By Des (81.152.91.67) on Monday, July 14, 2003 - 06:40 pm:

Plenty of recent posting and threading about the "thin" state of todays music scene made me think of a thread that would help us get a kick out of listing tracks that INSTRUMENTALLY knock you off your feet within seconds of starting.

In other words "Killer Intro's"....

Here's a few of mine for starters :
Until you come back to me - Aretha
It's a shame - Spinners
Heavy Day - Syreeta
This Will Be - Natalie Cole
Don't Disturb This Groove - The System
I saw the light - Todd Rundgren

More to come....but now over to you guys
Des

By JoB (204.42.12.2) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 04:37 am:

...hey Des..you got one of the first ones I was gonna say (Don't Disturb...--the System)...that's okay, I got plenty more:

Night to Remember--Shalamar
Back in Love Again--L.T.D
Between the Sheets--Isley Bros
Dancing in the Streets--Martha and the Vandellas
When the Lovelight...--Supremes
Tell Me Something Good--Rufus
Play that Funky Music White Boy--White Cherry
Shotgun--Jr. Walker & the All Stars
(I want to say "Rappers Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang, but then I guess I'll have to give that one to Chic for "Good Times" :o)
Fantasy--Earth, Wind, & Fire
Midnight Train to Georgia--Gladys Knight & the Pips
Happy Feelin's--Maze feat. Frankie Beverly
Lovely Day--Bill Withers
I Want you Back--Jackson 5

...and too many more to think of... :o)

By soulkikker (195.18.123.98) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 06:35 am:

Respect - Aretha Franklin
Soul Man - Sam & Dave
Move on up - Curtis Mayfield

By TonyRussi (68.18.227.45) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 07:56 am:

I would say that Motown Record Corp. would have the most "Killer Intros".The producers knew you had to grab the listener by the ears right from the start.Phil Spector knew this too on a smaller scale.

By Charmedes (142.165.109.156) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 09:04 am:

Reflections - Diana Ross and the Supremes
Come see about me - Supremes
Stop in the name of love - Supremes
You keep me hanging on - Supremes
I never loved a man the way I love you - Aretha
In the summertime - Mungo Jerry
Razamanaz - Nazareth
Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
Jupiter's Child - Steppenwolf
Love Serenade - Barry White
I'm going to let my heart do the walking - Supremes
Where is my man - Eartha Kitt

By Eli (152.163.252.68) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 09:06 am:

Love Child
My Girl
I cant help my self
For the love of money
Bad Luck
Youll never find another love like mine
Do it any way you wanna
You make me feel brand new
Didnt I blow your mind
Ready or not here I come
Love Trani
Backstabbers
Love wont let me wait
Sideshow

By imtk (172.196.114.210) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 09:15 am:

papa was a rolling stone, temps
just my imagination, temps
slide , by the band slave

By Michael/cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 09:55 am:

Papa Was A Rolling Stone-Temps
I Heard it Through the Grapevine-Gladys/Pips
I Second that Emotion—Smokey/Miracles
Love Child—Diana Ross and the Supremes
Thriller—Michael Jackson
Love Train—O'Jays
Rhythm Nation—Janet Jackson (I think this one of the best arrangements of a song ever done)
Back In My Arms Again—The Supremes

By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 11:13 am:

I'll Bet You - Funkadelic
Since I Lost My Baby - Temptations
Too Late To turn Back Now- Cornelius Bros/Sister Rose
Ecstasy - Ohio Players
Compared to What - Les McCann/ Eddie Harris
Crazy Like A Fox - NRBQ
Reflections - Supremes
Reach Out - Four tops
For The Love of Money - OJays
Brand New Me - Jerry Butler
In mY Life - Beatles
Hot Smoke and Sassafrass - Bubble Puppy
I Got A Thing - Funkadelic
Up For the Downstoke - Parliament
I'm A Man - Spencer Davis Group
All Your Goodies are Gone (original) Parliaments
(the last two have REAL similar intros)
The Way You Do the Things You Do - Temptations
Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan

SteveK

By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 11:15 am:

Oh yeah,
One Of A Kind Love Affair - Spinners
Sing A simple Song - Sly
Alone Again Or - Love
Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down - Ann Peebles
I love good intros

SteveK

By Caleb (171.75.84.229) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 11:19 am:

How about,"I'll Be Around"-The Spinners.

