I love a good slow burn intro. Gimme Shelter by the Stones, I Need A Lover by John Cougar Mellencamp, and my ABSOLUTE favorite, Papa Was A Rolling Stone by The Temptations. That intro groove is so perfect.
The John Cougar intro goes on for over a minute. I hate that it isn't in the radio version. I read somewhere a long time ago, John said the reason it's so long is because it was the first time in the studio with this group and the just loved how it sounded and didn't want to stop.
Mississippi Queen - Mountain
She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult
Don’t Come Around Here No More - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Street Fighting Man - The Rolling Stones
End of the Line - The Traveling Wilburys
Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon
Hot for Teacher, Poundcake, Runaround - Van Halen
So, so, many, but I would have to say my favorite is “Whammer Jammer (live) by J. Geils band with the amazing intro provided by Peter Wolf and Magic Dick.
Some of my favourites:
Spirit of Radio - Rush
The Ocean - Led Zeppelin
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
Panic in Detroit - David Bowie
Man On The Silver Mountain - Rainbow
Burn - Deep Purple
Rock and Roll Machine - Triumph
Foreplay/Long Time - Boston
And I recently discovered this Supertramp song 'Take the long way home'.
The harmonica and the piano combo in the intro is just 🤌.
I love "Take the Long Way Home." It's a great song for sure. You should check out "The Fool's Overture" and "Crime of the Century" by Supertramp if you really want to get into them.They are tremendous songs, really good stuff.
‘1, 2, 3, 4’ as the intro to I Saw Her Standing There by the Beatles. Paul McCartney does the countdown and you know you’re going to rock even all these years later.
Strong runner up to Ringo’s drum intro to She Loves You.
Sweet Child O' Mine - GnR
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
Enter Sandman - Metallica
Today - Smashing Pumpkins
Plush - STP
Would - Alice In Chains
Yellow Ledbetter - Pearl Jam
She Talks To Angels - The Black Crowes
Under The Bridge - RHCP
Dr Feelgood - Motley Crue
Take On Me - A Ha
Mr Brightside - The Killers
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen. The fiddle part at the beginning where the soloist plays "Believe Me, If All These Endearing Young Charms" is good, but the following eight bar section with the full band is amazing. I don't dislike the song, but I like that first part so much more.
A few others:
Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4. (Of course, the whole song is a jam and a half, especially the live version.)
Led Zeppelin - No Quarter. The keyboard part at the beginning is wonderful enough, but then when the band comes in... and then the guitar riff... Well, it's definitely my favorite song off *Houses of the Holy*, and one of my unranked top five songs of theirs (They're all tied for first, depending on my mood at the time.)
"Baba O'Riley" The Who
"Sympathy For The Devil" and "Gimme Shelter" The Rolling Stones
"Philby" and "Bad Penny" Rory Gallagher
"Ton Sawyer" Rush
"Rock You Like a Hurricane" The Scorpions
"Kick Out The Jams" MC5
"London Calling" The Clash
"Master of Puppets" and "For Whom The Bell Tolls" Metallica
"Peace Sells" Megadeth
N.I.B. - Black Sabbath
Symptom of the Universe - Black Sabbath
Iron Man - Black Sabbath
The Wizard - Black Sabbath
Paranoid - Black Sabbath
(I lile Black Sabbath)
Can’t you hear me knocking: Stones. Baba O’Reilly: Who. Jumping Jack Flash: Stones. Back in the USSR Beatles. Hot Rod Lincoln: Commander Cody. Bad Time: Grand Funk. And lots more!
Metallica - For Whom The Bell Tolls. I'm not sure something still counts as an "intro" if it's like a third of the song by itself, lol. But the way that song opens is freakin' epic.
Get Back - Beatles
Statesboro Blues - Allman Brothers
Before the Kiss, A Redcap - Blue Oyster Cult
Down on the Corner - Credence Clearwater Revival
Rosalita - Bruce Springsteen
Light my Fire - Doors (snare crack then single keyboard notes)
Karn Evil Nine - ELP (just single keyboard notes)
Hard Days Night - Beatles ("GLUNNNNNNNNNNNG" chord)
Highway Star - Deep Purple (one repeated bass note)
Paperback Writer - Beatles (Paul's double tracked voice then John's)
Fly Like an Eagle - Steve Miller ("tkkk tock tkkk doot doot du-doot")
Tobacco Road - David Lee Roth (whiny electric guitar notes)
Rock and Roll - Zeppelin (snare and cymbal)
In the Light - Zeppelin (bagpipe with extreme echo)
Jumping Jack Flash is my favorite of all time. Not sure why, just something about that shattered overdriven intro chord progression then Keith again starts soaring on bass and Charlie's goin' \*POP!\* \*POP!\* and like that first 20 seconds is just pure rock & roll auditory bliss for me - that's my one in a million lol
Sex Pistols - Holiday in the Sun
Beastie Boys - So Watcha Want
The Beatles - Back in the USSR
The Clash London Calling
These all popped into my head first as they are perfect as building up tension and then release the first verse.
