# "Moments" in music that completely slay you... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 15, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499 "2010-03-15T01:55:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/1 "2010-03-15T01:55:10Z")
…or, “Within Temptation just made my head asplode.” I’m sure this type of thread has been done before, but my search-fu is failing me at the moment. What are those special moments in music that just clobber you in the gut and leave you twitching on the floor gasping for air for lack of a better way to express the level of Awesomesauce you just experienced? I recently picked up Within Temptation’s latest live album, “An Acoustic Night at the Theatre.” On Track 6, they start performing “Somewhere,” which was a pretty acoustic ballad to begin with. Anyway, the first verse and chorus goes by, and it’s exactly what I had expected out of Sharon and crew – but then a different singer starts in on the second verse to wild applause. It’s a voice I recognize, and I haven’t read the liner notes yet, so I wasn’t expecting it – but it’s Anneke van Giersbergen from The Gathering! Halfway through the verse, they start harmonizing as the percussion and orchestra really kick in. The sudden shock of the guest singer combined with the phenomenal duet just … it just … _flops on the floor gasping like a fish_ Yah, that. Two of my favorite Dutch metal singers on stage together; i can haz goosepimples plz. [youtube linky](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pnefkju7cY) – vid is from the Black Symphony DVD, but the arrangement on the Theatre album is the same. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/2 "2010-03-15T02:02:18Z")
From Phantom of the Opera: Phatom of the Opera leading into Music of the Night. Phatom is an intense song, ever building into a crescendo of music and then BAM hits with a soft love song as it transitions to Music of the Night, so passionate, so intense, so tender yet desperately consuming. It takes my breath away everytime. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/3 "2010-03-15T02:49:08Z")
> [@Headrush042](#): > > …or, “Within Temptation just made my head asplode.” > > I’m sure this type of thread has been done before, but my search-fu is failing me at the moment. > > What are those special moments in music that just clobber you in the gut and leave you twitching on the floor gasping for air for lack of a better way to express the level of Awesomesauce you just experienced? > > I recently picked up Within Temptation’s latest live album, “An Acoustic Night at the Theatre.” On Track 6, they start performing “Somewhere,” which was a pretty acoustic ballad to begin with. Anyway, the first verse and chorus goes by, and it’s exactly what I had expected out of Sharon and crew – but then a different singer starts in on the second verse to wild applause. It’s a voice I recognize, and I haven’t read the liner notes yet, so I wasn’t expecting it – but it’s Anneke van Giersbergen from The Gathering! Halfway through the verse, they start harmonizing as the percussion and orchestra really kick in. The sudden shock of the guest singer combined with the phenomenal duet just … it just … _flops on the floor gasping like a fish_ Yah, that. Two of my favorite Dutch metal singers on stage together; i can haz goosepimples plz. > > [youtube linky](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pnefkju7cY) – vid is from the Black Symphony DVD, but the arrangement on the Theatre album is the same. I loved it! I have not heard them before but will definately check out more of their tracks on YouTube. As I get older I can appreciate the musical talent of the gifted over the everyday stuff we have to listen to on the radio. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/4 "2010-03-15T02:59:38Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > From Phantom of the Opera: Phantom of the Opera leading into Music of the Night. > > Phantom is an intense song, ever building into a crescendo of music and then BAM hits with a soft love song as it transitions to Music of the Night, so passionate, so intense, so tender yet desperately consuming. > > It takes my breath away every time. Have you ever seen the Phantom of The Opera live? I saw them in Boston at the Wang twice. It was so good I had to bring my kids. They played The CD all the time. I am a big Andrew Lloyd Webber fan and I encourage you to see Phantom live if you get the chance. Sarah Brightman has an exquisite voice and she literally makes the walls vibrate at the theater. I agree just beautiful! Here is another one from Webber, Requiem. It is Hayley Westenra singing Pie Jesu. Enjoy! [Pie Jesu](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr6ajtA5Otg) ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/5 "2010-03-15T03:06:19Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > Have you ever seen the Phantom of The Opera live? I saw them in Boston at the Wang twice. It was so good I had to bring my kids. They played The CD all the time. I am a big Andrew Lloyd Webber fan and I encourage you to see Phantom live if you get the chance. Sarah Brightman has an exquisite voice and she literally makes the walls vibrate at the theater. I agree just beautiful! > > Here is another one from Webber, Requiem. It is Hayley Westenra singing Pie Jesu. Enjoy! > > [Pie Jesu](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr6ajtA5Otg) Oh, yes. Once here in CT and last weekend at the Majestic in NYC. I’d go back in a heartbeat. When I saw it the first time I actually had to be out during those two songs, so last week was the first time I’d seen that part. I couldnt breath. It was the most passionate thing ever. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/6 "2010-03-15T03:13:55Z")
