Wonder's earliest recordings. I like The Impressions until their latest ABC cuts, and only like the earliest few Curtom recordings. I don't like Curtis Mayfield's solo work, but his pre 1969 recordings are among my favourites.

Though not the only one I've ever encountered on the forum, I remember tsull, I think saying he didn't like the blues, kris saying she didn't like falsetto singing and more than a few saying they don't get jazz, anyway this is the most perfect illustration of a line in the sand I've seen in any thread. While I totally, absolutely, completely disagree with robb k's
position I graciously applaud his honesty...Everything isn't for everybody....So be it..

[Jerry Oz]

We all have our own tastes. That's what makes message board discussions interesting. I personally like most music if it's played well. However, I find myself watching old episodes of the "Lawrence Welk Show" on public television and wonder how such wonderful musicians could play such soulless music. I also wonder about the folks who used to faithfully tune into it and think to themselves "Oh h*ll yes! That is my sh*t right there!"

Or something like that.

I dislike the fact that I cannot like the bland [[in my opinion) music, though it was skillfully played and I can't relate to the dancers and other entertainers. It takes me back to a much scarier time in the U.S.; the era of my childhood. In my mind, the folks who made that show a hit for years would have probably called the cops on me for walking through their neighborhood.

So, we find reasons to like what we like. As stated before: so be it.

[timmyfunk]

We all have our own tastes. That's what makes message board discussions interesting. I personally like most music if it's played well. However, I find myself watching old episodes of the "Lawrence Welk Show" on public television and wonder how such wonderful musicians could play such soulless music. I also wonder about the folks who used to faithfully tune into it and think to themselves "Oh h*ll yes! That is my sh*t right there!"

Or something like that.

I dislike the fact that I cannot like the bland [[in my opinion) music, though it was skillfully played and I can't relate to the dancers and other entertainers. It takes me back to a much scarier time in the U.S.; the era of my childhood. In my mind, the folks who made that show a hit for years would have probably called the cops on me for walking through their neighborhood.

So, we find reasons to like what we like. As stated before: so be it.

Very well stated, Jerry.

[timmyfunk]

Rob dir auch froehliche Weihnachten und guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr.

I believe funk is older than the PFunk, Sly Stone, James Brown, Bootsy, Larry, Junie, The Temps, The Meters, and the rest. A 'funky feeling' can be heard in many genres, and not only in the funk genre.

While that maybe true, those that are listed turn it into art in the same way that the Beatles turn rock and pop into art. This is the reason why those folk are and will be forever be name checked as the ones who's music defines the genre.

[Jerry Oz]

Good point, timmyfunk. To ollie's logic, the gospel songs that Ray Charles changed into R&B recordings should be considered R&B, since they had the same feeling. Bruce Hornsby & the Range and Steely Dan were heavily influenced by jazz, but that doesn't make jazz suddenly become rock. And since the Beatles and Stones were heavily influenced by the blues, the blues songs should be considered rock records. Music evolves and most forms of evolved music has some elements of another genre.

[splanky]

I think both of you guys, Jerry and Tim make good conversation but are missing Ollie's
point, as I interpret it as funk being something , an element that goes beyond definition
by genre like what a friend of mine used to call "physical memory"...

[tamla617]

Another belting thread here!
Mersey beat was built on a pile of "stolen" black music sung with a white voice. There were other British cities, Manchester, London, Sheffield etc. that were spewing "Mersey beat copies" of copied/covered songs. So black music had a face and it was white [[same for earlier Rock and Roll) The radios, BBC exclusive, absolutely pushed the British wave. No mention of the roots of it all. To be fair the Beatles did give a big word for Motown, Smokey etc. All we got were the covers more or less. When I heard the original music with all that feeling that went for a walk when sung by the 60's Brit pop. That was it , no turning back . I want it from the "horse's mouth" That's the way I continued, its a bit narrow minded, tunnel vision etc. I couldn't care less, I've had all the name calling doing the "missionary" work pushing this music and changing some peoples minds to it. It was a major piss take some times BUT they couldn't win with weight of evidence, the covered songs and development to other genres etc. HEAR the people that wrote it, the original singers singing a song written for them, to suit their voice, not a Scouser, Manc or Cockney. So who's wrong about music? Robb K? ,no, I love him to bits, anything after 19 canteen is out the window. I respect his views and can see why he is saying what he is. As for Funky, its not that old, I don't mean Grand Ma's bloomers that Red Fox reffered to! Its 60's surely. I cant think of any Jazz that has the funk thing before the funky thing was being sung. I don't do bland. I wanted leading edge music. Where was I going to find it? That's a rhetorical question. I HAVE MELLOWED OVER THE YEARS!

