Doug: Hey, kids! It's been about a month since our last do-it-yourselfer, so why not bring it back? You, our regular readers, have had great response with this previously, so we're giving you another crack at it. So far Terence Stewart asked us to name our favorite Bronze Age Marvel cover, and the Inkstained Wretch queried which Bronze Age comic we might now wonder why we ever bought.So, here's the routine, in case you're a relative newbie around these parts:
Whoever is the first to comment can post a question, posit, or general gibberish in the hopes of starting a conversation. Everyone who piles on later -- that's what we're talking about today! So, if you are reading this and no one else has commented, then it's all you! If you're coming along later and the comments are rolling in, please don't hijack the thread.As always, have fun!
Here’s a topic we can discuss..:
ReplyDeleteAdvancing from the Stones discussion a few weeks ago, and my comments on the importance of proper ‘sequencing’ album tracks making/breaking a classic album, my question for today is...:
Which tracks would you recommend as the Best (or Most Memorable) Closing Song of any pop/rock album..? These are the songs that either elevate the entire album even higher, or starkly make their own statement, leaving you thinking or just wanting more.
Being a Beatles/Stones man, I’d say standout examples are ‘Day in the Life’ for Pepper, ‘End of the Line’ for the Traveling Wilburys Vol.1, ‘Salt of the Earth’ for Beggars Banquet, the closing sequence on 'Abbey Road', the majestic ‘Moonlight Mile’ for Sticky Fingers ranking among the best.., finishing exquisite album experiences like a delightful, almost-naughty desert after a gourmet meal long remembered..
Another fine moment..: Keith's "All About You" closing "Emotional Rescue".. Keith at his most jazzy, yet vulnerability with lingering poignancy over breaking up with Anita (.."so how come I'm... still in love with you"..), most definitely.
This is pretty easy: the aptly named "The End" on the Doors' first album; the equally fitting "When the Music's Over" on their Strange Days album; "Riders on the Storm" from the L.A. Woman album - I think it's pretty obvious that I'm quite the Doors fan. I also think the tracks on their albums were generally put together very well, so you can enjoy individual songs but also appreciate listening to them all together.
ReplyDeleteAnother awesome closing track is "Heart of the Sunrise" on the Fragile album by Yes (by far my favorite album of theirs).
And finally, I love the "I Believe/Radio 9" closing tracks on the Buzzcocks' Different Kind of Tension album.
Also, since I was listening to Traffic a few days ago, it occurred to me that "Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" and "John Barleycorn" *should* have been the closing tracks on their respective albums...
Edo:
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments. I was trying to figure out exactly 'what' makes a great, memorable 'Closing Song', but there can be so many definitions.
Some songs are somewhat fore-telling of what's in store for the next album, such as 'Tomorrow Never Knows' on Revolver, 'For Pete's Sake' on Monkee's Headquarters. In retrospect, both songs are oddly 'seques' to what's in store on the following albums.
I'm a big fan of how albums are overall put together, with proper tempo, peaks/valleys, climaxing with the finale, etc. Albums like 'Abbey Road' are interesting, partly comprised of single songs vs. a suite on Side 2 (to satisfy both Lennon and McCartney) are interesting for the ego's involved.
I like "You can't always get what you want"/Let it Bleed,"a day in the life"/SGT pepper (both great fade-outs) and "oh! Sweet nuthin"/Loaded.
ReplyDeletestarfoxxx
Reprises are always fun, ushering in the 'concept album' era..:
ReplyDeleteBesides Pepper's reprise, Macca used the musical device again in '1984'/Band On the Run, not to mention opened up both sides of Venus and Mars with the same song (but obviously not closing tracks).
Mellencamp used 'R.O.C.K in the USA' quite well to close his Scarecrow album.
Anyone recall Ringo's '(It's) You and Me, Babe' on his Ringo LP..? He ended the last song by verbally crediting all the contributing band members (including John, Paul and George..), production staff, etc.. It's pretty homespun and suited the album's cozy style perfectly.
Actually, David, "The Kind of Fella I Am" closed Scarecrow, and was an able finish to that cassette (ahem).
ReplyDeleteI'd argue that Journey screwed up on their Escape album by putting the title track at the end of Side 1, rather than at the end of the album. Instead, they finished with "Open Arms" -- a huge hit, but a curious choice to finish off a disc.
Interesting topic.
I tend to like the long, artsy compositions that end albums, like "Natural Science" on Rush's Permanent Waves album and "Duke's Travels" and "Duke's End" from the Genesis LP Duke.
Doug
"A Day in the Life" gets my vote for best closing track ever, although "Tomorrow Never Knows" is another fave Beatles' closer. Other great one not yet mentioned are "Gold Dust Woman" from Fleetwood Mac's Rumours; "Won't Get Fooled Again" from Who's Next; "Fight" from the Cure's Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me; "Space Trucking" from Deep Purple's Machinehead; and "Waterloo Sunset" from Something Else by the Kinks.
ReplyDeleteActually Doug, I looked up the track listing for Scarecrow, and 'R.O.C.K.' was the final track on the LP release.