By douglasm (68.113.13.31) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 11:35 am:

"Ain't Too Proud To Beg"
Marvin's "Grapevine"
"Time Warp"

By Handsome (170.118.157.134) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 01:21 pm:

Here's some of my killer intro's:

The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game-The Marvelettes
Ain't No Way- Aretha Franklin
Neither One of Us-Gladys Knight & The Pips
What can I do for you-Labelle
Everybody Plays The Fool-Main Ingredient
Children Of the Night-Stylistics
Mighty Love-The Spinners
Still Waters(Love)-Four Tops
This Masquerade-George Benson
The Happening-Diana Ross & The Supremes

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 02:05 pm:

INTRO'S ARE LIKE PERSONAL INTRODUCTIONS!!!...I ALWAYS TELL THE SALESMEN THAT WORK FOR ME THAT A CUSTOMER WILL DECIDE WITHIN FIFTEEN SECONDS WHETHER THEY LIKE YOU OR NOT...AND CARE TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU...SO AN UPBEAT...POSITIVE INTRODUCTION IS ESSENTIAL!!!...SAME HOLDS TRUE IN RECORDED MUSIC!!!...STUBASS

By Nish (66.119.33.170) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 05:09 pm:

Ooh Baby Baby
Hello Stranger
Yes I'm Ready
Together (by the Intruders)
Sad Girl (simple, but elegant)
Since I Lost My Baby
Baby I Need Your Lovin'

By Thommygirl_70 (152.163.252.68) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 09:13 pm:

Your Precious Love-Marvin/Tammi

By PhillyGroove (64.12.97.7) on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 09:21 pm:

Used Ta Be My Girl ... by the O'Jays.

By douglasm (68.113.13.31) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 08:21 am:

"Oh What A Night"--The Dells

By Pogo (66.129.43.61) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 09:39 am:

I Do Love You by Billy Stewart
Jamie by Eddie Holland
Follow Your Heart by The Manhattans

By Da Bigga Figga (152.163.252.68) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 11:38 am:

When we did our sessions in Philly, we ALWAYS made sure that the intro made a statement that would be instantly recognizable and would convey the mood of the song.
Sometimes our intros came "out of the blue" so to speak, as in "Bad Luck" where bassist Ronnie Baker was just doodling around on his bass during the original countoff.
The Love I Lost was me doodling around and Gamble said "hey Eli, whats that your playing, do it again and turn it up"!! Same thing with I'll always love my mama.
On Kiss and say goodbye by the Manhattans, I was just "kidding around" and doing a spoof on a "country" kind of thing and surprisingly everyone loved it.

When the Future did Love is here, I jokingly picked up a little triangle as I was passing by a table where one was lying and Gamble said go over to the mike and put it on.

Engine #9 by Wilson Picket was a figure that I was absentmindedly screwing around with.

There were many like that.

Go figue!!!

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 11:59 am:

Any groove that came out of Motown, Philly, Memphis & Chicago had killer intros so it would be hard for me to pin down several without forgetting others.

Here are some other intros from outside those cities:
"Grazing In The Grass" - Friends of Distinction
"Stoned Soul Picnic" - 5th Dimension
"Let's Play House" - Tony Drake
"Tighten Up" (single version) - Archie Bell & the Drells
"Slipping Into Darkness" - War
"Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" - James Brown & the Famous Flames (that opening note is loud enough to wake the dead!)
"What Am I Gonna Do With You" - Barry White

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By TonyRussi (68.18.227.45) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 12:08 pm:

Eli, I love "Engine #9" by Pickett...did you also play on "Don't Let the Green Grass Fool Ya"?That has a Killer Intro also....so does "Sideshow" by Blue Magic.

By Eli (172.144.221.15) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 12:58 pm:

Affirmative on all of the above T.R.!!

By MichaelOH (24.157.156.82) on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 01:41 pm:

Hey All..

Motown for sure, had the best intros, IMO...

Already mentioned, but "I Can't Help Myself" is classic...from the chugging drums and the rollicking piano, to the build up and explosion of the strings and the tambourine....wow...one of my favorites of all time..

..."I Heard It Through The Grapevine", however, is quite possibly the greatest intro of all time. So much tension, and fear...

MichaelOH

By medusa9e2003 (66.73.12.157) on Thursday, July 17, 2003 - 09:20 pm:

Stay~Controllers
Stay~Glenn Jones
Cool Jerk~Capitols
...ahhh, think I'd better leave this alone...I'll B here all night...

By medusa9e2003 (66.73.11.123) on Friday, July 18, 2003 - 09:32 am:

Save The Overtime for me~Gladys Knight & Pips
Since I Lost My Baby, My Girl, It's Growing~Temps
Aint That Peculiar, How Sweet It Is, When I Had YOur Love~Marvin
That's How Heartaches are made~Baby Washington
Itching In My Heart~Supremes
ok, that's it 4 now...

