The Power Of Love Or Back In Time?, Which do you like better? Why?

[Partners N Time 1885]

I Gotta Get Back N Time I Love that song cuzz it rocks. I Have "Back N Time" As the Tittle of My Online Live Journal *LOL* though i spell it differently (as you can tell)

[Madstunts]

Personally I prefer "Back in Time", because POL is just incidental music, wheras with BIT, the film takes you to a high at the end, and then BIT kicks in. So when I hear "BIT" I feel a natural high.

Also, BIT has a cool saxophone solo in the middle, wheras POL has a guitar solo. Saxes are cool, guitars are a bit cliched IMHO. (no flames please!)

Interestingly, when Universal were promoting the movie they released POL as a single, and they had to ask DJs to mention that it was from BTTF, because the song makes no reference to the movie at all. So why didn't they just release BIT instead and say that BIT was the movie's theme song?

[Blind Spot]

^ I never thought about that before, but that's a good point.

I always like a good debate so this is kind of a long post!

Anyway, I think in order for a song to make the Top 40 people have to "buy" (into) it. In other words, could a non-fan of Huey's could be pulled-in by it? With "Power of Love", I'd say yes. It's got catchy beats, energetic vocals and an urgency to the song itself. The bridge keeps it from becoming too "formulatic" too.

It's a similar situation with their first hit "Do You Believe in Love". The punchy verse/choruses go great with the sax and guitars blending together - Mutt Lange's production giving it a slight 'power ballad' edge.

If Huey had come out of nowhere with "POL", I think it still would've been a big success. Despite the massive play (sometimes overplaying) it receives almost 20 years later, it's a great song that sticks in your head long after it's done. That's what record companies and radio look for IMHO. Like, is it gonna keep the interest of the 10-year-old kid who just bought his first album last week and may have a shorter attention span?

The Sports singles had this too. "Heart of Rock & Roll" has a charm with its 50's/60's beat and lyrics about rock itself. "I Want a New Drug" was unique just in the title itself (FYI, which was NOT about drugs!) and classic rock riffing. "If This is it" is the most pop thing on the album, with a very summertime feeling - like an 80's Beach Boys. Just catchy.

As good as "Back in Time" is, I just don't see it having that same "mass appeal". After the second chorus, it keeps the same guitar tone without any new verses or choruses--not enough variation. If this had been Huey's first song, it might've become a hit more for its novelty factor about time travel as opposed to its sound. So it would've caught on in a different way.

(BTW I'm not saying I don't like it -- I do alot -- it's just that, I'm guessing, is why they didn't release it as a single and opted with "POL" instead.)

PS: I do like sax's in songs though - many other 80's rock hits had this, such as "You Belong to the City" from Glenn Frey, "Urgent" from Foreigner, and "Rock & Roll Girls" from John Fogerty.

[flux capacitor....fluxing]

I like Power of Love better. I dunno why. I love both of em, though.

[TheAlmanac]

Power of love...

[needles1987]

Power of Love

[bttf44]

Power of Love! You almost have to like Huey Lewis and The News, if you're a fan of Back to the Future.

[timecircuits]

I voted on this ages ago but never voiced my reasoning (can't quite think why) and have also forgotten which song I voted for.
Anyway, I hope I voted for Power of Love as in many ways that song is miles better, it is the only one that makes you turn the radio up when you hear it.
I remember when I passed my driving test I rang up the local station and requested it and then proceded to deafen the whole neighbourhood.
Basically it's a song that goes straight to your heart no matter what type of BTTF fan you are, and I'm EMO, I normally HATE music of the genre but as it's BTTF I like it!

[Aaron]

Power of Love without question is the better song. I do like both, however, though I don't really listen to Huey Lewis otherwise!

[Tuxedo Mark]

The Power of Love. It's the funnest song of the two.

[bttf44]

I agree! It's more upbeat!

[EmmettMcFly55]

I really prefer Back In Time. There's nothing wrong with love songs, and POL is a nice song. But time travel beats it all.