# Songs with fun or interesting count-offs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 23, 2021, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292 "2021-01-23T16:34:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2021, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/41 "2021-01-24T17:24:34Z")
It’s not exactly a count off, but unusual counting in a song anyway, from Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Free No. 10”: _I was shadow-boxing earlier in the day_ _I figured I was ready for Cassius Clay_ _I said “Fee, fie, fo, fum, Cassius Clay, here I come_ _26, 27, 28, 29, I’m gonna make your face look just like mine_ _Five, four, three, two, one, Cassius Clay you’d better run_ _99, 100, 101, 102, your ma won’t even recognize you_ _14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, gonna knock him clean right out of his spleen"_ ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2021, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/42 "2021-01-24T17:25:55Z")
The opening to **All That Jazz** has a [nifty count-in.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJcFf6CxlAs&ab_channel=MovieTitleScreens) And it’s like that on the soundtrack album for the nit-pickers who say, “Movies don’t count.” ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2021, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/43 "2021-01-24T17:29:51Z")
Duh. Sorry, @CookingWithGas . You _said_ that – about three numbers coming from three different band members. I need coffee 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2021, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/44 "2021-01-24T17:39:18Z")
Pretenders , Middle of the Road, being a countoff in the middle break of the song. I don’t know if it’s true, but I heard they were placeholders for lyrics that never got added in the final version ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2021, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/45 "2021-01-24T17:52:13Z")
> [@digs](#): > > I’ve been waiting decades to write something where I need a bizarre law firm to show up… From far out in left field: Comedian [Kathleen Madigan’s father was a lawyer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li0700B-Rsc&ab_channel=KathleenMadigan-Topic) (first 25 seconds). ---
**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:** [January 24, 2021, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/46 "2021-01-24T18:00:29Z")
Cream: A Mother’s Lament: “Are we lovely? A-one-ah, a-two-ah, a-free-ah, a four” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zCrPZEJUlus/maxresdefault.jpg "Mother's Lament") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCrPZEJUlus) ---
**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:** [January 24, 2021, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/47 "2021-01-24T18:20:50Z")
The Police live versions of “Born in the 50s” start out with a similar six count: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PFIPjjlGJmM/maxresdefault.jpg "The Police - Born In The 50's (live in Hamburg '80)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFIPjjlGJmM) The reason, I assume, is that there is a two-beat pick-up bar before the first measure (so the song starts on the 3 instead of the 1) and your options to count off are either one-two and go into the song or count to six and go into the song. With latter you have a little more of establishing the tempo. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2021, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/48 "2021-01-24T19:08:06Z")
Todd has a little trouble counting in… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/F0ixI_sh1GU/maxresdefault.jpg "You Left Me Sore") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0ixI_sh1GU) (He also has a little trouble holding a note, around 2:15 😂) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2021, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/49 "2021-01-24T20:23:37Z")
James Cotton “Georgia Swing” mildly interesting botched count-in by (I think) Todd Rundgren [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QcRhx3zJnKA/hqdefault.jpg "Georgia Swing: James Cotton, Johnny Winter") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcRhx3zJnKA) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2021, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/50 "2021-01-24T22:42:04Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gtSFtvXgeRk/maxresdefault.jpg "Warsaw (2010 Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtSFtvXgeRk) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/51 "2021-01-25T07:30:55Z")
I was drunker than shit. https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/track=1584950479/size=large/tracklist=false/artwork=small/ ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/52 "2021-01-25T07:44:03Z")
“He wanted a 13, but they gave him 31…” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/53 "2021-01-25T08:33:41Z")
The Offspring were far ahead of their time. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/54 "2021-01-25T12:19:39Z")
Rock around the Clock - used as the theme song for Happy Days starts with: One, two, three o’clock, four o’clock, rock Five, six, seven o’clock, eight o’clock, rock Nine, ten, eleven o’clock, twelve o’clock, rock We’re gonna rock around the clock tonight Then the theme song from a spin-off of Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley starts with: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/55 "2021-01-25T13:35:27Z")
During the first verse of **Space Oddity** by **David Bowie** there’s a 10, 9, 8… rocket launch countdown in the background. As it reaches ‘Take Off’ a much fuller instrumentation begins playing. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9_M3uw29U1U/hqdefault.jpg "David Bowie Space Oddity Lyrics") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_M3uw29U1U) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/56 "2021-01-25T14:02:26Z")
Aw, _Warsaw_ was already taken :(. I like the rhythm of the count-in for The Police’s _Invisible Sun_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1VuDjJ9KIxM/maxresdefault.jpg "The Police - Invisible Sun") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VuDjJ9KIxM) And Mo Tucker counting in on _After Hours_ is awesome. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MPnZ3AOlto) ---
**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:** [January 25, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/57 "2021-01-25T14:37:32Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > and your options to count off are either one-two and go into the song or count to six and go into the song. Actually, you do have more options than that – you can count is 3-4-1-2 and then the song starts on 3. I have a feeling I’ve heard that somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/58 "2021-01-25T15:14:28Z")
There’s a Beatles song (not sure which one) where John starts by mumbling “Sugarplum fairy, Sugarplum fairy” before the band comes in. It’s on the Anthology version but you don’t hear it on the radio. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/59 "2021-01-25T15:16:57Z")
It was this one. Sorry, I’m on mobile and can’t format properly. [Beatles’ ‘A Day in the Life’: 10 Things You Didn’t Know – Rolling Stone](https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/beatles-a-day-in-the-life-10-things-you-didnt-know-191427/) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2021, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292/60 "2021-01-25T16:10:50Z")
Wow, thanks; I haven’t heard that in ages. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-with-fun-or-interesting-count-offs/931292.md?page=4)