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Songs with instantly recognisable intros?

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 The Lemming 25 Apr 2018

What songs are almost universally recognisable within the first couple of seconds, at most?

youtube.com/watch?v=a3ir9HC9vYg&

youtube.com/watch?v=BOuu88OwdK8&

 

 

 nickh1964 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

The Stones, Gimme shelter and Sympathy for the Devil, Born under punches by Talking Heads, Shes so Modern by Boomtown Rats, The Boy with the Arab strap and Sleep the clock around by Belle and Sebastian are the first that spring to mind, all instantly uniquely themselves.  

 greg_may_ 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Jump Around, House of Pain. Instant head twitch for me. 

 Bulls Crack 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Smells like Teen Spirit

Another one bites the dust

Blur Song 2

 

etc etc etc

cb294 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

ACDC - Hells Bells

Sabbath - Paranoid

Slayer - Reign in Blood

 MonkeyPuzzle 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Heard it through the Grapevine. My favourite intro of all time.

In reply to The Lemming:

Jimmy Hendrix, Voodoo Child. 

Lusk 25 Apr 2018
OP The Lemming 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Who could forget this?

youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ&

1
Lusk 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

or indeed, this ...

youtube.com/watch?v=uqJHoZBJYxI&

 Tom Valentine 25 Apr 2018
In reply to MonkeyPuzzle:

My favourite - Tin Soldier, Small Faces

In reply to The Lemming:

Smook on t'watter

  youtube.com/watch?v=ikGyZh0VbPQ&

edit: I don't believe it - it has just come up on the radio!

Post edited at 11:28
Deadeye 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

If you want Beatles, I'd go with Hard Day's Night - one chord.

 Blue Straggler 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Am in a shared office today, so no playing around on YouTube just now but has Teenage Kicks by The Undertones been mentioned?

 profitofdoom 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

1. Jailhouse Rock, Elvis Presley

2. Number 9 Dream, John Lennon

OP The Lemming 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

And for the upper classes and art students

youtube.com/watch?v=GRxofEmo3HA&

Edit

youtube.com/watch?v=hOA-2hl1Vbc&

youtube.com/watch?v=EEzyrpfrPEI&

Post edited at 15:28
OP The Lemming 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

And for jazz fans.  That's nice

youtube.com/watch?v=ezkrkxg536o&

 Tony Jones 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

So Many...

This lot are already represented but this is the one that gets me from the first bar.

youtube.com/watch?v=EkPy18xW1j8&

Other contenders could be:

youtube.com/watch?v=6GxWmSVv-cY&

(That flag's a little un-PC but it was 1970 something.)

or this,

youtube.com/watch?v=FGVGFfj7POA&

And probably only if you have an encyclopedic knowledge of the many similar-sounding (but all different) intros written by this man,

youtube.com/watch?v=ZFo8-JqzSCM&

The reason I own too many guitars.

 

OP The Lemming 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

This could give shivers of joy, of shivers of fear.

youtube.com/watch?v=4tDYMayp6Dk&

 Martin Hore 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Probably already covered in the youtube links above but my votes go to Bridge Over Troubled Water (one chord) and Wuthering Heights (three notes) - both still surely in the top ten hits of all time.

Martin

 FactorXXX 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Ian Dury - Plaistow Patricia

It might be a little bit sweary...

Post edited at 18:06
 bouldery bits 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Waterloo sunset

 bouldery bits 25 Apr 2018
In reply to Deadeye:

> If you want Beatles, I'd go with Hard Day's Night - one chord.

Bang on.

 Blue Straggler 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

OMD, Enola Gay

New Order, Blue Monday

 

The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl, A Fairytale Of New York

Giorgio Moroder and Philip Oakey, Together in Electric Dreams

Simple Minds, (Don’t You) Forget About Me

Echo and the Bunnymen, The Cutter

Madonna, Like a Prayer (is that a cheat because it is a vocal?)