Put a record on. If the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, it aint synthetic. It's your thing!

[ollie]

na ja Tim i don't know if Spandau Ballet turned any of there songs into an musical art form, full stop here! But i get your point.
It is quit simple my friends, no matter the musical genre, if you dig it, it's funky!
I know all the genres the music market invented the last 100 years, and it is boring to death.

[soulster]

While I totally, absolutely, completely disagree with robb k's
position I graciously applaud his honesty...Everything isn't for everybody....So be it..


We all have our own tastes. That's what makes message board discussions interesting. I personally like most music if it's played well. However, I find myself watching old episodes of the "Lawrence Welk Show" on public television and wonder how such wonderful musicians could play such soulless music. I also wonder about the folks who used to faithfully tune into it and think to themselves "Oh h*ll yes! That is my sh*t right there!"

Or something like that.

I dislike the fact that I cannot like the bland [[in my opinion) music, though it was skillfully played and I can't relate to the dancers and other entertainers. It takes me back to a much scarier time in the U.S.; the era of my childhood. In my mind, the folks who made that show a hit for years would have probably called the cops on me for walking through their neighborhood.

So, we find reasons to like what we like. As stated before: so be it.

Both of these posts sum up my position perfectly.

[jillfoster]

Another belting thread here!
Mersey beat was built on a pile of "stolen" black music sung with a white voice. There were other British cities, Manchester, London, Sheffield etc. that were spewing "Mersey beat copies" of copied/covered songs. So black music had a face and it was white [[same for earlier Rock and Roll) The radios, BBC exclusive, absolutely pushed the British wave. No mention of the roots of it all. To be fair the Beatles did give a big word for Motown, Smokey etc. All we got were the covers more or less. When I heard the original music with all that feeling that went for a walk when sung by the 60's Brit pop. That was it , no turning back . I want it from the "horse's mouth" That's the way I continued, its a bit narrow minded, tunnel vision etc. I couldn't care less, I've had all the name calling doing the "missionary" work pushing this music and changing some peoples minds to it. It was a major piss take some times BUT they couldn't win with weight of evidence, the covered songs and development to other genres etc. HEAR the people that wrote it, the original singers singing a song written for them, to suit their voice, not a Scouser, Manc or Cockney. So who's wrong about music? Robb K? ,no, I love him to bits, anything after 19 canteen is out the window. I respect his views and can see why he is saying what he is. As for Funky, its not that old, I don't mean Grand Ma's bloomers that Red Fox reffered to! Its 60's surely. I cant think of any Jazz that has the funk thing before the funky thing was being sung. I don't do bland. I wanted leading edge music. Where was I going to find it? That's a rhetorical question. I HAVE MELLOWED OVER THE YEARS!

Put a record on. If the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, it aint synthetic. It's your thing!

What songs are you referring to was "stolen" black music sung with a white voice? When I think of Merseybeat songs... I think of stuff like this, certainly not black music at all [[And keeping with the ballad topic)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4CvxjPuzm0

[jillfoster]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZA4WPxMucE

[soulster]

It is a common perception among many Blacks that White artists "stole" Black music or singing styles. This started in the 50s with Elvis Presley because of the massive success he had with White audiences, the same success that eluded Black artists doing the same music. This created a lot of resentment. It also fueled the belief in the myth that Elvis held contempt for Blacks. It made many Blacks resent rock music and the whole British Invasion. White Brits getting famous doing Black music that Whites previously ignored? And, you know it has to sting when millions of people today think "Twist And Shout" was originally written by The Beatles instead of originally being an R&B song by The Top Notes on Atlantic.

But, I digress...back to the topic...

[splanky]

Actually, soulster, it goes back further than Elvis and he by the way has only in the last decade or so been revealed to be a victum of the manipulations and negative spin of
Colonel Parker. And truth be told about the history of black music in this country, yes,
sometimes stuff was stolen, sometimes borrowed, other times given and somethings
we just threw away. I used to say I throw nothing away of primarily black culture but
listening to current hip hop which I'm forced to at work, a lot of times I want to scream
SOMEBODY COME GET THIS THING!!!!......

