I recently came across a thread on a popular website in which thousands of people debated a simple question: what are the best 5 seconds in all of recorded music,
From that debate emerged ten fairly clear winners. All of them make sense to me. All of them are in genres very well known to and by the Afterword Massive. None of them are particularly obscure. None of them were recorded later than the early 90s.
So, with all of that in mind, I ask you, the Afterword; what are the best 5 seconds in all of recorded music?
A point to anyone who can name one of the ten winning entries. Go!
That’s a tough question. Off the top of my head…
Intro’s – This Charming Man takes some beating for the sheer joyousness of the guitar. Caberet Voltaire’s Yashar (John Robie 7 minute mix) is my favourite sample – “There’s 70 million people in there. Where arethey hiding?”.
Bits in the middle – Jeff Buckley’s Grace has a bit just after the stringy bit (I think after the second verse) where he sings an ooohhh but it may be a mottled scream just is perfect Jeff Buckley (which is perfect music). There is also a bit in Propellerheads version of OHMSS, again, after the mellow stringy bit where there is just a monstrous bass line that kicks in before being joined by drums that I love.
If I had to pick one, its the bit of Se Lest by Sigur Ros where it turns a bit oompah band/possibly polka. It’s beautiful and its funny. My favourite type of beautiful.
And a guess at the winning entries (because none of those I have added above are likely) should include the bit of BoHoRap that Wayne and pals loved and the “whhooooaaaa” after the riff in Sabotage by the Beastie Boys.
I could hear the Jeff Buckley bit in my head just from reading the above. It’s wonderful.
I can confirm that Bo Rap is not on the list. No Queen at all, in fact.
It’s a better list than I was expecting then.
Minus one point to you for this unwarranted Queen slander!
I can live with that. Although Don’t Stop Me Now as an absolute banger I must admit.
I should have added above, my personal choice for Jeff Buckley would have been the 5 seconds at 4’30 of Lover You Should’ve Come Over when he sings “all my blood for the sweetness of her laughter” and the backing vocals pitch unexpectedly upwards. Magical.
The word magical is the perfect word for Jeff Buckley at his best.
That whole Propellerheads album is fantastic – an amazing sounding thing all round
Agreed. No one gives it the respect it’s due. Its fabulous.
No idea, but I’d happily go with this as the peak of the wah-wahing lead guitar solo from Peter Tosh on Stir It Up
or this as the crest of JIm Hunt’s sax solo on I’m Comin’ Down by Primal Scream
It’s probaly BoRap or something like that. Plus something from Led Zep – probalbly Whole Lotta Love.
I love both of these. No Zep either.
All of recorded music? Then possibly something by Chuck Berry or Jerry Lee Lewis – classic rock’n’roll (As I’m in an Andrew Hickey kind of mood).
The Rolling Stones were great at this…
The organ break at the end of Jumpin’ Jack Flash.
The klaxon at the end of Street Fighting Man.
The sax break before the final chorus of Honky Tonk Women.
There’s yer 15 seconds right there!
This is the closest so far.
Merry Clayton’s voice crack in Gimme Shelter and Jagger’s ‘Yeah’?
Ding ding ding!
This was in 9th place on the list. I’m going to quote the actual submission because it’s pretty good stuff:
“The bit in Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones when the session vocalist absolutely obliterates the “rape, murder” line, her voice cracks and you can hear Jagger going “Woo!” in the background”.
You found that one quick. Nine more to go….
Keith Moon’s thunderous drums followed by Roger Dalrey’s defiant scream in WGFA
This is a great one, but it’s not on there.
“TEENAGE BREAKDOWN” from Daltrey according to the Hep.
Two intros:
Drum crack and guitar at start of Teenage Kicks
Duff/on purpose guitar note on White Man In Hammersmith Palais
For me it’s the bit in the live version of Crosseyed and Painless on the vinyl release of The Name of This Band is… (crminally edited from the CD release) where the slow groove of the intro transforms into the massive all-in riff of the original recording with two clicks of the sticks. I still find it exhilarating every time.
It won’t be on the list.
out of context it doesn’t work as a five second thing but (and i’ve said it before) around *here* https://youtu.be/dVNdTXEJv1A?t=190 there’s the build up that’s been there the last 20 seconds or so and William Orbit does his magic thing and there’s that sound in the background that could be anything, just a single note ringing in the background. Why it’s magical.