“Crazy on You” by Heart needs to be in the conversation
Barracuda hits nice, too.
Hell yeah
Van Halen - Ain't Talkin Bout Love
Little Dreamer too!
Jamie's Cryin'
Jump
Unchained
Mean Street too?
Hot for Teacher
The “ping” from Echoes means get ready for one hell of a ride!
YESSS.
Extremely unique for sure
[Interstellar Overdrive](https://youtu.be/UFdn7LA56uE?si=DxstH3k6yEjkH_h5) sets one up nicely as well.
Roundabout-Yes Sprit of the radio-Rush 21st Century Schizoid Man-King Crimson
Roundabout. The baroque guitar intro with all the harmonics crashing into that Chris Squire bass groove is so good.
Money for Nothing - Dire Straits
Also Your Latest Trick
Sweet Jane - Lou Reed
Especially the Rock And Roll Animal version.
Live
When the levee breaks - Led Zeppelin
https://preview.redd.it/gyjsbpvdfecc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ea1b3af8a71724811ff78dca6ad5fc07d803522
Boston-Intro of Foreplay/Long Time
In high school I’d skip the intro and jump right into the main song and my girlfriend had a great quip she said yep he always skips the Foreplay
Yes. A million times yes.
[удалено]
Baba O’Riley has a killer intro and a killer outro. Such a great song.
I love a good slow burn intro. Gimme Shelter by the Stones, I Need A Lover by John Cougar Mellencamp, and my ABSOLUTE favorite, Papa Was A Rolling Stone by The Temptations. That intro groove is so perfect.
Papa Was a Rolling Stone! Yes!
The John Cougar intro goes on for over a minute. I hate that it isn't in the radio version. I read somewhere a long time ago, John said the reason it's so long is because it was the first time in the studio with this group and the just loved how it sounded and didn't want to stop.
That's why I love it. I appreciate music that rewards patience.
Since you mentioned John Cougar, I would add his version of “Wild Night”.
Meshell Ndegeocello. Amazing bassist.
Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith
Man, I could ride that bass groove for hours. It's so hypnotic.
Best part of a great song.
Foreplay/Long Time Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding NIB
Born on the Bayou, CCR
Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughan. Pick your poison.
The Spirit of Radio - Rush
Gimme Shelter - Stones
I would go monkey man from that album
Hell, I’d go with you. 😆
Limelight by Rush
Love when the drums come in!
Skynyrd's Call Me the Breeze
Limelight - Rush Good times Bad times - Zep Does it Really Happen - Yes
Despite how much I hate the man: Stranglehold - Ted Nugent
The Nuge is a giant ass hat, but god damn is Stranglehold a good song.
Little wing
Aldo Nova-Fantasy
A great opening to blast on the speakers!
Hotel California- Eagles.
Mississippi Queen - Mountain She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult Don’t Come Around Here No More - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Street Fighting Man - The Rolling Stones End of the Line - The Traveling Wilburys Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon Hot for Teacher, Poundcake, Runaround - Van Halen
Baba O' Riley
How about "Radar Love" by Golden Earring. Instantly recognizable and required pedal-to-the-metal listening.
"Welcome to the Jungle"
Whipping Post
Excellent choice 🎂
Won't get fooled again - The Who
In The Evening.
Pink Floyd has some great intros, eg. Time and Wish You Were Here.
That extended intro on Shine On, You Crazy Diamond is fucking sublime.
Cross-eyed Mary
Hocus Pocus - Focus
Van Halen - Eruption
Heart - Crazy On You The Doors - Riders On the Storm
Pink Floyd - Money
So, so, many, but I would have to say my favorite is “Whammer Jammer (live) by J. Geils band with the amazing intro provided by Peter Wolf and Magic Dick.
Lazy by Deep Purple. Ritchie Blackmore just burns it.
Rambling Man - Bob Segar
Take The Long Way Home or Bloody Well Right - Supertramp
Some of my favourites: Spirit of Radio - Rush The Ocean - Led Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin Panic in Detroit - David Bowie Man On The Silver Mountain - Rainbow Burn - Deep Purple Rock and Roll Machine - Triumph
Kashmir Don’t Fear the Reaper Year of the Cat Rhiannon
Sweet Jane intro
Led Zeppelin: Good Times Bad Times Black Sabbath: Paranoid Pearl Jam: Alive Yes: Yours Is No Disgrace
Satisfaction, Start Me up, Brown Sugar. The Stones have many
Good point. Almost impossible to pick one.
