I’d rank the guitar intro in the top 25 most recognizable riffs in Christendom. Maybe higher. That’s the antipodean Hindley Street Country Club taking a crack at it. I guess they’re just a cover band, but up several notches from the usual.
I was tempted to paste the Detroit Spinners original here. It was a million-seller in 1972. All the vids of the Spinners on Soul Train and Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert and similar shows are all lip synched. The band does their steps, and generally look genial, but I’d have preferred something fresh.
It’s understandable. Back then, the audiences just wanted to hear their favorite songs without waiting for the top of the hour over and over on the Top 40 stations. They might revolt if it didn’t sound just like the record. People are more interested in different versions of things these days, I think. It comes from having pretty much all forms of entertainment at your fingertips at all times. Something new sticks out.
The framework of the song lends itself to various permutations of it. This is my favorite bent version of it:
The original song was used to great effect as the outro for the movie Roman J. Israel, Esq., a very underrated movie:
I’ll be skippin’ and a-jumpin’, indeed.
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Well, I don’t know. If you’d played that for me without identification, I couldn’t have named the tune from just the intro. I’d be surprised if, for most of us in my generation, the top 2 for recognition aren’t Stairway to Heaven and Smoke on the Water. After those two, I’m not sure I can come up with a top 25, due to the plethora of choices. FWIW, The Spinners don’t grab my attention the way many other bands do (or did); Rush, Boston, Yes, ELP, e.g.
I have a theory that in most cases, the first version you hear of any particular tune or piece is the one you end up liking most. I can think of at least a couple of cases where I heard the cover first, and that’s the version I prefer. Usually, a cover has to really hit it out of the park to end up being preferred. Linda Ronstadt comes to mind here. Once I’ve decided what is the “right” way a piece should sound, I rarely enjoy hearing different renditions – even from the same artist.
Hi Jed- Yes, those two are instantly recognizable.
Anyone else interested in a list? Confined to guitar riffs, only one entry allowed per band/artist, pieces released from 1960 – 1990.
Go All the Way: The Raspberries
Layla: Derek and the Dominoes
Revolution: The Beatles
You Really Got Me: Van Halen
Sweet Child of Mine: Guns and Roses
Little Bit of Sympanthy: Robin Trower
Smokin’: Boston
Show me the Way: Peter Frampton
Diamonds and Rust: Joan Baez
Keep Pushin’ On: REO Speedwagon
Black Betty: Ram Jam
Paranoid: Black Sabbath
Red House: Jimi Hendrix
What else ya got?
Hi Jed- You were going pretty good there for about half the list, especially with the Raspberries, but you trailed off at the end with things like Robin Trower and DOA Meatwagon. Most folks couldn’t pick those out of a lineup. In general, if you want a list of instantly recognizable rock song intros, you just have to list the snippets they play at NFL games during time outs and such.
Heh. Well, I haven’t any idea what gets played by the NFL, or other sporting things, during timeouts, other than maybe Gary Glitter – do they still play him? I assume Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Goodbye still gets used.
And yes, I admit, my tastes don’t really line up well with the masses. I consider that a good thing. I would’ve included Jeff Beck, except I can’t keep the titles straight, with what the tunes sound like. But they’re all instantly recognizable as Beck.
> we have to include things girls will recognize, too.
Why? 🙂 Does that mean we have to acknowledge Taylor Swift?
And where would you rank the Martin Barre/Ian Anderson first six notes of “Aqualung”?
I dare you to think of those notes and NOT think, “Sitting on a park bench…”
I wouldn’t try to rank anything. But Aqualung is certainly recognizable, instantly.
And how ’bout Frankenstein, by Edgar Winter?
I must rebuke myself for failing to put Anthem in there, by Rush.
Hi Blackwing- You and I could pick up on that intro halfway through it, but 51 percent of the population have never heard of Jethro Tull, so it would be way down the list. Just like the Spinners, we have to include things girls will recognize, too.
Hah!
The most beautiful women I ever met (or managed to convince to be with me) were die-hard Tull fans!
The woman I’m currently living with and have for the last 38 years (and have been married to for 27 years) actually OWNED an original vinyl copy of “Thick as a Brick”, with the original newspaper in the middle. Fie upon thy comments as to the distaff side!
Some ugly ass AI thumbnails, man!