| Author | Message | ||
     Wilson Davey Member Username: Wilson Post Number: 67 Registered: 05-2005 |
Is it coincidnce that these all have Iconic intros and are also simply thrilling (honey!)pop songs ? Going Underground - The Jam There she goes - The LA's Lover will tear us apart - Joy Division This charming man - The Smiths I feel fine - The Beatles Mr Tambourine man - The Byrds Should I stay or should I go - The Clash All the young dudes - Mott the hoople Ever fallen in love - The buzzcocks You've got my number - The Undertones | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1447 Registered: 04-2005 |
I think the easier challenge would be to name 10 great songs that DON'T have great intros. I think most great songs hook us from the opening second... | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1448 Registered: 04-2005 |
Having said that, I guess I should give an example. I'd say "Like a Rolling Stone" has a fairly dull intro--it doesn't take off until Dylan opens his mouth, then we're hooked. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1607 Registered: 05-2005 |
They are all white soul rebels, so time for some black inclusion Mr Davey! Marvin Gaye - Heard it through the Grapevine Jimmy James and Vagabonds - Ain't no big thing (one of my fave ever intros, and I only heard for first time a few months ago (thanks Randy) Jimi Hendrix - All along the watchtower Echo and the Bunnymen - the Cutter REM - Perfect Circle Josef K - Chance Meeting Lloyd Cole - Rattlesnakes Madness - House of Fun Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy Morrissey - Everyday is like Sunday (Fu*k me armageddon time! Whoah!!) | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 710 Registered: 08-2006 |
I love the spoken intro to "Do You Love Me" by the Contours, which Lou Reed ripped off to great effect in "I Love You, Suzanne." I also love the backward guitar or whatever it is that launches Big Star's "Stroke It, Noel." I have an old, pre-Ryko version of "Sister Lovers" on a German label, and that's the first tune on it, so I always associate those backward notes with the start of one my fave albums. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2067 Registered: 03-2006 |
Gimme Shelter - Glimmer Twins. The baddest ass, evillest song ever, and the intro sets the spell... | ||
| Wilson Davey Member Username: Wilson Post Number: 68 Registered: 05-2005 |
....and of course I want you back - The Jackson 5 | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 501 Registered: 09-2006 |
I think I might have had that same version of "Sister Lovers," Rob. "For You" was the second song, and I remember cracking up bigtime the first time I heard "Sometimes I can't help but worship you." An obvious one but a killer nonetheless: "Lola" by Raymond Douglas D. & co. | ||
| Wilson Davey Member Username: Wilson Post Number: 69 Registered: 05-2005 |
Never could stand "Grapevine" Spence, Obviously What's going on ? is a great opener with that sax, it just sort of tumbles out of the speaker and is probably the track so much of it's own time and place that you can almost taste and smell it. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1616 Registered: 05-2005 |
What you never rated Grape Wilson!!!!???? No way man!;) That electric piano riff, then the bluesy guitar riff and trumpets with jazz drim roll? Porquoi? Forgot Gimme Sheleter Wow! One of my favourite ever intros is Jacket Hangs by The Blue Aeroplanes. I first heard this riff in a kitchen being played by the guitarist Angelo way back in '88, we were eating sandwiches with them before playing support to them on that particular night's gig. Gerard was walking around muttering something about playing cards then a year and a half later Ensign unleash the beast!I never forgot it! | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 226 Registered: 05-2005 |
Almost with you - the Church 8 Miles High - The Byrds R.E.M. - Driver 8 amongst lots of there early stuff...where did they go wrong?? The Perfect Crime - Ups and Downs Leave them all behind - Ride The last time - Rolling Stones And Your Bird can sing - The Beatles. This is my ringing tone on my mobile. I also have the La's for sms and I used to have I feel fine and Tambourine man for tones as well. Wilson, you got in early and you got best ones! I've often thought about how great Great Songs are from their intro. It's like you hear it and your ears prick up and you KNOW instantly it's going to be good. Then, when you hear it later, it's like a rallying call! | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 223 Registered: 07-2006 |
leave them all behind is my favourite ever song geoff. well....when forced to pick sometime back anyway. the opening is a knock off of wont get fooled again no? that being said, i know nothing of the who. ride on the other hand.... my sole (rather obvious) nomination is bachelor kisses. i'm not sure any other opening stirs me in quite the same way. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1269 Registered: 03-2005 |
