what was the first Rock POWER Ballad?

watelessness

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i contend that Bad Company's 1975 "Feel Like Making Love" is the first true Rock Power Ballad. it is about a relationship, contains wide-open soft sections, and above all, has a massive, power-chordy, low-end punch.

no Beatles songs may be considered as none of them have low-end punch.

discuss.
 
I always thought Hendrix's "Bold as Love" was kinda power-rock ballad-y....

Don't know that I could say it's the "first" though...I'm sure there are older examples of power ballads out there that pre-date it.
 
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You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin' (1964) certainly qualifies as an early one.


Another was Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman" (1964)


Actually, 1964 was a pretty good year for rock ballads. "House of the Rising Sun" was another:


It's pretty tough to beat a 1964 rock ballad played by guys in matching brown mod suits. If this world was a reasonable place, which of course it will never be again, rock bands would still be wearing matching suits, mod or otherwise.

I will never forget seeing my first rock show in 1962, featuring a band with guys in matching cranberry colored greaser suits, slicked back hair, and sh!t-kicker shoes pointy enough to cause significant damage, with side-tie laces. I was a kid. But at that moment I knew I wanted to play in a band like that. Good times. Of course, by the time I was in bands, no one wore matching suits for gigs any more. I consider this one of the great mis-timings of my life.

"What were the other woeful mis-timings like?"

"Well, one was being a passenger on the Titanic. Stuff like that."

How much bass a song was mixed with is entirely irrelevant, in my book. But if you need a lot of that guitarry stuff to float your boat, I'd submit Zep's "Dazed and Confused." (1969)

 
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i contend that Bad Company's 1975 "Feel Like Making Love" is the first true Rock Power Ballad. it is about a relationship, contains wide-open soft sections, and above all, has a massive, power-chordy, low-end punch.

no Beatles songs may be considered as none of them have low-end punch.

discuss.

Regarding some of the responses based upon your criteria, I have this to say about that……..

 
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MC5 - Kick Out the Jams

I know..I got nothing. Some of the suggestions here are almost correct and I know there are some 1965 - 1968 examples I just can't think of right now. "Power Ballad" is the key term.
 
Regarding some of the responses based upon your criteria, I have this to say about that……..

He opens with “I contend” and closes with “discuss”, so he is looking for controversy. In his opinion that is what a power ballad is, there is no true consensus on the definition. If you look for a true set definition of the word you are going to get a hundred definitions. And like everything else these days, it’s definition seems to change with every new generation of music listeners. But it’s definitely interesting to see everyone’s take on the subject. I noticed you didn’t list one?
 
I've always believed that "If You Leave Me Now" by Chicago was the first legit power ballad.
 
I've always believed that "If You Leave Me Now" by Chicago was the first legit power ballad.
That is just a balad. No "power" in that one. DNQ for the category "power balad."
 
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