(link isn’t giving a preview – it’s from Pure Shores by All Saints)
It’s not on there, but this is a great answer. One of those moments where a big of magic dust is sprinkled to elevate a song from pretty good to great.
Pure Shores is one of those tracks that, when it comes on the radio – or more likely when I’m playing one of my holiday/car/party CD compos – I HAVE TO turn up to 11. It’s pure pop joy.
Dylan’s “How does it feel”?
“Play fucking loud”, surely?
No Dylan on the list. Democracy fails us, yet again.
“Help, I need somebody”?
Are you quoting a lyric or is this an actual cry for aid? Cough twice if there are people there with you and you feel threatened.
Must be some Fab Four in there?
Gratifyingly Beatles-free.
So no “one two three FOUR” then? All done with a second to spare? Pah!
wow, I’ve been going through thinking surely that initial drum hit from Like A Rolling Stone is on there
5 seconds maximum – ok I’ll have a punt:
Hard Day’s Night intro chord
“Dee-Duh” from Are ‘Friends’ Electric?
Wibbly noise + Hey! Hey! Hey! – Firestarter
Tainted Love brace of keyboard stabs
“You came like a comet….” The Whole of the Moon
The Firestarter one is a great shout. Breeders and Art of Noise slung together into something far greater than the sum of its parts.
Regrettably, none of these are on the list, although I suspect the Waterboys one would do well in an Afterword-only vote.
I thought the Hard Day’s Night one was a dead cert… oh well.
The ‘wibble’ on Cars by Numan is a perfect first 5 secs before the synth riff kicks in.
Yes, the brief wibble and the three rapid drum strokes – a perfect 5 seconds of tension.
I was about to say AHDN opening chord. Will go with the first few seconds of Anarchy in the UK
Isaac Hayes doing whatever he does with his keyboard at 15:27 on his monumental version of “By The Time I Get To Phoenix” off ‘”Hot Buttered Soul” – runs to just about 5 seconds too.
The feedback intro to I Feel Fine
The end chord of A Day In The Life
The 1-2-3-4 lead in to the “The highway…” in Born To Run
The “when you’re gone…” key change in the chorus of SOS
I don’t personally understand how the 1-2-3-4 from BTR isn’t on this list, but lamentably it isn’t. Nor are any of the others.
I would also add the “Hey-ey Bay-bey” into the closing sax solo on Dancing In The Dark. What a sensational outro.
The first guitar line after 20s of amp warm-up on Another Girl, Another Feedback.
Winner winner chicken dinner
(shirley)
Start Me Up – opening few seconds
Three Little Birds – keyboard riff
“I don’t think so!” – Gonna Make You a Star
Every 1’s a Winner – main riff
The second half of the Heart of Glass intro – about 8s of disco drum machine, then 5s of the band, then Debbie Harry.
The guitar in the fade of Blondie’s Rapture.
Gilmour’s guitar figure announces itself in Shine On You Crazy Diamond
The drum fill in In The Air Tonight
Double ding ding ding!
In at number 6…
“Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd when the four iconic notes are being played for the first time”.
In at number 10…
“The right answer is the drum fill in “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins.
Well played, sir.
Some others from me that aren’t on the list, but should be….
2’53 on New Slaves by Kanye West – three minutes of tedious ranting falls away, there’s a drumroll and a sample of Gyöngyhajú Lány by Omega takes us quite unexpectedly to the promised land.
5’17 on Purple Rain by Prince – he drops the falsetto on what is already the most imperious-sounding Pop song ever recorded. A track you thought was already in its highest possible gear finds another gear still.
1’53 on Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O’Connor – “tell me baby – where did I go wro-oh-oh-ong”. Chills, ever time.
0’40 on Baby I Need Your Loving by The Four Tops – the first time they hit those vocal harmonies.
0’15 on Break On Through by The Doors – Shock and awe as they drop the chorus 15 seconds (15 seconds!) in, and what a chorus.
The first 5 seconds of Welcome To The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance.
Sorry but the AfterWord Committee (average age 68) has slapped a Cease & Desist order on this so-called thread – no Beatles, No Dylan: the very idea. You should be ashamed !
Don’t blame me, blame the exquisite good taste/deplorable ignorance of the voting public, as applicable.
The committee IS blaming you! Nobody on here looks at whatever social media Tik-X-Insta you found this pubescent poll on. Cease, desist!
Minus 1 point to Lodestone for suggesting I would go anywhere near Tik Tok, X or Instagram. Blecch.
When the drums come in at the start of Smells Like Teen Spirit?
