# Songs with an actual ending **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 4, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660 "2016-11-04T23:40:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660/21 "2016-11-05T12:18:51Z")
The Spirit of Radio by Rush What I Got, by Sublime (“No, we’re done, man”) ---
**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:** [November 5, 2016, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660/22 "2016-11-05T12:39:10Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > It was “Stronger than dirt” (Mr Clean) Actually, Ajax Laundry Detergent. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660/23 "2016-11-05T13:37:40Z")
Then there are the songs that are the polar opposite: [The Song That Never Ends.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_That_Never_Ends)😃 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660/24 "2016-11-05T16:23:03Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > There are way too many songs that end that way to even begin to name them all, even if we limit them to really good songs. Clapton’s “Tears In Heaven” and “Wonderful Tonight” both end. One of my personal favs is the environmental anthem from Kenny Loggins, “Conviction of the Heart.” > > I could go on endlessly, just off the top of my head, but to what point? Yeah, the vast majority of the bands I listen to have songs that end and don’t fade away. It’s not exactly a rare thing. But if I should pick one, I dunno. Let’s go with the ending on “Cherub Rock” by the Smashing Pumpkins for fun. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660/25 "2016-11-05T18:48:36Z")
Billy Joel, “Still Rock & Roll To Me”. Ends in that yelp after the instruments stop. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660/26 "2016-11-05T18:53:47Z")
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s _Saturday Night Special_ ends with the line “And that’s the end of this song…” ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660/27 "2016-11-05T18:56:48Z")
I’ve found out that a few AC/DC songs have actual endings in their original form, but were faded out for the American version. “Go Down” now plays to the end on the remastered CD, and the Australian version of the song “Hight Voltage” ends with a sustained guitar note and snare hit on the right channel. If you isolate and amplify the left channel during the sustained note, you can hear a count-in and the rest of the band starting the song again. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660/28 "2016-11-05T19:22:51Z")
Although I always like The Eagles, I never much liked _Hotel California_, as a song, until they did it on their _[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuQedC7MBaw_Hell Freezes Over\* album, and then I thought it was one of the all time greats. And what a beautiful ending!!! \*That might not have been the actual HFO version, but similar ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660/29 "2016-11-06T14:57:22Z")
I am not sure I see the significance, but I’ll play. **Van Halen’s** first album was loaded with songs that famously end with Eddie dive-bombing his whammy bar and then letting it return the strings to pitch and hitting the last chord with Alex and Michael in sync. Bow-wowwwwwwwwwww…Bam! ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660/30 "2016-11-06T16:32:02Z")
There’s a lot, right? My personal favourite is Revolt Into Style by Bill Nelson’s Red Noise I have that blue vinyl 7" MiM ---
**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:** [November 6, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660/31 "2016-11-06T17:24:29Z")
Prior to the invention of the record, all songs had endings. Most symphonies end with a chord. Here’s [one of the best](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7O91GDWGPU&t=3m0s). For modern popular music, “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” has a great ending (especially on an LP, where silence ensues). “I’ve Had Enough” by the Who also has a definite end – with a scream (which is later paralleled by the end of “Love Reigh O’er Me” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660/32 "2016-11-06T17:49:59Z")
[Here’s also a graph](http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/music_box/2014/09/the_fade_out_in_pop_music_why_don_t_modern_pop_songs_end_by_slowly_reducing.html) that shows how the fade-out has become unpopular in pop music over the last few years. Interesting to see that in 2011 and 2012 there were no songs that finished on the year-end top 10 list with a fade out, and only one song each in 2009, 2010, and 2013. On the flip side, I’m shocked at how popular the fade out was in Top 40. One year, looks like 1985, had all 10 year-ending top 10 songs end with a fade-out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-an-actual-ending/770660.md?page=1)