# Crowning moments of awesome in rock **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 5, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638 "2011-08-05T20:55:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/21 "2011-08-06T03:11:28Z")
[Clapton’s finest work.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_Iq4Wc37Z8) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/22 "2011-08-06T03:40:34Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > Well, in terms of really awesome intros… > > The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” > Spooky Tooth’s “[Evil Woman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtVTHB319ns)” > Pink Floyd’s “Careful With That Axe, Eugene” > King Crimson’s “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Pt. 1” > > And for awesome instrumental breaks, King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man”. As soon as I saw the first mention of King Crimson in your post my mind went right to [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBfCzhYbWBk3#t=4m12s)…I felt stoned just cuing up the clip. I haven’t listened to this in so long. Here’s one of mine. I know this is a bit odd, but I used to listen to these couple of notes over and over. Just after they say “Hey, teachers, leave them kids alone” you see David play [12 notes/chords](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZbM_MIz4RM#t=2m27s). The last 8…love them. I don’t know what it is about those, but something special happens there (for me). One more. The [transistion](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQmmM_qwG4k&ob=av2e#t=1m20s) in Whole Lotta Love from the point where the drums start until Robert starts singing again. Okay, one more…I can’t really pick one part of this song, but there is an amazing guitar solo (which turns into a brass section solo) towards the end…I give you…are you ready…[25 or 6 to 4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLiuMkGCOC4) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/23 "2011-08-06T03:54:50Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Okay, one more…I can’t really pick one part of this song, but there is an amazing guitar solo (which turns into a brass section solo) towards the end…I give you…are you ready…[25 or 6 to 4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLiuMkGCOC4) Tried to explain to a daughter the other day that, for once we weren’t high. It was just a guess as to what time it was. She didn’t believe me. Honest to God, there were points your parents were not entirely clear what time it was. Especially in the 70s. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/24 "2011-08-06T04:00:44Z")
When Chuck Berry told us Johnny “could play a guitar just like a ringin’ a bell”. It told us that it didn’t matter what else you knew or didn’t know as long as you could play a guitar. Plenty of subsequent rockers based their entire lives on that principle. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/25 "2011-08-06T04:02:04Z")
[Go Your Own Way](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ul-cZyuYq4) from 2:38 to the end. ---
**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/26 "2011-08-06T04:12:06Z")
From Metallica’s “One”: Darkness imprisoning me All that I see Absolute horror I cannot live I cannot die Trapped in myself Body my holding cell Those lyrics, plus the awesome drums and guitars emulating machine gun fire, is one of the best moments in all of hard rock. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/27 "2011-08-06T04:54:22Z")
“Remember…What the DORMOUSE SAID…FEED YOUR HEAAAD! FEED YOUR HEAAAAD!” “Misirlou” by Dick Dale (is that the correct name?), but better known nowadays as the theme music for “Pulp Fiction.” The organ solo intro to the Band’s song [Chest Fever](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4Z2o4tXESs) ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/28 "2011-08-06T05:31:24Z")
[Badge](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE6MwpEV3pU) by Cream, right after the line about the kid who’s married to Mabel. There’s a pause, then Clapton’s riff breaks over the top and a few bars later, the drums and bass kick in. Through the years, Clapton’s made the pause longer, sometimes with a bass rumble to build anticipation…and the crowd goes wild. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/29 "2011-08-06T05:33:32Z")
