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And The Cradle Will Rock

"And the Cradle Will Rock" is a quintessential Van Halen track, opening their 1980 album "Women...
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YEAR | 198%

"And The Cradle Will Rock"

Last updated 📅 2025-03-25

"And the Cradle Will Rock" is a quintessential Van Halen track, opening their 1980 album "Women and Children First" with a powerful and distinctive sound. The song is notable for its innovative use of a flanger-effected Wurlitzer electric piano, played through Eddie Van Halen's guitar amplifier, creating a sound that initially tricks listeners into thinking it's a guitar. The song's driving rhythm, David Lee Roth's energetic vocals, and Eddie Van Halen's signature guitar style solidify it as a classic hard rock anthem.

  • CATEGORY: All Time Favorite Music
  • BAND: Van Halen
  • GENRE: Hard Rock
  • YEAR: 1980

Delving deeper, the song's creation involved Eddie Van Halen experimenting with a Wurlitzer electric piano, a departure from his primarily guitar-focused work. The unique sound achieved by running the piano through his guitar amplifier and effects pedals became a hallmark of the track. Musically, the song features a strong rhythmic foundation laid by Alex Van Halen's drumming and Michael Anthony's bass, while David Lee Roth's lyrics and vocal delivery capture the rebellious spirit of youth. Furthermore, the song is a great example of the bands ability to create very heavy rock music, while still keeping a very catchy and fun feeling.

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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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