ReplyDeleteWikipedia.org lists the track you mentioned on cassette and CD releases only, so you're partially right, which confused me, since I heard it on a tape someone made for me off the LP, which explains my confusion.
Fred, excellent mention of Who's Next final track.
I worked a lot of overtime this weekend, so I couldn't check out as many other albums as I had wanted. Thanks everyone thus far for your great input.
That's interesting -- wonder why the track order was different?
ReplyDeleteYou know, I always felt like CDs somewhat removed the need for the thought behind the playlist -- once we had the ability to use a remote control from across the room to surf between tracks, what difference did it make? Of course, for the connoisseur of the music who wanted the full flavor of the album, not an issue. But for the shmoe just looking for the hits, they might as well have put all of those cuts at the top of the disc.
Anyone have an idea what the next step in the evolution of listening to music will be? Reels, vinyl, tape, laser discs, digital. What's coming next?
Fun topic, David -- glad you set your alarm!
Doug
Thought of another one, also (surprise, surprise) on a Doors album: "5 to 1" closing off Waiting for the Sun.
ReplyDeleteDoug, your point about long and/or artsy compositions closing an album is right on the mark; that's what I meant about those two Traffic songs.
However, I'm not sure I completely agree with your observation about CDs. On the one hand, it's true that you can flip around the various tracks (same with MP3s now), but on the other, you can play it without interruption, i.e., there's no need to get up and flip over the LP or cassette, and you can appreciate the way the songs are arranged even more. I've found that this is particularly a real boon when listening to prog (prog-like) rock: Yes, King Crimson or Traffic, for example.
Rummaging through some dusty books this weekend, I came across an old cassette of Blue Oyster Cult's Secret Treaties album. I listened to it during a long drive yesterday. It ends with one of their best tunes, "Astronomy."
ReplyDeleteI'll be damned if I can tell what the song is about, but that is part of the appeal. It is a weird, mysterious epic, the perfect capstone to one of BOC's best albums.
Doug:
ReplyDeleteThe move to CDs changed the flavor of a lot of music listening/enjoyment, not just for the acoustic science.. No longer can we listen to a side at a time, so that changes the impact of the original intent as well..
To me, the best address to that was done by Tom Petty on 'Full Moon Fever' with his tongue-in-cheek, drawl address (complete with barnyard noises..) to CD listeners between the last track on 'side 1' and 'side 2'..:
"Hello, CD listeners. We've come to the point in this album where those listening on cassette, or records, will have to stand up, or sit down, and turn over the record. Or tape. In fairness to those listeners, we'll now take a few seconds before we begin side two. [pause] Thank you. Here's side two.
Classic Petty.
Hi Doug – do you think that’s classic Petty? Seems more like Jeff Lynne to me. That album was originally supposed to be a Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers album, but by the time Petty had collaborated with Lynne (i.e. Lynne co-wrote the songs, produced the album and played most of the instruments) it sounded nothing like Petty’s normal output and only had one of the Heartbreakers on it, so it was put out as a Tom Petty solo album. Lynne was forever filling albums with hidden messages. In fact, ironically, I don’t think the Secret Messages album even contains the highest number.
ReplyDeleteRichard
Meanwhile, back to the topic .....
ReplyDeleteQueen are pretty good at going out on a high – A Night at the Opera goes out on Bo Rap followed by the National Anthem, Hot Space on Under Pressure, Jazz almost goes out on Don’t Stop Me now, which would have been cool and Innuendo ends with The Show Must Go On, which was still in the charts when Freddie died.
Del Amitri - Nothing Ever Happens on Waking Hours
Suede – Still Life on Dog Man Star. Moody strange album, never liked it, but what a beautiful final track.
Meatloaf – For Crying Out Loud (BOOH). Just when you thought it couldn’t get any more epic!
Springsteen – Jungleland (BTR) – same reason.
ELO - Shangri La on A New World Record (although if Out of the Blue had ended on Mr Blue Sky...I should note for our American friends that for you that song finishes way sooner than our version)
Leona Lewis - Run on Spirit. Sorry, don’t mean to lower the tone, but I loved the Snow Patrol version of that song and when I heard Leona had covered it I was determined to hate it. First time I heard it, I cried. But for the right reasons. The only thing it compares to is a prayer.
But let’s face it guys, the best ending to any album ever, hands down, is Brain Damage/Eclipse.
Richard
I think Anonymous might've hit the nail on the head: Brain Damage/Eclipse. While there might be better songs, this may be the perfect closer.
ReplyDeleteInkstained Wretch: that is possibly my favorite BOC song. Thanks for bringing it up.
Other nominees:
Train In Vain (London Calling - unlisted)
Love Reign O'er Me (Quadrophenia)
Road to Joy (Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning)
Anonymous:
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments. I just meant 'classic' in terms of his droll humor, not so much musical content.
Nice comments on Queen as well. I love a band who knew how to use theatrics, yet not compromise on the the power of their music.
Thanks everyone!