I revisited this thread and looks like the winner here thus far is the intro to the Beethoven's Symphony No 5 which is mentioned more times than any other intro.
It sure is a classic and probably more widely known/remembered intro to a much wider audiance and not just audiophools. |
The Youngbloods had nice intros with at least two songs that I favor, 'Darkness, Darkness' and the song, 'Let's Get Together'. Friend and lover had a great intro with 'Reach Out in The Darkness'. |
Perhaps the most recognizable intro is the opening chord played by George Harrison's 12 string Rickenbacker on "A Hard's Day's Night". For years controversy has existed over the actual chord whether it is Gm7add11, Gsus4, or G7sus4. It makes me smile every time I hear it. |
"50 Ways To Leave Your Lover"-that drum hook is amazing. |
Theme from "Shaft" - Isaac Hayes: it's a bad mutha
"Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown" - Jim Croce: finger poppin' and head bobbin'
"Pursuance", 3rd movement of "A Love Supreme" - John Coltrane, with Elvin Jones on drums: you are exhausted by the time the horn begins |
Intro to Sweet Jane (Rock and Roll Animal) |
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To really throw something out there... The opening riff to Still D.R.E.
Otherwise, the first bars to Schubert's impromptus Op. 90 No. 2 and Op. 142 No. 2. |
"Come Together" by the Beatles |
"Reeling In The Years" Steely Dan |
hell's bells ac/dc
the voice of enigma/ enigma |
Here are a few of my choices:
Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughn
Tie your mamma down by Queen
I wanna rock by Twisted Sister
Walk of life by Dire Straits
Eben. |
Emerson Lake and Palmer..."From the begining"
Boston "Foreplay/Longtime"
Introduction to 2010
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American Idiot, by Green Day. One of those REALLY LOUD CDs, but it does make me grin. Makes the walls shake, too.
I think the Nirvana classic "Smells like teen spirit" takes some beating in this department also.
And there's always Beethoven's 5th Symphony. Probably the most memorable intro of all time. Or perhaps Bach's Toccatta and Fugue in D minor.
And finally Saint-Saens Piano concerto no 2. I love the intro, but I hate the second movement. |
"Cherub Rock" - The Smashing Pumpkins |
1. "Satisfaction"
2. "Sweet Home Alabama"
3. "White Rabbit"
4. "Hotel California," as previously mentioned
5. Herb Alpert's rendition of "A Taste Of Honey"
6. Many Beatles songs, TNTC |
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"Sweet Child Of Mine" - Guns n' Roses
"Limelight" - Rush
"Children of Sanchez" (Long Version) - Chuck Mangione
Second the "Hotel California" recommendation
I'm sure there are a ton more that I've heard that I just can't think of right now... :( |
Some really great tunes listed above. Here's what i thought of off of the top of my head in no specific order. You know what they are as soon as you hear the opening line...
Taxman by The Beatles
Angel of Death by Slayer
Allegro Molto by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Got The Time by Joe Jackson
Alabama Song ( Whisky Bar ) by The Doors
Brand New Cadillac / London Calling by The Clash
Spill The Wine by Eric Burdon & War
Ace of Spades by Motorhead
Smokin' In The Boys Room by Brownsville Station
Mars: Bringer of War by Gustav Holst
All The Young Dudes by Mott The Hoople
12XU by Wire
Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo by Rick Derringer ( best version by Johnny Winter And on a live disc. Derringer was Johnny's "back-up" guitarist )
Radio Radio by Elvis Costello
Ziggy Stardust / Fame by David Bowie
PS... Reading threads like this makes me want to bust out a ton of different albums : ) |
The opening riffs to California Girls and Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress |
Beethoven's 5th has been grabbing people for several hundred years. |
"Darkness/Earth in Search of a Sun" - from First Seven Days by Jan Hammer.
"Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" Bach. played by E. Power Biggs |
Opalchip, great call. A single memorable chord. At the other end of the spectrum, I'd nominate the improvised tenor sax and drum intro to Steely Dan's "Everything Must Go." Glorious playing, and really contributes to the meaning of the song (those guys are brilliant).
On a different note, the intro to Curtis Mayfield's "Pusherman." That is _so_ cool. |
Bruce Springsteen: NYC Serenade and Something in the Night |
Most notable one chord (if you wanna call it that) intro! - Hard Day's Night. |
•Mr. Magic by Grover Washington Jr.
•Soul Sacrifice by Santana
•Song for my Father by Horace Silver
•Ain't No Fun to Me by Graham Central Station
•Telephone Song by Stevie Ray and Jimmy Vaughn |
Bob Dylan: Ballad of a Thin Man, Like A Rolling Stone & Positively 4th Street
Schubert: Gretchen Am Spinrade
Mahler: Der Abschied from Das Lied Von Der Erde
Van Morrison: Dylan's It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
Miles Davis: All Blues & So What
Beethoven: 6th Symphony, first bars of first movement
Coltrane: A Love Supreme
And ditto with Crazy4Blues: numerous songs by Otis Rush |
How can I list so many and still forget to put down Led Zeppelin's "Immigration Song?"
