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Thread: Who had the first cool intro?

  1. #1

    Who had the first cool intro?

    The thread on black rock musicians (and particularly talking about Chuck Berry), had me wondering about intros. I've long maintained that the intro is one of the most important (if not the most important) parts of a song. Chuck certainly had a lot of classic intros, to be sure. But I was wondering if anyone had classic intros before Chuck. As far as I can tell, he might have been the first person to realize you needed to grab the listener by the ears (if not the throat) at the top of the song.

  2. #2
    Dies Irae grabs you by the neck and doesn't relent.


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    Which was Mozart's first opera with a devastatingly catchy overture? Die Entführung aus dem Serail?
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

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    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    That caveman who unknowingly banged rocks together in 5/4.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

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    You guys realize I wasn't talking about classical music, right?

  6. #6
    Oh No! Bass Solo! klothos's Avatar
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    Before Chuck Berry?!? Egad - probably not many in Rock

    Chuck Berry - to my ears - was almost trying to emulate the punch (and even in parts of his guitar phrasing) of the "grab ya by the ass" horn intros to some great swing classics. For example: If you think about the way the intro to "In The Mood" by Glenn Miller sets up the body of the song, this sounds similar to what Chuck Berry was trying to accomplish on guitar in Rock-n-Roll

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    Member BobM's Avatar
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    I would have to say, though I can't point explicitely to one, that Louis Armstrong probably did it way back when, but then his mentors might have done it before him too.
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    Member wideopenears's Avatar
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    Louis Armstrong, for sure....one of the most famous "intros" ever. "West End Blues," for those that don't know it.

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    LinkMan Chain's Avatar
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    Cab Calloway - Minnie The Moocher
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  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    You guys realize I wasn't talking about classical music, right?
    So you want a cool rock music intro.... that predates Chuck Berry?

    Can't help you there.

  11. #11
    Rock around the Clock.
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    Member No Pride's Avatar
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  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by klothos View Post
    Before Chuck Berry?!? Egad - probably not many in Rock

    Chuck Berry - to my ears - was almost trying to emulate the punch (and even in parts of his guitar phrasing) of the "grab ya by the ass" horn intros to some great swing classics. For example: If you think about the way the intro to "In The Mood" by Glenn Miller sets up the body of the song, this sounds similar to what Chuck Berry was trying to accomplish on guitar in Rock-n-Roll
    Yeah, I believe Chuck even said he was influenced by horn players.

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    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Bails View Post
    That caveman who unknowingly banged rocks together in 5/4.
    the debut of flintogressive rock, uh??
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

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    define ‘cool’.

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    Sing Sing Sing with that big Gene Krupa tom tom beat...if you don't know it by name -you know it when you hear it.

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    Tarzan
    NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE GROUPS!

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    Member davis's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shadow View Post
    Tarzan

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    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shadow View Post
    Tarzan
    Tarzan would have been early 20th century.

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    Parrots Ripped My Flesh Dave (in MA)'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by klothos View Post
    Before Chuck Berry?!? Egad - probably not many in Rock

    Chuck Berry - to my ears - was almost trying to emulate the punch (and even in parts of his guitar phrasing) of the "grab ya by the ass" horn intros to some great swing classics. For example: If you think about the way the intro to "In The Mood" by Glenn Miller sets up the body of the song, this sounds similar to what Chuck Berry was trying to accomplish on guitar in Rock-n-Roll

    -also-
    http://www.whosampled.com/sample/323...t-Every-Time)/

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by JKL2000 View Post
    Tarzan would have been early 20th century.
    Assuming he's referring to Weismuller, that would be 1932.
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by ronmac View Post
    Assuming he's referring to Weismuller, that would be 1932.
    NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE GROUPS!

  23. #23
    ^^ Now, THAT would make a cool ring tone. ^^
    "The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"

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