This version of Pink Floyd’s "Shine on You Crazy Diamond’ is nearly perfect. For my sweet, fun friend who died too young: http//www.youtube.com?v=yqgjCKm9nQ&feature=related Edit: I seem to be having trouble with linking. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/7 "2010-03-15T03:16:11Z")
There’s plenty of them out there for me, but one of them has stood out since the very first time I ever heard it. From the [The Wall Part 2](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUASiDg-kg4), it’s the couple of notes heard at :54-:57 and again at 1:59-2:02. I don’t know why but I just melt every time I hear those few bars. But like I said, there’s other entire songs out there that ‘slay’ me, or at least did slay me at one point in my life, but for some reason, those 3 seconds of that one song have always just stuck with me. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/8 "2010-03-15T03:20:26Z")
It’s been 40 some years since I first heard it, but the rooster blending into a guitar note in Good Morning on the Beatles _Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band_ still gets to me. ---
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/9 "2010-03-15T03:25:48Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > This version of Pink Floyd’s "Shine on You Crazy Diamond’ is nearly perfect. > > For my sweet, fun friend who died too young: > > http//www.youtube.com?v=yqgjCKm9nQ&feature=related > > Edit: I seem to be having trouble with linking. Strange, copy-pasting your link takes me to wikipedia’s page on Hypertext Transfer Protocol. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > There’s plenty of them out there for me, but one of them has stood out since the very first time I ever heard it. From the [The Wall Part 2](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUASiDg-kg4), it’s the couple of notes heard at :54-:57 and again at 1:59-2:02. I don’t know why but I just melt every time I hear those few bars. > > But like I said, there’s other entire songs out there that ‘slay’ me, or at least did slay me at one point in my life, but for some reason, those 3 seconds of that one song have always just stuck with me. Haha! I’ve always loved that guitar riff, too. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/10 "2010-03-15T03:48:17Z")
> [@Headrush042](#): > > Strange, copy-pasting your link takes me to wikipedia’s page on Hypertext Transfer Protocol. > > Haha! I’ve always loved that guitar riff, too. I had those two albums in the 70’s and loved ‘The Wall’ and ‘Shine on Crazy You Crazy Diamond’. This brings back memories…🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/11 "2010-03-15T03:56:51Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Oh, yes. Once here in CT and last weekend at the Majestic in NYC. I’d go back in a heartbeat. When I saw it the first time I actually had to be out during those two songs, so last week was the first time I’d seen that part. I couldnt breath. It was the most passionate thing ever. Awesome! Is Sarah Brightman still Christine? Hearing and seeing Phantom are two different things. I think she just gets better with age. Here is Sarah with Bocelli who is so handsome. [Time To Say Goodbye](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp7rZEKClk4) ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/12 "2010-03-15T04:19:42Z")
The chorus of “What Have You Done?” just flattens me every time. That’s what hooked me on Within Temptation. Other moments— The intro guitar line to “Wish You Were Here,” and the Live8 version from Pink Floyd; Guitar solo[s] in the middle of “Hysteria” from Def Leppard; All of “The Great Below” from Nine Inch Nails ---
**Author:** ![kingbighair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kingbighair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingbighair)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/13 "2010-03-15T04:23:00Z")
Bjork - All is full of love (video version). Every time. ---
