10 '80s Songs You Totally Forgot Were Great

The power ballad is something of lost art. Only in the '80s could you be equal parts sincere, and cheesy, with no one batting an eyelash. Lyrics were riddled with clichéd expressions of love; piano melodies were overtly emotional, and the guitar solos screamed for attention. The classic power ballad might have been overindulgent, but damn did it hit the spot.

David Coverdale originally found success with Deep Purple. He came to embody the snake-hipped, big-haired archetype of the '70s frontman. By the early '80s he had formed Whitesnake. They were born from the era of hard rock, but transitioned easily into the decade of hair metal.

Although Whitesnake originally released Here I Go Again in 1982, it was the '87 version that really made an impression. It was accompanied by a music video that ticked just about every box on the list of '80s rock video clichés. The model (and future wife of Coverdale), Tawny Kitaen, frolicked about in near see-through attire, provocatively dancing on the hood of a car. This was intercut with footage of band on a huge stage, back lit and wreathed in dry ice. Coverdale's hair was bigger and his pants were tighter than ever. Yep, this was a song for the MTV era, and it was great.