Introducing...

[laughingcrow]

Today's obsessive bit of song in my brain was the base line to Jack of all parades...got me thinking..

Which are the top 5 musical intros to Elvis Costello songs?

Mine are...

1 - Jack of all parades...killer bass line, creepy feel!
2 - This Town...jangly, futuristic, paranoid.
3 - Big Sister's Clothes... rebellious taunting base riff, at it's best on the BSC/Stand down margaret bonus.
4 - King of Thieves... great bit of piano from Stevie boy
5 - My Science Fiction Twin... just rocks.

I couldn't find room in the top 5 for Invisible Man, That day is done or Human hands.

[BlueChair]

1. "Green Shirt." The keyboard part sounds like a video game.

2. "You Little Fool. This is the song off of "Imperial Bedroom" that always puts me in a good mood when it starts. The crashing guitar... the harpsichord... the drums... t t t t t t t crash

3. Shipbuilding. The crashing piano intro does it for me everytime

4. Tokyo Storm Warning. The marching drum pattern and cool keyboard trills and then the guitar and bass violently enter.

5. Kinder Murder. The first time I heard it I was like "what the hell is making that guitar so wobbly!" It still blows my mind.

[miss buenos aires]

I always suck at these list things, but the number one for me is "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea)."

[noiseradio]

1. "The Other Side of Summer" I Love that bass opening.

2. "No Action" I don't want to kiss you, I don't want to touch...BOOM

3. "Lipstick Vogue" 3 cheers for Pete.

4. "Shallow Grave" Absolutely stunning opening. All that piano and guitar, with the rimshot. Very nice.

5. "New Lace Sleeves" You know it's going to be great from the opening.

Honorable mention: "Clean Money"

[Poppet]

Riot Act - slow and steady wins the race.
Beyond Belief - same as above, but w/ reverb!

The Beat - wheeee! wake up! dance!

and other fine numbers already mentioned.

[laughingcrow]

Noiseradio said;

3. "Lipstick Vogue" 3 cheers for Pete.

Good call! Never thought of that one...Pete's finest hour in the attractions? Quite possibly....sounds just as cool live!

[bambooneedle]

Senior Service - "thump-thump ... thump-thump...... o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o...."

Strict Time - The small guitar sounds (sounds tropical...) with bits of the other instruments chiming in before he starts singing.

New Lace Sleeves - great drum sounds and bass.

Radio Radio - The keyboards. It just sets everything up for EC's sarcastic delivery.

5ive Gears in Reverse - Exciting. I love the way it seems to lurch.

My favourite on North would have to be Can You Be True? with that Brodsky intro.

Best on WIWC: Daddy Can I Turn This... eaaasily. Great crunching guitar and Davey does a Bruce.

[Goody2Shoes]

You'll Never Be A Man--yummy piano. Sounds like the intro to a potentially flowery love song, with no hint whatever of the sarcasm to follow.

[Watching_Detectives]

God's Comic...I like that for some reason...

Sunday's Best...sounds like a Carnival!

The world and his wife...

[spooky girlfriend]

I like God's Comic and Jack of All Parades. I'm certain there are more but I need more time to think. Many many EC songs to pick from.

[girl out of time]

......i´m thinking of......radio radio, watching the detectives (undoubtely) and what´s so funny about peace love & understanding........
......ALSO....pills & soap, and the intros on man out of time and i want you....

[spooky girlfriend]

I was listening to Oliver's Army this morning and thinking how much I like the beginning.

Also listened to MLAR for a while, and did love that opening to The Other Side of Summer. Once I heard the first song, I had to go ahead and play the rest of the cd. Got stuck on How To Be Dumb a few times.

[laughingcrow]

The piano intro on Men called uncle is really cool!

[migdd]

"Oh, I just don't know where to begin" would be an obvious choice. I also really like the intro to "American Without Tears". What's the word. . .elegiac. Yeah, that's it! Very sweet and defines the tone of the whole album.

Vodka-fueled tonight! And enjoying having the ability to post from home for the first time in almost a month. Please forgive me! (Least of all, for the sentence fragments!)

[spooky girlfriend]

I'll forgive you, since you mentioned one of my favorite songs from KOA.

And I've had a few myself.

[DrSpooky]

How about Hurry Down Doomsday from MLAR?

I always think of my father when the bugs are taking over because one his main business ventures was a pest control company.

[spooky girlfriend]

I was actually listening to that one today, doc. The kids really enjoyed it. I played a lot of MLAR today. It seemed to fit somehow.

[bobster]

Actually, that I could see "Hurry Down" being used as a jingle for Orkan.

"Are the bugs taken over? Well, there's no reason to hurray down doomsday. Call the Orkin Man!"

(This may be a regional company -- but suffice it to say they kill bugs, dead.)

---

My favorite openings...ah, I'll just steal Noises'.

[PlaythingOrPet]

The whirling start of Couldn't Call It Unexpected #4 recalls Sunday's Best.

Lover's Walk is Pete's best work after Lipstick Vogue. Bass kicking in sounds like a hungry tummy.

Intro to Beaten To The Punch sounds like I Saw Her Standing There. You (I) WANT to sing "Well, she was just 17, you know what I mean..."

Fantastic as per usual work from Steve on Shipbuilding. Same with SWHOG.

King Horse. Get up and dance!

The strings at the beginning of Can You Be True? would make a fine James Bond theme tune.

Goon Squad. DOO DO DO DOOO, do doo do dooo... *shudder* Still sinister.