 

T’Pau, Heart and Soul

 

Massive Attack, Angel

Massive Attack, Blue Lines

Massive Attack, Teardrop

 

Lou Reed, Perfect Day

 

Girls Aloud, Sound of the Underground

Nelly Furtado, Like a Bird

Thin Lizzy, The Boys Are Back in Town

Derek and the Dominoes, Layla

 

In reply to The Lemming:

Surely you mean this

youtube.com/watch?v=SVGotpIxkGU&

 

In reply to The Lemming:

Here is one that I love from Lucinda Williams.

youtube.com/watch?v=RKQs-MapRlk&

 Siward 25 Apr 2018
 FactorXXX 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Queen - We Will Rock You

youtube.com/watch?v=-tJYN-eG1zk&

In reply to FactorXXX:

Ok - Pub Quiz question. Who played drums on this track?

 FactorXXX 25 Apr 2018
In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

> Ok - Pub Quiz question. Who played drums on this track?

No one.

In reply to FactorXXX:

Correct! 

In reply to The Lemming:

Shirley:

youtube.com/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4&

.. and this (although only now do I realise it has a strange few bars that never get played before the catchy bit):

youtube.com/watch?v=nu6Os0R-tq4&

... and obviously anything from Abba (as Welsh Kate noticed) but this of course which is recognisable from the first 0.5 second:

youtube.com/watch?v=xFrGuyw1V8s&

Alan

 

 The Potato 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Sweet child o mine - guns n roses

Acres wild - Jethro tull 

Plug in baby - muse 

 Tony Jones 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

A song written by Britain's most famous bass player but with the first verse sung by Britain's best bass player in this version (it has a pretty recognisable intro):

 

youtube.com/watch?v=SLhoLkTyNkM&

In reply to The Lemming:

‘The sun always shines on TV’ intro is longer on its own than many whole songs are... in terms of immediate recognition, if you’re picking something by a-ha then surely it would be ‘Take on me’...?

other instantly recognisable intros:

Ziggy stardust 

atomic by blondie

true faith by new order

debaser by the pixies

In reply to Tony Jones:

> A song written by Britain's most famous bass player but with the first verse sung by Britain's best bass player in this version (it has a pretty recognisable intro):

I think Britains most famous bass player is more likely to be Lemmy  

In reply to The Lemming:

The introduction to Beethoven's fifth pretty much stands alone for universal recognition.  Not such good lyrics as some mentioned though.

T.

In reply to paul_in_cumbria:

Heavens, yes. By some distance too.

T.

OP The Lemming 25 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

You have to listen to the end of this one.

youtube.com/watch?v=iy3QS3vO0ag&

OP The Lemming 25 Apr 2018
 Blue Straggler 25 Apr 2018
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

> ‘The sun always shines on TV’ intro is longer on its own than many whole songs are... in terms of immediate recognition, if you’re picking something by a-ha then surely it would be ‘Take on me’...?

 

my thoughts exactly, but The Lemming never answers my posts in words so I didn’t bother asking

 

good call on Atomic. Most Blondie singles fit the bill actually. I’ll throw in Talking Heads’ Road to Nowhere, Psycho Killer and Once in a Lifetime too.

 

 Tom Valentine 26 Apr 2018
In reply to Pursued by a bear:

V V.

Makes as much sense as a lot of rap and is far less offensive.

 Chris the Tall 26 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Probably my favourite song of all time, but the way the intro just builds up is incredible - stops me in my tracks every time

youtube.com/watch?v=zuuObGsB0No&

Alternatively, how about a prize for how many different elements you can fit into an intro

youtube.com/watch?v=fxvkI9MTQw4& 

 

 Chris the Tall 26 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

House of the Rising Sun got me thinking of this

youtube.com/watch?v=LCJblaUkkfc&

 Hooo 26 Apr 2018
In reply to paul_the_northerner:

> Jimmy Hendrix, Voodoo Child. 

The first one that sprung to mind for me too.

Has anyone said Ace of Spades or Born to be wild yet?

OP The Lemming 26 Apr 2018
In reply to Andy Hardy:

All aboard for the city limits

youtube.com/watch?v=ALAWxatDoD0&

 james1978 26 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

"Seven nation army" by the white stripes.

 krikoman 26 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

youtube.com/watch?v=RuWmsg-ihLg&

youtube.com/watch?v=Ue5jyj_nosc&

youtube.com/watch?v=FKAHU5-pS_A&

Or almost any Crass song, but I maybe a bit prejudiced as I listened almost constantly from 1977 for at least 10 years.