**Author:** ![Headrush042](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Headrush042](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headrush042)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/14 "2010-03-15T05:07:25Z")
While I’m on this symphonic metal kick, another moment that destroys me every time: [Nightwish - Ghost Love Score](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZRR-MerxIA) – between 7:40 to 7:59 is a recap of the opening thematic material augmented with fuller orchestration and doubled this time by the guitar. Every single time I hear it, it makes me want to, I dunno, take something epic and throw it with great force against something else epic. And then watch the world burn. ---
**Author:** ![Claude\_Remains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Claude\_Remains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claude_Remains)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/15 "2010-03-15T06:19:46Z")
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzbpgBPJfUs](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzbpgBPJfUs) Dweezil Zappa following in Frank’s footsteps. Link is safe I swear to OG. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/16 "2010-03-15T06:52:17Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > Have you ever seen the Phantom of The Opera live? I saw them in Boston at the Wang twice. It was so good I had to bring my kids. They played The CD all the time. I am a big Andrew Lloyd Webber fan and I encourage you to see Phantom live if you get the chance. Sarah Brightman has an exquisite voice and she literally makes the walls vibrate at the theater. I agree just beautiful! > > Here is another one from Webber, Requiem. It is Hayley Westenra singing Pie Jesu. Enjoy! > > [Pie Jesu](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr6ajtA5Otg) That is twelve levels of awesome. ---
**Author:** ![LittleGreenRosetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c77e96/32.png) [@LittleGreenRosetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LittleGreenRosetta)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/17 "2010-03-15T07:15:06Z")
> [@Claude\_Remains](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzbpgBPJfUs](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzbpgBPJfUs) Dweezil Zappa following in Frank’s footsteps. Link is safe I swear to OG. Great song! 🆒 One of my favorite moments is the piano outro from _Camarillo Brillo_ (album version)- love it! A couple of others that immediately come to mind: Springsteen’s _New York City Serenade_ is full of them, but my favorite spot is where the acoustic guitar comes in and blends with the piano; Meat Loaf’s For _Crying Out Loud_- again, lots of moments in this one, but I especially like the tiny pause where the piano stops and then the violins first enter. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/18 "2010-03-15T08:24:22Z")
> [@Claude\_Remains](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzbpgBPJfUs](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzbpgBPJfUs) Dweezil Zappa following in Frank’s footsteps. Link is safe I swear to OG. Wow… that was incredible. That’s always been one of my favorite Zappa songs, Dweezil done good there. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/19 "2010-03-15T11:11:03Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > Awesome! Is Sarah Brightman still Christine? Hearing and seeing Phantom are two different things. I think she just gets better with age. > > Here is Sarah with Bocelli who is so handsome. > > [Time To Say Goodbye](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp7rZEKClk4) Pulled out my Playbill- Christine was played by Jennifer Hope Wills, who was fantastic. The Phantom was played b John Cudia, who played this role on the national tour. He was fantastic, too! ---
**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:** [March 15, 2010, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499/20 "2010-03-15T12:08:21Z")
The moment that does it for me is the pre-climactic note from Alfred Reed’s _Russian Christmas Music_. There’s just so much emotion poured into that one note that it gives me the chills more than any single moment out of Back or Beethoven. (If you haven’t heard of Reed or this piece it’s understandable. I’ve searched for years for a professional recording of it, but it eluded me before the Internet. This is apparently one of the top pieces of Band music out there, but it doesn’t make any “charts”) > **[Russian Christmas Music](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Christmas_Music)** > > Russian Christmas Music is a musical piece for symphonic band, written by Alfred Reed in 1944. It is one of the most frequently performed pieces of concert band literature.\[citation needed\] > Reed was commissioned to write a piece of "Russian music" for a concert in Denver, Colorado. The concert's aim was to improve Soviet-American relations; as such, it was to include premieres of new Soviet and American works. Prokofiev's March, Op. 99 was supposed to be the Russian work, but it was discovere... By the way, **Persiful** , “Phantom” is Pepper Mill’s all-time favorite, which she’s seen live several times. And we did see it live at the Wang center. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-music-that-completely-slay-you/532499.md?page=2)