So Foreigner Is (Re)Releasing A Bunch Of Ballads

Foreigner is gearing up to release I Want to Know What Love Is - The Ballads at the end of this month. The album is basically a greatest hits collection, featuring 14 of the band's most known and loved ballads.

Here's the track list:

01. I Want To Know What Love Is
02. In Pieces
03. Waiting For A Girl Like You
04. When It Comes To Love
05. Feels Like The First Time
06. Say You Will
07. The Flame Still Burns
08. Save Me
09. I Can't Give Up
10. Fool For You Anyway
11. As Long As I Live
12. I'll Be Home Tonight
13. Double Vision
14. Long, Long Way From Home

The CD might actually be a nice Valentine's Day gift for that special someone in your life... if that person likes music, of course. But I have to pick a bone with this list a little: I don't think "Feels Like the First Time" is a ballad. Some of the other songs are questionable as ballads too. What do you think?

Comments

[Bob]

Double Vision and Long, Long way from Home aren't ballads either. Say You Will is also questionnable.

[Snoot]

I disagree Allyson, if a person likes music this comp. might be the worst thing to give them.

[Him]

I suspect (they make it very difficult to tell, save for the special edition live CD accompaniment version) this is a very common tactic these days: re-recorded versions of the old songs with Kelly Hansen on vocals. The title? Probably an after-thought if the goal is as it is with most of the other acts doing the same thing: get these out there so that they can license them for use in a variety of places for a fee that they get the outright. I realize some bands put a spin on this. But they shouldn't. They want to make money. This is one way to do it. Simple.

And Foreigner isn't shy about getting the new version of the band out and about in electronic or hard copy formats. They also released the 3CD collection, _Feels like the First Time_, with Hansen on all their hits (in live and live acoustic formats) as well. That was done once they signed an international distribution deal with earMusic and a domestic agreement with Walmart (and years after they did a similar thing with the live album while still with BMG).

And I haven't a clue what their arrangement was/is with Atlantic, the label they were with when they released most if not all of these tracks. Given that Ertegun was involved, I suspect that Foreigner didn't maintain a lot of control over their music.

Mick Jones is the sole force behind this band now and fans seem to like the package he peddles, on stage and in various formats for purchase.

I appreciate the fact that he was able to break bread with Gramm when they were honored recently. But I have a lingering distaste for how they (meaning: Jones) handled Gramm's illness years back, and for the impact that it had on his recovery.

Still, it is nice to see both men doing what they do, apart, and enjoying themselves in the latter stages of their career. And, to be fair, "Hurricane" Hansen is no slouch.

[Rita]

Love me some old Foreigner and Lou Gramm. Not a big fan of their "ballads" though. I will pass on this.

In fairness to the "new" guy, have never heard him sing a Foreigner song but can't see it being near as good as with Lou. Would rather live in the past I guess, but that has always been on of my faults.

[GNR]

A few "couples" roller skating classics here :) I wanted to know what love is then that's for sure.

Will i buy it ? Probably not and I like Foreigner.

[Glamfly]

Rita...the "new" guy is Kelly Hansen from Hurricane. He actually can do a pretty spot on Lou Gramm. I'm with you though, the band is not the same without the original guy. Foreigner has put out a couple albums with Kelly as the singer, and it still has the Foreigner sound. I haven't bought any, because I prefer my music a little harder and glammier, but what I've heard isn't too bad.

[Him]

Glamfly, that sound issue is one of the things that was driving a wedge between Gramm and Jones before he split. Like you, Gramm wanted to stay firmly in the rock and roll pocket. Jones, on the other hand, was all about polish and ballads.

[Metalboy!]

METALBOY!'S REALITY CHECK: The absolutely flawless masterpieces, "Hot Blooded" and "Double Vision", plus the nearly as excellent "Dirty White Boy", are the only songs worth writing home about. The rest is absolute sh*te!

[Metalboy!]

Hold it...

This one's up there. Just under "Dirty White Boy":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZtz1T_Ah14

[Him]

You did pick some of the most obvious ones Metalboy! But the rest being "complete merde" (I paraphrase)?!!? Not even a lil' love for "Long, Long Way from Home"?

[Metalboy!]

You're right, HIM! "Long, Long Way From Home"

That's another keeper!

They ARE obvious. Why? Because they're the only GOOD ones!

"Hot Blooded"
"Double Vision"
"Dirty White Boy"
"Women"
"Long, Long Way From Home"

Now THAT shoulda been Side 1 of "Double Vision"

Nothin' left for Side 2.

[Him]

You won't hear a complaint from me. Those are the top of the list.

And someone reminded me today that "LLWFH" has a co-writing credit from a member of King Crimson. Not everyone's cup of tea. But an impressive set of musicians have run through that band.

[Metalboy!]

Great Trivia, as always, HIM. Actually love KK's "20th Century Schizoid Man". Didn't someone do a nicely well Metalized version of that not too long ago?

I'm also a big fan of KK guitarist, Robert Fripp's work with Eno and the Blondie song, "Fade Away Radiate" off of their magnum opus, "Parallel Lines".

[Dj]

I lump Foreigner into bands like Journey and REO Speedwagon, I usually can't stand it. Some of it is cheesy as hell, but some songs are just okay at best.

[Metalboy!]

Foreigner is superior to those bands. Listen to the songs I listed. Genius! Journey and REO Sh*twagon don't have any REAL Rock & Roll songs like those.

[Him]

I only know of the Voivod and April Wine covers of the song. A more metal version would be interesting. Let us know if you recall who did it, Metalboy!

Dj, I think lumping them in with those two bands makes sense . . . and is a compliment. There is a lot of cheese floating around in that bowl of 70s/80s AOR. But those three bands wrote some great stuff as well.

Cronin, once he hopped on board, really helped define REO's sound (along with Richrath, who is sadly out of the band and battling his demons . . . though he shared the stage with the latest version of REO not too long ago). "Keep Pushin'" and "Roll with the Changes" are clearly rock songs.

Journey is, well, Journey. I can't say much for them post-Perry. But damn if they aren't the Def Lep of AOR. Even when you hate a song you know it the moment it comes on. (If anyone can locate South Detroit on a map, please send me the link!!). Schon, well he is a creepy version of Jones, but a guitarist of note for work in and out of Journey. His puckered faced solos are the stuff of legend. Again, it is hard to suggest that "Wheel in the Sky" or "Separate Ways" aren't rock songs with some heft.

I'd throw DeYoung-era Styx into the pot too. But that is pushing the cheese (and sugar) content way too high!

[Red6ixx]

never a fan - think i will pass

[Metalboy!]

Ah, the slippery abyss of AOR. Don't get me started, HIM!

"...and if you are ready-uh, I am able-uh, to roll with the changes-uh"

Ugh, I HATE those guys.

p.s. Good call on Styx, though I really don't find them as cheesy as Sh*twagon. Foreigner is the least cheesy, with nary a crumb if you only listen to those songs highlighted earlier.

[Him]

I won't get you started, Metalboy! I promise. I will save it for something other than the AOR abyss (priceless phrasing, by the way).

[Metalboy!]

HIM, you are too kind but you won't sway me from the reality that YOU are indeed the more gifted scribe here in BBG! COMMENTS.

And REO Chuckwagon is the pinnacle of Schlockrock!