There you are on a warm summers evening, a beautiful lady, a glass of wine..but the mood just isn’t right yet.  You need some music.  You need…some love ballads.

1.) You’re The Inspiration - Chicago. Ahh 1984, what a year, the year we got Chicago 17.  One of Chicago’s biggest song’s saw them go from a horn based musical adventure to an adult contemporary love making band.  The ballads off of 17 have been credited as a building block for not only the power ballads of the later 80’s, but as a major influence for people like MICHAEL BOLTON.  Yah thats right..Michael Bolton.

2.) I Want To Know What Love Is - Foreigner.  Foreigner’s only number one hit is a doozy.  Some people would tell me “Waiting For A Girl Like You” deserves this spot and to them I say SHENANIGANZ.  “Now this mountain I must climb, Feels like a world upon my shoulders, And through the clouds I see love shine, It keeps me warm as life grows colder”, I mean cmon, that shizz is gold!  While you’re up in those clouds keep an eye out for the eagles flying higher and higher from St Elmos Fire.

3.)  Sometime’s When We Touch - Dan Hill.  Now if some of you want to immediately discount Dan Hill because he’s Canadian I’ll accept that.  However, the truth of the matter is that sometimes when we touch, the honesty’s to much, and I have to close my eyes and hide.  This 1977 classic is a brutally honest and heartfelt tune, “At times I’d like to break you , And drive you to your knees, At times I’d like to break through, And hold you endlessly”.  So true.

4.)  Konstantine - Something Corporate.  This is a great great great song.  A lot of people group this band in with other pop punk bands of the early 200’s, but SoCo had more to them then that.  Their piano infused rock was of a much higher caliber then many of their counterparts.  Konstantine is one of their earliest tunes, but this almost 10 minute long ballad is completely engrossing. The song does an amazing job of showing off Andrew McMahon’s soothing voice and smooth piano playing, as well as how the rest of the band compliments him so well. “Spin around me like a dream, We played out on this movie screen, And I said, Did you know I miss you?”

5.)  Faithfully - Journey.  As a long time Journey fan, I am thankful the Dont Stop Believin’ craze is finally dying down and I dont have to hear it EVERYWHERE I go.  Luckily, these fair weather Journey fans left some of the other classics alone.  Faithfully is an all time classic.  A love ballad about being on the road, away from your loved one, this well written song benefits from the tremendous vocal range of Steve Perry.  Steve Perry is the best singer of all time.  Hands down.  “Through space and time, Always another show, Wondering where I am lost without you, And being a part ain’t easy on this love affair, Two strangers learn to fall in love again, I get the joy of rediscovering yo.” Sing it Stevie, from wherever your career has not taken you too.