# Great ballads/anthems **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 29, 2022, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606 "2022-01-29T02:22:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/1 "2022-01-29T02:22:49Z")
I don;'t know if this counts, byt ‘ballads/anthems’ is the first descriptor that came to my mind. Any way, I love this song. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AlwA5GLBmJM/hqdefault.jpg "Slade - My Oh My") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlwA5GLBmJM) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/2 "2022-01-29T03:35:38Z")
Well, the first that came to mind is Robbie Williams’ “Angels”. It was the song that convinced me that Robbie was not just a former boy band member, but really has talent and charisma. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/luwAMFcc2f8/maxresdefault.jpg "Robbie Williams - Angels") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luwAMFcc2f8) And I thought of another one, a secret favorite of mine, “Pardon My Heart” from Neil Young’s “Zuma”. It’s exquisite. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/R8EvfNeSpJU/maxresdefault.jpg "Pardon My Heart (2016 Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8EvfNeSpJU) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/3 "2022-01-29T03:49:28Z")
And in the anthemic ballad business, nobody could beat Queen’s “We Are The Champions”. Yes, it’s been used at sport events ad nauseam, but that’s just what they were going for, you can’t get more pompous and bombastic. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/4 "2022-01-29T04:01:08Z")
I’ve always liked The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PH0K6ojmGZA/maxresdefault.jpg "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH0K6ojmGZA) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/5 "2022-01-29T04:05:09Z")
Here’s the first one that came to my mind: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uSOaLugmdSY/hqdefault.jpg "Love Is The Answer - Utopia") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSOaLugmdSY) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/6 "2022-01-29T04:09:07Z")
Looking at what I typed in the OP, I can see the tequila. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/7 "2022-01-29T04:09:21Z")
According to my high school band director, a ballad is song that tells a story. “Last Kiss” is a ballad. “Ballad of Jed Clampett” is a ballad. A ballad tells you that this happens, and then that happens. Throw in some refrains. Anthem? I wondered what the technical definition might be. Sez Wikipedia: > An **anthem** is a [musical composition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_composition) of [celebration](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/celebration), usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the [national anthems](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_anthem) of [countries](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country). I think of anthems as songs that unite a group of people who have a similar goal or ambition or identity. There’s big emotion behind an anthem…the unifying cause is important. I give you the Who, covered by Pearl Jam…speaking for that generation? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/d7yEqPMlQH0/maxresdefault.jpg "Pearl Jam VH1 Rock Honors "Love, Reign O'er Me" "The Real Me"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7yEqPMlQH0) I really like watching the violins get into it. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/8 "2022-01-29T04:17:43Z")
Well, this anthem has the advantage of being The Greatest and Best Song In The World (or, at least a tribute to TGABSITG). [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XqFkqn9lLUI/maxresdefault.jpg "Tenacious D - Tribute live (HD)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqFkqn9lLUI) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/9 "2022-01-29T04:19:12Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > According to my high school band director, a ballad is song that tells a story. That’s one meaning (possibly the oldest), but based on the OP’s example (and others), I was thinking more along the lines of [power ballads](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentimental_ballad#Power_ballads). ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/10 "2022-01-29T05:38:48Z")
It’s a Bob Dylan tune, but I’ve always been partial to Joan’s version: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WEygLP4JDHY/maxresdefault.jpg "Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts (Live)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEygLP4JDHY) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/11 "2022-01-29T09:38:08Z")
And then there’s the #1 song from 50 years ago — [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/iX_TFkut1PM/maxresdefault.jpg "American Pie") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX_TFkut1PM) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/12 "2022-01-29T09:43:48Z")
And one of my favorites, from Jackson Browne, The Load Out / Stay; this version, its public debut — [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmIQLHMxA3c) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/13 "2022-01-29T22:32:48Z")
_Vincint Black Lightning_ ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/14 "2022-01-29T23:42:16Z")
A big hair blast from the 80s, from a band that was much less heralded than a lot of others, but was probably a better band than most of them. This was their second biggest hit, after their cover of Five Man Electrical Band’s “Signs.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/l2q_-xN2N54/maxresdefault.jpg "Tesla - Love Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2q_-xN2N54) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/15 "2022-01-30T03:08:53Z")
The Ballad of John and Yoko. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/16 "2022-01-30T04:03:15Z")
Kisses **Beth**. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/k7v1q-dF6Aw/maxresdefault.jpg "KISS "Unplugged " Beth") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7v1q-dF6Aw) **Something to Believe in** by Poison [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/G5uamDMoW4o/maxresdefault.jpg "Poison - Something To Believe In") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5uamDMoW4o) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/17 "2022-01-30T05:48:04Z")
There seems to be unbalanced color in these anthem/ballads. Yes, I’m talking about purple. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VbEv8C9Cff0/maxresdefault.jpg "Prince - Purple Rain - Live At American Music Awards 1985 (HQ)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbEv8C9Cff0) ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/18 "2022-01-30T08:41:27Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6M3nMe6UozU/hqdefault.jpg "Iron Maiden - Empire of the Clouds") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M3nMe6UozU) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BzS_RYnGUp4/hqdefault.jpg "Loreena McKennitt The Lady Of Shalott YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzS_RYnGUp4) ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2022, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/19 "2022-01-30T12:42:03Z")
I am going to allow myself two choices. For a pure rock anthem I go for **More Than A Feeling** by **Boston**. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/t4QK8RxCAwo/maxresdefault.jpg "Boston - More Than a Feeling (Official HD Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4QK8RxCAwo) For my second choice I deliberately wanted to avoid rock so will go with indie pop classic **Sit Down** by **James**. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zPNw_2h0CnU/maxresdefault.jpg "James - Sit Down") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPNw_2h0CnU) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2022, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606/20 "2022-01-31T19:22:24Z")
If we’re talking about rock ballads / arena anthems then my first thought is Livin’ on a Prayer [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lDK9QqIzhwk/maxresdefault.jpg "Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDK9QqIzhwk) A great ballad in the traditional sense would be **Waltzing Matilda** A great anthem would be **La Marseillaise** , as sung by the patrons at Rick’s. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-ballads-anthems/958606.md?page=2)