# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Mars\_Horizon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mars_horizon/32/2804_2.png) [@Mars\_Horizon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mars_Horizon)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2017, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/21 "2017-12-27T07:55:42Z")
**Rush** did it in [Double Agent](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n6D4mxbUnmg), on 1993’s Counterparts album. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/22 "2017-12-27T15:17:12Z")
“The Letters” by King Crimson. Boz sings the last lines unaccompanied. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2017, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/23 "2017-12-28T22:54:29Z")
Well it goes back at least as far back as 1968; [Crown of Creation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOrb0G0tw08) - Jefferson Airplane ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/24 "2017-12-29T02:48:52Z")
I believe Vance Joy’s “Riptide” is also an example of this phenomenon. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/25 "2017-12-29T03:12:47Z")
Is the OP referring to “Stop time” songs, like Hoochie Coochie Man, Seventh Son, Further On Up The Road, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/26 "2017-12-29T17:57:38Z")
The Band Perry does it in [If I Die Young](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyhY5qPhq7o). ---
**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 30, 2017, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/27 "2017-12-30T16:04:13Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Is the OP referring to “Stop time” songs, like Hoochie Coochie Man, Seventh Son, Further On Up The Road, etc.? No. Listen to the OP’s examples. He’s talking about songs where the ending consists of the band _completely_ dropping out (all instruments including rhythm tracks) and ending with a bare vocal. [Here’s the ending of “Shape of You”](https://youtu.be/JGwWNGJdvx8?t=232) to give you an idea. [Here’s the Taylor Swift song](https://youtu.be/3tmd-ClpJxA?t=206) cued up to the end. [And here’s “Despacito”](https://youtu.be/whwe0KD_rGw?t=221), with the title being sung unaccompanied as the last notes in the song. ---
**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 30, 2017, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/28 "2017-12-30T16:09:33Z")
Crap, missed the edit time to fix the last link: [And here’s “Despacito”](https://youtu.be/whwe0KD_rGw?t=221), with the title being sung unaccompanied as the last notes in the song. ---
**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 21, 2018, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/29 "2018-01-21T16:55:57Z")
“I love ya, hon-aaaaaaaaaaaaay!” ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2018, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/30 "2018-01-22T15:03:06Z")
Does the Cranberries [“Dreams”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yam5uK6e-bQ) count? (voice over fading bass sustain & random tom-tom) (Damn, still too soon. Got me all verklempt.) ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/31 "2020-04-02T01:23:26Z")
I could’ve sworn this thread was more recent than this, but here’s a sad bump two years later: “[Stacy’s Mom](https://youtu.be/dZLfasMPOU4)” by Fountains of Wayne ends with just “mom.” A less-sad one IRL, but (spoiler alert!): “[Everything You Ever](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pk5LSZ9EyI)” from _Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog_. Ends with “a thing.” ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/32 "2020-04-02T02:10:05Z")
Float On by Modest Mouse. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/33 "2020-04-02T07:40:42Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Without backing music? Maybe I’m missing a bunch of songs, but I can’t think of many truly vocal-only breaks. Black Water by The Doobie Brothers. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/34 "2020-04-02T11:55:20Z")
[Can’t Stop](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DyziWtkfBw) by Red Hot Chili Peppers ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/35 "2020-04-02T13:27:43Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Without backing music? Maybe I’m missing a bunch of songs, but I can’t think of many truly vocal-only breaks. **Pat Benatar’s** _Heartbreaker_. Also _You Might Think_ by **the Cars.** ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/36 "2020-04-02T17:26:31Z")
“Tequila!!” The Champs, 1958 ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/37 "2020-04-02T17:42:22Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > No. Listen to the OP’s examples. He’s talking about songs where the ending consists of the band _completely_ dropping out (all instruments including rhythm tracks) and ending with a bare vocal. > > [Here’s the ending of “Shape of You”](https://youtu.be/JGwWNGJdvx8?t=232) to give you an idea. > [Here’s the Taylor Swift song](https://youtu.be/3tmd-ClpJxA?t=206) cued up to the end. > [And here’s “Despacito”](https://youtu.be/whwe0KD_rGw?t=221), with the title being sung unaccompanied as the last notes in the song. LOL, I watched the follow up video to The Taylor Swift one, Katy Perry’s Dark Horse, and it has one too. (There is sort of an echo at the end so I don’t know if it exactly count). I do think it’s prevalent now, I also read that fade-outs have fallen out of favor, whereas they were almost ubiquitous in 80’s music. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/38 "2020-04-02T17:42:55Z")
There’s even more if you count parts where the drum beat continues with the vocals while other instruments stop. “Old Time Rock and Roll” by Pete Seeger and “Mountain Music” by Alabama come to mind. “We Will Rock You” by Queen does it backwards. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/39 "2020-04-02T20:19:19Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > “Old Time Rock and Roll” by Pete Seeger I think you meant Bob Seger. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206/40 "2020-04-02T21:12:48Z")
…and another. The _album version_ of **Come on Eileen** by **Dexy’s Midnight Runners.** This doesn’t add a lot of value to an old thread, but I was convinced I was right about this, and had to go find the damn thing just to prove it to myself. So, _ **Dammit** _, [here it is](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbpnAGajyMc). Actually, it’s rather good. j [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-this-musical-phenomenon-begin/805206.md?page=3)