Alice in Chains - Rooster, best rock ballad ever?

I thought Rooster was about a sniper protecting his fellow soldiers in combat. Never thought of it as a ballad. Might have to relisten to that today. Or make it a topic for class discussion!

Very much around the Vietnam war, but about the guy coming home afterwards and the troubles he suffered as a result. Some of the lyrics are very powerful.

I don't think Rooster is a rock ballad any more than Them Bones is a rock ballad. But Alice in Chains was a great band.

I think the rock ballad left the building along with big hair, men wearing makeup and the keyboardist.

Best "power ballad" period is Dream On by Aerosmith. The first one of em all, and stands the test of time. Steven Tyler just belts that out the whole song. He and Joe Perry were on the edge all the time. Yeah, the edge of being totally brain damaged due to the incessant consumption of narcotics, but truly, a catharsis.

I have always been a Alice in Chains fan myself but I wouldn't go as far as it's the best rock ballad of all time.

I think you've been drinking a little too much Guiness

How about Sweet Child of Mine or other GnR songs?

Jen

I've just logged in (Irish time!) and found that I'm being racially stereotyped! `"Guinness is good for you" but not for weight loss programmes'. I'd go with Jeng and G`N'R for power ballads - but I'd go with November Rain.

How can you overlook Every Rose Has Its Thorns by Poison? It was Ottos wedding song on The Simpsons and that dude knows his power ballads.

Final word:
QUEENSRYCHE - Silent Lucidity!

Metallica. QED.

Bill

Actually Guiness is lower in calories than many "light" beers - plus it has a good dose of B vitamins and flavenoids - not that I condone it's use.

I third GNR

I always thought that the Rock Ballads were the slow, melodic songs that rocknrollers would sing to take a break from all of the head pounding.....Every major band always seemed to have at least one good ballad. Rooster seems a little course to be a ballad.

Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden

Changes - Black Sabbath

I personally hate both songs, especially after hearing Soundgarden's guitarist justify the one song with the other.

Heavy bands should stay heavy, and if they wear makeup, they better be biting the heads of some doves or something...

Guns & Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine or November Rain

I just saw yours. Clearly a woman with taste.