Clapton’s _Layla_, in particular the tacked on piano piece at the end (IIRC originally written as an entirely different song) – the piano section, for me, is one of the most emotionally evocative musical passages ever. The B-52s _Rock Lobster_ is the only song that will get me dancing (okay, jumping around like an idiot, but still…). Martha and the Vandellas – both _Dancing in the Street_ and _Nowhere to Run_. There are aren’t enough great adjectives. Both absolute iconic songs. Merrilee Rush’s _Angel of the Morning_ – very, er, influential on a teenaged boy – the idea of a sexually enthusiastic and independent woman. The Ramones _I wanna Be Sedated_ – I can’t explain why I love this song, except I felt for most of my life I would have preferred to be sedated. 😛 Rare Earth’s _I Just Want to Celebrate_ – really a tremendous shout out for joy and life (yeah, forget that bullshit I just said about the Ramones!) Robert Palmer’s _Addicted to Love_ – maybe the sexiest music video ever. Tom Petty’s _I Won’t Back Down_ – kind of my personal anthem. Hell, I don’t even stand up very often, but when I do… To agree with some others, The Who has the two most powerful rock songs ever – the terribly named _Baba O’Riley_, and _Won’t Get Fooled Again_. I want the latter to be our new National Anthem. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/30 "2011-08-06T05:51:00Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > “Remember…What the DORMOUSE SAID…FEED YOUR HEAAAD! FEED YOUR HEAAAAD!” Back then Gracie used her pipes instead of a microphone. And she had fleshy backup. And had been a Vogue model. I’ll be in my bunk. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/31 "2011-08-06T05:59:06Z")
Van “The Man” Morrison with [Caravan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44wDwMQVqCc) in the “Last Waltz” concert/movie - especially when he signals for the final horn riff at [3:57](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44wDwMQVqCc&feature=player_detailpage#t=236s). ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/32 "2011-08-06T06:06:54Z")
_A Day in the Life_, the final buildup, the final chord. _Tomorrow Never Knows_, John’s final verse. _Abbey Road_, final 15-odd minutes. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/33 "2011-08-06T06:13:50Z")
Janis. Piece of My Heart. _…you know you got it_ _ **WOAHHW!** _ ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/34 "2011-08-06T08:19:30Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > **Nirvana** on _MTV Unplugged_. I was already a fan after _Nevermind_, but their \*Unplugged \*performance brought my appreciation to a whole new level. ☹ Specifically, the last song of the evening - a cover of Leadbelly’s “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” - when he changes octave for the last verse. It’s such a raw, anguished moment that no only was I not surprised he shot himself a few weeks later, I was surprised he didn’t shoot himself _while he was performing_. [This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwsgMzZl3PI)(CMOA starts at 3:45). ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/35 "2011-08-06T09:15:14Z")
I’ve always thought of the guitar solo in The Knack’s “My Sharona” as pretty awesome. So here’s this band, which might as well be a garage band, plodding through a hard-driving rock number. Yeah, we’ve heard it all before. And then, the song just takes off! It’s the guitar solo, and suddenly, this band is a contender. We heard little else from them, but damn! What they did in this rock song, at a time when new wave was rising and disco was dying, was nothing short of brilliant, IMHO. It was a “screw you,” in a way, and I think it was pretty awesome. Check out the YouTube rendition, with the guitar solo starting at 2:47 [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=021WZBh1R4I). ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/36 "2011-08-06T12:12:10Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > And for awesome instrumental breaks, King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man”. So odd…after 25 years of not even thinking about this, I’ve been listening to it almost daily for the last month. Unfortunately it may not fit into the OP’s category because there doesn’t seem to be a non-awesome moment in it…but I’ll keep looking! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/37 "2011-08-06T14:07:32Z")
Don McLean “Eight miles high and falling faaaaaaaast.” Most awesome moment in an awesome song. All the a cappella moments in Billy Joel’s Only The Good Die Young. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/38 "2011-08-06T14:26:04Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Don McLean “Eight miles high and falling faaaaaaaast.” Most awesome moment in an awesome song. > > All the a cappella moments in Billy Joel’s Only The Good Die Young. About 2 months ago I was driving home and “The Longest Time” came on…I’ve heard that song a million times…I don’t think I ever noticed it was almost completely a capella. If you haven’t noticed, listen to it again with that in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/39 "2011-08-06T14:30:51Z")
The Longest Time is good, but Only The Good Die Young is very hard rock. How many people can do hard rock a cappella? Joel doesn’t get enough credit for his work, but that’s another thread. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638/40 "2011-08-06T16:20:12Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > _Abbey Road_, final 15-odd minutes. Oh yeah! All right! Are you gonna be in my dreams tonight? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crowning-moments-of-awesome-in-rock/591638.md?page=3)