Entertainment For Lively Minds
Best album closers
Posted by Native on 1 May 2011 - 8:54pm.
We always talk about the best opening tracks of albums but I actually think the final track is hugely important:
King's Cross. Pet Shop Boys - Actually
Dream Attack. New Order - Technique
Battery In Your Leg. Blur - Think Tank
Decades. Joy Division - Closer
Speedway. Morriseey - Vauxhall & I
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Easy peasy...
Woah, spooky...
Just this minute finished listening to this LP as part of Greg Wilson's Living to Music evening. Fab album, and agreed, excellent closing track.
Yep
Found it strange when Arthur did the whole LP live, that he and the group didn't finish the concert with this track instead of following it up with other Love/solo tracks.
I'll throw in 'Song For The Asking' by Simon & Garfunkel and 'Twist & Shout' by the Fabs.
Genesis - Los Endos
Deliberately written as an album and set closer
Not
Aisles of Plenty from Selling England? One of those pieces of music that ends far too soon.
A Day In The Life
The best use of E major ever?
Not to mention....
Twist & Shout, Money, I'll Be Back, Tomorrow Never Knows, Goodnight, The End (or Your Majesty) & Get Back
King Crimson - Starless
In MY opinion, one of the greatest tracks ever written - and the closing track of Red.
An "up" for Starless!
.
make that two!
even better than 'Larks Tongues in Aspic (Art 2)'
Agree with Blur n 'Battery'
particularly as it was Coxon's last track with them. But 'No Distance Left To Run' is a brilliant closer as well
Riot Act - Get Happy!
and stimpy, its good but its not this
Great for air-drumming to
wonderful track
Great call Fergus.
The Sound Of Music
The Bonzo Dog Doodah Band from Gorilla
And Slush
What better way to end it all on 'Let's make up and be friendly' ? Rather mournful tune with repeated sound of manic laughter.
Bent's most perfect track
closed their debut album
Down In The Tube Station At
Down In The Tube Station At Midnight, with perhaps the finest 'Oi!' to grace vinyl (2-55), to end All Mod Cons (although the album closer has an instrumental reprise not available on the single...)
The Bewley Brothers
From Hunky Dory.
The Dame was the master of the 'finale' but I'll give a special mention to Lady Grinning Soul.
He was
Rock 'n' Roll Suicide was a great end to TRAFOZSATSFM.
When the Levee Breaks
from Led Zeppelin IV
Cowgirl In The Sand
One of Mr Young's finest wig-out's
Macrocosm...
A classic ending to a classic album - the crowd cheer the band, who promptly arrange for them to be dive-bombed...wacky lads!
This gets my vote...
It can only be...
...this, the messianic finale to Birds Of Fire (1973):
Only one answer.
Tucked away at the end of the paint-by-numbers and properly named Automatic For The People is the properly sublime Find The River.
I've gone on about this before but I think this song was a final hurrah for a band which realised it had taken the Corporate coin. It is a beautiful, beautiful thing and needs to be listened to in the context of that which came after.
Every time
I sit down to write a song I strive to write one as good as Find The River. It's perfect.
On an album packed with highs
they saved the best till last:
Bliss
Yep, fantastic
Motion Picture Soundtrack, the last track on Kid A, is also sublime
Aye. Not wrong there, Roo. Not wrong.
The Zombies
Elton john
From what I think is his finest album
Captain fantastic & the brown dirt cowboy
"Curtains".
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
I can think of lots of them, but first that sprang to mind is 'Night Rally' on 'This Years Model', so that'll do.
Third World Man
It has a real air of finality about it. Given added poignancy for being the last track on the last Steely Dan album of the classic period. It also contains one of my favourite guitar solos - totally unique.
Guns n Roses...
Rocket Queen closing Appetite - sublime!
This is pretty good
The Blue Nile - Saturday Night
a few options
chronologically:
in aint me babe
its all over now baby blue
desolation row
sad eyed lady of the lowlands
oh sister
highlands
Indeed...
Always good for a closer Bob.
Even a wretched album like Empire Burlesque finishes with 'Dark Eyes' which is rather sweet.
I'll nominate 'Buckets of Rain' from Blood on the Tracks, it might seem like lightweight filler placed elsewhere but at the end it makes sense. Sort of 'Oh Well, life goes on, I'll be ok'.
Actually, it reminds me of this:
these aren't bad as well...
Every Grain of Sand
Shooting Star
am I allowed Series of Dreams?
every grain
a glaring oversight on my part
A great closer....
...for a flawless debut.
(Counting Crows - A Murder Of One - August & Everything After)
Couldn,t agree more Bob..
a brilliant debut album, and the opening track is stunning!
