# Intentional bad takes left on albums? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 4, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037 "2006-11-04T00:03:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/41 "2006-11-04T21:46:24Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] On some versions of _Revolver_, “Taxman” has a false start. [/QUOTE] I’m sorry, this is incorrect. There has never been a version of “Revolver” where “Taxman” had a false start. There have been some foreign compilations where they snipped the front off so that it starts at the first bass note. But that countdown was recorded specifically to edit onto the beginning of the song, because they actually _did_ start at the first bass note. (Source: Lewisohn) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/42 "2006-11-04T21:55:09Z")
Hmmm. I know the Pixies “Live at the BBC” has an incident during ‘Is she weird’ where Kim Deal must have popped a Bass String because she says quote out loud: “oh FUCK!”. Of corse that is a ‘live’ album. I liked ELO in one song on “Secret Messages” where the lead in goes like this: Sounds of tuning, cymbal tapping “OK? Everyone? On four… FOUR!” (music starts.) I’ve always thought that the idea was to make the band seem less polished like some top-40 processed singer with McBand. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/43 "2006-11-04T22:00:14Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] Michael Stipe laughs at the end of the line “or a reading of Dr. Seuss” during The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite (_Automatic for the People_). It’s my favorite thing about the track. [/QUOTE] He’s laughing because it’s the first time in multiple takes that he didn’t say “Dr. Zeus”. ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/44 "2006-11-04T22:08:16Z")
Of course, there is Jimi Hendrix messing up the lyrics to “All Along the Watchtower”, flubbing the “none of us living along this line know what any of this is worth” line. Jeff Beck messing up the “double trackled” guitar solo on “Hi Ho Silver Lining” Bob Dylan almost cracks up in “All I Really Want To Do” and there’s a song on Nasville Skyline (“To Be Alone With You”??) where he asks at the start "Is It Rollin’ Bob? (to Bob Johnsone) The Who’s “Happy Jack” ends with Townshend shouting at Keith Moon “I seen ya!” because Moon, who was a hopeless singer, had been trying to crack up the rest of the band during the recording of the backing vocals by hiding in the studio and popping up unexpectetdly On one of the tracks on Astral Weeks (Slim Slo Slider??) you can hear a music stand being knocked over And there are any number of “clams” blown by jazz musicians which are left on final takes because to edit the track would destory it as an organic whole. mm ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/45 "2006-11-04T22:14:19Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] But that countdown was recorded specifically to edit onto the beginning of the song, because they actually _did_ start at the first bass note. (Source: Lewisohn) [/QUOTE] I wasn’t counting that stuff as an error, it’s clearly deliberate. I can’t find any reference to the false start on Wikipedia or the AllMusic Guide, so I either misread or misremembered something. (Or maybe someone else did and fixed their mistake. ;)) ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/46 "2006-11-04T22:52:21Z")
Towards the end of ‘Heroin’ on the first Velvet Underground record, the drumming stops for no apparent reason - according to Moe Tucker (the drummer), she couldn’t hear anything over the noise of the screeching viola, and stopped, assuming that the rest of the band would stop too, and they would redo it. Instead, they used that take. The sudden feeling of disorientation caused by the beat dropping out actually adds to the feeling of the song, and a lot of people would say that the band made the right decision to leave it like that, but on the other hand, the live versions where the drums pound throughout have an extra power missing on the LP version. Also, strangely, there’s someone coughing clearly in the background on ‘Who Loves The Sun’ from the last Velvets album ‘Loaded’ - I’ve never seen it mentioned anywhere, either. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/47 "2006-11-04T23:48:42Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] Michael Stipe laughs at the end of the line “or a reading of Dr. Seuss” during The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite (_Automatic for the People_). It’s my favorite thing about the track. I didn’t remember this, but that’s Dog Bite, from the _In God We Trust, Inc._ EP. I’ve been meaning to dig that out for the last few days. [/QUOTE] Thanks, Marley. I know I’ve still got that album stashed away. The cross is made with a dollar bill. Amazing album. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/48 "2006-11-05T00:22:06Z")
At the end rather than the beginning: Led Zep, “In my Time of Dying” (_Physical Graffiti_) — cough at end, silly guitar riff & laughing, then Bonham saying “That’s gotta be the one” or some such thing. I don’t know if it’s a “bad take” _per se_, but I’ve heard that they hadn’t planned the ending at any rate. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/49 "2006-11-05T01:41:02Z")