[jillfoster]

Actually, soulster, it goes back further than Elvis and he by the way has only in the last decade or so been revealed to be a victum of the manipulations and negative spin of
Colonel Parker. And truth be told about the history of black music in this country, yes,
sometimes stuff was stolen, sometimes borrowed, other times given and somethings
we just threw away. I used to say I throw nothing away of primarily black culture but
listening to current hip hop which I'm forced to at work, a lot of times I want to scream
SOMEBODY COME GET THIS THING!!!!......

haha!! I love your last sentence. I think in music in general, that happens both ways, all through history, everyone is influenced to some degree by someone else. You could argue that the Beatles did cover soul music, and that's true... but they also wrote 90 percent of their own stuff, that soul artists, in turn... were able to cover and have hits with, giving another spin to a song [[And Thank God they did, because I never thought Beatles records were well produced or sung). Any music by black artists that stepped into physchadelia is an example of the reverse happpening. That's how trend happen, people influencing one another. Sometimes the trend is started by white music, sometimes by black music, but as long as it's good music, it's all good as far as I'm concerned.

[tamla617]

JillFoster
Not individual songs so much as the scene was built on black music. The Beatles covered the Isley Brothers' Twist and Shout and used the OOOOh in She loves you to show one small thing. this ooo sond made it a Beatles trade mark early on and drove the young girls bananas! After their success the other groups were looking in the same direction [[USA) for the style of their songs. BTW Dave Clarke 5 are a north London band. After a while the 60's Britpop moved away and developed something else, some to prog rock, some to blues and heavy music.
You can fill several books on the subject of 60's music development.
I agree with your post above. The 90% of their stuff came after they hit it big time singing songs that either came from or had elements of US black music. I didn't mean stolen in a sneaky way just "taken from".

[Jerry Oz]

"Stealing music" it's a funny concept. If I like it, then that is what I am going to make. Did Charlie Pride or Nat "King" Cole steal "white music"?

[tamla617]

Jerry I just amended my last post, #58, on my stolen remark.

[timmyfunk]

I look at the process of stealing music as someone taking another musicians music and not giving any kind of credit. That's is what I think riles up many lovers of R&B/Soul/Funk music.

[Jerry Oz]

Or what George Clinton's manager did to take the rights to virtually all of his P-Funk hits. I was curious as to why he supported Robin Thicke's side of the "Blurred Lines" debate.

[soulster]

I look at the process of stealing music as someone taking another musicians music and not giving any kind of credit. That's is what I think riles up many lovers of R&B/Soul/Funk music. There you go! This sounds like douchebags like Pat Boone. At least people like The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton gave their props.

[jillfoster]

There you go! This sounds like douchebags like Pat Boone. At least people like The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton gave their props.

I agree about Pat Boone being a douchebag... but a white singer covering black songs is not a problem in my mind. If people want to buy the awful versions that Pat Boone put out, that's on them. I only look at ripoffs as when you try to closely mimic someone's "sound" to have hit records like the Brotherhood Of Man did to Abba in the later 70's. Just covering someone else's hits doesn't mean theft to me at all. And look at the influence that the Orchestral britpop of the 60's had one Philly International, you see clear correlations there, with Gamble and Huff, and Thom bell, you can see influence of producers like Tony Hatch and Ivor Raymonde.

[soulster]

I don't have a problem with it, either. It's all just borrowing from each other, as long as those you borrow from are acknowledged. The melding of styles is what makes the music.

[heikki]

Hi!

I must disagree a bit on the influence of the orchestral Britpop on PIR. In the U.S. orchestral pop music has long traditions, had one of its power peaks in the early 60s, but it never vanished. It was always there. Gamble & Huff were creating music influenced by that tradition already in the mid-60s - then came Neptune etc. - and Thom Bell has named Teddy Randazzo as one of his heroes, also from the early and mid-60s.

Best regards
Heikki

[tamla617]

How about toe curling, patronising interviews where the artist is feted and he/she knows exactly where the sound/influence came from, the artist isn't letting go though, and the interviewer wouldn't know music falling from the sky, not in his day job anyway. That's BBC TV for sure [[in general) Ask the wrong questions? Forget the next tour BBC . I foxtrot in Hate them! For what they have done in the past and the control it still has, in music censorship.

[nysister]

I'm not sure if this a "ballad" but it would be my choice for slow tunes ..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwivWKsL65c

Roger
One of my all-time favorites.....Gladys took this church...she sang the heck out of this song!