I mean, it should really be number one, but it’s not there at all.
My eldest progeny is currently learning to play this track on the drums. I am delighted, my neighbours less so.
No, it’s when Bonzo’s drums kick in on Stairway to Heaven.
When The Levee Breaks, for me.
How about the 5 seconds of drum machine on the start of Blue Monday?
The ‘yesss’ after the prolonged guitar note on Taboo, Santana III.
The first dip into the baroque of Ray Manzarek’s organ on Light My Fire.
Creep when Johnny does his thing.
Surprisingly, not on the list.
The synth kicking in at the climax of Virginia Plain.
“IT’S CHRIIIISTMAAAAASSS!”
I love this post because it’s making me imagine the synth kicking in on Virginia Plain and then Bryan Ferry unaccountably bellowing “IT’S CHRISTMASSSS” 😂
I’m led to understand that it’s his festive party piece round at Ferry Towers.
Skip ahead to 4.35. Like with my Pure Shores thing above, it’s tiny. It’s just a ‘woo’. There’s 8 ‘You know what Some Might Say’s and then the ‘Woo’, and it’s just great. Tony McCarroll is still the drummer, they’ve had one big album and the previous singles have done alright, but the parent album for this song is a few months away yet, except clearly they have high hopes.
This is them kicking down the doors to the big time.
‘Woo’ indeed.
Blimey, I’ve never actually noticed that before.
i don’t know much about dance music but it’s not unlike that thing where there’s a build and a drop.
There’s 8 things repeated and the ‘woo’ and then, like coming back up off a bungee cord, we’re snapped into a guitar solo outro. It just ‘works’. I think that might be part of its charm.
If we’re talking great “Woo’s” in music, this is the best I’ve ever heard – at 1:44, but needs to be heard in the context of the whole track:
2.09
Ahh that is indeed a great ‘woo’
The stuttery drum pattern and guitar riff at the heart of Promised You a Miracle (just checked and they start with it) – always the second time when the drums come in.
dodododo dooo do
3 seconds of silence (maybe 2.5 Spotify doesn’t do less than a second) and ‘There Ain’t No more’ 2 mins 20 into Come Up and See Me.
Best silence.
Also another great moment in Born To Run of course.
Beat me to that, @moseleymoles. Superb!!!
The silence in Come Up And See Me is a huge shout. Not on the list.
Some other favourite silences (also not on the list):
The false start in Waiting Room by Fugazi
Hard to Explain by The Strokes, builds to a crescendo then stops on a dime
March of the Pigs by NIN
Chop Suey by System of a Down
Sad But True by Metallica
Never Tear Us Apart by INXS
Monkey Wrench by Foo Fighters
Sabotage by the Beastie Boys. Also Intergalactic.
The false end on Marquee Moon
Another fave – the three or four second silent pause after the amplifier hum and sound of a VCS3 waking up that precedes the opening chords to 21st Century Schizoid Man. Just enough time to crank the amp up to neighbour-frightening levels.
Good Lovin’ by The Young Rascals (2.00)
Good one on Cockney Rebel. I love the bit at the end of the first verse of Mr. Soft where he goes “ooh la (drum tap) CHA”. Theatrical bloke Steve Harley.
Oh yes! Mr Soft was one of my singles collection when I was 13 (still got it) – shortly after that I started buying LPs and nothing was the same ever again.
The talking Guitar bit in Jimi Hendrix’s “Rainy Day Dream Away”
I’ve been obsessed with this one for most of my adult life. It’s just pure joy, and the album has already achieved escape velocity by that point. It’s off into space!
I love Hendrix so much.
We’ve not really gone into drops, demographic on here and all that.
The monster keyboard riff that happens 2 mins 20 into Insomnia by Faithless after all that tense rapping and screwed-down beats. Just a moment of complete release.
I can confirm that there’s no EDM and no Hip Hop on the list.
I’ve been thinking about why this is. Most Hip Hop tracks don’t really build to peaks – the closest they tend to come is the first beat drop, but then you get the beat for most of the track so it’s a little less of a “moment”. You reach the top of the hill, but you don’t come back down.
Take, for example, Biggie’s Juicy – you get the spoken word intro, that wonderful “It’s all good ba-by ba-by” and then one of Hip Hop’s greatest beats, nicked from Juicy Fruit by Mtume. But it’s not really a “moment”, it’s just the track starting.
