# Favourite Intros **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 1, 2007, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901 "2007-11-01T18:37:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/21 "2007-11-02T03:52:14Z")
The Beatles’ “Come Together” has what might be the most distinctive intro, ever. Sugarloaf - “Green Eyed Lady” Sweet - “Love Is Like Oxygen” OK, can’t do just three. Gerry Rafferty - “Baker Street” was brought to mind by **Spoons** ’ mention of “Year Of The Cat.” ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/22 "2007-11-02T04:38:32Z")
[QUOTE=Hung Mung] **Interstate Love Song** by Stone Temple Pilots [/QUOTE] Also _Dead and Bloated!_ [low-fi voice]I AM smellin’ like a rose that somebody gave me on my birthday deathbed…[/low-fi voice] ---
**Author:** ![TripleTee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac8455/32.png) [@TripleTee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TripleTee)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/23 "2007-11-02T04:38:44Z")
Hotel California- Eagles I am talking about the “Hell Freezes Over” version. Although I also really like the altered version on the “Live from Melbourne” DVD. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/24 "2007-11-02T04:46:21Z")
Gotta add: Beatles: _Here Comes the Sun_ Led Zeppelin: _Immigrant Song_ Guns & Roses: _Welcome to the Jungle_ ---
**Author:** ![WideEyedCosmos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/67e7ee/32.png) [@WideEyedCosmos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WideEyedCosmos)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/25 "2007-11-02T05:15:14Z")
Top three, huh? I can think of a couple more good ones. In no particular order: 1. The Great Gig in the Sky- Pink Floyd 2. Sun King- The Beatles 3. Everyone Who Pretended to Like me is Gone- The Walkmen 4. Go it Alone- Beck 5. Humming- Portishead ---
**Author:** ![WideEyedCosmos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/67e7ee/32.png) [@WideEyedCosmos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WideEyedCosmos)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/26 "2007-11-02T05:19:04Z")
Oh yeah, and how could I forget? The opening to the David Bowie track “Space Oddity”, is one of my all time favorites. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/27 "2007-11-02T05:23:16Z")
Well, all this talk about “intro’s” reminded me of the great but seldom heard: [The Intro and the Outro!](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3647630) Shhhh . . . [listen up](http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B000006TDV001009/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_009/103-7404390-6472620). ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/28 "2007-11-02T09:51:18Z")
[QUOTE=Plynck] I’ll assume that by intros you mean more than just a few token bars before the singing begins? [/quote] Totally. Of the 3 selections from the OP, _Time_ comes in at about 120 secs (excluding the clocks), _Do It Again_ at 65 seconds and _Won’t Get Fooled Again_ 40 seconds (from _Who’s Next_), which I actually recall as being longer. The intros so far can be divided into (a) songs I’ve never heard (b) those I’ve heard but forgotten somehow and (c) songs I’ve heard and remember well. Some of the latter are on the short side but it doesn’t diminish the quality. **Spoons** has just motivated me to play _Year of the Cat_ (68 secs) and his description of the piece as an overture nails it for me. I love a long, complex intro which builds to the opening vocal. _The Immigrant Song_ and _Riders on the Storm_ are conundrums. I’m a big fan of Led Zeppelin but only for some of their work and I’ve always hated _The Immigrant Song_. In fact, I’d give an honourable mention to _Black Dog_ if Robert Plant hadn’t come in too soon on the vocals. _Stairway to Heaven_ and _Kashmir_ have fine intros though, IMO. Similarly with The Doors - _Riders on the Storm_ just doesn’t do it for me. I’m looking to make a couple of discs of favourite intros and many of those nominated upthread but not mentioned in this post will get a listen from me at some stage. Thanks for all the tracks submitted so far. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/29 "2007-11-02T10:01:53Z")
[QUOTE=KarlGauss] Shhhh . . . [listen up](http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B000006TDV001009/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_009/103-7404390-6472620). [/QUOTE] Please be careful. Any reference to Adolf Hitler in threads like this tends to attract unwelcome attention. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/30 "2007-11-02T10:19:53Z")
Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/31 "2007-11-02T10:22:12Z")
1. Johnny B Goode by anyone… 2. “Black Satin” by Miles Davis 3. Miles’ ferocious solo at the opening of “ESP” 4. “All Along the Watchtower/ Voodo Chile (Slight Return)/ Purple Haze/ Hiway Chile” Jimi Hendrix and that tiny little lick Jeff Beck plays to open Donovan’s “Goo Goo Barabajagal” ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/32 "2007-11-02T11:20:57Z")
Handel: Messiah. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/33 "2007-11-02T15:41:48Z")
[QUOTE=TripleTee] Hotel California- Eagles I am talking about the “Hell Freezes Over” version. Although I also really like the altered version on the “Live from Melbourne” DVD. [/QUOTE] The nice thing about the original album version is, it’s almost exactly 1 minute long. Great to hum to yourself while timing steaks, and only half as many repeats as the _Jeopardy!_ music. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/34 "2007-11-02T15:51:21Z")
[QUOTE=Flander] NOFX has a log of great intros to their songs. Too bad I don’t know the name of a single one. ☹ [/QUOTE] Allow me: 😃 Linoleum The Desperation’s Gone Dying Degree (a minute-long intro that’s actually a seperate track - The Quass - on the CD) ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/35 "2007-11-02T15:55:12Z")
Angry Young Man, by Billy Joel. He’s hitting those piano keys so quickly, it’s a wonder they don’t burn up. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/36 "2007-11-02T16:02:24Z")
While I agree “Gimme Shelter” is a fabulous intro, my personal fave is the percussive intro to “Sympathy for the Devil” off _Beggar’s Banquet_. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/37 "2007-11-02T16:08:24Z")
Thought of another one: “Fairies Wear Boots” by Black Sabbath has a great intro that’s long enough that it gets its own title - “Jack The Stripper.” ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/38 "2007-11-02T17:55:09Z")
**Locomotive Breath** by Jethro Tull, featuring the criminally overlooked John Evan on piano. Evan’s piano sound is crucial to the sound and mood of the whole _Aqualung_ album. **Formentera Lady** by King Crimson **Close to the Edge** by Yes…but come to think of it, **Heart of the Sunrise** is even better. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/39 "2007-11-02T18:09:47Z")
I’m weird. Besides the classical intros **Max the Vool** listed. I like: 1.) Billy Joel **Scenes from an Italian Restaurant** 2.) Rick Wakeman **Return to the Centre of the Earth** (also the original **Journey to the Centre of the Earth**. And **Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table**.) So sue me. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2007, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901/40 "2007-11-02T18:21:55Z")
I’ll second **Locomotive Breath** Since **Aqualung** is just a few notes, as great as they are, I’ll hold that in reserve. **Crazy Train** **Broadsword** (another Tull) - the synthesizer pulls you in, almost reluctantly. Overwhelmed briefly by the drum beat that so nearly matches the rhythm of your own heart, causing the synth to respond, protesting the martial nature of the drum… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favourite-intros/424901.md?page=3)