# Rock song with the most effective/best crescendo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 4, 2010, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588 "2010-01-04T04:58:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/1 "2010-01-04T04:58:03Z")
What rock songs have the best crescendos with the best pay offs? I think “Only in Dreams” by Weezer is probably a pretty popular example of this with the late crescendo being the highlight of the song. I also think “Just One Fix” by Ministry has one of the best, pump you up, crescendos in rock. Any others that you can think of that have a great payoff? ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/2 "2010-01-04T05:17:18Z")
Somewhat obvious suggestion: “A Day in the Life” has two famous orchestral swells, with the second being the climax of the song. Probably the most famous crescendo/climax in rock history, no? ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/3 "2010-01-04T05:21:53Z")
Both “Bombtrack” by Rage Against the Machine, and “Blackened” by Metallica start off with pretty kick ass crescendos. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/4 "2010-01-04T05:26:05Z")
Good call on “Only in Dreams.” One of Weezer’s best, underrated gems. (Also, it’s actually a decrescendo, followed by a crescendo, followed by the unadulterated joy that is the dueling-guitar breakdown). Radiohead had some good ones on their album _The Bends._ I’m thinking “Street Spirit” and “Fake Plastic Trees,” especially. “Sit Down, Stand Up” off _Hail to the Thief_ is essentially one long crescendo followed by a crazy techno freakout. “A Day in the Life” is, of course, an all-time classic. ---
**Author:** ![Fuji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Fuji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/5 "2010-01-04T10:57:59Z")
Led Zeppelin - “Dazed and Confused”. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/6 "2010-01-04T11:21:52Z")
Almost anything by Godspeed You Black Emperor (insert exclamation mark where you want). Not only are they the build up kings, but they probably take the award for the longest build ups too. There are many post rock bands who use this device, like Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky. All good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/7 "2010-01-04T14:24:19Z")
Is it silly to say “Shout!”? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/8 "2010-01-04T14:43:30Z")
I think Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” is pretty hair-raising right as the sound-effected bridge ends and the drums swirl in to introduce the guitar solo. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/9 "2010-01-04T14:44:11Z")
Beatles. The End. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/10 "2010-01-04T15:39:16Z")
“Stairway to Heaven” is one big crescendo. “Touch Me” by the Doors. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/11 "2010-01-04T16:30:30Z")
Velvet Underground – “Heroin” David Bowie – “Five Years”, “Rock and Roll Suicide” Genesis – “The Musical Box” Pink Floyd – “Careful With That Axe, Eugene” (although that’s more of a sudden shift than a real crescendo) King Crimson – “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Part II”; “The Battle of Glass Tears”; “Starless”; “The Devil’s Triangle”; “The Sailor’s Tale” ---
**Author:** ![mo50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@mo50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mo50)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/12 "2010-01-04T16:41:08Z")
That long scream by Daltry toward the end of “Won’t Get Fooled Again” is a pretty good one. 'Fraid I’m to old & out of touch to know the newer stuff that’s been mentioned. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/13 "2010-01-04T16:46:07Z")
David Bowie’s **Suffragette City** should qualify. And almost everything by Queen. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/14 "2010-01-04T20:04:59Z")
[Pepper](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPH-vhpEnaI&feature=related) by The Butthole Surfers ( **I don’t mind** the sun sometimes, the images it shows) ACDC- For those about to Rock (We Salute You) ACDC- Rock and Roll ain’t Noise Pollution ACDC- [Thunderstruck](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEWoKg2GHzE&feature=related) (this one in particular) By far, the best payoff and most kickass… ACDC-[Hell’s Bells](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-thnfr_UgY8&feature=related) Mr. Mister- [Kyrie](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNKbHJ3PTu4) Toto- [Africa](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPT_3PEjnsE&feature=related) B.O.C.- [Don’t Fear The Reaper](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZmr8ycnmCs) ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/15 "2010-01-04T20:15:53Z")
If the criterion is most extreme dynamics – crescendo – it’s got to be somewhere in the Pink Floyd “Animals” album (or DSOTMoon). Those guys hit anywhere from dead silence to some kind of awful roar within a single tune. “Sheep,” maybe? Something else is probably a better bet, like the track with the alarm clock and so forth. Most effective crescendo – maybe something pop-oriented and kind of silly like “Rocket Man.” All that pop stuff was pretty carefully crafted to get the most out of the medium. ---
**Author:** ![Charley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/97f17d/32.png) [@Charley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charley)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/16 "2010-01-04T22:01:36Z")
‘Kerosene’ by Big Black always gets me ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/17 "2010-01-04T23:30:18Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > What rock songs have the best crescendos with the best pay offs? > > I think “Only in Dreams” by Weezer is probably a pretty popular example of this with the late crescendo being the highlight of the song. That’s the song I immediately thought of when I read the thread title. “Across the Sea” by Weezer from Pinkerton is great as well. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/18 "2010-01-05T00:03:19Z")
All good people - Yes Suit Madame Blue - Styx ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/19 "2010-01-05T00:13:09Z")
The ‘aaahh’ crescendo/guitar solo in the Beatles’ ‘Day Tripper’ is tough to beat. ---
**Author:** ![tattman40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@tattman40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tattman40)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588/20 "2010-01-05T00:23:29Z")
My pick…November Rain-Guns N Roses [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-song-with-the-most-effective-best-crescendo/523588.md?page=2)