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Only Time Will Tell

Experience the soaring melodies and intricate musicianship of Only Time Will Tell! Asia's 1982 progressive-infused...
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YEAR | 198%

"Only Time Will Tell"

Last updated 📅 2025-04-05

Experience the soaring melodies and intricate musicianship of Only Time Will Tell! Asia's 1982 progressive-infused arena rock hit blends powerful vocals with sophisticated instrumental arrangements. This track captures the uncertainty and hope within a budding romance, leaving you pondering the future with its captivating sound.

  • CATEGORY: All Time Favorite Music
  • BAND: Asia
  • GENRE: Progressive Rock, Arena Rock, Pop Rock
  • YEAR: 1982

Only Time Will Tell, a standout track from Asia's self-titled 1982 debut album, showcased the supergroup's impressive musical pedigree, featuring members from Yes, ELP, King Crimson, and The Buggles. The song's blend of progressive rock complexity, arena rock grandeur, and pop rock accessibility resulted in a commercially successful and critically acclaimed hit. John Wetton's powerful and emotive vocals delivered lyrics filled with both vulnerability and hope.

Released at the height of the early 1980s rock scene, Only Time Will Tell resonated with a wide audience, reaching the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its intricate instrumental passages, combined with its catchy chorus and Wetton's compelling delivery, set Asia apart and established them as a major force in the rock landscape. The song's enduring appeal lies in its sophisticated musicianship and its relatable exploration of romantic uncertainty.

SONG MEANING: The lyrics of Only Time Will Tell explore the tentative and uncertain early stages of a romantic relationship. The narrator expresses a hopeful yet cautious optimism, acknowledging that the future of the connection is unknown. The phrase "only time will tell" underscores the idea that the true strength and longevity of their bond can only be revealed through the unfolding of events and the passage of time. It's a reflection on the delicate balance of hope and uncertainty in new love.

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"Some of the Best Love Songs of the '80s"

Last updated 📅 2024-02-06

Big hair, synths galore, and love soaring high like shoulder pads. 80s ballads promised forever in neon, whispered secrets over sax solos, and danced 'til dawn with a touch of heartbreak. From Whitney's power anthems to Michael's smooth whispers, every beat pulsed with passion, chasing dreams on roller skates and holding love closer than a Rubik's Cube solution.

Image courtesy of "ECHOESOFEMOTIONSPAST.COM"

The love songs of the 80s, where big hair met big emotions! These sonic valentines throbbed with synthesizers, soaring power ballads, and a touch of neon-tinged optimism.

First love, innocent and electric, pulsed through songs like Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and Michael Jackson's "The Girl Is Mine." Synthy anthems like Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf" and Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" promised forever young devotion, while the power ballad kings like Foreigner ("I Want to Know What Love Is") and REO Speedwagon ("Can't Fight This Feeling") belted out their hearts in epic choruses.

For a touch of melancholy, there were break-up bangers like Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" and Tears for Fears' "Shout," where wounded hearts raged against betrayal. But even heartbreak shimmered with hope, exemplified by Phil Collins' "Against All Odds" and Tina Turner's "Simply the Best," anthems of resilience and finding love again.

Beyond the mainstream, alternative love bloomed in The Cure's introspective "Lovesong" and The Smiths' Morrissey crooning about rainy day romance. And who could forget Prince's purple reign of sensuality, from the simmering "Kiss" to the playful "Raspberry Beret?"

Love in the 80s was big, bold, and sometimes cheesy, but always passionate. These songs were the soundtrack to first kisses, prom nights, and mixtapes passed between lockers. They captured the era's vibrant spirit, reminding us that even shoulder pads and leg warmers couldn't contain the power of a good love song.

  • CATEGORY: Love Songs
  • GENRE: Love Songs
  • YEAR: 198*
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