By acooolcat (61.58.180.141) on Friday, July 18, 2003 - 10:28 am:

Here are a few 60's gems from Detroit...

I'm Gonna Love You - Edward Hamilton/Arabians
Can't Shake It Loose - Pat Lewis
Mr Blue - Cody Black
I'll Bet You - Theresa Lindsey
All The Way Home - Dee Edwards
Agent Double-0-Soul & S.O.S - Edwin Starr

Graham

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 18, 2003 - 10:35 am:

Bye Bye Baby - Mary Wells.
Everytime (or any song by) - Ty Hunter

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Friday, July 18, 2003 - 10:36 am:

I agree with Soulkikker. Respect always did it for me. It was short but attention getting and I knew what was coming.

By stephanie (64.63.221.192) on Friday, July 18, 2003 - 11:11 am:

Soul Man - Sam and Dave
Backstabbers - One of the best intros in history by the Ojays and the Sound of Philadelphia
Love Train - The OJays
Back In My Arms Again - The Supremes
Papa Was a Rolling Stone - The Temptations

I agree with Eli most of the Philly Stuff had great beginnings that outshone Motown in the 70s I think Philly was the Motown of the 70s......
A simple beginning that was strong was Lean on Me by Bill Withers..
Stephanie PS Everytime a see a thread on a message board about killer Introductions I ALWAYS see Backstabbers by the OJays I would have to say that is one of the best beginnings on any record.

When it comes to novelty songs Disco Tex and the Sexolettes wins hands down!!!! The Streak and Disco Duck and things like that are great but noone can forget Get Dancin I wish they would put Monte Rock on one of those disco shows I know he would bring down the house..

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, July 18, 2003 - 12:09 pm:

I have to agree with you Stephanie. The Philly Sound would not let you sit down. If you were sitting down, and heard one of those OJay tunes, you would get up and dance. THE OJAYS!!!!!!

By Greg C. (166.84.225.84) on Friday, July 18, 2003 - 01:35 pm:

I Heard It Through The Grapevine-Gladys Knight & The Pips
I'll Always Love My Mama-Intruders
A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush-Velvelettes
Life Is A Song Worth Singing-Johnny Mathis (Those Thom Bell arrangements are fantastic!)

By WaltB (205.188.209.109) on Friday, July 18, 2003 - 07:55 pm:

Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me?)-The Gap Band
Early In The Morning-The Gap Band

By MEL&THEN SOME (81.174.192.24) on Friday, July 18, 2003 - 08:57 pm:

Love you Baby
Eddie Parker/billy sha raes band
Ashford records

Black is Black
Big Maybelle
uk album track

Sweet"N/Tenderiser
Wilbur Reynolds/the masters
C.B.records


What kind of Lady
Dee Dee Sharpe
uk Action records

Drivin'Home
Paul Gayten
cant remember label.

I Love the way you love
OVWright
Backbeat records

This could be a nght to remember
Eddie Holman
Salsoul records(a 70s 45 that has always blown me away)

Soul Galoe
Jackie Wilson
uk MCA Records

Spoonful
The Wolf
chess

Get Ready
The Tempts
UK Tamla Motown

Magic Saxaphone
Jimmy Castor
uk Philips records

Im Gone
Billy Sha Rae/Eddie Parker
Spectrum records/Awake records

shake rattle and roll
Big Joe Turner
Atlantic records

Uptight/Lil'ol'man
Stevie Wonder/Bill Cosby
uk Tamla motown/uk warner brothers


Breakout
Mitch Ryder
uk Stateside

oo wee baby I Love you
Fred Hughes
uk Fontana records

getting mighty crowded
Betty Everett
uk Fontana records

Landslide
Tony Clarke
chess records

deep sea ball
c/mcphatter/drifters
atlantic records

I Thought I Told you not to tell them
Marie Knight
Wing records

Girl across the street
Moses Smith
Dionn records

just a few for starters
mel.

