Rating Game

Best song intros

Thursday, November 8, 2007

JOANNE SANDY

Entertainment Panelist

1. "2112" (Rush): Alex Lifeson, Neil Peart, and Geddy Lee's talents all unfurl during the overture to this powerful song where the gifts of life and our imagination are held by Rush. Great song to hear live!

2. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (Metallica): The bell tolls and time marches on to the master of puppets during the monster introduction to this head-banger classic. Most effective when played loud!

3. "Foreplay/Long Time" (Boston): The foreplay between the guitar and keyboards rise to a spine-tingling climax before erupting into the Boston's "Long Time." A 'time doesn't wait' classic!

WILLIAM FRANCKEY

Entertainment Panelist

1. "Satisfaction" (The Rolling Stones): I can name that song within two notes and I think this song clearly qualifies as one of them. What a gas it was, to hear those opening notes on the science fiction movie "Starman."

2. "Day Tripper" (The Beatles): A tour de force of an intro opens this song. There's different ways of hitting those notes for a guitarist but when one examines Beatles footage, everyone is playing that opening riff with simple economy by using open strings and little to no hand movement.

3. "My Girl" (Smokey Robinson, performed by The Temptations): Probably the saddest of stories. The Funk Brothers long ignored and fighting an aging obscurity were directly responsible for the sound of Motown. Here was a guitarist, Robert White, too shy to tell people that he invented the intro to My Girl, said to be a recognizable as any intro ever. Thankfully, there is now a wonderful film about White and the Funk Brothers.

ROB BUCK

Local News Editor

1. "Time": Pink Floyd continues its avant-garde ways, kicking off with a cacophany of alarms and chiming clocks that gives way to the electronic ticking of a clock punctuated by chords and some eerie drumming. Pure genius!

2. "Foreplay/Long Time" (Boston): Organ, synth, drums and bass take off helter-skelter in a race to the start of "Long Time." The manic pace builds to a frenzied space jam, then drops off before soaring with a crescendo into the whirling guitar opener. Amazing.

3. "Ain't That a Shame": Bun E. Carlos gets Cheap Trick rocking at Budokan with a kick-a** drum solo that ranges all over the set. The guitars soon build as Rick Nielsen's wild fingers dance over the fretboard. Bun ratchets it up a notch to match Nielsen's intensity and all hell breaks loose as they trade riffs before Robin Zander steps in to tone it down.

DAVE WYNES

Entertainment Panelist

1. "Dazed and Confused" (Led Zeppelin): The beginning bass line of this song played by John Paul Jones is one of the coolest lines ever. And when Jimmy Page comes in with the wah wah...wow! It is by far one of the most admired songs in the Zeppelin catalog.

2. "The Separation of Church and Skate" (NOFX): This song has a spoken intro with a father asking his children what they would like to do for the day. After passing on the movies and the amusement park, the kids decide a punk rock show would be best. The intro and the song is a slam on how a music form that was once about rebellion and angst, is now sold in your local department store.

3. "Time Marches On" (Pennywise): The band is known for its far left political views. This song starts with a sound clip from a World Trade Organization protest rally. It strikes a nerve to hear the sirens and people screaming as they are attacked by the police (in riot gear) for opposing something that may (or may not) be a bad thing, depending on your views.

SUNSHINE REGIACORTE

Entertainment Panelist

1. "Travelin' Prayer" (Dolly Parton ): This song, from the album "The Grass is Blue," starts with Dolly singing at top speed with an equally impressive banjo player.

2. "Superstition" (Stevie Wonder): This song has this solid, funky organ (or clavinet, according to Wikipedia) phrase that carries through the whole song and keeps me dancin'.

3. "Bohemian Rhapsody" (Queen): What other pop group has been able to pull off a four part a capella harmony quite like that?

JOHN PULLIAM

Business Editor

1. "Smoke on the Water" (Deep Purple): A deep, electric guitar sound that was figuratively and literally music to the ears.

2. "Let it Rain" (Eric Clapton): OK, I'm a sucker for great rock guitar riffs. Was there a time that Clapton's guitar didn't produce the sweetest sounds this side of Heaven?

3. "Lovely to See You" (Moody Blues): Technically, "In the Beginning" is a separate track on 1969's "Threshold of a Dream" album, but the poetic voice track builds in intensity and goes right into "Lovely to See You," which, anyway, also has a great guitar intro.

GARY JOHNSON

Entertainment Panelist

1. "Hells Bells" (AC/DC): The slow ringing of the bell and the noise of the audience on the live album lets me know I'm going to hear a great hard rock song.

2. "White Rabbit" (Jefferson Airplane): Grace Slick's intro sends me on a head trip without the need for dope.

3. "Vogue" (Madonna): This intro makes me want to pose and then move to the music.

BILL MAYEROFF

Entertainment Panelist

1. "Layla" (Derek and the Dominoes): Easily the most recognizable intro ever, this one always sends a chill down my spine. Grungy, but melodic, Eric Clapton and Duane Allman set the bar for song intros with this ode to Patti Boyd -- who was then wife of the late George Harrison.

2. "Johnny B. Goode" (Chuck Berry): If you want to get people to dance, just play the opening lick to this Chuck Berry classic. It's a fairly simple blues lick, but Berry sped it up to turn it into a rock staple.

3. Tie: "Symphony No. 5" (Ludwig van Beethoven) and "Barrier Reef (Old 97's): Yeah, I know these songs are like night and day, but I couldn't choose. The minor-chord opening to "Symphony No. 5" is one that all piano students learn at some point. The opening to "Barrier Reef" will always get people humming along. Or, if they're watching the band play live, it will get them running back from the bar or the bathroom.

Next week's topic: Most entertaining TV bosses