Likewise, EDM is full of absolutely monster drops, but they’re sort of priced in. You know they’re coming, they don’t often just fall out of the clear blue sky – if you understand the lexicon of the genre you can more or less predict when they’re about to happen. Whereas something like Merry Clayton on Gimme Shelter just completely knocks you on your ass the first time you hear it. It doesn’t have to be there, it just suddenly and unexpectedly is.
There are obviously exceptions to the rule, but that’s how I’m interpreting that lack of music picks from those genres.
Also: Insomnia is a great choice. Not just the first time the synth line drops, but when the hyper-adrenalised drums then kick back in with it.
If you’ve not come across The Field and his trickery then can I suggest this for knocking you on your ass. You absolutely have to listen to the end and it’s all about the last 5 (maybe 8 seconds) when all is revealed.
Yep that’s a banger. I love The Field.
My favourite drop is in Ian Dury & The Blockheads What A Waste when the music falls into an abyss.
Perfect!!!
The intro to Tutti Frutti
The intro to Be My Baby
“I’m HERE to REMIND YOU”
The Be My Baby intro would make my list, but it doesn’t make the internet’s.
How about the “ewww” in Easy? Although it’s only about one second.
I don’t wanna lose your love (HORNS!)
I don’t wanna lose your love (HORNS!)
The guitar line entry on Pull Up To The Bumper
Sly and Robbie establish the groove for 2 repeats then
Car horn
Wooh
Mu-huh
Synth stab
Guitar line (wikipedia won’t confirm who’s playing, as two guitarists are credited)
80s production perfection
“diddle-iddle-liddle-liddle” is, I think, the guitar line of which you speak.
When Elvis starts the ‘uh dontcha know’ s in Suspicious Minds.
When Marc Bolan starts the ‘yeah yeah yeahs’ towards the end of Metal Guru
Jeff Beck’s “train whistle” guitar at the start of Yardbird’s Train Kept a’ Rollin’…
Smoke on the Water? Not the actual riff but there’s a bit of guitar (I really can’t explain it) a bit like a solo before the riff comes back in, about half way through. Not listened to it in about 40 years, mind…
might be a wee bit longer than five seconds but the drum into and opening chords of Yes by McAlmont and Butler
From about 10 seconds in on Voodoo Child
It’s a shade over 5 seconds, but the lead in to the first chorus, where McAlmont absolutely wellies “have you forgot/whatever it was that you couldn’t stand/about me/about me/about me/baby”, while all the strings and guitar have a glorious little party behind him is about as thrilling as music gets.
If it has to be five seconds, maybe just boil it down to the wondrous phrasing of “What-ev-er it WAS that you COULDn’t stand” and a couple of “about me”s.
What a track.
I revisited this thread to suggest it could be almost any 5 seconds of Yes, but for me is the first huge swoop of strings.
WHAT – is – THIS, that stands before me?
I am as god made me, sir.
Also: great shout.
But also: not on the list.
The opening riffs of Layla and Superstition?
Both classics, but both riffs, rather than 5 second peaks.
It won’t be on the list but that opening ‘WEE-EE-EE-EE-EE-LLLLL…..’ on Lulu’s Shout does it for me every time. Clocks in at exactly 5 seconds too.
I’ve got a feeling that if you did a UK-only version, this might be up there.
I should hope so!
Both sides of the split single featuring Napalm Death doing You Suffer on one side, and The Electro Hippies doing Mega Armageddon Death Pt. 3 on the other?
https://www.discogs.com/release/17983360-Napalm-Death-Electro-Hippies-001-Etched-7
Bowies ‘one damned song makes me break down and cry’ in Young Americans? Voodoo Chile c32 secs in when Jimis guitar erupts?
The Hendrix would make my personal list, but people are vulgarians so no dice.
Opening riff of 21st Century Schizoid Man…? Or Smoke on the Water? Or Whole Lotta Love?
Nope, nope and nope. All good suggestions though.
OK – a few clues to help out with the remaining 7 entries:
Two of the remaining songs are tracks with iconic riffs.
Two of the remaining songs are pre-1950
One is a superb opening
One is the arguably most broadly recognisable snippet of music of all time
One is a case of mistaken identity
Satisfaction?
Imagine?
That one by The Kinks? You know it. Or that other one by them.
Nelson Riddle’s swell in I’ve Got You Under My Skin?
Johnny Be Good intro by Chuck Berry?
In the mood by Glenn Miller?
Take 5 by Dave Brubeck?
No, no and no. 🙁
Start of Beethoven’s Fifth?