And a very fine nomination that one is, Joe. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 604 Registered: 10-2004 |
Barracuda - Heart Burning Airlines - Eno Inquetacao - Luiz Bonfa Ether - Gang of Four London - The Smiths This Charming Man - The Smiths Careless, Streets of Your Town, Spring Rain, Twin Layers - Go-Betweens Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Black Sabbath Angel of Death - Slayer Prole Art Threat - The Fall Suedehead - Morrissey Jumping Someone Else's Train - The Cure Tears - Chameleons Rip it Up, Falling and Laughing - Orange Juice Pillar to Post, Queen's Tattoos, Just Like Gold, Oblivious - Aztec Camera | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 676 Registered: 01-2005 |
Airscape - Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians Dover Beach - The Bangles Queen Of Eyes - The Soft Boys The Chills - The Male Monster From The Id The Crowdies - Fall At Your Feet The Grateful Dead - Box Of Rain The Byrds - Have You Seen Her Face Pink Floyd - Astronomy Domine The Zombies - Time Of The Season REM - Talk About The Passion or maybe Moral Kiosk or... | ||
| Catherine Vaughan Member Username: Catherine Post Number: 49 Registered: 05-2005 |
Right Here - any version I've ever heard - the most breath-taking been the full strings on the Live in London cd. First time I heard it, I almost crashed the car! Ghost and the Black Hat - Love those 4 gloom-laden notes! As for all the above, I agree wholeheartedly, with all of those I know (The Cutter!), and for the ones I don't I think I shall be visiting some amazon/play/cdwow-type places! Last, but not least. So. Central Rain from the loved/hated Georgians, depending on what year we're talking about. Love that song! At Slane in '95, I told a 14 year old to f**k off home and buy the back catalogue, because he thought it was a new song!!! | ||
| Peter_d Member Username: Peter_d Post Number: 24 Registered: 05-2005 |
'Leave Me Alone' by New Order | ||
| Wilson Davey Member Username: Wilson Post Number: 70 Registered: 05-2005 |
Gimme Shelter is an awesome intro, voodoo rising ! Johnny Marr used to have it as his answerphone message...so I'm told. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 606 Registered: 10-2004 |
Ooooh, I forgot Echo and the Bunnymen's "Rescue." And Catherine, I agree with you, that wonderful electric 12-string guitar melody that introduces REM's "So. Central Rain" is a brilliant way to start off a brilliant song. | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 224 Registered: 07-2006 |
right on peter d....leave me alone is perfection! | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 126 Registered: 05-2005 |
With you on 'Bachelor Kisses' Joe - my favorite GB intro..hauntingly beautiful. Others I love are: I Feel Fine - The Beatles (sublime!) Another Girl Another Planet - The Only Ones Tumbling Dice - Rolling Stones Twisterella - Ride | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 227 Registered: 05-2005 |
Joe, and I thought I was the last Ride diehard!!!!! The intro to Like a daydream - the backwards cymbal crash seeming to, verily, suck you into the song!!! Fantastic!! Jeff, I got into a band way back when by showing the lead guy how to play So Central rain! Great intro!! Why can't Peter Buck be reading this??? No more shi+ Peter, bring back those fab intros!! | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1620 Registered: 05-2005 |
Heroes - David Bowie. Finding You - Go Betweens. House Jack kerouac Built - Go Betweens. Unless - The Pale Fountains | ||
| Peter_d Member Username: Peter_d Post Number: 25 Registered: 05-2005 |
Another New Order one - 'Dreams Never End'- Hooky and Morris at their very best..listening to them quite a bit recently after they anounced their split.. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 668 Registered: 08-2004 |
New Order have split... Again? New Order - Perfect Kiss 12" Kraftwerk - Europe Endless + Hall Of Mirrors On a Ride tip, Vapour Trail a relief after all the despondency on Nowhere. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 678 Registered: 01-2005 |
I forget a couple... Dreaming - Blondie Cattle and Cane - Some threesome from Brisbane | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1452 Registered: 04-2005 |
Well, let's not forget the most difficult song intro ever recorded, "Spring Rain" by the Go-Betweens. A great one that I'll never tire of (even though doesn't really get better afterward) is "Love Rollercoaster" by the Ohio Players. That funky guitar riff is awesome. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 609 Registered: 10-2004 |
We didn't forget it Kurt, it was burried deep in my lengthy list. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2070 Registered: 03-2006 |
