Best intro to a song

[English assassin]

We've got a best song thread, but how about stripping it down and seeing which songs have the best few opening bars?

Its cheesy, but Smoke on the Water (Deep Purple) would have to make my list. Fire Woman (the Cult) would be on it and Whiskey in the Jar (the Thin Lizzy cover).

[SwordsMaster]

"Nothing else matters" one of the most classy intros Ive heard that every self respecting guitarrist learns how to play.

Also "Bang Bang" (from kill bill Soundtrack), by its perfect simplicity.

[KukriKhan]

Perfect Simplicity = "Stairway to Heaven" (L.Zep) intro.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

'Time', by the Floyd-I just love those moody atmospheric drums.

Out of those mentioned so far, Stairway is great, as is Whiskey in the Jar. I love Smoke on the Water, but its intro is also the riff, so I'm in two minds about it.

Pinball Wizard by The Who has a fantastic intro...Mock-baroque guitars, and then...BRAAANG!

[Quietus]

"Natural Mystic" by Bob Marley. Timeless intro.Exodus (2001 Remastered)

Another great one is "We Are Going" by Burning Spear. Whew!

[Axeknight]

Welcome to the Jungle - Guns n' Roses
Those opening chords launched Guns onto the scene and they were awesome.

Mama Kin - Aerosmith
Extended intro from Joe Perry. Love it.

Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns n' Roses
One of the best riffs ever, and the solo is probably the best guitar solo ever.

NIB - Black Sabbath
This whole song is just awesome. Some people say my love cannot be true... Baby give me your love and I'll show you... I can give you those things you thought unreal... The sun the moon the stars all bear my seal...

[JAG]

I love the start of unforgiven 2 by Metallica - not really inspiring but the whole song is just such an epic and it sets the tone. And obviously master of puppets intro is superb, just awesome, not to mention fade to black, breadfan and am I evil?...

Metallica do have some awesome intro's, but outside of them -

Iron Maiden's fear of the dark is a good 'un, as well as the prisoner, also by them - I am a free man!

Blind Guardian's - And then there was silence is very good as well.

Too damn hard to pick just one ;p

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I like the intro to Jumpin Jack Flash -- the Rolling Stones.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Edit: Ouch, triple post. Was frozen at "waiting for forums.totalwar.org" so I stopped it and hit it again

Edit2: May as well post some more: "Won't get fooled again" by the Who.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Oooh, Satisfaction, while we're on the stones.

I too love the intro to Fade to Black. Interestingly, it's very similar to goodbye blue sky by the Floyd.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Edit: Ouch, triple post. Was frozen at "waiting for forums.totalwar.org" so I stopped it and hit it again

[DemonArchangel]

Guitar Solo of Tom Morello- "Bulls on Parade" Rage Against the Machine
Intro to Closer (Nine Inch Nails)
Right Now- KoRn
Tree of Pain- Soulfly.

[Kaiser of Arabia]

Sweet Home.
-Capo

[YAKOBU]

Does the intro to the Omen theme count ??

[Tricky Lady]

Unfinished sympathy - Massive Attack.

[Louis VI the Fat]

U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
So simple and effective

Bon Jovi - Living on a Prayer

Iron Maiden

Funny, I never pictured you as a Maiden fan...
Iron Maiden rocks.

[JAG]

Hell ye I am a Maiden fan, not only my fav band but the best ever.

[Kraellin]

stairway to heaven, definitely.
i'd forgotten pinball wizard, but also definitely.

and for my own contribution, In a gadda da vida, Iron Buttlerfly, is one i like also. and as an aside to this, who can tell me where that name of that song comes from? (i know, or was told, but you'll have to guess)

K.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

It was supposed to be 'In the Garden of Eden', but the Lead singer was so drunk and stoned when he wrote it that he couldn't pronounce the title.

[Colovion]

I'd say Another Brick In The Wall, when assuming that #4-7 are just intro songs to the "real song" that starts #8.

Though I'd also accept Pigs (Three Different Ones) as being a contender as well; even though it's not all that long, I still love the layering and build-up of the first 60+ secs of the song.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

I'd say Another Brick In The Wall, when assuming that #4-7 are just intro songs to the "real song" that starts #8.

Do you mean Another Brick in the Wall part II, which is track five on the album? There are 3 Another Brick in the Walls-Part I, which deals with Pink's father, Part II, which deals with School, and Part III, which marks Pink's final decision to build the wall between himself and the world.

The First Line of Pigs used to be in my sig...might put it back in...one of these days...

[Colovion]

Do you mean Another Brick in the Wall part II, which is track five on the album? There are 3 Another Brick in the Walls-Part I, which deals with Pink's father, Part II, which deals with School, and Part III, which marks Pink's final decision to build the wall between himself and the world.

