# Most recognizable song intro **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 21, 2016, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732 "2016-03-21T06:11:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/1 "2016-03-21T06:11:49Z")
I was listening to the radio today and the DJ introduced The Who’s Long Live Rock as having one of the most recognizable intros in rock. Mm, whut? Don’t get me wrong, I like The Who but that’s not even close. Off the top of my head I’m thinking of classics like Iron Man, Smoke On The Water, Purple Haze. I’m guessing if I throw it out here I’ll get the phone book but it still might be fun to compile a list of doper faves. For me, I’ll start with Hot For Teacher. In addition to being recognizable, it has the added bonus of being drum driven and not totally guitar driven. Thinking about it I guess you could say the same for Wipeout. What have got that’s most recognizable or iconic? ---
**Author:** ![MostlyClueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MostlyClueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyClueless)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/2 "2016-03-21T06:14:41Z")
Pretty fly for a white guy, by The Offspring. ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/3 "2016-03-21T06:47:27Z")
“A Hard Day’s Night” is almost the definitive answer. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/4 "2016-03-21T07:15:41Z")
“Smoke on the Water” was the first thing that occurred to me on seeing the thread title. “Satisfaction” was the second. I really don’t think “Hot for Teacher” is a recognized enough song to have a chance. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/5 "2016-03-21T08:07:21Z")
“Money” - Pink Floyd “Money for Nothing” - Dire Straights ---
**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:** [March 21, 2016, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/6 "2016-03-21T08:17:11Z")
To state the obvious, either “Layla” or “Stairway to Heaven”. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/7 "2016-03-21T08:52:55Z")
[Gimme Shelter -](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJDnJ0vXUgw) has got to be a contender. ---
**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:** [March 21, 2016, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/8 "2016-03-21T09:05:22Z")
[Day Tripper](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4qYVaQDsrk) has a pretty memorable opening. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/9 "2016-03-21T09:52:30Z")
> [@Lobot](#): > > “A Hard Day’s Night” is almost the definitive answer. Ditto. I remember when the tv show “Name That Tune” was revived in the '70s. In the debut, the emcee offered a demonstration of how the game works. He said that they would play the beginning of a famous song, but only the very first chord, and that despite the tiny sample, he was confident that 90% of the audience would recognize it. I was watching and listening, and doubted that I’d guess the song, but when they played that long guitar strum from A Hard Day’s Night’s opening, I knew he was right. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/10 "2016-03-21T09:56:13Z")
> [@Lobot](#): > > “A Hard Day’s Night” is almost the definitive answer. This is mine as well, but I would also mention **Honky Tonk Women**. (which makes it 3 different Stones songs mentioned in the first 10 posts) mmm ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/11 "2016-03-21T10:04:26Z")
Heck, don’t most songs that were popular have memorable openings to those familiar with the songs? I started a list of songs/links that started out memorably to me but heck, most every song I remembered I could tell by the first 6 notes or so. That being said, _The Chord_ from “A Hard Day’s Night” is the intro everyone familiar with the song can name in one. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/12 "2016-03-21T11:41:01Z")
Lola. A Hard Day’s Night gets the press, but Lola is also recognizable from a single chord. ---
**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 21, 2016, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/13 "2016-03-21T11:54:00Z")
Way too many to choose from, but the first one I thought of was Layla. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/14 "2016-03-21T11:58:06Z")
CCR-[_Proud Mary_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hid10EgMXE) ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/15 "2016-03-21T12:27:37Z")
Hold On, I’m Coming - Sam and Dave Those horns and the driving bassline cut in immediately at the start. Yes, I was listening to “Same and Dave’s Greatest Hits” in the car while taking the kids to school this morning…why do you ask? And yes, I was playing that bassline last night. Cool stuff. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/16 "2016-03-21T12:28:18Z")
_pound, pound, clap pound, pound, clap_ Okay? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/17 "2016-03-21T12:30:26Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > _pound, pound, clap > pound, pound, clap_ > > Okay? Nice! I will add the “Da Da Da DUNNNN” of Beethoven’s 5th. Ultimately I have to go with Hard Day’s Night though. What a chord! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/18 "2016-03-21T12:33:33Z")
As said earlier, most memorable songs usually start off with something that we remember, because, hey, they’re popular… Two that come to mind for me (perhaps showing my age). Old Black Water - The Doobie Brothers The Devil went Down to Georgia - The Charlie Daniels Band. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/19 "2016-03-21T12:38:24Z")
“Bennie and the Jets” opening chord! BTW, there are many of these (and others) in the ongoing thread about _Riffs_ where I have already mentioned a dozen or so. Links to YouTube (or the like) can help make the point(s) emphatically. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2016, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732/20 "2016-03-21T12:45:55Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Nice! > > I will add the “Da Da Da DUNNNN” of Beethoven’s 5th. > > Ultimately I have to go with Hard Day’s Night though. What a chord! No way does Hard Day’s Night beat Beethoven. I mean, what other opening bit is [used as a code for victory among troops during a war?](http://holocaustmusic.ort.org/resistance-and-exile/french-resistance/beethovens-5th-symphony/) I suspect the opening four notes of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony are the best-known opening in human history. The only one I can think of as a runner-up that hasn’t been mentioned are the first five notes of [Also Sprach Zarathustra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Also_sprach_Zarathustra_(Strauss)). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-recognizable-song-intro/749732.md?page=2)