G’n’R?
Nope. I feel like there’s a moment in Paradise City that qualifies though.
Glen Buxton’s riff on Schools Out..
Sadly not.
Played by Rick Derringer allegedly.
“And Then He Kissed me”, the intro?
Also part of God Only Knows, probably the “ah, ahhh, ah” break
A lot of these have had me scratching my head as to how they didn’t end up on the list, but no – neither of those.
LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out
Specifically when the opening Sly sample stops, there is a brief pause before LL shouts ‘Don’t call it a comeback’ and the Funky Drummer beat drops.
Very exciting.
Tremendous moment, but no.
Back on answers that could make the list:
Stop! In the name of love.
Start with the chorus.
‘superb opening’
And my guess for a pre-1950 song
The intro to In The Mood (Glenn Miller).
Do the first chords of beethoven fifth count as a song – certainly in with a shout (western audiences) as the most recognisable music of all time.
Recently at a concert for undeer-11’s (work) and this was used for demonstrating musical theory.
And I love the theory that Beethoven needed three notes for this, John Williams only two for the Jaws theme (also not a song but a shout for a great 5s).
Strikes me that would certainly be in with a shout for being ‘arguably most broadly recognisable snippet of music of all time’. The motif is four occurrences of two notes, one of which is repeated three times.
Ding ding ding! We have a fourth winner.
“The opening of Beethoven’s Fifth.“
Hard to argue with, when you think about it. There is one other classical music piece on the list, but the music itself arguably isn’t as famous as the unconventional instrument being played along with it.
‘Unconventional instrument’? Well that rules out my first three thoughts which were:
The opening clarinet notes in Rhapsody in Blue
The ‘dum dum dum dum’ rhythmic break in Rite of Spring after all that shapeless tentative noodling in the opening minutes
The thump of the tympani in THAT opening of Also Sprach Zarathustra as heard in 2001 A Space Odyssey..
Oh and then there’s Bernard Herrman’s music for the Psycho shower scene, but that’s all on very conventional strings. Nope; I’m stumped.
I was thinking Air On A G String, Nessun Dorma or Dance Of The Knights.
Good guesses, but nope.
Glass harmonica?
Or the cannons on the 1812 overture
Dvorak’s New World Symphony played by a brass band for Hovis?
Ding ding ding!
“When Tchaikovsky decided cannons were instruments.”
Well played. Five down, five to go!
It wasn’t even the first time Beethoven used that sequence of four notes to open a work, he’d first used it to open his Piano Sonata for Four Hands, which was published about 10 years earlier.
Probably not on the list but the bass break in the middle of “You Can Call Me Al”. (Actually a bass break and then the same break run backwards, I discovered a while ago!)
This was high on the list, but not in the top 10. A great musical moment.
The Daltrey scream on won’t get fooled. again.
The opening keyboard motif on Simon and Garfunkel’s America
Opening acoustics guitar on Leonard Cohens Suzanne.
Nope to all of them, wonderful as they all are.
Probably not there, but …
Clive Burr’s drum roll on Run To The Hills
Topper Headon’s drum rolls on Safe European Home
The breakdown and drum return on Brimful of Asha
John Lydon’s raspberry at the end of EMI
The guitar intro and breaks on the live version of The Kinks – I’m Not Like Everybody Else
The dog’s barks on Dylan’s Every Grain of Sand
‘You know I’m born to lose
And gamblings for fools
But that’s the way I like it baby, I don’t want to live forever
And don’t forget the joker!’
Yes!
This one absolutely should be on the list, but isn’t. Lamentable.
The bass and drums kicking in on either ‘Caroline’ or ‘Down Down”
Yes yes!! I’d go for ‘Down Down’, I think.
Mystery Song tops both of them
No, it doesn’t – but I see where you’re coming from…
The second and final guitar break at the end of Time is Tight by Booker T. & The MGs.
I know! It’s 3:32 – 3:37 in Nowhere’s Nigh by Parts And Labor where the key changes and the fizzing keyboards come in, isn’t it?
Certainly one of the most thrilling five seconds in music I know
but play fair, you have to watch the whole thing to get the effect
If only.
The opening backbeat cross to Billie Jean?
Would have been a great pick, but no.
The guitar break in Whole Lotta Love?
The first theremin howl in Good Vibrations?
The start of Tutti Frutti?
I think you excluded the Beatles, but I am surprised that the ‘ah’s from A Day In The Life didn’t make it.