Isn’t there anothe Zep song where Plant flubs a line- Misty Mountain Hop myabe? ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mycroft\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_H)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/50 "2006-11-05T15:46:37Z")
On ELO’s _Rockaria!_ the opera singer starts with a few notes, stops and starts again. I’ve always wondered why they kept it. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/51 "2006-11-05T16:16:57Z")
Jethro Tull - Baker Street Muse. Flubs take 1, “shit”, “shit”, take 2 proceeds fine. ---
**Author:** ![Chum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@Chum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chum)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/52 "2006-11-05T16:33:17Z")
One that sounds extremely rehearsed is on Janet Jackson’s “Runaway.” Towards the end of the song, she sings, “And I just know we’ll have a good time,” gets off pitch at the end of the phrase, and says, “Ooo, didn’t quite hit the note - that wasn’t such a good time.” I _hate_ that. Even worse, though, is on Rufus Wainwright’s “Harvester of Hearts.” At the very end of the song, he says, “That’s all you’re getting tonight” and does this ridiculously unnatural, super-irritating laugh. I feel ashamed for him whenever I forget to skip to the next track before the song’s over. And I _love_ him so! At the end of Tori Amos’ “She’s Your Cocaine,” she says, “Cut it again.” This one doesn’t really bother me, but it’s still kinda dumb. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/53 "2006-11-05T16:35:54Z")
“In a Goddadavida baby, don’t you know that I love you” ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/54 "2006-11-05T17:27:59Z")
[QUOTE=drewbert] He’s laughing because it’s the first time in multiple takes that he didn’t say “Dr. Zeus”. [/QUOTE] Another R.E.M. studio flub is their drunken, spontaneous version of “King of the Road” on _Dead Letter Office_, in which it takes them a while to figure out what key they’re in. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/55 "2006-11-05T20:03:04Z")
Not necessarily a bad take, but on the song “Rearrange” by God Lives Underwater, you hear two voices say: “Even if you mess up, it’s still alright.” “Okay.” And then the music kicks in. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/56 "2006-11-06T02:19:56Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] Isn’t there anothe Zep song where Plant flubs a line- Misty Mountain Hop myabe? [/QUOTE] I always think of **Immigrant Song**. At the end of the song, Plant starts the line “So now you better stop..” just a hair early and says,“Ss…So now you better stop…” Joe ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/57 "2006-11-06T03:16:50Z")
[QUOTE=wheresgeorge04] I always think of **Immigrant Song**. At the end of the song, Plant starts the line “So now you better stop..” just a hair early and says,“Ss…So now you better stop…” Joe [/QUOTE] Now that you mention it, he _does_ do that! (Haven’t heard that song in years and never consciously identified it as a flub, but my sound-memory is good enough to remember that part.) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/58 "2006-11-06T06:57:04Z")
[QUOTE=astorian] “I was riding on the Mayflower when I thought I spotted some land… hoo hoo hoo hoo… start again! Haa haa haa haa… wait a minute, now … ha ha ha.. .okay, take two.” This was the first one I thought of… and I suspect that, even if Dylan wasn’t the first, the practice would never have caught on if he hadn’t done it first. [/QUOTE] The person laughing (and the person talking on The Cough Song) was Bob Johnson, the producer. In some of the bootlegs you can also hear him say the track number before the song. If you read one of the books that describe Dylan’s sessions, you’ll find that he’s never been a stickler for perfection. He stumbles over lines on lots of songs, including “Like a Rolling Stone.” He probably gets some of the lyrics wrong too, but he changes lyrics so often its hard to tell what’s intentional and what’s mistakes. As for flubbing things, in the 1964 Carnegie Hall Concert bootleg he forgets the words a couple of times - though the liner notes say he had a bottle of vodka, I think, just before so he’s looser than on any recorded concert I’ve heard. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/59 "2006-11-06T16:13:10Z")
[QUOTE=AHunter3] At the end rather than the beginning: Led Zep, “In my Time of Dying” (_Physical Graffiti_) — cough at end, silly guitar riff & laughing, then Bonham saying “That’s gotta be the one” or some such thing. I don’t know if it’s a “bad take” _per se_, but I’ve heard that they hadn’t planned the ending at any rate. [/QUOTE] There is also the barely audible cough at the very beginning of “Whole Lotta Love”. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037/60 "2006-11-06T20:40:59Z")
[QUOTE=Hippy Hollow] In the beginning of Shadows In The Rain, on Sting’s Dream Of The Blue Turtles album, Branford Marsalis can be heard yellling, “What key is this in?” [/QUOTE] I came in here specifically to mention this, but I’ve always wondered whether or not it was actually intentional. The plea just sounds so desperate, and they start the song despite his protests: “What key is this in? Wait…WAIT! What key is it in??” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intentional-bad-takes-left-on-albums/379037.md?page=4)