Great intro, indeed, and great song, Love Rollercoaster... Was there the rumor wherever you were living, when it was popular, Kurt, that the scream in the song came from a girl that was being murdered? Revolution (single version) - the Beatles Fire - Jimi Hendrix | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1453 Registered: 04-2005 |
Oh, right you are, Jeff. But you forgot to mention how incredibly difficult it is coordinating those two bass drum kicks with the lead guitar riff. God no, LK, I never heard that rumor. I do remember a rumor about one of those gross Ohio Players covers, though--that the woman who appeared to be stabbed really was. I'm not sure what "genius" thought the stabbing cover was a good idea that would help sell records. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 720 Registered: 08-2006 |
I heard the "Love Rollercoaster" rumor, LK. Ranks up there with the old "Bubble Yum is made out of spider eggs" tale. Oh, and the one about Mikey from the Life ceral ads dying from a mixture of Pop Rocks and carbonated soda. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1454 Registered: 04-2005 |
I hadn't heard the Mikey rumor, Rob, but I just burst out laughing when I read it. My coworkers are wondering... | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2073 Registered: 03-2006 |
Heard the Mikey rumor, also the general caveats about not eating Pop Rocks and soda. Haven't heard the Bubble Yum one, though - that's hilarious, because everyone knows that's the first thing you think of when you see bubble gum: spider eggs! I had to look up Ohio Players covers, Kurt, but didn't see the one you were talking about. But, I gotta say - they had some spectacularly cheesy covers...they were all about two things: 1) Scantily clad babes and 2) Literal-mindedness - if the album was called "Honey", they had to pour it on the girl, "Fire", she had to be wearing a fire helmet and suggestively holding a firehose, etc. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1456 Registered: 04-2005 |
I remembered it a bit wrong, LK, but check out the pictures of the covers for "Pain," "Pleasure," and "Climax." http://wfnk.com/ohioplayers/discography. html | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 721 Registered: 08-2006 |
Just so you guys don't think I'm crazy about the whole spider eggs/Bubble Yum thing: http://www.snopes.com/horrors/food/bubbl eyum.asp I knew the Ohio Players' covers were, uh, single-minded but I didn't realize ALL of them were like that. The knife in the back is nice touch. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2074 Registered: 03-2006 |
One of the many joys of being a Go-Betweens fan is that, even if they'd survived long enough to make another 9 albums, or 90, I think chances are good they never would've named one "Climax". | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1458 Registered: 04-2005 |
But they may have named one "Cllimax." Sorry. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1275 Registered: 03-2005 |
I've been avoiding this thread because I just can't sift through the memories to pull out the very best intros I've heard. In the 60s, when you lived or died according to Top 40 radio, a good intro was virtually essential even though most DJs would cut it off until the vocals started. But some instrumental intros rated playing, "Mr. Tambourine Man" being the classic example. "The Last Time" and "Satisfaction" are others. I'll just honor a few of the great intros by the Hollies. Formidable hit machine that they were, they well understood the importance of a great intro. Indeed, knowing about the DJs' tendency to cut the intro until the voices began, they often started their songs with a vocal introduction. Some of their best intros: I Can't Let Go -- just a brief tempo-setting series of super-compressed chunks on the bass and rhythm guitars and then into a vocal intro that would return as a middle eight later on. Stop Stop Stop -- A bit like "The Last Time," the track starts with Tony Hicks' momentarily unaccompanied super-compressed and reverbed banjo. This intro usually rated full play by the DJs. Gasoline Alley Bred -- It was now 1970. A single could be four minutes long, so the Hollies provided a lovely drama-building minor chord intro to set the tempo then spilled over into Hicks' tension-releasing burbling guitar mini-break founded on a major chord and finally the song begins. It was a hit in the UK but not in the US, so I've no idea whether it rated a full play by the DJs. The Air That I Breathe -- sappy song but you cannot fault Hicks' psychedelic melting guitar that starts it off. The DJs always played it. | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 127 Registered: 05-2005 |
Hey Randy - good call on The Hollies intros. Long Cool Women in A Black Dress another good example - the repeated descending guitar pattern which then resolves beautifully into the chugging 12 bar riff. The song ain't a classic -but love the intro. | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 508 Registered: 09-2006 |