[nysister]

OK, I have one more list that I was originally against doing. But thanks to some encouragement from a very effective third party, I was able to compile a surprisingly lengthy list. I am by no means a lover of ballads. I always thought that I could name all of my favorite ballads on both hands. I've even been accused of not being a romantic. I'm sure that you guys [[and especially gals) can name off hundreds of personal favorites.

People Make The World Go Round-The Stylistics
You're A Big Girl Now-The Stylistics
Love Won't Let Me Wait-Major Harris
Me And Mrs. Jones-Billy Paul
True-Spandau Ballet
I Miss You-Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
Hope That We Can Be Together Soon-Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
She's Leaving Home-The Beatles
Always and Forever-Heatwave
Close To You-The Carpenters
Be For Real-Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
Close The Door-Teddy Pendergrass
I Don't Want To Do Wrong-Gladys Knight and the Pips
Something-The Beatles
Sweet Sticky Thing-The Ohio Players
Sweet Love-Anita Baker
Emotion-Samantha Sang
How Deep Is Your Love?-The Bee Gees
Every Generation-Ronnie Laws
I Wanna Be Around-James Brown
Heaven Must Be Like This-The Ohio Players
Oh Honey-Delegation
Be Thankful For What You've Got-William Devaughn
Feel Like Making Love-Roberta Flack
Float On-The Floaters
After The Dance-Marvin Gaye
Jesus Is Waiting-Al Green
Everybody Plays The Fool-The Main Ingredient
Harbor Lights-The Platters
Cane-Gil Scott-Heron
Everybody Is A Star-Sly and the Family Stone
Pillow Talk-Sylvia
Woman In Love-Barbara Streisand
What You Won't Do For Love-Bobby Caldwell
Leaving Me-The Independents
Natural High-Bloodstone
You Are My Starship-Norman Connors
For The Love Of You-The Isley Brothers
Gigolos Get Lonely Too-The Time
Let's Get It On-Marvin Gaye
You're My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration-Teddy Pendergrass

I am late on this one, but I want to add this song as one of the greatest ballads ever!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-_qiq-JOQ4

[jillfoster]

I don't have a problem with it, either. It's all just borrowing from each other, as long as those you borrow from are acknowledged. The melding of styles is what makes the music.

I agree... and it's happened the other way round plenty of times, and two of the biggest examples are "Misty Blue" by Dorothy Moore and "The Chokin Kind" by Joe Simon which were originally written and sung by white country artists.

[funkyone71]

I consider it a ballad! This is one of Gladys Knight and the Pips' most beautiful tunes! They had a lot of great material before their Buddah days. Thanks for posting this great performance!

[timmyfunk]

I agree... and it's happened the other way round plenty of times, and two of the biggest examples are "Misty Blue" by Dorothy Moore and "The Chokin Kind" by Joe Simon which were originally written and sung by white country artists.

We're not talking about remakes here. We're talking about performers who appropriate [[I'm being nice here) styles of other artists without a iota of credit.

[Jerry Oz]

With that being the case, Pat Boone completely emasculated his covers. He even tried to change the lyrics of "Ain't That a Shame" before realizing that "Isn't That a Shame" sounded as pathetic as he did. He could hardly be accused or ripping off the style of Black acts, although he repackaged and sold their music in his own bland, soulless way.

And there have been plenty of brothers who appropriated the sound of other Black singers [[R. Kelly was accused of biting off of Aaron Hall when he first came out), so if it's the style that we're concerned with, it wouldn't appear to me to be a racial issue but an issue of some people having a lack of decency to throw credit where credit is due.

[timmyfunk]

R. Kelly also bit Lenny Williams of TOP pretty hard as well. And I do agree that Pat Boone was waaaayyyyy too pathetic to be taken seriously as a singer, regardless of what style he was trying to bite.

[Jerry Oz]

I'm reminded of the controversy and hard feelings behind Michael Bolton's version of "When A Man Loves A Woman". A lot of people accused him of ripping off Percy Sledge, but his version was an inferior cover, not a blatant repackaging of the original song. True, he thought he was being soulful [[as did a lot of sisters, by the way...), but I didn't buy into the ripoff complaints. It was no more a ripoff than Roger's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".

BTW, I have to replace a song on the 100 Greatest Funk Songs with Roger's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". LOL.

[arr&bee]

I don't know about forty but here goes...don't misunderstand[o.c.smith]..i could never stop loving you[the temptations]..i'm lost[nat king cole]..i'm riding your shadow down to love[the spinners]..i had a talk with my man last night[mittie collier]..time after time[the isley bros.]..the more i see you[brook benton].