# Songs that have awesome intros and then turn to crap: **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 17, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033 "2012-03-17T05:35:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/21 "2012-03-17T14:40:22Z")
I’ll add [Lift Me Up](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Raror_qf8dg) by Yes. Great one-minute “overture”; shame about the actual song. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/22 "2012-03-17T16:43:27Z")
> [@fessie](#): > > The Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” is that way, too. Now stop. I offer [Alice in Chain’s Swing on This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X-7Djj3m2s)- 49 seconds of grungy cool swing shifting into petulant metal whining at :50… ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/23 "2012-03-17T17:05:56Z")
That horrible ‘Blue Swede’ version is unknown over in the UK, and its a straight rip off from this, [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WqiV-jqGK08/hqdefault.jpg "jonathan King - Hooked on a feeling") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqiV-jqGK08) Which does a reasonably passable job of taking the original and coming up with a reggae version. This was a very popular way to reinterpret popular songs at that time. Lets us never speak of the Blue Swede version ever again. ---
**Author:** ![Lilacs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Lilacs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lilacs)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/24 "2012-03-17T17:20:24Z")
> [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > Along that vein, “Uncle Albert” by Paul McCartney just turns ridiculous after Uncle Albert’s done. I totally agree with this. Ugh. “Mr. Moonlight” a cover the Beatles did. The beginning, John belting out the title then it turns into 50’s/60’s roller rink music. it’s just so disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/25 "2012-03-17T17:36:10Z")
[Led Zeppelin, Tea For One.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWvsdhuWVBU) Starts out with a great midtempo groove. Then 23 seconds in, just as it sounds Jimmy’s going to launch into a killer solo, it turns into an endless rambling slow blues. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/26 "2012-03-17T17:44:53Z")
[Tesla’s Love Song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt-ybUuZjLE) sounds like it is going to be a beautiful epic song in the intro and then they start the vocals and the whole thing falls apart… ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/27 "2012-03-17T18:28:42Z")
Pretty much anything by Steve Miller Band. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/28 "2012-03-17T18:43:18Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Pretty much anything by Steve Miller Band. Umm, example? I mean some of them are all crap, but I’m not thinking of one that starts good, then turns. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/29 "2012-03-17T19:44:41Z")
The actual singing part of “Theme from Shaft” is okay, but it’s a million times less interesting than the (very long) intro. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/30 "2012-03-17T19:48:23Z")
> [@fessie](#): > > The Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” is that way, too. :eek: Blasphemy, I tells ya! ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/31 "2012-03-17T19:50:33Z")
Re: Hooked on a Feeling–I think [The Hoff’s version](http://youtu.be/PJQVlVHsFF8) is unbeatable. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/32 "2012-03-17T20:10:30Z")
Surprised to see no mention of “[Crazy Train](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ihpnwOaJy8)” yet. I wouldn’t say it “turns to crap” after the first 32 seconds or so, but if not for that intro it would just be another song. ---
**Author:** ![Aankh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@Aankh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aankh)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/33 "2012-03-17T20:41:05Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Exhibit 1: The Eagles - [One of These Nights](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmmWJBwxvz0) > > The beginning of this song kicks ass! It sounds like the foreboding baseline of a Lou Reed and Tom Waits Duet about loneliness and decadence in the big city, and instead, exactly 36 seconds into the linked video, it turns into a shitty shitty interchangable Eagles track when Don Henley leans into the mic. > > Exhibit 2: Sheryl Crow - [My Favorite Mistake](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmIlUKo4dQc&ob=av2e) > > With that backbone slippin’ guitar riff paired with a simple yet satisfying beat, it sounds - when the crooning oooooohs come in, like the beginning of an epic Stones or even Zeppelin track. Nope. At the 28 second mark, shit flips, and it’s your mom’s favorite Sheryl Crow song. Fuck. > > What do you have? So I posed your question to my husband and he came up blank. Then we listened to the Sheryl Crow song as I read your description to him. We _kind_ of saw what you were going for although we thought otherwise because we’re both mums apparently. Then we moved onto your Eagles offering. Same deal - I read him your description as the song began. Oh lord. Your big city analogy was spot on. And your bit about Don Henley? Absofuckinglutely SPOT ON! We’re still chuckling about it an hour later. Well done, sir. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/34 "2012-03-17T20:53:45Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Umm, example? I mean some of them are all crap, but I’m not thinking of one that starts good, then turns. [Take the Money and Run](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFGZufk4HFs) starts with a not-bad percussion and keyboard riff, then immediately becomes crap. None of their music was much good, but while a few of their intros were not bad for the time, their lyrics almost always disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![Satellite\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Satellite\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satellite_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/35 "2012-03-17T22:54:23Z")
[Styx – Renegade](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXhuso4OTG4). The first 41 seconds, a capella mastery. The harmonies in the second half of the intro haunt your soul. in the 42nd second, the song defecates all over itself. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/36 "2012-03-17T23:40:38Z")
I hate to say it but Sweet Child O’ Mine fits in this category. It is one of my favorite songs for the first two minutes but Guns-N-Roses never finished it. It was written in just a few minutes and starts off great and the devolves into nothing. The “Where do we go now?” literally means that they didn’t have any lyrics written to make it a full song so they were just asking each other what to do and it stuck for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/37 "2012-03-17T23:46:37Z")
> [@fessie](#): > > The Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” is that way, too. I’m not going to argue with anyone over their opinions, but that, to me, is close to the perfect rock song. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/38 "2012-03-18T02:19:19Z")
> [@I'm Not Dennis Bergkamp](#): > > I’m not going to argue with anyone over their opinions, but that, to me, is close to the perfect rock song. Yeah, starts great, gets greater. I’d nominate Cobra, by Quicksilver Messenger Service. 30 seconds of pounding drums and snappy guitar, then five minutes of noodling. That’s a band with lots of great beginnings. For me, most of the songs live up to their starts - “Edward, the Mad Shirt Grinder,” “Fresh Air,” “Spindrifter,” “Pride of Man” - but “Cobra” doesn’t go anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/39 "2012-03-18T03:29:09Z")
Yes - Owner of a Lonely Heart \>: I like Yes but…common. Tesla’s - Love Song is perfect just like it is…It goes somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033/40 "2012-03-18T03:42:08Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I hate to say it but Sweet Child O’ Mine fits in this category. It is one of my favorite songs for the first two minutes but Guns-N-Roses never finished it. It was written in just a few minutes and starts off great and the devolves into nothing. The “Where do we go now?” literally means that they didn’t have any lyrics written to make it a full song so they were just asking each other what to do and it stuck for some reason. This was the very first one that came to my mind, too. Next, was “Lovely Rita” by the Beatles. The guitar intro sounded like it was going to be a world-class song, but, as it turned out… Paul could be a genius, but he had some real turds in his pocket as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-have-awesome-intros-and-then-turn-to-crap/616033.md?page=3)