And this.
(Eels - P.S. You Rock My World - Electro Shock Blues)
and this from Blinking Lights..
From The Who´s Next
I would have liked to see them live in their prime. (If Paul Waring is reading this I would prefer him to remain quiet.)
Spooky
Eh?
I saw 'em in their prime. Wembley Empire Pool and Charlton. ;)
Great minds, eh?
When did you see them? Have been listening a lot to Live At Leeds lately and they were pretty damn good around that time, to say the least.
I will have to live with the fact that certain people around here are perhaps slightly older than me and thus were able to see some of my (and hopefully their) favourite bands before I was born. It´s not fair, damn it.
Charlton as well
Mind you there were so many people there that it might be easier to list who wasn't there.
Yes
Me too....
Best ending to an album?
Best ending to a song?
Same same...
Sweet Marvin
Some Emmylou perhaps? It´s about Elvis, you know
From Red Dirt Girl, one of my favourite albums.
New Order - Denial
(from their first, of course)
Has the advantage of a firm *stop* at the last.
OK - here are 11 good old good 'uns...
Montana Song by David Ackles from "American Gothic"
The Donor by Judee Sill from "Heart Food"
From the Morning" by Nick Drake from "Pink Moon"
The Last Time I Saw Richard by Joni Mitchell from "Blue"
Once I Was by Tim Buckley from "Dream Letter"
Does Not Suffice by Joanna Newsom from "Have One On Me"
I Dream a Highway by Gillian Welch from "Time (the Revelator)"
Farewell to the Gold by Nic Jones from "Penguin Eggs"
Keep me in Your Heart by Warren Zevon from "The Wind"
Late for the Sky by Jackson Browne from "Late for the Sky"
King Harvest (will Surely Come) by The Band from "The Band"
... and let's have one from a brilliant brand new album, shall we:
The Move by Matthew Halsall from "On the Go"
Stone Roses
"I Am the Resurrection", anyone?
Yay! I'll have that one...
a perfect way to close a swaggering album.
And another up...great closer...
Another nod for Jungleland and Free Bird.
a few more closers
Salt of the Earth - Beggars Banquet - The Stones
Love Reign O'er Me - Quadrophenia - The Who
Rock'n'Roll Suicide - Ziggy Stardust - Bowie
Jungleland - Born To Run - Springsteen
Freebird - Pronounced - Lynyrd Skynyrd
sorry, heres three of these videos too.
He Would Have Laughed - Deerhunter (from Halcyon Digest)
an amazing song, which takes on new meaning when you consider it's a tribute to the late Jay Reatard.
Heres Two
Makes a great playlist...
...does album closers!
Beautiful, slightly preposterous
Oh dear; now I've started...
...I won't be able to stop. This is sublime:
Not forgetting these:
'Dream Brother' by Jeff Buckley from 'Grace'
'Sometimes I Make You Sad' by Supergrass from 'In It For The Money'
'My Body Is A Cage ' by Arcade Fire from 'Neon Bible'
'This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)' by Talking Heads from 'Speaking In Tongues'.
A Few More
Go Betweens - Dive For Your Memory, from 16 Lovers Lane.
Replacements - Here Comes A Regular, from Tim.
Tracey Thorn - Too Happy, from A Distant Shore.
A great call on "Too Happy", Mr Place, Sir
Still my favourite Tracey Thorn song, and a perfect album closer.
"And In The End ..."
There There My Dear - Dexys Midnight Runners (Searching For The Young Soul Rebels)
EMI - Sex Pistols (Never Mind The Bollocks)
Taking Tiger Mountain - Brian Eno (Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy)
Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 6-9) - Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here)
Bike - Pink Floyd(Piper At The Gates Of Dawn)
Elliott Smith - Say Yes
The last track on Either/Or, probably my favourite song of his.
Goodbye Andy
Songs For Drella - 'Hello Its Me'
The Liberty Of Norton Folgate
FYC
The fabs - final track on the white album - "Goodnight"
Ringo singing a lullaby - gorgeous
Neptune The Mystic
off Gustav Holst's The Planet Suite.
Angelic but mildly terrifying.
Belle & Sebastian
Judy and the Dream of Horses. Perfect end to a perfect album, and always good when they close their live shows the same way.
Let the airwaves flow
Surprised it's not already been mentioned
The Fabulous Fabs (minus Her Majesty)
Scrolled right to the end of this thread
to check no-one else had suggested it, but while I share your admiration for The End, I feel 'Her Majesty' was a masterful touch, being a palate cleanser for the somewhat pompous and self-important (albeit in a wonderful way) The End. 'Her Maj' was a poignant reminder of what the fabs started out as, which was a playful, knowing, rock'n'roll / pop act.
