# When did this musical phenomenon begin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 24, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206 "2017-12-24T14:38:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pianodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e79b87/32.png) [@pianodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pianodave)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/1 "2017-12-24T14:38:13Z")
Hi SD, I am curious as to what the first song was that popularized this musical characteristic. It’s fairly recent. It’s a phenomenon where the very end of the song consists of the music stopping and the vocalist continues for a little while longer. I found three examples. They are ubiquitous and I would like to know what song made this a “thing.” Check the last few seconds of “Despacito” by Daddy Yankee, “Look What You Just Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift, and “Shape Of You” by Ed Sheeran. Any others you can think of? Is it unique to pop? Why, from a musical standpoint, is it done? Thanks, Dave ---
**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:** [December 24, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/2 "2017-12-24T15:42:14Z")
New? You’ve never heard “Stairway to Heaven”? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/3 "2017-12-24T16:33:55Z")
Or Bohemian Rhapsody. “Any way the wind blows.” ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/4 "2017-12-24T16:50:25Z")
This website claims that Phish does this a lot: > **[Phish songs that end with only vocals](https://forum.phish.net/forum/show/1369946235)** > > This is what we came up with, excluding any a cappella songs. > > YEM > Limb x Limb > My Friend > Brother > Glide > Sanity > Tela > Demand > Theme from the Bottom > > Can we add to this list?? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/5 "2017-12-24T17:12:14Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Or Bohemian Rhapsody. > > “Any way the wind blows.” There is a gong at the very end of the song, so I guess technically this doesn’t count. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2017, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/6 "2017-12-24T17:14:22Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > There is a gong at the very end of the song, so I guess technically this doesn’t count. Since you mentioned it, there is a piano during, “Any way… .” Alanis Morissette does it at the end of, “You Oughta Know.” (1995) ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/7 "2017-12-24T17:32:43Z")
“Alice’s Restaurant”. Actually it happens about a dozen times during the song, but not at the end. Dennis ---
**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:** [December 24, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/8 "2017-12-24T17:45:24Z")
Older example: “Tommy Can You Hear Me?” by the Who. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/9 "2017-12-24T17:47:24Z")
If we’re going to include songs with a vocal-only segment in the middle of the song, we would have to list an enormous amount of songs with rap sections in the middle. ---
**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:** [December 24, 2017, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/10 "2017-12-24T19:03:13Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > If we’re going to include songs with a vocal-only segment in the middle of the song, we would have to list an enormous amount of songs with rap sections in the middle. Without backing music? Maybe I’m missing a bunch of songs, but I can’t think of many truly vocal-only breaks. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/11 "2017-12-25T04:08:25Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Since you mentioned it, there is a piano during, “Any way… .” I’m racking my brain thinking of any Queen song that does this. “Under Pressure” has those finger snaps at the end. “Having a Good Time” has Freddie vamping on the piano while he does the “yada-dada-da”. The closest is “39” which has absolutely no instruments on the final line “Pity me”, but after a beat the entire band picks up again for a couple of measures. ---
**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:** [December 25, 2017, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/12 "2017-12-25T04:15:58Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > I’m racking my brain thinking of any Queen song that does this. “Under Pressure” has those finger snaps at the end. “Having a Good Time” has Freddie vamping on the piano while he does the “yada-dada-da”. The closest is “39” which has absolutely no instruments on the final line “Pity me”, but after a beat the entire band picks up again for a couple of measures. Found one: “Get Down, Make Love,” ends with just Freddie singing the title phrase. Gonna go search for more. ---
**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:** [December 26, 2017, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/13 "2017-12-26T19:38:46Z")
**When did this musical phenomenon begin?** (from OP) Ya got me - and I think that would be a very, very difficult question to answer. Killdozer - “Hamburger Martyr” [NSFW](https://youtu.be/EWJsgSrnhqg?t=673) Dayglo Abortions - “Proud to Be a Canadian” [oh alright maybe NSFW again:mad:](https://youtu.be/AAbisg02JD4?t=109) Man Is the Bastard - [“Foot Binding”](https://youtu.be/Jx2KP36uUmY?t=1107) (apologizing for this) V.H. - [I Can’t Wait To Feel Your Love Tonight"](https://youtu.be/Q6zTXPN_PPo?t=214) Not sure about these ones - Paul’s multi-tracked vocals ending just _after_ the acoustic guitar sustain? [I Will](https://youtu.be/IJ6bAHOvPH0?t=99) And at the end of [Because](https://youtu.be/aOt11pyktgI?t=130) - those two really really pesky guitar notes at the very end probably rule this one out? ---
**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:** [December 26, 2017, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/14 "2017-12-26T20:51:01Z")
I kept thinking there was a funk/soul/R&B song from the 70s that did this at the end of the song, but damned if I could remember what it was. Then yesterday I heard it about half a dozen times on some TV ad. Earth Wind and Fire - “Shining Star” ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2017, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/15 "2017-12-26T20:57:03Z")
I blame [Jerry Colonna](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0173160/?ref_=nv_sr_1). ---
**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:** [December 26, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/16 "2017-12-26T21:03:50Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Without backing music? Maybe I’m missing a bunch of songs, but I can’t think of many truly vocal-only breaks. [“Uncle John’s Band”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSIajKGHZRk&t=4m2s) by the Grateful Dead. And the Who’s “A Quick One While He’s Away” starts out a capella. ---
**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:** [December 26, 2017, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/17 "2017-12-26T21:12:51Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > “Alice’s Restaurant”. Actually it happens about a dozen times during the song, but not at the end. > > Dennis This came to mind on reading the OP. I’m not sure, but I sort of recall Arlo doing the final refrain with the audience sans guitar on some occasion. He may do this at the end of some other songs, possibly the line at the end of the Groundhog song, “In his hole he’s furry”. As a folk singer/songwriter he probably has more latitude to vary the songs in concert. ---
**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:** [December 26, 2017, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/18 "2017-12-26T23:02:58Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > [“Uncle John’s Band”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSIajKGHZRk&t=4m2s) by the Grateful Dead. /nitpick/But if there’s another 30 seconds of music after that, would that not open the door for other tunes with vocal-only sections that aren’t at the end of song, of which there are too many to list?\* (not to mention lots of tunes with beginning-of-song vocalizing, too) /nitpick/ ETA - \*hey - which I’m all for, myself. ---
**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:** [December 26, 2017, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/19 "2017-12-26T23:52:35Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > [“Uncle John’s Band”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSIajKGHZRk&t=4m2s) by the Grateful Dead. > > . That wasn’t a rap, though, unless I’m playing it wrong in my head. ---
**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:** [December 27, 2017, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/20 "2017-12-27T07:06:46Z")
lol - exhausted… ok I think I’ve gone through almost the entire Minutemen discography - no luck. I coulda _sworn_ there was one, somewhere, in all that awesome, groovy mass of theirs. Talking Heads [Road To Nowhere](https://youtu.be/AWtCittJyr0?t=228) [Don’t Worry About the Government](https://youtu.be/j2y77QjFnuk?t=1598) Black Flag - [TV Party](https://youtu.be/om6ho37eSYE?t=637) I cued this up a good ways before the end, to set up one of the more…um…_interesting_ seques (starting around 10:48?) into a song’s ending that I think I’ve ever heard. The heavenly yelling at the end of the song just barely outlasts the dissolving instrumental noise by maybe two seconds. Nomeansno - [Two Lips, Two Lungs and One Tongue](https://youtu.be/SIUmApXqJAk?t=94) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206.md?page=2)