"The dying art of the [pop song] intro"

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exKT17

Well-known member
Nov 27, 2016
341
Argyll & Bute
Article on BBC Entertainment.

They nominate as "Epic song intros"

The Temptations: Papa Was A Rolling Stone - two minutes of pure groove, even in the three-and-a-half minute single edit
U2: Where the Streets Have No Name - 1:18 of atmospheric guitar before Bono butts in
Dire Straits: Money For Nothing - 1:05, although radio stations would have cut it to 30 seconds to start with its classic riffs
The Who: Baba O'Riley - a pulsating 1:05 in one of the all-time classic intros
The Eagles: Hotel California - a haunting 52 seconds sets the scene perfectly
Survivor: Eye of the Tiger - 50 seconds, just long enough for a boxer to walk to the ring
The Rolling Stones: Gimme Shelter - Keith Richards' guitar wails for 50 seconds, although there are backing vocals


May I suggest The Smiths: Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me - 2:12 of pit-burning angst
and David Bowie: Station to Station - 3:17 of anaesthetised desperation...

You?
 








The Sock of Poskett

The best is yet to come (spoiler alert)
Jun 12, 2009
2,836
My starter for ten (well, 50 seconds of genius intro, then) ... :lolol:

 


Not Andy Naylor

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2007
8,993
Seven Dials
The five-minute instrumental overture to Sweet Jane on Lou Reed's Rock and Roll Animal live album.
 




marlowe

Well-known member
Dec 13, 2015
4,294
I think the most obvious ones are:
Layla: Derek and the Dominoes
Smoke on the Water: Deep Purple
Stairway to Heaven: Led Zep
Sweet Home Alabama: Lynyrd Skynrd
 








OzMike

Well-known member
Oct 2, 2006
13,280
Perth Australia
I love long intros and outros, it gives musicians a chance to show a bit more of what they can do and sometimes the build up is essential.................shame some band members don't feel the same.
 


whitelion

New member
Dec 16, 2003
12,828
Southwick
Lynyrd Skynyrd Simple Man
Metallica Fade to Black
Tom Petty Last Dance With Mary Jane
Tom Petty Free Falling
Nazareth She's Only a Broken Down Angel
Whitelion When The Children Cry
WASP Rebel In the FDG
Quiet Riot Bang Your Head
 






Mo Gosfield

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2010
6,362
Very, very occasionally you get the spoken word as in the original intro to Barry McGuire's " Eve of Destruction " when a young oriental girl introduces the song just before you get the unmistakeable opening bars.
 








whitelion

New member
Dec 16, 2003
12,828
Southwick
Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd
While My Guitar Gently Bleeds Tom Petty Jeff Lynne Prince and others ( probably the greatest guitar solo ever on a track by Prince)
 














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