Comments on: Death by Power Ballad: Foreigner, “Out of the Blue”

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:47:37 +0000

I'll be seeing them next Sunday and I hope they play “Out of the Blue” (so, Debbie Gibson doesn't have anything to do with this? hmph). They aren't the feature act, they'll be entertaining NASCAR fans before the race, in case you were wondering.

As for my “first love songs”…I'm a chick who likes Pop music, so if a guy managed to show his softer side and provide me with sappy love songs, well, that was sweet. Just to be clear, not just anyone with a MixTape of sappy crappy love songs would be, uh, allowed. Fortunately, my first love (1983-ish) was a music lover and I received some excellent mixtapes of pop and non-pop music.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 08:47:37 +0000

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 07:47:37 +0000

By: EightE1

EightE1 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:33:07 +0000

I'm sorry, Paco, I stopped reading at “window-fogging, sticky fumblings in the backseat.” I just … I don't need that image right now. :^)

My equivalent to your Plymouth was Sherman, my puke green '78 Caprice Classic. Which I totaled senior year and replaced with the QEIII, a '78 T-Bird. That car might've gotten 12 miles to the gallon, but I loved it with all my heart.

By: jhallCORE

jhallCORE — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:25:44 +0000

Great column Rob. I don't even remember the song but when I played the link, the mid-to late '80s came flooding back. I recall my first car, a used Chrysler Plymouth, affectionately named the Blue Bomber, which I bought off my next-door neighbor.

Since I drove before most of my friends, I would give folks a ride to school and the first thing that would go into the tape deck (when it worked) was Slippery When Wet. Lyrics were lame in retrospect but something about "Wanted Dead or Alive" always made for a good start to those crisp fall days.

Then there were those window-fogging, sticky fumblings in the backseat with a gal I was involved with back then. Unfortunately, her song was "You Got Me All Over Him" (by some group called the Jets), which poured on the syrup extra thick. The song never failed to put her in the mood but it made the budding music critic in me kind of nauseated. I should have known the relationship was doomed.

By: Robust54

Robust54 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:05:08 +0000

Mine included “If” by Bread, “Precious and Few” by Climax, and “Wouldn't It Be Nice” by the Beach Boys. None of them are power ballads in any sense of the word, and the first two are pretty sappy ditties at that. And yet I'm still moved when I hear any of them. I ended up marrying the woman, so they worked for me.

By: DwDunphy

DwDunphy — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:19:36 +0000

Ah ha, Rob, you old softie you!

My go-to mixtape wooing song was “Don't Want To Wait Anymore” by The Tubes which, in retrospect, is way too forward. It's the equivalent to the a Maxell-shaped bra unfastener and, as you might expect, not effective at all. At least you had George Harrison on your side.

By: EightE1

EightE1 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:39:40 +0000

Many thanks for the words of praise. On the occasions I take a more personal angle in a column, I worry that it comes off as self-indulgent. Never stops me, of course, but it's a concern, nonetheless. Ultimately, though, when the music evokes emotional responses like it did with me and with you, it's something of an injustice to not acknowledge that.

Thanks again.

By: jefito

jefito — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:06:05 +0000

Damn, Michael, that's high praise. I don't think I deserve to be named alongside literary giants like Messrs. Smith and Vrabel, but shit, I'll take the compliment and run with it.

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:38:01 +0000

While Sheffield might have made it safe for a small army of affectatious music writers it is guys like yourself, Vrabel and Giles who inspire guys like me to be a better, more honest and personal writer. While the same song does not apply I know and have felt exactly the thing you've described here and can immediately relate. For me it was “Never Say Goodbye” – my go-to track for the kicker that closed many a mix tape in my adolescent years. Odd that this very morning I popped on “Slippery When Wet” as I went about my morning workload and had to stop for that rush of faded memories to come when the track came up. Thanks for making it safe for the rest of us to not only admit to, but revel in these sorts of things.