Monday, February 7, 2011

DAY 12: YOUR FAVORITE INTRO...

okay, so I admit that I've been doing a lil' bit of cheating here on the last few days of the 3o day song challenge, but tonight's category was "a song by a band you hate", and to me this is kind of redundant to the "least favorite song" category... and I just don't love the "hate" thing, and if I dislike something that strongly I will probably keep it to myself, though there is nothing wrong with an honest opinion. Anywho I decided to change the category to "your favorite intro", because I'm an intro girl, i'm nuts about intros, I could even say that I often find intros to be my favorite part of the song. Some might say that the chorus is the most important part of a song, I would beg to differ, I mean yes, of course the chorus is vital to a songs structure, but if the intro doesn't beckon the listener to stay a while, you'll never even get to that chorus. Intros are all about first impressions, setting the stage, establishing the mood, invoking emotion, creating a vibe, introducing the hook, it absolutely has to grab you... and if it doesn't, then it's game over. They can be short or long, elaborate or simple, they just have to be good. You may not have ever thought that much about intros, but the next time you go to change the station, or skip a track, take note, it's likely that a crappy intro is to blame...

so, ironically, one of my favorite intros, happens to be by a band that I actually don't love... and please don't "hate" me for it, but I'm just not a huge Stones fan. That being said, the intro to "Gimme Shelter" is super intense, groovy for sure , and it is by far my favorite part of the whole song...


Another one that gets me:

I could think of a million intros

You are welcome to adhere to the original category, or you can contribute your favorite intro...

11 comments:

  1. I am not a Clay Aiken fan. But Invisible is possibly one of the 10 greatest songs ever, certainly top 100 or better. I love it every time I hear it.

    Also, though I can't say I hate him as an artist, but there is much too much hype regarding The Boss for my taste anyway. But Pink Cadillac is an awesome song.

    As for intro's, our topic 12b as it were, Does Anybody Know What Time It Is by Chicago... or just part of their usual quirky fun, the intro for Enid by Barenaked Ladies... or just genius, Dreamboat Annie by Heart... and I guess for epic, Thriller... or if one considers I Robot by Alan Parsons to be one long single number, wear headphones listening to that... and in that vein, same idea, where and what part is the intro to Oxygene by Jean Michel Jarre (deserves noise canceling headphones as well)... hey great topic, I'm rolling now... Fire On High by ELO... and Lazy off Deep Purple's Machine Head... or two from Steve Miller listed as separate numbers, but considered/played as intros -- Threshold/Jet Airliner and Space Intro/Fly Like An Eagle...

    And last, a story for intros, reminds me a place, etc... exhausting solo road trip to and returning from western Kansas on I-70 to Denver... pulled over after one of those moments when I was too exhausted to driving in the first place into one of those rest stops... don't recall if there other music on as I dozed off or how long or dead space on the tape or whatever... Back In The U.S.S.R. starts up and my sub conscious is saying a tractor trailer is braking into my parked position from behind... my first bout with heart failure...

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  2. i have to agree with you about intros...but i'm a chorus girl, so i wouldn't have known where to begin on intros. i will definitely take note now, though.

    i chose a song by a band i can't stand...cause hate is a strong word. thanks!

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  3. "Shrimp Shack" by Cap'n Geech & The Shrimp Shack Shooters (Oneders/Wonders). It was a recording, not them actually playing in the low budget movie “Weekend at the Party Pier” within the movie “That Thing You Do”. ;-) My way of symbolizing my strong dislike for any type of non “live” performance/recording by the Artist without the audience’s knowledge.

    Intro's "Angel" Aerosmith,"You've Made Me so Very Happy" by Blood, Sweat & Tears,"You Give Love A Bad Name" by Bon Jovi & "Come to My Rescue" by Brooke White

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  4. I had not thought of intros really, but I think Keith Urban has great intros-"Kiss a Girl", "Only You Can Love Me This Way", "Sweet Thing","I Told You So", all great songs.

    I agree with Brent-I really like "Invisible" by Clay Aiken.

    (From Susie/Nantucketbreeze)

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  5. Sentimental Lady by Bob Welch

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE9CW-QHoUo

    Strawberry Letter 23 by The Brothers Johnson

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-ipH9Ws-zs

    Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me by Mac Davis

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UauHDIlhvTk

    There's a million great intros out there, and I hate it when a DJ talks through one of my favorite intros or leaves it off altogether.

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  6. - The Mexican horns that start off Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire."
    - The mellow piano intro of Billy Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" (one of the best songs ever because it's 3 songs in 1).
    - The upbeat opening to the one-hit wonder "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves.

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  7. While we're on the topic of the Rolling Stones, I love the intro to "Paint It Black".

    Other favourite intros at the top of my head: "Come Together" by the Beatles, "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls", "The End" by the Doors, and a whole lot more where that came from!

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  8. Oh yeah... definitely Scenes From An Italian Restaurant... good catch on that one!

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  9. My all-time favorite intro is the Jackson Five's I Want You Back, especially cranked loud so the bass is rocking the car.

    Another one that falls into the "shakes everything with 100 feet" is the intro to U2's Mysterious Ways.

    Finally, an intro that just makes me smile every time I hear it (and it's not that well known of a song) is Boz Scagg's You Make it Hard (to Say No).

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  10. "Caves" by Jack's Mannequin
    Runners Up: "Retrace" by Anberlin "Smoke Rings in the Dark" Gary Allan "Home" by Marc Broussard

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  11. Airstream Song by Miranda Lambert...

    Long bluegrass, twangy, guitar into... mmm
    It's so breezy and light... I love it!!!!

    And yes, I'm twelve...

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