You are of course spot on
I just find that it depends on my mood. Sometimes I play without Her Majesty and other times it is an absolute must after all, who am I to rearrange a master work. Must have been a no Her Majesty mood day when I posted.
Adele - Someone Like You, closer from "21"
Blazing Apostles
Be Bop Deluxe - Sunburst Finish.
Lets Be Natural - The Rutles
Waiting For Your Taxi (End if Side 1)/Lullaby For Francies (End of Side 2) - Do It Yourself
Blackmail Man - New Boots
Don't Hang Up - 10cc How Dare You! )And at the end it does)
Exlipse - Dark Side Of The Moon
We're All Alone - Boz Scags Silk Degrees
Snowman - English Settlement XTC
The Liberty Of Norton Folgate - Madness
Spectral Morning
on the end of "When I Was Born For the Seventh Time" by Cornershop - a funky 15 minute wig-out complete with sitars AND Noel Gallagher on guitar.
Sorry to be a pedant....
but Spectral Mornings was neither the closing track (it was on Handcream For A Generation) nor was it on When I Was Born... which had a Punjabi version of Norweigan Wood as it's closer. Which, of course, is a great closing track.
Les Rues
The Streets - Empty Cans, from A Grand Don't Come For Free. It has 2 endings, very clever.
If I can indulge myself and nominate the worst album closer, I would go for Part 8 from Equinoxe by Jean-Michel Jarre. One of the most innovative, exciting albums ever recorded is closed by some comedy circus number. It almost spoils the whole experience.
Spotify Playlist Anyone ?
Based On This Thread http://open.spotify.com/user/marbles22/playlist/7joih0Kc9OGvSi6P1uDAu2
Anywhere I Lay My Head
One of the best songs ever. Regardless of whether it closes the flawless "Rain Dogs" or not.
EDIT: This youtube clip misses off the random New Orleans jazz on the end. Which is sad. Because its fantastic. Check it out.
When The Music's Over
You'd do well the improve upon The End from the Doors' first album or Riders on a Storm from LA Woman but I'd plump for this incredible showstopper seeing out Strange Days:
You're Wondering Now
what to do, now you know that this is the end...
Used to play this in our band as the last number. Brilliant
The original 5 on this thread from Native
Take some beating, but I will add:
Julian Cope - A Crack In The Clouds
New Order - Face Up
The Strokes - Life Is Simple In The Moonlight
Mansun -Legacy
Morrissey - You Know I Couldn't Last
Robert Forster - From Ghost Town
Propaganda - Dr Mabuse
Echo & The Bunnymen - Ocean Rain
Cocteau Twins - Donimo
The Fall - Disney's Dream Debased
The Wannadies - That's All
Mansun's Legacy
...isn't an album closer. What about "Permafrost" by Magazine, "Slow Life" by SFA, or "Complicated Game" by XTC. Also "Approaching Pavonis Mons by Balloon" by Flaming Lips is a good un.
And there's a really good Talk Talk song that closes one of their albums with recorders and stuff but I can't recall what it's called.
No one ever remembers Spriritualized...
... and Cop Shoot Cop is a cracker. I'm not usually one for 15 minute tracks but I make an exception here.
Good call
I've seen them a few times and thet've always been great.
Spiritualized
They dont do it for me, sorry.
Went to see them in concert several years ago (I think they were touring L&G,WAFIS).
They were dreadful, after 3 or 4 songs, people were walking out.
They were dull, boring, simply dreadful.
Quite possibly the worst concert I have ever been to.
Have to agree
with you there, jack, I saw them the once and firstly went to the very back of the hall but couldn't escape the din there so made a sharp exit. I wasn't alone! I certainly wasn't "Floating in space" although my nephews, who I accompanied, were due to certain substances. Perhaps if I'd indulged too? (pause for reflection) Nah, still wouldn't have made any difference.
I reckon I have seen them more than any other band
... so I have to disagree.
I am also of the opinion that Ladies and Gentlemen is a better album than OK Computer. Mind you I am indifferent to David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen and Kate Bush, plus I own no Richard Thompson albums.
I am trying to grow a beard though.
Saw them play LAGWAFIS three times
in 2009. Never was less than jaw droppingly moving. I regularly weep at the Acoustic Mainlines version with the gospel singers and strings with the two Union Chapel gigs from 2007 being the most emotional and uplifting shows I've ever attended.
And no, not on the DRUGZ
sorry to mention Barclay James Harvest
but this is one hell of a closer...