Branches Of Rock
This category will include most subcategories of rock, ie, soft-rock, rap-rock, pop-rock, etc. Everything except heavy metal or grunge.
In the very late eighties, 1988 to be exact, a group called Will To Power released a song called “Baby, I Love Your Way / Freebird Medley.” This has got to be my favorite love ballads from a rock band of all times!! Actually, although the song was categorized as rock, the band itself does mostly pop. There have been many versions, but their interpretation is the best. The song hit number 1, and stayed on the charts for about 24 weeks. This became the mother theme song of all theme songs in the 80s (at least in terms of pop culture). This song was a reinterpretation of Peter Frampton’s “Baby, I Love Your Way,” which only reached #12 on the Hot 100 Charts in 1976. It’s very curious that there doesn’t appear to be any official studio version of this song from Frampton; it appears that he only recorded this live.
You know, I don’t know why, but I used to have a slight crush on John Cougar Melloncamp, now known as just John Melloncamp. There was a couple of songs I liked throughout his career believe it or not. One of them was a called “Jack & Diane,” released in 1982. I loved how the background music was composed. How the string instruments started off very dramatic, and then eased almost immediately, with Cougar’s soft vocal tones. This is a perfect song to listen to while on country road trips if you ask me. I think this was your typical “young and in H.S.” songs, doing the kinds of things most kids did that age (when your hormones are raging). But, what I liked about this song is that Cougar was very clever in his lyrics; and made the song sound innocent at the first listen. But, I also liked that he was literally telling a story in song. Another favorite is a song called “Hurt So Good,” remember that one? I used to like to dance to that song.
For my older readers… ? ?.. Do you remember a song from Simon & Garfunkel called “The Sound Of Silence?” It was on the soundtrack they did for the movie “The Graduate (1967),” starring Dustin Huffman & Ann Bancroft. Wellllllllll, here is a reinterpretation done by a heavy metal rock group called “Disturbed.” Now, let me say on the record that I am NOT attracted to dark heavy metal or grunge music at all, and I certainly wouldn’t seek any just for the purpose of this blog. I listened to this not knowing what kind of band they were. Disturbed’s version of “The Sound Of Silence” had me disturbed, yet it was a beautiful song at the same time. I’m still having problems processing what I hear from this song. It draws something out of you, but I’m not sure what it is. This was an absolutely amazing performance. My heart just feels like it’s going to jump out of my throat every time I hear it. This very dark performance collected almost 258 million plays on Spotify, over 500 million views on YouTube, and shortly over 5 million Shazams. Please, take a look at Disturbed’s music video for the song The Sound Of Silence [Official Music Video].