Thursday, December 09, 2004

Everything's not lost...

Are there some songs for you that send the proverbial shivers down your spine the second you hear the opening notes? I've been tidying out my music tonight, listening to the odd tune as I go, and there are some songs that just get me straight away.

Anything by Coldplay, for example. Those guys are the masters of masterful openings. The first chord of "Everything's Not Lost" followed by 'When I counted up my demons...' - pure genius. Then there's the incredible percussion opening of "In My Place" - now there's an incredible entrance.

Of course, there are others that are not by Coldplay. The wonderful descending notes of "My Baby Just Cares For Me", as performed by Nina Simone. The rich chords of "Turn Me On" followed by Norah Jones singing just a tad more husky than normal: 'Like a flower, waiting to bloom...'. The... whatever instrument it is that plays at the beginning of "God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys, combined with those really deep drum beats. Magic man, magic. (and it always makes me think of the final scenes in Love Actually, which is always a Good Thing)

Ooh, ooh! "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers. Can't get much more powerful than that. Just Withers and a beat. Immediate shivers.

'A long, long time ago...' Can't get much more shiver-inducing than that.

But right now I can't seem to go past 'When I counted up my demons...' - I'm going through a bit of a Coldplay phase right now!

Anyone else got suggestions for their favourite song openings?

4 comments:

crip said...

Buy Now Pay Later
Smells Like Teen Spirit (I prefer the Tori Amos cover, it's so much darker and haunting)
Layla
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps
and, of course, Twisted Nerve
Those'd have to be mine - they all stir these old memories

spy said...

Well, I'll put some good classical openings:

Beethoven Piano Concerto No.5
Brahms Symphony All of them

Anyway, I just thought I would nerd it up a bit, destroy the modern music atmosphere

Anonymous said...

Who are these strangers?

Anyway. My favorites are:

Opening music of "You make me feel like dancing" by Leo Sayer

and

"Sweet Home Alabama", by someone or other, I reckon the opening to that is better than the rest of the song!

Love Bron

Anonymous said...

Ooh! Ooh! I forgot the opening to Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes, although, come to think of it, all there openings are pure genius so...

And my Least favorite?

Jet. "Are You going to be my Girl". EEERG. Would you kindly listen to
a)"Strange Days" by The Doors and
b)"Hotel Yorba" by The White Stripes
For blatant rip offs.

And thats all I have to say about that.
Bron