How about “Boo” from Enter Sandman?
Easy by the Commodores, when the guitar kicks in at 2:49.
When Lemmy growls “And don’t forget the joker” on Ace of Spades?
Beatcha to it, Old Fruit.
See above
Aw snap. I thought I had a winner there.
The bass lick on ‘Car Wash’ by Rose Royce.
It’s not 5 seconds though. But it is marvellous
The intro to She Sells Sanctuary.
Okay, so it’s not this but it’s another song which for whatever reason I sort of file in my head alongside She Sells Sanctuary for no apparent reason.
Worst hint ever, but it’s all I got at this stage.
I know it’s not gonna be there, but my gf just sang the Pearl & Dean theme … and it could’ve been.
(Please say one of the riffs isn’t Smoke on the Water)
One of the riffs isn’t Smoke On The Water.
The theme into and including the cannons in the 1812 Overture…
Also see above.
Gordon Bennett.
Note to self – read thread updates before posting.
Still – very well played for getting it.
Appreciate it!
You did get it without Bingo’s clue at least.
5 seconds of AC/DC – Highway To Hell or Back In Black
(or any other combination of A, C, D, E and G)
These would have been great choices, but alas.
A few long shots, but you never know:
The start of the big finale to Supper’s Ready: ‘SIX-SIX-SIX IS NO LONGER ALONE…”
The start of Ultravox’s Vienna, with the drum beat over a moody synth.
The first appearance of the guitar riff in Personal Jesus (a guitar riff in a Depeche Mode song? The world was shocked).
The bit in Right Here, Right Now by Fatboy Slim when the rising intro suddenly breaks into the melody (about 50 seconds in):
Carmina Burana, when everything goes ballistic after the steady build-up (at about 1m 50 secs). I can take or leave most classical music, but those first few seconds as the choir burst forth are always extraordinary.
Approx 3:48 into Backwater by Quo, just after the fantastic guitar solo when Lancaster comes back in with “Backwater doctor, you’ve got me breathing in time” .
Pretty Vacant
Sax break on Born To Run
The guitar riff from Don’t Fear The Reaper?
Ding ding ding! We have another winner.
“Don’t fear the reaper riff”.
Sky black with congratulatory telegrams, back sore from comradely slaps.
To recap where we’re up to…. Six songs down, four to go:
1812 Overture
Beethoven’s 5th
Don’t fear the reaper riff
In The Air Tonight drums
Gimme Shelter backing vocals
Shine On You Crazy Diamond four notes
Still to find:
One more riff
One great intro
One case of mistaken identity
One very well known snippet
That’s a good call⬆️
The start of “This town ain’t big enough for both of us.”
The bass riff in Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain.
What about Sex Machine halfway through when it goes back to the intro riff after James intones “hit it now!” (2.42 in the song)
DSOTM – the bit on “Speak to me” where the sound effects and Clare Torry build up and build up – then it melts into “Breathe (in the Air)”…
Has anyone said Awopbopaloobopalopbamboom yet?
@Hawkfall does mention the intro to Tutti Frutti above.
I’d like to volunteer 2.47 – 2.52 in this:
When I was a younger man this would have happened at about 0.30.
This would be up there for me, but regrettably not for the hoi polloi.
How’s about some air guitar inspiring bit of Freebird?
An excellent shout, but sadly not.
It’s a 9 second section but I absolutely love the horn section intro, the pause and the David Byrne ‘Huh!’ of Blind from the Naked album by Talking Heads.
“Careful With That Axe, Eugene” – the whispering of the title phrase, the blood-curdling scream and on into the loud bit.
How about Mick Ralph’s intro on All The Young Dudes.
The Jean Genie riff?
The Funky Drummer break. Amen?
The opening bass for Papa Was A Rolling Stone?I
Ding ding ding!
“Amen break”
Quite probably the single most sampled and repurposed snippet in music history and the foundation stone of multiple genres that travel a long way from its origin point.
Well done, Tigger – this one required a bit of lateral thinking, albeit it’s well worth its place on the list imo.
I thought it must be one of the two. Gregory Coleman, who played drums for The Winstons, died homeless and destitute completely unaware of his impact on popular music.
This one was actually a bit of a cheat, because the amen break is blatantly more than five seconds long.
Thad Jones’s cheeky little quote of “Pop Goes The Weasel” to start the trumpet solo on “April In Paris”.
Wouldn’t it be great if this was the answer.