The First Line of Pigs used to be in my sig...might put it back in...one of these days...

I basically mean from the beginning of Part one to the Beginning of Part 2 as the "song intro" part. It's hard when talking about songs when we speak of Pink Floyd, because most of the songs are themes, and run through other songs and bring them with the theme - so they're different songs, but once sandwiched, they kind of become one and the same.

Then again my version of The Wall is this and not this

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

The film does confuse things a bit, unfortunately...So,you're refering to part I, when the tigers broke free part II, Goodbye Blue Sky, and the Happiest Days of our Lives?

I totally agree with what you say about tracks and themes segueing into one another. This is actually demonstrated rather well on the version of the album I've got. There was obviously a production error, and so what should be empty spaces is empty spaces and young lust, what should be young lust is the first half of one of my turns, and what should be one of my turns is the second half of one of my turns.

[Colovion]

Yep, you've got it. I guess I should've just named the intro tracks from the start

Another Brick In The Wall, part one
When The Tigers Broke Free, part two
Goodbye Blue Sky
The Happiest Days Of Our Lives

[Kraellin]

It was supposed to be 'In the Garden of Eden', but the Lead singer was so drunk and stoned when he wrote it that he couldn't pronounce the title.

spot on, BK! you may go collect some chocolate from gregoshi in the other thread :)

K.

[English assassin]

Some good picks for sure. One more to add: Hells Bells, AC/DC. Back In Black, WHAT an album that is.

"If God's on the left, then I'm stickin to the right;" could cause a lot of confusion in the Backroom, that line...

[Kraellin]

i'm also adding 'Roundabout' by the Yes. i like that intro. quite unique.

K.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Roundabout rules! The bassline on that track is fantastic.

[Orda Khan]

Wow Kraellin....that brings back some old memories...I was into Yes in a big way.
As for intros.....I love the sound of nature and the nostalgic memories each song rekindles so

Riders on the storm....The Doors......just love that rain and thunder

Suite clouds,rain.......David Gates.....the wind and sweet piano

Digging up one from wilder years.....

Silvermachine.......Hawkwind...Not real wind I know but the way it winds up and the guitars and drums come in and lead us to the dulcit tones of Lemmy.

BKS, you're a Cardiff boy, I saw Hawkwind's final revival at Sophia gardens, not long before it collapsed

......Orda

[Spino]

These are certainly not my all time favorite rock intros but they deserve mention...

"20th Century Boy" by T-Rex - This song made a brief reappearance with its use in a car commercial a year or so ago. Tragically T-Rex never got the recognition and airplay they deserved in the States.

"You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC - It may be overplayed and overhyped in the last 10-15 years (its relation to professional wrestling and other plebeian cheese is abominable) but this song still deserves respect. The intro has to be one of the most recognizable rock riffs of all time.

"Deuce" by KISS - I love classic Kiss and this is one of their best.

"Gimme Some Lovin'" by The Spencer Davis Group - Great intro and one hell of a fun driving song. Most people seem to forget that Steve Winwood was still a teenager when he lent his keyboard and vocal skills to this hit.

"Jumpin' Jack Flash" by the Rolling Stones - Keith Richards must be the king of creating all time rock guitar riffs.

"Baba O'Riley" by The Who - That synthesizer riff leading into the first piano notes always gets me going.

"N.I.B." (Nativity in Black) by Black Sabbath - Glad to see Axeknight mention this one. I just love that crazy little bass riff that leads and fades into Iommi's guitar.

"Peace Frog" by The Doors - Wawa pedals and great opening bass line make this my pet favorite Doors song.

"Voodoo Child" by the Jimmy Hendrix Experience - Wawa pedals utilized to full effect.

"Ain't Talkin' Bout Love" by Van Halen (with David Lee Roth) - I was torn between this and the opening riffs for "Unchained" and "Hot For Teacher." To your average rock music fan "Hot For Teacher" is easily the most recognizable of the three but isn't nearly as original as "Aint Talkin Bout Love." This is back when Eddie Van Halen still had his muse and used to write unique and original rock/hard rock riffs and not that top 40 garbage he did with Hagar.

"TNT" by AC/DC (Bon Scott era) - Hysterical intro with the band chanting "Oi, Oi! Oi!" in time with the drum and guitar. I absolutely love the Bon Scott era in AC/DC's history. Although Back in Black is a great all time hard rock album I thought AC/DC with Bon Scott was superior in every way; Scott was a better singer than Johnson and great lyricist. Angus used to play a kick ass rock blues guitar before he turned to a more metal sound after Johnson joined the band. As far as I'm concerned Back in Black is the only post-Scott AC/DC album worth listening to.