Oh c'mon Mark...man loses his soul to a femme fatale in a song where you can't make out even half the words? Sounds like a rock & roll classic to me. That's one I love singing at the top of my lungs whenever it comes on. | ||
| Catherine Vaughan Member Username: Catherine Post Number: 57 Registered: 05-2005 |
Just had a look at those Ohio Players covers. I'd be offended, if I wasn't doubled over laughing at the unprecedented level of naffness. What a bunch of sad-sacks! I know NAWTHING about the band, but I'll take a guess that they're bad bad bad soft metal, complete with skin-tight trousers, sock shoved down the front, and long curly perms? Any way close? | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1462 Registered: 04-2005 |
They're '70s old-school (pre-disco) hard funk, Catherine. They had a few enormous pop hits in the States, and a number of R&B hits. Their lyrics were terrible-but-not-malicious sexism. They were no threat to Curtis Mayfield on an intellectual scale, let's put it that way. My standard joke is that the Ohio Players album covers made Roxy Music's "Country Life" look like "Amy Grant's Greatest Hits." | ||
| Wilson Davey Member Username: Wilson Post Number: 76 Registered: 05-2005 |
"Thank you" by the Pale Fountains. Punches you right between the lamps ! | ||
| Wilson Davey Member Username: Wilson Post Number: 77 Registered: 05-2005 |
... I prefer "Jean's not happening" as a song (worra guitar break that is) but for a statement of intent "Thank you" is BIG...in fact i'm going to get my Shack CD off the shelf for tomorrows commute... I saw someone recognised "Dreaming" by Blondie, Clem was the best pop drummer ever, they had a corking song called "Slow Motion" on Eat to the Beat, it's a sort of Motown pastiche but it never tires, exhilirating pop ! | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 128 Registered: 05-2005 |
A couple of other classic intros from the '60s: Itchycoo Park - The Small Faces. That phased guitar strum hooks you right away. Check out the clip below of the band from some Swedish TV show - with Steve Marriott baring an uncanny resemblance to Kate Moss! The second clip is Tin Soldier - another great Small Faces intro - this time courtesy of Ian McLagan on keyboards. Includes the great P.P. Arnold on backing vocals. http://youtube.com/watch?v=fofNPJ8RGdQ http://youtube.com/watch?v=wcKZoFRpZCI I mentioned the Beatles 'I Feel Fine' earlier in this thread. I think the little bit of controlled feedback at the beginning followed by Lennon's wondrous guitar riff is probably the best intro in recorded history. Here's a neat clip of the band performing the song on Ready Steady Go. http://youtube.com/watch?v=PykzyxWYS3Y | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1561 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kurt, LOL at your Cllimax line! Also agree with you that great songs have great intros... Here's a few I have on an iPod mix I snazzily call Rifftastic: Life During Wartime [Live] - Talking Heads No Particular Place To Go - Chuck Berry Tom Sawyer - Rush No Particular Place To Go - ZZ Top Looking For Lewis And Clark - The Long Ryders Roadrunner - Jonathan Richman Reeling In The Years - Steely Dan Jesus Built My Hotrod - Ministry One not on this playlist but which I adore is The Wagon - Dinosaur Jr | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1562 Registered: 05-2005 |
The ZZ Top song is actually La Grange, not a previously unheard version of the Chuck Berry song. My cut and paste skills are letting me down this morning. | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 225 Registered: 07-2006 |
"dreaming" stil sounds genuinely exciting....especially that intro.....at the age of 19 or so eat to the beat became one of my absolute favourite albums, the other killer being union city blue. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1632 Registered: 05-2005 |
Associates - Club Country Associates - Breakfast. (this has one of my favourite piano lines of all time, mixed with Buil's canny voice, and we're away!) | ||
| Catherine Vaughan Member Username: Catherine Post Number: 61 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kurt, just re-read your Cllimax post. Must have been asleep first time, didn't spot the ll!! The person sitting beside me in this glorious internet cafe has just moved his seat six inches further away, a bit concerned, as I sit here giggling.. Okay, I was wrong about the style of music by Ohio players, but I bet I'm still right about sock-style enhancements! | ||
| Paul S. Member Username: Prema Post Number: 30 Registered: 11-2005 |
Anthrax - Gang of Four (feedback-o-matic) Sweet Jane - Velvet Underground (that playful solo guitar at the very beginning before the strummed chords) |