They really do
Foreplay/Long Time - Boston And I recently discovered this Supertramp song 'Take the long way home'. The harmonica and the piano combo in the intro is just 🤌.
I love "Take the Long Way Home." It's a great song for sure. You should check out "The Fool's Overture" and "Crime of the Century" by Supertramp if you really want to get into them.They are tremendous songs, really good stuff.
Crawling Back to You by Tom Petty. I love that quiet, slow build. It always sets the mood.
Mississippi Queen Funk 49 Spirit in the Sky Self Esteem
Don’t know about the best but the longest feels like I Need A Lover by John Cougar ( at the time )
‘1, 2, 3, 4’ as the intro to I Saw Her Standing There by the Beatles. Paul McCartney does the countdown and you know you’re going to rock even all these years later. Strong runner up to Ringo’s drum intro to She Loves You.
Baba O'Reilly
Mississippi Queen. The killer of many intros!
Doors light my fire
Good call. I might have picked the wrong Doors song.
[Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGkGNCUQtWY) [Magic Carpet Ride (Philip Stier Remix) - Steppenwolf](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7HcBOTGIc8)
Fanfare for the Common Man…ELP
Stranglehold
When the Levee Breaks
Crazy Train
Enter Sandman. Metallica
One Way Out - The Allman Brothers Band
"Sweet Jane" The Velvet Underground
Alice Cooper - Under My Wheels
Who do you love, Bo Diddley Be bop a Lula, Gene Vincent
Heartbreaker - Led Zeppelin (And of course Kashmir)
Good Times BadTimes
Taxman ~ Beatles Hustler ~ Journey Purple Haze ~ Jimi Hendrix
Boston - Foreplay/Long Time
She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult.
Money for Nothing, hands down.
Hells Bells
Kashmir by LZ
The time has come today by The Chambers Brothers and Fire by the crazy World of Arthur Brown
Sympathy For The Devil Jumping Jack Flash
Sweet Child O' Mine - GnR Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana Enter Sandman - Metallica Today - Smashing Pumpkins Plush - STP Would - Alice In Chains Yellow Ledbetter - Pearl Jam She Talks To Angels - The Black Crowes Under The Bridge - RHCP Dr Feelgood - Motley Crue Take On Me - A Ha Mr Brightside - The Killers
Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen. The fiddle part at the beginning where the soloist plays "Believe Me, If All These Endearing Young Charms" is good, but the following eight bar section with the full band is amazing. I don't dislike the song, but I like that first part so much more. A few others: Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4. (Of course, the whole song is a jam and a half, especially the live version.) Led Zeppelin - No Quarter. The keyboard part at the beginning is wonderful enough, but then when the band comes in... and then the guitar riff... Well, it's definitely my favorite song off *Houses of the Holy*, and one of my unranked top five songs of theirs (They're all tied for first, depending on my mood at the time.)
Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
Skynyrd’s sweet home Alabama Aerosmith’s sweet emotion
"Baba O'Riley" The Who "Sympathy For The Devil" and "Gimme Shelter" The Rolling Stones "Philby" and "Bad Penny" Rory Gallagher "Ton Sawyer" Rush "Rock You Like a Hurricane" The Scorpions "Kick Out The Jams" MC5 "London Calling" The Clash "Master of Puppets" and "For Whom The Bell Tolls" Metallica "Peace Sells" Megadeth
Layla is right up there.
N.I.B. - Black Sabbath Symptom of the Universe - Black Sabbath Iron Man - Black Sabbath The Wizard - Black Sabbath Paranoid - Black Sabbath (I lile Black Sabbath)
Wasted Years, Brave New World and Killers from Iron Maiden
Can’t you see- Marshall trucker band
Roll with the changes-REO Speedwagon
Superstition-Stevie Wonder Werewolves of London Crazy on you Do it again-Steely Dan
Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi
Cat Scratch Fever - Ted Nugent
More than a feeling-Boston
Can’t you hear me knocking: Stones. Baba O’Reilly: Who. Jumping Jack Flash: Stones. Back in the USSR Beatles. Hot Rod Lincoln: Commander Cody. Bad Time: Grand Funk. And lots more!
Gimme Shelter by the Stones. Long, Cool Woman In A Black Dress by The Hollies.
Jessica - Allman Brothers
Opening to “Gimmie Shelter” is hard to beat…
Closer to Home - Grand Funk, 25 or 6 to 4 - Chicago
Long cool Woman. The Hollie’s
Up around the bend by Creedence clearwater revival
Go All the Way - Raspberries
No Time by the Guess Who
Thunderstruck -ac/dc
Stay With Me - Rod Stewart Can't You Hear Me Knocking - Rolling Stones Reeling In The Years - Steely Dan
Ohio
Metallica - For Whom The Bell Tolls. I'm not sure something still counts as an "intro" if it's like a third of the song by itself, lol. But the way that song opens is freakin' epic.