“Is she really going out with him?”, followed by Rat Scabies drums and Brian James unleashes New Rose riff
Does the motif from Tubular Bells fit in 5 seconds?
Not sure, but it’s not on this list I’m afraid.
Maybe the break in Don’t You Forget About Me, when Mel Gaynor pounds every drum in creation before Jim Kerr starts the la-la-la-las?
A truly magical moment, sadly overlooked in this occasion.
The opening of Highway 61 Revisited.
The whistle? It’s pretty great, but nope.
Sax break on Baker Street?
This would have been a good one, but no. I also wonder if young people are still aware of it these days.
The introduction to Soul Man?
The Bo Diddley riff?
The Fairlight CMI orchestral stab sound, which was lifted from a recording of Stravinsky’s Firebird on Classics for Pleasure?
Riffs we have not tried:
After 4s of intro the first run of Back In Black’s guitar riff is about 5s.
Opening salvo of Lust for Life?
The main brass riff on Curtis Mayfield’s Move On Up.
Brian Eno’s synth on Virginia Plain
A suggestion I have been toying with.
The five seconds before “Jojo was a man…” in Get Back.
The intro from Running Down a Dream
The last 2,5 seconds from the yodel and the first 2,5 seconds from the riff of Hocus Pocus.
The mistaken identity one has me intrigued. Is it a sample where it has been used relatively unaltered?
Bass line in Ice Ice Baby/Another one Bites the Dust?
Riff in U Can’t Touch This/Super Freak?
For the popular one, bits of the Star Wars theme?
Ding ding ding!
You absolute legend, I was concerned no one was going to get this one. The second most popular answer, right behind the 1812 Overture with cannons, was as follows:
“The 5 greatest seconds in the history of music is the intro of ice ice baby when you still think it’s going to be under pressure”
😂
Two more left to find. Hints tomorrow if needed. One I’m surprised hasn’t been mentioned yet. The other a little less so. Both great songs.
Yeah, cos the start of Call It What You Want when people think it’s going to be Smells Like Teen Spirit is seven seconds..
The intro of Black Cow by the mighty Dan. Pinched by various rappers.
Which is only fair, given them nicking the intro to Ricki dont lose that number from Horace Silver’s Song for my father (apparently) and Gaucho from Keith Jarrett…
Horace Silver nicked it himself. That progression has some previous history.
Becker and Fagen put their hands up to stealing from Keith Jarrett and co-credited him on later editions of the album, but have always denied stealing Rikki from Horace Silver.
I was thinking the intro one might be the piano riff at the start of Werewolves of London, but it seems it was Ice Ice Baby.
Nope, the intro one is still out there to be found.
One great riff
One great intro (described in the quote as “like a beautiful dream”)
God only knows…
This is a great guess, but it ain’t right.
I Heard It Through The Grapevine?
Brown Sugar?
I wish it was HITTG. Tune.
Won’t be on the list, but The Pretenders – Back on the Chain Gang. That bit at the end of the middle eight where Chrissie Hynde sings “For Making Us Part.. ” and then goes up a key… Gets me every time.
I agree with this.
Al Perkins’ pedal steel entry at 1.34
Introductory fanfare from Bob and Earl’s “Harlem Shuffle”.
This is a fantastic shout, but it’s not the one.
Ok – final clues on the missing pair.
Both quintessential mid-80s records. The intro is described by the commenter as “like a beautiful dream”.
Not the sax intro to careless whisper surely?
Party Fears Two?
The intro to “Money For Nothing”
Probably that, yes
Ding ding ding!
“ Money For Nothing, when the riff finally hits.”
To be fair, it is a pretty good five seconds, that.
One more to go. Great 80s intro… have at it.
The riff from Two Tribes? Probably not the intro if it’s “like a beautiful dream” – but it’s a storming, quintessential 1980s riff, especially when the bass/drums join the guitar…
It’s a massively storming tune, but no dice.
Power of Love would get my vote. Choose from the first time that ridiculous chorus hits, or – my preference – that sumptuous opening “eyyyyyye-eh-eye-eh-eye…. feels like fire”. 🔥
Has anyone said Sweet Child Of Mine?
No one has, and no one did. Magnificent though.
The intro to Don’t You Want Me?
The voting public’s answer: no, we don’t.
Running Up That Hill?
No deals with god, I’m afraid.
