What is a power ballad?

[byebyepride.livejournal.com]

I am watching The Hits '50 Greatest Power Ballads', or at least that's what it claims to be. Now, 'Winds of Change' -- that's a power ballad. But 'Angels' (Robbie), surely that's just a ballad? The wikipedia entry suggests that Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful' counts (that's on now) but does REM's Everybody Hurts? (just sh!te, but also just a ballad!). I hadn't thought of 'Don't Speak' as a power ballad, but it seems to fit the bill.
Perhaps I am being old-fashioned and stuck in the past by expecting a little more rock to my power ballads?
Perhaps we should have a poll, if only I knew how.

Comments

[dickmalone.livejournal.com]

Well, the power ballad originated as a ballad done by a hard rock band and so naturally included certain default hard rock band elements, but over the years of its dominance it changed (or reinvented) the ballad form, and when you do a ballad the power-ballad way, even if you don't have distorted guitars, it's still sorta a power ballad. Really, someone should come up with a better term for it, but...

So, for instance, "Beautiful." The chorus makes it a power(-ish) ballad because it uses a fairly direct chord progression and switches to a major feel and is defiant in tone. REM's is belty and does have distorted guitars. (Recall the bridge.) The anthemic feel that wasn't really a part of the ballad vocabulary previously (or only tangentially) is what makes it power now, maybe.

"Don't Speak" is just a power ballad because it's a ballad by a rock band, I don't think it's particularly power-y.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

Isn't 'power ballad' exactly the right phrase though, given the transition? I mean if it was a 'rock ballad' then a) all kinds of terrible dross would be under the classification eg: Staind horror horror horror although possibly they are also power ballads but if so let's pretend I never mentioned them, b)it would need Slash on constant duty but 'power ballad' is more open to just anything where people (at least try to) get that sort of rousing effect out of a ballad, as opposed to just breaking down and crying ie sort of a powerful propaganda ballad 'let's all feel angry/sad/something about this!' rather than just 'oh god this is really awful, relate, relate!' (I am a big fan of both (sub)genres so am not saying there is anything wrong with the latter)

I think 'Don't Speak' is a really good power ballad, it's got a lot of 'Love is a Battlefield' in it hasn't it, only bigger and slowed down? Maybe I am just mad. Actually I am not sure I am thinking of 'Love Is A Battlefield' but nevermind.