Or Three Dog Night's "Eli's Coming"
Like I said, "and on and on..." |
Rolling Stones, either "Brown Sugar" or "Start Me Up" (since they're roughly inverses of one another). Guess I give the nod to BS, because I heard it first and SMU loses points for being used in a Microsoft ad.
Second the nomination of Yes "Roundabout." Also, "Siberian Khatru" from "Close to the Edge"
Others that come to mind:
Santana, "Europa (Earth's Cry, Heaven's Smile)"
Hendrix, "Little Wing" and "Purple Haze"
Buffalo Springfield, "For What It's Worth"
Jefferson Airplane, "Volunteers"
Neil Young, "Rockin' in the Free World"
Mountain, "Mississippi Queen" (gotta love The Great Fatsby)
Ten Years After, "I'd Love to Change the World"
Beatles, "Paperback Writer"
Paul Simon, "Late in the Evening"
Eric Clapton, "Layla" (or about half of the other songs on that album...)
And on and on ... isn't music great? Happy listening! |
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All Along the Watch Tower - Hendrix
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Joey Kramer's drum intro to "Lord of the thighs"...it is on Aerosmith's "Get your wings"...and quite frankly it simply KILLS !!!!! |
"voodoo chile" Jimi Hendrix |
"Wonderful Tonite" by Eric Clapton. That organ-like guitar is so...sexy. I'm unsure if it's slide guitar, or just skill at bending strings.
deb |
I always thought the coolest song intro was to "The Story in Your Eyes" by the Moody Blues. The intro actually had a title called "Procession". It starts with an "outer space" sound representing the creation of the planet and then proceeds forward through time, playing a theme on different instruments through the ages - starting with "caveman" chanting, then drums, moving to some middle-eastern instrument and then a lute, mandolin, pipe organ, full orchestra and finally ending with an electric guitar which plays the first notes of the main song. VERY COOL!
Matter of fact I may need to get a six pack on the way home and give it a spin:-) |
"You Really Got Me" The Kinks
"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" The Rolling Stones |
Panufnik: "Sinfonia Sacra"
The Who: "Pinball Wizard"
XTC: "River of Orchids"
Guns 'N Roses: "Sweet Child 'O Mine"
The Band: "Up on Cripple Creek"
Robbie Robertson: "Fallen Angel"
Freedy Johnston: "Bad Reputation"
Luna: "How Long Can This Go On?"
Husker Du: "These Important Years"
Kings X: "Everybody Knows a Little Bit" |
-Beethoven: Sym #5 (the whole first movement),
-Beethoven: Fur Elise
-Arthur Pryor: "Blue Blues of Scotland" (I love that trombone intro, I've played it countless times on my horn)
-Nine Inch Nails: "Head Like a Hole"
-Metallica: "Enter Sandman" (This was a milestone for me. This was the first pop/rock song that I actually liked. Before that, I primarily listened to classical music exclusively. There was just something about this song that drew me into it. I think it was the less agressive guitar intro that made it paletable)
-Gorefest: "From Ignorance to Oblivion" (the intro in this just explodes). I first heard this as an mp3 called 'gorefest.mp3' on the college campus network back in '97. I just had to find out what band/song/album that was. Man I loved that intro.
-Cannibal Corpse: "Hammer Smashed Face"
-???: "Sweet Home Chicago"
-Simon and Garfunkel: "Mrs. Robinson"
-Guess Who: "American Woman"
-the music of Gloria Estefan, although I can't think of a specific song at the moment. |
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey) from the Deodato 'Prelude' album. |
I am hoping to inject new life into this great thread. I'm compiling 1-2 minutes cuts of the beginning of songs to play between innings of my son's high school baseball games. Please, keep 'em coming. |
T-bone-
I waited to post "Telegraph Road" because I couldn't decide if I should go with that or "Private Investigations" Should have listed both. Good call on your part.
While we are at it: I like the opening of the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" soundtrack a lot as well. |
More excellent choices mentioned above. The subtle ones are just as impressive as the loud heavy ones. How about "Fields Of Joy" by The New York Rock Ensemble, if anyone else can remember that one,a beautiful slow, smooth, rolling electric piano groove.Cheers!! |
Last Splas by the Breeders |
Slipknot1, I was waiting for that one. That intro truly IS great. I think the intro to "Private Investigations" on the same album is also pretty nifty. |
"Telegraph Road" opening on Dire Straits' Love Over Gold LP |
Trencherman by Virgil Donati |
Dust in the Wind, Kansas. Spoonful from Wheels of Fire. Blues Deluxe (Truth album) Jeff Beck. Day Tripper, the Beatles. Start me up, Stones. Pinball Wizard, Who. Run like Hell, Pink Floyd.
Just a few of the many that came quickly to mind.
REL2 |
Some excellent examples above. A few others, "Sympathy" by the Stones "Watchtower" by Hendrix, "Whole Lotta Love"by Led Zep, "Light My Fire" Doors, "Hot Rats" by Zappa. I love 4yanx suggestion of "Birdland" by Weather Report one of my all time favorite groups. Cheers!! |
"Birdland" by Weather Report is always awe-inspiring on a good system and at a liberal gain setting! :-) |
Genesis "Watchers of the Sky" |