By Edgar (200.46.132.125) on Friday, July 18, 2003 - 09:19 pm:

Most of the ones I like have already been mentioned, I would like to add a few more:
Am I the Same Girl - Barbara Acklin
Darling Baby - Rose Banks (with the sax intro)
The Rest of My Life - Martha Reeves (another favorite sax intro)
Don't Leave Me This Way, Saturday Night Sunday Morning - Thelma Houston
Nobody Knows, It Seems To Hang On, Found a Cure - Ashford & Simpson
Stoned Love - The Supremes (Album version)
Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On - The Temptations ("Masterpiece" version)
Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
Car Wash - Rose Royce
Upside Down - Diana Ross (brief but enough to make everyboy alert and run to the dancefloor)
Stuff Like That - Quincy Jones
Yes We Can Can - The Pointer Sisters

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 12:25 pm:

HOW ABOUT THE SOUNDS OF A STREAM AND BIRDS CHIRPING[SO MUCH IN LOVE,THE TYMES].

By MEL&THEN SOME (81.174.194.9) on Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 12:35 pm:

Hey RnB
If its birds tweeting etc that you want then listen to
'The Beautiful Place'
by Mark Johnson on Diamond records(no.237)
or visit your local soulful budgie.

mel

By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 12:43 pm:

LETS NOT FORGET OTIS HERE!!!...INTRO TO "CAN'T TURN YOU LOOSE"!!!...THAT INTRO IS NOT ONLY SYNONOMOUS WITH THE "BLUES BROTHERS" FILM (CAR CHASE SCENE)...BUT THOSE KICKIN TWO BARS OF RHYTHM...DRUM RIFF POUNDING INTO THE MEMPHIS HORNS LEAD LINE...DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT!!!...STU(IT'S A CLASSIC)BASS

By douglasm (68.113.13.31) on Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 02:11 pm:

A couple of more intros that immediately spark a fire in me....
"Oh What A Night"--Dells
"Theme From 'Shaft'"--Isaac Hayes
"Heaven Must Have Sent You From Above"--Marvin & Tammi
"What'd I Say"--Ray Charles

By Des (217.42.9.42) on Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 05:37 pm:

There's a line in the sand on these kinds of threads....on one side you've often got posters with reams of.....well,obscurities that didn't get exposure and not everyone would know if they had a Killer Intro or not.On the other side you've got posters with lists of tracks that fall accurately into the category and are widely or reasonably known.......my point here is.......from either side of that line - how did it take 10 days for Theme from "Shaft" to make this list !!!!!!!
I can't believe so many of us overlooked this most obvious Killer Intro.
Thanks Douglasm

By douglasm (68.113.13.31) on Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 06:46 pm:

Don't know. "Time Warp" took about 15 seconds and a jump to the left.
And while we're at it, let's add "Heavy Music"--Bob Seger And The Last Heard and "Nothing But A Heartacke"--Foundations (?), this time without Big Jim Edwards.

By DetroitDar (198.81.26.170) on Thursday, July 24, 2003 - 07:27 pm:

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Tower of Power...what about the killer intro to You're Still a Young Man?!

By medusa (66.73.10.17) on Saturday, August 09, 2003 - 10:06 pm:

Selfish One~Jackie Ross
This Old heart Of mine~Isley Bros.
LAdy Marmalade~LaBelle

By STUBASS (206.135.204.254) on Saturday, August 09, 2003 - 10:11 pm:

I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE...BUT THE INTO TO BARRY WHITE'S "FIRST...LAST...EVERYTHING"...32 BARS OF SHEER JOY!!!...STUBASS

By Eli (141.151.82.175) on Saturday, August 09, 2003 - 10:17 pm:

Speaking of This Old heart of Mine,
has there ever been a plagerism suit regarding the melody of the verse of the Impressions Cant Satisfy and The chorus to This Old heart of Mine.
IMO, it is blanant plagerism.
No disrespect to Curtis, but.......

By TD (68.70.126.181) on Saturday, August 09, 2003 - 11:39 pm:

There Is
I Could Never Love Another
Higher and Higher
Time Won't Let Me
I'm Gonna Give Her All The Love I Got
And Your Bird Can Sing

TD

By longgonelover (65.238.6.141) on Sunday, August 10, 2003 - 12:06 am:

Love Child....Diana, Mary and Flo
Reflections....D/M/F
My Girl.....Temps
My Guy.....Mary Wells

By medusa (66.73.15.107) on Sunday, August 10, 2003 - 09:39 pm:

Bobby,

I believe both of the songs were written around the same year, and they do compliment eachother and sound very similar, but as Curtis would say~~
~~~~It's Alright~~~~

By Vickie (198.81.26.170) on Sunday, August 10, 2003 - 11:00 pm:

So many of these are favorites of mine..

Your Precious Love - Marvin & Tammi

gets me every time

By Eli (141.151.15.35) on Sunday, August 10, 2003 - 11:30 pm:

I second that emotion La Quisha!!