Jukebox: "Alone" by Heart (1987)

Has there ever been a more desperately in love woman on the face of the Earth than Heart's Ann Wilson? The woman is beside herself with yearning and it is killing her. She's sitting in the dark listening to the ticking of the clock and wearing a black veil, for God's sake. And who is this schmuck that refuses to answer his phone, leaving our Ann to wonder whether she'll once again be forced to face another night alone on the balcony, her heart brimming with pain and solitude, with only her sister Nancy's exploding piano to keep her company?

You know, til now, Ann had always been fine on her own. But then she met this guy and he turned her world upside down. Worse, he keeps bringing his friends on his dinner dates with her, so she's never even had an opportunity to tell him how she feels. Every time she tries to corner him at the salad bar, he pretends that he doesn't hear her. How can you not hear Ann Wilson when she's singing at you?!

Yes, this song is about flakey men and the angelic voiced women that they string along. I hear you, Ann. I've been there, God knows. And, as much as I love sister Nancy (can't count the ways), I do think it's a little insensitive of her to continually hump and writhe against her guitar while her sister stands beside her in such turmoil. But she certainly redeems herself with one of the loveliest guitar solos of the 80s. And the video ends on a positive note: the ladies standing together looking at each other as if to say, "We're gonna get through this."

And of course they did. There were more power ballads to write.