Great Starts - Songs With Iconic Beginnings
Sometimes songs make a strong, memorable statement from the very first note. This week, to start off the new year, Jim and Greg share songs with iconic starts.
Great Starts
The first few bars of a song can make it or break it! Jim and Greg share tracks they think have great starts. They also share one song each that has an iconic ending.
Greg
- The Temptations, "Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone"
- New Order, "Blue Monday"
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Maps"
- N.W.A., "Express Yourself"
- Ending: Beta Band, "Dry the Rain"
Jim
- Rolling Stones, "Rocks Off"
- John Cale, "Hallelujah"
- Public Enemy, "Fight the Power"
- X-Ray Spex, "Oh Bondage Up Yours!"
- Ending: The Flaming Lips, "The Magician Vs. The Headache"
Greg
This week, Greg takes us all on a trip to the desert island to put a quarter in the jukebox. He chose the track "Let’s Start The Dance" by Hamilton Bohannon. Bohannon is a legendary drummer who provided the sound for many classic Motown songs by artists like Stevie Wonder and The Supremes. Greg wanted to ring in the new year by giving some love to Bohannon and hitting the dance floor!
Featured Songs
- The Supremes, "You Keep Me Hangin' On," The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland, Motown, 1966
- The Chambers Brothers, "Time Has Come Today," Time Has Come Today (1967 single version), Columbia, 1967
- The Kinks, "You Really Got Me," You Really Got Me (single), Pye, 1964
- Heart, "Crazy On You," Dreamboat Annie, Mushroom, 1976
- The Temptations, "Papa Was A Rolling Stone," All Directions, Gordy, 1972
- The Rolling Stones, "Rocks Off," Exile On Main St., Rolling Stone, 1972
- Joy Division, "Love Will Tear Us Apart," Love Will Tear Us Apart (single), Factory, 1980
- New Order, "Blue Monday," Blue Monday (single), Factory, 1983
- John Cale, "Hallelujah ," Fragments of a Rainy Season, Hannibal, 1992
- Talking Heads, "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)," Remain In Light, Sire, 1980
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Maps," Fever to Tell, Interscope, 2003
- Public Enemy, "Fight the Power," Fear of a Black Planet, Def Jam, 1990
- N.W.A., "Express Yourself," Straight Outta Compton, Ruthless, 1988
- X-Ray Spex, "Oh Bondage Up Yours!," Germ Free Adolescents, EMI, 1978
- Kool & the Gang, "Hollywood Swinging," Wild and Peaceful, De-Lite, 1973
- The Flaming Lips, "The Magician Vs The Headache," Hit To Death in the Future Head, Warner Bros, 1992
- The Beta Band, "Dry The Rain," The Three E.P.'s, Regal, 1998
- Tom Tom Club, "Genius of Love," Tom Tom Club, Sire, 1981
- Hamilton Bohannon, "Let's Start The Dance," Summertime Groove, Mercury, 1978
- Phoenix, "Long Distance," It's Never Been Like That, EMI, 2006
- John Prine, "In Spite of Ourselves," In Spite of Ourselves, Oh Boy, 1999
- George Jones / B.B. King, "Patches," Rhythm Country and Blues, MCA, 1994
- Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," Bella Donna, Atco, 1981
- X, "Fourth of July," See How We Are, Elektra, 1987
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