I Will Always Love You – performed by Whitney Houston
It is considered one of the most romantic songs in the world, but like most love songs, here too it is about a relationship that cannot be realized, although it is not clear why. And yet, the woman loves the man so much, to the point that she really wishes him to be happy, even without her. Dolly Parton wrote, composed and sang the song already in the 70s.
It was a success, but when Whitney Houston recorded the song in 1992, she made it one of the most successful singles in the world. Parton said that when she first heard this performance on the radio, it took her a while to recognize that it was her song, and she had to stop to the side and catch her breath.
It was included in the soundtrack of the movie “The Bodyguard”, making it the best selling soundtrack of all time. Kevin Costner, the producer and main actor in the film alongside Houston, is the one who asked her to open the song a cappella, which became so identified with the song. But the most moving part comes precisely towards the end, when Houston stops singing, and after a few seconds of silence opens her throat and shouts: And I will always love you. Classic first place.
eel gull
Careless Whisper – performed by George Michael
It takes about a second and a half from the moment the song starts until the legendary saxophone line arrives that leaves no room for confusion – it’s Careless Whisper, “reckless whisper” if you will, as it was called here in Israel when it just came out somewhere in the mid-80s. The song was actually the opening shot to the impressive and record-breaking solo career of one of the most talented performers and creators that England had to offer, positioning him at that time as a pop icon taking his first steps after “Wham!”.
The song is not so romantic if you listen to the lyrics – it is about a betrayal that is about to be revealed, and Michael crying out his soul and announcing that he will not be able to dance anymore because of the great guilt he feels. Someone please tell this to all the high school students who danced shyly to the addictive saxophone, and to the countless couples who must have started their relationship on the dance floor with this perfectly kitsch and one-off song in the background.
Roy Delmadigo
Always – performed by Bon Jovi
“I love you, baby, always!”. There is no person who would not like to hear these words. Because what do we really want? to be loved This is one of the greatest love songs ever written, no doubt about it.
The song was written for the movie Romeo Is Bleeding. The band thought the movie wasn’t good enough for the song, so in the end they didn’t agree that it would appear on the soundtrack. A year after that, they re-recorded the song, luckily for all the lovers in the world, and we got a ballad that tells about one-sided love, a bit stalkerish.
Idit Abshlomi
Total Eclipse of the Heart – performed by Bonnie Tyler
Exactly 40 years ago, the song that became most associated with the Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler came to us. In the song, lonely and scared, Tyler calls out to her lover and is ready to join him in an eternity of immortals. The song’s writer, Gene Steinman, actually made a tribute to the 1922 vampire film Nosferatu, an adaptation of the Dracula story.
During the total solar eclipse in August 2017, the song returned to number one on iTunes in the United States, and even Tyler herself sang the song aboard a cruise ship during the eclipse. The piano, the rough voice, the quiet and stealthy beginning, the dramatic continuation, the tears and also the laughter for a song that takes itself too seriously, all these make this heartbreaking ballad one of the perfect songs for a kitsch day.
Idit Abshlomi
Heaven – performed by Bryan Adams
We finished the main course and suddenly it was dark in the hall. The sounds of the smoke machine get louder and the smoke starts coming out towards the center of the square. A white dress emerges from the clouds, then a black suit, and slowly the light rises and a voice is heard announcing: welcome the bride and groom! This song has been a popular choice for covers in years past.
Adams’ father was a Canadian diplomat, and during his childhood they moved quite a bit between countries, including Israel. Yes, yes, at the house of the Canadian consul in Herzliya Pituach, Adams received the muse for music. This kitschy song, like many of the songs on the list, was written for a movie that no one remembers anymore, and was a much bigger success than the movie it was written for.
Naama Yogev
I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing – בביצוע ״אירוסמית׳״
Ben Affleck returned from space after saving the world, straight into the arms of his lover Liv Tyler. A tacky script also needs a kitschy song to accompany it. In the years when Liv Tyler was the hottest thing in the movie industry, and her father Steven Tyler and his band were actually in decline and performing to empty seats on their tours, the asteroid that threatened to destroy the world came and saved the band’s career. “Aerosmith” received an offer to perform the theme song, which was originally offered to U2 at all.
The song won first place on the chorus charts, extending Aerosmith’s reign as the hottest rock band of the 90s, with a new generation of fans. In such a cynical world, we need larger-than-life love songs. Such that we will sing but be ashamed at the same time that we are singing, and there is no chance that in the end we will not turn up the volume and surrender.
Idit Abshlomi
It Must Have Been Love – בביצוע ״רוקסט״
This song by the successful Swedish duo “Roxt” actually started as a Christmas song. Only three years after its release, it broke the borders of the country and achieved unprecedented international success when it entered the soundtrack of the film “Pretty Woman” plus light editing work and minus the Christmas symbols. The song fit like a glove to the beloved romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.
More than 30 years have passed since then and a lot has changed – the singer Marie Frederickson passed away, and a film centered on a rich businessman who falls in love with a beautiful prostitute and saves her from her miserable life would probably not go down smoothly in 2023. At least we’re left with a timeless hit that you can come back to every time your heart breaks.
Roy Delmadigo
Against All Odds – performed by Phil Collins
Who hasn’t stood crying in the rain on a huge bridge and screamed the words to this song? Or at least dreamed he was doing it? Phil Collins, who was a member of the band Genesis and considered one of the most influential drummers in the 80s, embarked on a solo career and was marked as a sticky pop artist – not least thanks to this hit.
Collins said in response: “I just wrote the song, I’m not the one who played it over and over and over.” The song was nominated for a Grammy award and lost to Stevie Wonder and the song I Just Called To Say I Love You, but that didn’t stop it from becoming an instant classic.
Naama Yogev
All Out of Love – בביצוע Air Supply
The Australian duo Air Supply, the princes of the power ballads of the 80s, arrived last year to perform in Israel – for the fifth time! Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock (Russell and Russell) became world famous after Rod Stewart snapped them up for his US tour.
Ten of their sweet pop-rock ballads have already charted around the world, including All Out Love which took pride of place on our chart.
Naama Yogev
Take My Breath Away – performed by “Berlin”
This is one of the great slow songs of the 80’s, a song written especially for the movie “Love in the Sky”. The title of the song, as well as the explosive and exciting repeated chorus – correspond beautifully with the breathtaking flight performance.
In 2021, the record-breaking sequel was released, but even Lady Gaga, who recorded the theme song for it, was unable to replicate the success of the hit from the original film.
eel gull