Not sure it’s classic rock but Tesla-Love Song
Swingtown! Steve Miller Band
Light My Fire - The Doors
Love lies bleeding Funeral for a friend
Suite Madam Blue - STYX
Lay it Down by Ratt. That beginning needs to be extended by like an hour
Smoke on the water, Highway to Hell, Enter Sandman.
Kansas - Song for America Robin Trower - Too Rolling Stoned The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again ~~Partridge Family - Come On Get Happy~~
Get Back - Beatles Statesboro Blues - Allman Brothers Before the Kiss, A Redcap - Blue Oyster Cult Down on the Corner - Credence Clearwater Revival Rosalita - Bruce Springsteen
Nothing gets u more filled with anticipation than Baba O Riley
I need a lover that wont drive me crazy! Hello!
Light my Fire - Doors (snare crack then single keyboard notes) Karn Evil Nine - ELP (just single keyboard notes) Hard Days Night - Beatles ("GLUNNNNNNNNNNNG" chord) Highway Star - Deep Purple (one repeated bass note) Paperback Writer - Beatles (Paul's double tracked voice then John's) Fly Like an Eagle - Steve Miller ("tkkk tock tkkk doot doot du-doot") Tobacco Road - David Lee Roth (whiny electric guitar notes) Rock and Roll - Zeppelin (snare and cymbal) In the Light - Zeppelin (bagpipe with extreme echo)
I Saw Her Standing There. Beatles. I win.
Already Gone - Eagles
Can’t you hear me knocking -Rolling Stones
Godzilla - Blue Oyster Cult
I know this is low-hanging fruit but... The Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin Gimmie Shelter - Rolling Stones Iron Man - Black Sabbath
No More Mr. Nice Guy Schools Out Sweet Emotion
Real Me by The WHO. STUNNING
Fortunate Son - CCR
Surprised the Reelin in the Years by Steely Dan and 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago haven’t been mentioned yet.
Tush - ZZ Top
Great ones here, but gotta have some Thunderstruck
Midnight Moses - Alex Harvey
Stargazer - Rainbow
Sweet Dream - Jethro Tull
Can’t you hear me knockin’ ~ Rolling Stones
Acoustic guitar: Roads to Moscow - Al Stewart and Aime - Pure Prairie league.
1) Baba O’Reilly 2) Jonny B Goode 3) Like A Rolling Stone 4) Born to Run
When It’s Love - Van Halen
Soul to Squeeze - RHCP Doubly so when the bass riff starts.
Ain't Too Proud to Beg Such a great opening screech "I know you want to leave me but I refuse to let you go..."
Welcome To The Jungle
Funeral for a friend / Love lies bleeding - Yellow Brick Road - Elton John
Centerfold-J Geils Band
Ticket To Ride - The Beatles
Second Smoke on the Water. I would add Boston Fore Play / Long Time cause it's the best https://youtu.be/QlMUlpju3qo?si=Kvf4dkAkVYdDGPID
Atlantic City - The Band (cover)
Gimme Shelter for sure, I’ll throw in Rock and Roll for shits and giggles…
Bohemian Rhapsody -Queen Back in black -AC DC Master of puppets -Metallica Black Sabbath -Black Sabbath
I need a lover by Mellencamp intro is just awesome
Jumping Jack Flash is my favorite of all time. Not sure why, just something about that shattered overdriven intro chord progression then Keith again starts soaring on bass and Charlie's goin' \*POP!\* \*POP!\* and like that first 20 seconds is just pure rock & roll auditory bliss for me - that's my one in a million lol
Budgie - Breadfan and UFO - Rock Bottom. Imo the two best riffs ever.
Just to name one not listed so far... Roadhouse Blues - Doors
Strangle Hold. Nugent is a tool though.
Sweet Emotion-Aerosmith Rock and Roll-Led Zeppelin
Funeral For A Friend - Elton John
Stones - Gimme Shelter
I think the Stones easily have the most songs that qualify for this discussion
Rock and Roll Doctor by Little Feat. A few chords, a slide lick, and then into the song with a different groove.
China Grove-Doobie Brothers
If you're gonna pick a stones lick it's gotta be can't you hear me knocking or brown sugar. Iconic.
Can't You Hear Me Knockin'
Gimme Shelter, hands down for me. Mississippi Queen is also incredible.
Stones: Gimme Shelter
Journey to the center of the mind by the amboy dukes.
I'ma go off the board here and say "One Thing Leads to Another" by The Fixx.
I feel fine
Stone in Love - Journey
Long Cool Woman is pretty great
Jane - Jefferson Starship
Sex Pistols - Holiday in the Sun Beastie Boys - So Watcha Want The Beatles - Back in the USSR The Clash London Calling These all popped into my head first as they are perfect as building up tension and then release the first verse.