Rolling Stone Readers Pick the Best Ballads of All Time

Rolling Stone Magazine ^ | Andy Greene

[ConservativeStatement]

Last week we asked our readers to vote for their favorite ballad or slow jam of all time. Votes were all over the place – from tracks by Pearl Jam to Elvis Presley to Lionel Richie. In the end it was very close, and there was a tie so we had to expand our standard top 10 to a top 12. If this survey has reinforced anything, it's that our readers really, really love Led Zeppelin.

[GGMac]

Ask any woman...

Unchained Melody, by the Righteous Brothers

:)

[Beowulf9]

Otherwise known as Dime:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmHRgo9TjyU&feature=related

[Daisyjane69]

1. Layla (1970 version) by Derek & the Dominoes (Eric Clapton) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WUdlaLWSVM (If you must skip ahead to the ballad part, go to the 3:06 mark)

And of course...

2. Daisy Jane (1975) by America. This is from a Chicago concert. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WUdlaLWSVM

:)

[ConservativeStatement]

Fading memory: I saw either the Outlaws or Molly Hatchet on Fort Lauderdale Beach around 1984.

[FredZarguna]

MacArthur Park has already won a top award: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_in_English_labeled_the_worst_ever

[merryberry]

I shared an ashtray with Tony Randall at Sardi’s when he was doing TRIBUTE on Broadway back in the day. He nodded a thanks to me for not talking to him (but I wasn’t impressed hee hee)

[FredZarguna]

An embarrassment to KISS? Really? Is such a thing even possible?

[Outlaw Woman]

Love his music...

[ProtectOurFreedom]

True ballads?

I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair (Stephen Foster)
John Henry (Steel Driving Man)
Battle of New Orleans, Johnny Horton
16 Tons, Ernie Ford
Erie Canal

[Beowulf9]

Led Zeppelin’s rain song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4v-_p5dU34&feature=related

[FredZarguna]

No Johnny Horton at all. I'm calling fix.

[merryberry]

ask any woman..anything by Barry White

[Lazlo in PA]

LOL.

[FredZarguna]

Janis' Me and Bobby is a cover. It was actually written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster.

[ConservativeStatement]

Jimmy Dean - Big Bad John

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx59fmP7jYE

[dfwgator]

Jimmy Dean - Big Bad John

Jimmy Dean......Jimmy Dean......Rock on....

[FrogMom]

Or It’s a Matter of Trust.

[MplsSteve]

I’m guessing you’ve heard Donna Summer’s disco remake of “MacArthur Park”? She released it in the late 70’s. I found it to be considerably better than the original.

[doesnt suffer fools gladly]

Layla. One of the best instrumentals ever. Also, A Whiter Shade of Pale.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

MacArthur Park is probably the worst sung song in the history of music.

Richard Harris should have stuck to S&M Indian hooks-in-the-chest movies. He sure as hell can’t sing.