So I’m kicking Winamp at work today, and CSNY’s “Suite Judy Blue Eyes” comes on. It’s a nice song, with 4 distinct parts and Stephen Still’s distinctive alternate guitar tunings and all*. But in the end, I suffer through the first 8 minutes to get to the end, where Steve kicks some Spanish about Cuba while the others since the infamous refrain/chant/whatever. I don’t really care about the sparrow or Friday evening, but I get geeked for that ending.
Are there other songs out there you suffer through just to get to the end, or certain parts? Or parts you just look forward too? I know most of you have musical ability and know what’s going on in the song much better than I, so you might appreciate the “down” parts of songs more than I.
Here’s a quickly compiled list of songs which fit my bill, starting with the most obvious: 1) Free Bird – Lynrd Skynrd ( a song written just to give the solo a place to live) 2) It’s the End of the World… – REM ( Leonard Bernstein!! ) 3) Good Thing We’re Rapping – Digital Underground (They call it ho’ po’…) 4) Crazy Game Of Poker – OAR (I love my hunny bunny!) 5) In The Air Tonight – Phil Collins ( You know what part) 6) Rocket Queen – G’N’R (I see you standing)
I know that you can have the good parts of songs without having not good parts to contrast against, but some songs I just find myself waiting more than others for the “good part”.
My $.02 Weed
**Like I have any clue about alternate guitar tunings. I read it in Wikipedia! 😉
The “wait for it”
Songs where I’m waiting for it: * Linkin Park – Nobody’s Listening * I know it’s old and obscure, but Wayward Sun – House of Dreams. The sing exists for the bridge. * Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody. I’m just waiting the whole tune for “Mama Mia, Mama Mia, let me go. Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me… for me…. for MEEEEEE! (zhung zhung da dum dadumdum)” and the guitar riff that follows. * My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade. Sure, people think it’s a Queen ripoff, but every time I hear the song I’m waiting for the first “Carry On” chorus… it still gives me tingles.
—
Matthew P. Barnson
hrm…
Lose Yourself by Eminem – The album cut has like a minute of music before it – and add to that “Smash it up by Offspring.. same story.
You want a WS tune? “Leave it All Behind” – Hate the song mostly.. except the bridge, which is AWESOME.
Kansas – Carry On Wayward Son – I turn it off after the first two verses
“You Know What You Are” by Nine inch nails – Put up with the verses just to get to that chorus..
While we’re at it.. “Something I can Never Have” By Nine Inch Nails.. I love the whole song.. but I’m waiting for that F-word (Best ever in any song).
again.. “Rockin The Suburbs” by Ben Folds.. Love the whole song.. but I want that F-Word (Second best ever).
“Istanbul” by They might be giants has an unruly intro.
Wow.. I could go a while.. Visit the Official Justin Timpane Website Music, Acting, and More! http://www.timpane.com
To All The Girls
The opening track of Paul’s Boutique is a little slow. You want to skip right over and starting rockin’ the house party with a drop of a hat. However, hearing Idris Muhammad’s Loran’s Dance in its original form is worth the full listen.
wait for it
If anyone is curious, the bizarre alternate tuning for “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” is EBEEEE. It’s weird. That’s also the tuning for “Carry On” by CSNY.
OK so I agree with you about “In the Air Tonight”. Here are some more.
The Who – “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. Worth waiting through the entire keyboard solo to get to Roger Daltrey’s ear-splitting scream. Possibly the best moment in rock-n-roll.
The Beatles – “Hey Jude”. “Na na na na na na na…”
Jeff Buckley – “Last Goodbye”. “Did you say, oh this can’t happen to me?” – that part rocks out.
— Ben
Hate the song because of that…
That part of the song makes me want to turn off my radio. I really don’t like Hey Jude — the whole thing — as a result of the ad-nauseum na-na-na chants.
I have the same problem with Journey and “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'”. “Now, it’s your turn, girl, to cry… Na na na na na na…”
And I’m irritated by “Deck the Halls” for the same reason. “Fa-la-la-la-la” THIS, ***********! If you’re going to write a lyric, write the ******* lyric, don’t fill my ears with your garbage syllables pulled straight from the lips of a resident 6-month-old baby!
This rant brought to you by caffeine, sustaining human life on earth for 3,000 years and still going strong. I need a massage. Then I’m going to go finish writing “Calm yourself”, which has the chorus of “La-dee-do-da, rum-pum-pick, I’m going to beat your sorry butt with a great big pointy stick.”
—
Matthew P. Barnson
Buckley
Wow! Ben, very excellent call on the Buckley reference. In fact, a lot of his songs are that way; you just have to wait through the early mellow parts before he sends his voice high and rips.
yeah
I want to be Jeff Buckley when I grow up… except for the whole committing suicide by walking fully clothed into the Mississippi River at 24 years old.
You’re right though – the album Grace is basically a master class in dramatic song composition – how to build a song from quiet beginnings to a gigantic, cathartic climax.
Another good example is “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” – starts very sedate, and then the passionate cry on “It’s never over… my kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder” just rips your heart out.
— Ben