Post edited at 14:40
OP The Lemming 26 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Is this a bit too obscure?

youtube.com/watch?v=1F3Uhrj9YVI&

Bogwalloper 26 Apr 2018
In reply to greg_may_:

> Jump Around, House of Pain. Instant head twitch for me. 


You get ready to jump in the air and realise it's Harlem Shuffle by Bob & Earl.

W

 krikoman 26 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Which remindes me

youtube.com/watch?v=GBOzC_W_5EI&

Best inhaler intro of any record!!

 Tony Jones 26 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

This one's fairly unmistakable.

youtube.com/watch?v=eAihlscrUfg&

And, just possibly, my favourite ever song...

OP The Lemming 26 Apr 2018
In reply to krikoman:

Hilarious. I especially  liked the end where if mentioned vhs options. Did they not like betamax
?

 tehmarks 26 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Metallica - Master of Puppets. The very first chord should give it away.

Bernard Shakey 26 Apr 2018
In reply to The Potato:

Acres Wild, the Tull not an obvious choice

 

 Clarence 27 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Jessica - The Allman Brothers

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac

Money For Nothing - Dire Straits

Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd

Thunderstruck - AC/DC

are all tunes I have identified by a one second excerpt in our Friday lunchtime games of Name That Tune.

 Blue Straggler 27 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Radiohead’s No Surprises

 

various efforts from Smashing Pumpkins (Today, Disarm)

Therapy’s Screamager

 

The Breeders’ Cannonball

 krikoman 27 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

> Hilarious. I especially  liked the end where if mentioned vhs options. Did they not like betamax

> ?


I'm surprised DVDs got a mention, sounds a bit posh for up north

 

 mav 27 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

It's on, Flowered Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGPTVRGqfe 

Shine On, House of Love

youtube.com/watch?v=tg4nEY8-kSM&

Leave them all behind, Ride

And tons more

 

 IM 27 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

this one does it for me, probably not many others mind you..

youtube.com/watch?v=GZGlXzvdYvU&

 

 

 

In reply to The Lemming:

I didn't see it above, but surely one of the most instantly recognisable (i.e. within milliseconds) is Pink Floyd's Time.

 mbh 27 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Most songs that start with the main guitar riff, if there is one and it's any good?

Faces - Pool Hall Richard - which I love, being the first single I ever bought, in 1973. 

Several of the better know Stones tracks:

  • Honky Tonk Woman
  • Brown Sugar
  • Tumbling Dice
  • Start me up
  • etc, etc

or maybe I've just listened to them all so many times that I know what they are before they even start.

From the Who, I'd choose Substitute, especially as played solo on acoustic guitar by Richard Thompson at Seattle.

My Beatles choice would be Paperback Writer.

 

 The Potato 27 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

pretty much anything by John Williams

youtube.com/watch?v=IgncJgSbbck&

 

 PJD 27 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

youtube.com/watch?v=qLo7z50Tt2g&

SLF - Alternative Ulster

 aln 28 Apr 2018
In reply to PJD:

I got that from the 1st guitar chang

 Blue Straggler 28 Apr 2018
In reply to John Stainforth:

> I didn't see it above, but surely one of the most instantly recognisable (i.e. within milliseconds) is Pink Floyd's Time.

Their “Money” would be recognisable within FRACTIONS of a millisecond. FRACTIONS

 FactorXXX 28 Apr 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

> Their “Money” would be recognisable within FRACTIONS of a millisecond. FRACTIONS

I was thinking more of "Shine On You Diamond" as the ultimate example of a Pink Floyd song instantaneously recognised by it's intro.   

Post edited at 01:59
 Blue Straggler 28 Apr 2018
In reply to FactorXXX:

Yes yes

 

and that crap one that takes up all of side 4 of Ummagumma. Mammal. Caves. Grooving. Picts

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Has anyone had this yet?

youtube.com/watch?v=0WUdlaLWSVM&

or a variation on the theme

youtube.com/watch?v=zt51rITH3EA&

Post edited at 08:41
In reply to Blue Straggler:

On which point, when did you last see a cash register that went 'Ker-ching'?

