Do you sometimes feel that certain songs have been spoiled by transitions in, or additions to, their main musical theme?
A very recent example occurs in Clocks by Coldplay where, around 2/3 of the way through the song, the beautiful, haunting refrain (with fused piano and vocals) abruptly switches to, well, something else, something most definitely not beautiful. (It is some consolation, at least, that things get restored musically a minute or so later).
Another recent example is from the album version of the The Widow by The Mars Volta. I mean whatever follows the first half of this SPECTACULAR rock/blues/Janis-reincarnate-as-XY piece is absolute, pure, unadulterated shit. Shite. Dreck. Poo. Scheisse. Alas, this one never makes it back on track (and believe me it took a lot effort to sit through the last 2.5 minutes of that mutant “music” to make sure).
About 25 years ago, I felt the same way about Funeral for a Friend by Elton John. The lengthy ‘introduction’ to the song suddenly transitions to something … else.
Of course, for all the above - YMMV 
So, can you add to this three-membered list?
The piano ending of “Layla” completely ruins the song. Luckily I never play that part and only listen to the real hard-rocking part and just neglect that atrocious addendum.
Ape Call! by Nervous Norvous. A real fun song that just bopping along till he stops everything to call a teradachtyl a “stork-lookin’ bat” and just ruins the song for me. Made it hard to get back on track. Luckily I’ve gotten pretty good with my music editor and snipped that bit out and you can’t even tell. Oh that felt good when I played it my way.
I snipped out John Lennon’s bit about Queen saying no to pot smoking FBI men as well as a few other intros and outros I don’t like from some other songs I can’t recall at the moment.
I’ve always disliked the coda in Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders’ “game Of Love.” Everything else about the song is a stone groove until they get to the end of the last chorus, then they go into a major-minor vamp that kills the mood the song has set up.
P.S.: Doodly-aba!
:eek:
I think the ending is the better part.
wolf_meister and Dr. Rieux: Stop, you’re both right. The two halves are incongruous.
Great choice, btw.