Stones. The bit where Midnight Rambler switches to a boogie on Ya Yas
The Stones have so many of these things. When Mick Taylor comes in with his Santanaesque licks on Can’t You Hear Me Knocking. The drums coming in on Sister Morphine. Going up a gear on 100 Years Ago with such a powerful switch up of energy. Not to forget the intro Gimme Shelter. It’s got two all time great moments that song. Not sure you can beat that intro.
Take on Me?
Bette Davis Eyes?
Total Eclipse of the Heart?
Boys of Summer?
Video Killed The Radio Star?
1999, Prince.
How soon is now?
Not dreamy enough I reck
Dreamy enough for me, but not for them.
There She Goes – The Las
Boys of Summer – Don Henley
God forbid it’s Money for Nothing by Dire Straits
I have some bad news for you – see above 😱
I’m going out on a limb for the intro and I think it could be one of these:
I Want To Know What Love Is – Foreigner
Every Breath You Take – The Police
Africa – Toto
Oooh! Police and Toto are good contenders!
Specifically, Andy Summers little guitar figure, not Sting’s composition.
I always thought he looked a bit of a short-arse.
Very, very harsh – he’s the same height as me!
Great guesses, but none on target.
I know Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares to U has been mentioned but the intro when she comes in with ‘Its been 7 hours and 15 days’ is just gorgeous…
One of my absolute favourite songs and an authentically great 80s intro. But it’s not the one.
Opening bars to…
Come on Eileen
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Eye of the Tiger
Ding ding ding! We have our tenth and final winner.
“First 5 seconds of the opening to “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” like a beautiful dream.”
Personally, I don’t even think it’s the best five seconds of the song – for me, that honour goes to the gear shift into “There’s a room where the light won’t find you…”.
For me, the honour goes to the outro guitar solo, where yer man seems to briefly channel Manzanera…
Ooh – that’s an excellent shout too.
“Yer Man” for that second solo is session musician Neil Taylor – who went on to play with Robbie Williams. It’s a great solo, but often annoyingly, gets faded when played on the radio
Thanks, I didn’t know that: I assumed it was yer man Orzabal.
Riffs:
Sunshine of your love – Cream
Into:
Satisfaction – Stones
The intro to The Pet Shop Boy’s rendition of You Were Always On My Mind?
It’s magnificent, but it’s not the one.
Atcf’s identification of Everybody Wants To Rule The World concludes our business here.
Thank you all for playing, and for nominating so many fabulous musical moments, many of which caused literal tutting and headshaking at this end that they had failed to make the internet’s list. Proof positive that the wisdom of crowds should never be trusted.
As a thank you and farewell, I tracked down a corresponding “worst five seconds in music” thread. I don’t propose to run a quiz on its contents, because the nominations are less fun and often more obscure. However, I did cull a few highlights that I thought some of you might enjoy, so I’ll sign off with those.
“Yoko Ono”
“The five seconds after the intro to Under Pressure during which you realise that you’re actually listening to Ice Ice Baby.”
““We were trying funny things and we were smoking funny things” aka kid rock destroys two great songs in one fell swoop”
“That part in “welcome to the jungle” by guns and roses where Axl makes that god awful sound.”
“Who let the dogs out who who who who”
“Not a hit song necessarily but Rid of Me by PJ Harvey is awesome, except for the last few seconds where the guy screams “lick my legs of desire” or whatever annoying shit he screams. It doesn’t ruin the song but I will gladly stop it early to skip that part.”
“older than a lot of other moments mentioned here, but the moment that sticks out to me most is the scream of “it’s CHRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISTMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS” in (I believe) the final chorus of Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody. Genuinely one of the worst moments of a hit Christmas song I’ve ever heard just on a purely auditory level. It’s even worse because aside from that, the song’s actually pretty good! Some gravelly-voiced dude just decided to take a shit all over it in overdubs for some reason! Ugh.”
“That middle part of “Black Betty” that goes into a nonsensical guitar solo.“
Oh, THAT’S the nonsensical part of Black Betty, is it?
😂
Whoever said that about Sir Neville of Holder should be taken outside and lashed with Noddy’s giant kipper tie.
Any fule kno that it’s not Christmas until Noddy says it is.
“That’s what we’re gonna do
(No way baby, let’s go!)
We’re gonna have a good time
We’re gonna have a party”
It’s not actually music but everybody knows it, and you know you’re in for a good time for the next seven minutes.
Yup, I know that feeling.
What a marvellous thread. I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks Bingo et al.
Yeah, and great to read in one sitting after a weekend offline. I definitely feel a “bangers” playlist coming on….