T.

 Chris Harris 28 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

A few by Rush are pretty distinctive. 

YYZ.

The spirit of radio.

 

 

 mbh 28 Apr 2018
In reply to IM:

If we are doing Rory, then for this thread I don't think you can beat Shin Kicker on Stage Struck

youtube.com/watch?v=WpkvNekADJE&

 

 

 

 Chris Harris 28 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Sultans of Swing.

Private investigations.

 Timmd 28 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

It would help if people named the links in their posts.

youtube.com/watch?v=PWoDSGfSu6o&

Natural Mystic by Bob Marley has an unmistakable 'fade in' intro.  

Post edited at 15:45
In reply to Timmd:

> It would help if people named the links in their posts.

Indeed it would. I'm not looking at a link if I don't know what it is first.

T.

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

Yes. If they’re that recognisable I shouldn’t need to have to click on a link to remind myself what they sound like...

 

two suggestions from guns’n’roses-

 

welcome to the jungle- has there ever been a better opening track to an album?

and

sweet child o’mine- has there ever been a better guitar riff...?

(actually, yes to the second question- ziggy stardust- but this runs it close...)

 Bob Hughes 28 Apr 2018
In reply to Lemming:

 

youtube.com/watch?v=SdbLqOXmJ04&

 

And

youtube.com/watch?v=9ZrAYxWPN6c&

EDIT:

 

and for ravers of a certain vintage...

 

youtube.com/watch?v=Ub4AzeZAiQA&

Post edited at 18:07
 Blue Straggler 29 Apr 2018
In reply to Timmd:

> It would help if people named the links in their posts.

I guess you really like my approach here and on the movie threads then.

 

1
 Timmd 29 Apr 2018
In reply to The Lemming:

Motorhead by Motorhead, just after the first split second of that growling bass guitar you know what song it's going to be. 

youtube.com/watch?v=0AUVGrUTE-Q&

The way the layers build up, with the drums and then the guitar, and Lemmy's growly voice joining last is like an intro into the Motorhead sound, too, the different elements of the 'wall of noise'.

 

Post edited at 14:16
 BnB 29 Apr 2018
In reply to Bob Hughes:

> and for ravers of a certain vintage...

And for those of us of a different vintage, the greatest vocal house anthem of all. What an intro.

youtube.com/watch?v=tl17slRd89k&

And this blew my 14 year old mind. A song from far in the future, instantly recognisable.

youtube.com/watch?v=DTZEf_Fn4gQ&

Post edited at 17:49
 aln 30 Apr 2018
In reply to Timmd:

> It would help if people named the links in their posts. >

I don't agree. What I'd like is a link to the music that doesn't show the name of the artist or the tune. Then we'd only have the music and that would show how recognisable it is or not. 

1
 Timmd 30 Apr 2018
In reply to Blue Straggler:

That dislike wasn't from me by the way. I just have a fear of clicking onto links which contain music I don't like I think.  

Post edited at 00:01
 Timmd 01 May 2018
In reply to aln:

> I don't agree. What I'd like is a link to the music that doesn't show the name of the artist or the tune. Then we'd only have the music and that would show how recognisable it is or not. 

It makes it harder to work out if one's own suggestion has been added already though...

Post edited at 00:01
 Blue Straggler 01 May 2018
In reply to Timmd:

> That dislike wasn't from me by the way. 

 

I couldn’t care less about who clicked “dislike” on any of my posts and I certainly don’t sit wondering if it might have been you

 

 But have a smiley  

Post edited at 01:52
 Blue Straggler 01 May 2018
In reply to aln:

>  Then we'd only have the music and that would show how recognisable it is or not. 

Pub pop quiz is the place for you then!

 Blue Straggler 01 May 2018
In reply to aln:

I do get what you are saying despite it being the opposite of what I posted about earlier. Both approaches and attitudes are equally valid in a forum such as this.

 

I guess I have a possibly irrational aversion to URLs into the unknown


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