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Love Songs for Metalheads - Love Songs for Metalheads

So, for the purposes of MWEB's Top Love Songs for Metal Fans, we'll refer to a broad sampling of heavy riffs and high-pitched whiny boy yelling from the Glam/Hair/Trash and Hard Rock's Glory years... so don't write to us and tell us how you're so disappointed Dimmu Borgir didn't make the list. Because in true rock n roll fashion, we don't care, dude. Rock on.


Leader of the Pack - Twisted Sister

The ultimate metal love song actually began life as a Phil Spector-produced 1964 soul hit by the Shangri-La's. But when Twisted Sister gave it an 80s update and changed the narrative perspective, it became the ultimate biker ballad tragedy.

Her folks were always putting me down (down, down)
They said I came from the wrong side of town
They told her that I was bad
But she knew I was sad
That's why she fell for (the leader of the pack)


Helter Skelter - The Beatles

And if we're gonna talk about the ultimate or greatest or whatever, we might as well point out that technically the first mainstream hard rock or metal hit was probably McCartney's fault. Unless anyone out there can think of anything resembling this before 1967...

When I get to the bottom
I go back to the top of the slide
Where I stop and I turn and I go for a ride
Till I get to the bottom and I see you again
Do you, don't you want me to love you
I'm coming down fast but I'm miles above you
Tell me, tell me, tell me
Come on tell me the answer
You may be a lover but you ain't no dancer


All My Life - Uriah Heep

Uriah Heep's greatest album (for some) contains a strange entry. Between swathes of Norse mysticism and acid-induced hallucinogenic new world anthems on Demons and Wizards (1973), David Byron finds time to sweet talk a girlie. Aye.

I only took one cause I couldn't take two
I wanna make love And it's gotta be you
Every little thing that I ever tried to say
Is coming out right In my own kinda way
Take it, make it It really feels fine
She must be lady luck If she's gonna be mine
I will love you all my life

Why Can't This Be Love - Van Halen

Most times we'd have to be packing our bags already for fear of reprisals from true Van Halen fans... but Sammy Hagar's tenure at the helm can at least claim this anthem as a useful contribution to Eddie's legacy.

oh here it comes
that funny feelin again
winding me up inside
every time we touch
hey i don't know
just tell me where to begin
cause i never ever felt so much
no i can't recall any love at all
baby this blows 'em all away


Real World - Queensryche

Baritone singers are a staple in darker styles metal, and in this Michael Kamen-orchestrated symphonic cringer, it's the absent lover who gets the - erm... attention.

Every time I think I've won
I hear your voice inside, questioning
Where have you gone
Can't you remember feeling so alone
You always had the answer that I could not see
I can't find the real world
I can't find the real world
I can't find the real world alone


Patience - Guns and Roses

Hard Rock's favourite 80s graduates posted an acoustic entry that had previous nay-sayers choking on their gray poupon. W. Axl Rose and co only really cemented their status as one of rock's great bands with this sweetie.

Shed a tear 'cause I'm missing you
I'm still alright to smile
Girl, I think about you every day now
Was a time when I wasn't sure
But you set my mind at ease
There is no doubt you're in my heart now
Said woman take it slow
It'll work itself out fine
All we need is just a little patience
Said sugar make it slow
And we'll come together fine
All we need is just a little patience
(inhale) Patience...


More Than Words - Extreme

Though it's often forgotten, Extreme used to make a living as a stadium and club hard rock outfit, prior to scoring huge international success with Nuno Bettencourt's hair. And this overlong but singable sugar recipe.

Saying I love you
Is not the words I want to hear from you
It's not that I want you
Not to say, but if you only knew
How easy it would be to show me how you feel
More than words is all you have to do to make it real
Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me
Cos I'd already know


Somebody to Love - W.A.S.P.

Yes, it is a cover of the old Jefferson Airplane classic. And yes it is off W.A.S.P.'s very tangential Still Not Black Enough album. And yes, fine, it's not a love song in the classical sense of the term. Although it does mention "love". And it is a song.

When the truth is found to be lies
You know the joy within you dies
Don't you want somebody to love
Don't you need somebody to love
Wouldn't you love somebody to love
You Better find someone to love

N.F.B. (Dallabnikufesin) - Anthrax

Now if you're gonna write a love song, it's unlikely it'll be about how you're constantly breaking up. Right? Not if you're Mr. Belladonna.

We fell in love at first sight
I can't explain the feelings
When I first saw you
We were so so happy
A life of love sweet honey child
You'll always be mine
But then I played the fool
I never meant to hurt you
Or sleep with all your friends
We reconciled we found ourselves
Our love was meant to be
Oh baby can't you see


I was made for Loving You - KISS

The World Greatest metal band... sort of... the shiniest? - confounded EVERYONE with a disco song - which happened to be about a girl... or something. Are we modernists now? Maybe.

Tonight I wanna give it all to you
In the darkness
There's so much I wanna do
And tonight I wanna lay it at your feet
'cause girl, I was made for you
And girl, you were made for me

I was made for lovin' you baby
You were made for lovin' me
And I can't get enough of you baby
Can you get enough of me

- Anton Marshall

* This is the first article in our series of guides to wooing any number of different kinds of music fans this Valentine's Day.

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