# Quintesential riffs of your generation **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 10, 2002, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687 "2002-10-10T15:13:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/21 "2002-10-11T01:46:14Z")
I pretty well cover the '70’s and '80’s, so, here goes- “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath “Get it On (Bang a Gong”- T. Rex. Power Station version need not apply. “School’s Out”- Alice Cooper. I first started feeling old when I discoverd that radio stations had stopped saturating the irwaves with this song during late May/early June. “Rock and Roll All Night” “Calling Dr. Love”- KISS “Crazy Train” - Ozzy Osbourne “White Wedding” “Dancing With Myself”- Billy Idol ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/22 "2002-10-11T01:48:35Z")
The synthesizer melody from “Safety Dance” will probably be with me forever, as will a few Howard Jones songs. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/23 "2002-10-11T02:35:18Z")
Not a riff, but “We Will Rock You.” Need I really mention which part? “Walk This Way” ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/24 "2002-10-11T02:41:52Z")
The keyboard part at the opening of “Jump” by Van Halen. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/25 "2002-10-11T02:44:32Z")
And I forgot to mention (but definitely haven’t forgotten ::shudder:🙂 the hooks from “Fascination” by The Human League, and “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega. If you can find any early-30’s people who don’t recognize those, then they probably never owned a radio. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/26 "2002-10-11T02:51:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SolGrundy \* > \*\*And I forgot to mention (but definitely haven’t forgotten ::shudder:🙂 the hooks from “Fascination” by The Human League, and “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega. > > If you can find any early-30’s people who don’t recognize those, then they probably never owned a radio. \*\* \ _And the conversation turned / Til the sun went down / And many fantasies were learned / On that day . . ._ How about “You’re My Obsession” by Animotion? God, to think that I know all that from memory . . . ---
**Author:** ![23skidoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f04885/32.png) [@23skidoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/23skidoo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/27 "2002-10-11T04:18:48Z")
Two from the 80’s: The opening to “Blister in the Sun”, by the Violent Femmes. Hell, even just the snare from the beginning. “DUN DUN… DUN DUN” The bells from the beginning of “Girls” by the Beastie Boys. ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/28 "2002-10-11T13:08:35Z")
Da da da da-da da. Aqualung. Tull. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/29 "2002-10-11T14:52:12Z")
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana Song 2 - Blur Dammit - Blink 182 Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/30 "2002-10-11T15:30:31Z")
“Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits ---
**Author:** ![23skidoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f04885/32.png) [@23skidoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/23skidoo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/31 "2002-10-11T15:39:55Z")
Mmmmm… another: The muted string strum from the beginning of “Should I Stay or Should I Go”, by the Clash. (I guess that little bendy note part, too.) ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/32 "2002-10-11T17:15:06Z")
What about a single chord? I nominate the beginning of “Hard Day’s Night” by the Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![moodtobestewed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@moodtobestewed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moodtobestewed)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/33 "2002-10-11T18:30:43Z")
As far as keyboard intros go, few are as recognizable as the Eurthymics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).” Also, Dolby’s “Blinded Me with Science” is right up there. ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/34 "2002-10-11T21:50:14Z")
I’m astonished that it took 33 posts until someone, namely me, mentioned **Back In Black.** And how about **Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap**? Or **TNT?** ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/35 "2002-10-11T22:03:21Z")
**Voodoo Chile(Slight Return)** ---
**Author:** ![Reverend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac8455/32.png) [@Reverend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverend)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/36 "2002-10-11T22:12:37Z")
L7 - Pretend We´re Dead Dinosaur Jr. - Start Choppin Lemonheads - It´s A Shame About Ray Sonic Youth - Sugar Kane Quicksand - Dine Alone Primus - Jerry Was A Race Car Driver Ministry - Jesus Built My Hotrod ---
**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/37 "2002-10-11T22:16:27Z")
_Smells Like Teen Spirit_ and _Heart Shaped Box_ by Nirvana _Sweet Dreams_ by the Eurythmics _School’s Out_ by Alice Cooper Possibly _Enter Sandman_ by Metallica and _Beautiful People_ by Marilyn Manson ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/38 "2002-10-12T03:33:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tangent \* > \*\*I’m a 29 year old Gen X’er. The first thing that came to mind was Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit, and the next was GnR’s Welcome to the Jungle. (both previously mentioned) > \*\* I will see your Smells Like Teen Spirit and raise you Heart Shaped Box, RHCP’s Under The Bridge and Bush’s Everything Zen. ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/39 "2002-10-12T04:00:41Z")
Lessee - Mid twenties here: Green Day - When I Come Around Stone Temple Pilots - Big Empty The intros to both of those songs remind me of HS parties. For earlier stuff, I’ll go with the intro to Talking Heads - Psycho Killer ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Rubin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billy_rubin/32/3622_2.png) [@Billy\_Rubin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Rubin)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2002, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687/40 "2002-10-12T04:06:10Z")
Out in the country- three dog night. Pure comfort music. b. Okay, I’m old, So? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quintesential-riffs-of-your-generation/131687.md?page=3)