and one thing led to another.... Great Song Transitions

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The Who poll got me thinking about song transitions, the commercials linking Tattoo, Our Love Was and I Can See for Miles being particularly fine examples. Sometimes it can be a trick with the key, or a drum fill that works. I'm particularly fond of the transition from Mad Mad Judy to Raison D'Etre on the Buzzcocks A Different Kind of Tension.
There must be loads more examples...

Dr X O'Skeleton, Saturday, 15 September 2012 10:11 (8 months ago) Permalink

One of my favourites is the transition between 'Tenement Funster' and 'Flick Of The Wrist' on Queen's Sheer Heart Attack...

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Saturday, 15 September 2012 10:29 (8 months ago) Permalink

The way that 'Black Celebration', 'Fly On The Windscreen' and 'A Question Of Lust' all segue together on Depeche Mode's Black Celebration too... Depeche were really good at transitions between songs on the latter-day Wilder LP's... another one is the one on Violator where 'Blue Dress' goes into 'Clean' via 'Interlude No 3'...

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Saturday, 15 September 2012 10:32 (8 months ago) Permalink

Also, 'Afterglow' into 'Long Agos And Worlds Apart' on the original Ogden's Nut Gone Flake vinyl, where the drum solo at the end of the former crashes into the latter. Sadly destroyed on the CD issues I've heard because of the insertion of some leader tape which was put into the master tape to fade down the end of 'Afterglow' for a single release. So 'Afterglow' fades out and the 'Long Agos' starts, which isn't the intended effect...

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Saturday, 15 September 2012 10:34 (8 months ago) Permalink

A relatively recent transition which is a favourite of mine as well is the way 'A Gap Has Appeared' goes into 'Closer At Hand', with the vocal harmonies.

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Saturday, 15 September 2012 10:35 (8 months ago) Permalink

On Field Music's Tones Of Town, I mean.

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Saturday, 15 September 2012 10:36 (8 months ago) Permalink

Oh god, and XTC's Skylarking has two really good ones... 'Summer's Cauldron' into 'Grass', and 'Ballet For A Rainy Day' into '1000 Umbrellas'...

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Saturday, 15 September 2012 10:37 (8 months ago) Permalink

Most of Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta, especially the second side.

Kitchen Person, Saturday, 15 September 2012 10:53 (8 months ago) Permalink

The second side of Dirty Mind by Prince. Think my favourite one is Head going into Sister.

Kitchen Person, Saturday, 15 September 2012 10:54 (8 months ago) Permalink

Krafwerk-Numbers into Computer World 2.
ABC-Show Me into Poison Arrow
Hard to pick just one from Prince's Parade, probably Girls & Boys into Life Can Be So Nice.

Kitchen Person, Saturday, 15 September 2012 11:02 (8 months ago) Permalink

Ooh yes, 'Numbers' into 'Computer World 2' is a great one!

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Saturday, 15 September 2012 11:40 (8 months ago) Permalink

I've just remembered: 'Second Coming' into 'Ballad Of Dwight Fry' on Alice Cooper's Love It To Death is one that I've always been incredibly fond of.

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Saturday, 15 September 2012 11:41 (8 months ago) Permalink

"Caroline Says" into "How Do You Think It Feels?" (Lou Reed, Berlin)

Iago Galdston, Saturday, 15 September 2012 12:12 (8 months ago) Permalink

Lots of good transitions on the first Soft Machine record but I think my favorite is "Plus Belle Qu'une Poubelle" into "Why Are We Sleeping?".

cwkiii, Saturday, 15 September 2012 17:22 (8 months ago) Permalink

"The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" into "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".

cwkiii, Saturday, 15 September 2012 17:23 (8 months ago) Permalink

Alien Lanes

cwkiii, Saturday, 15 September 2012 17:25 (8 months ago) Permalink

(esp. the run from "(I Wanna Be A) Dumbcharger" through "Motor Away". Jesus Christ!)

cwkiii, Saturday, 15 September 2012 17:26 (8 months ago) Permalink

The medley on side two of Abbey Road

thistle supporter (mcoll), Saturday, 15 September 2012 18:09 (8 months ago) Permalink

I like the ones where one song stops dead and the other starts cold, no overlap, but they fit together perfectly on the beat.

Best example off the top of my head: Underworld's Beaucoup Fish. The last chord of the deep house ending of "Cups" echoes for 1-2-3-4 beats, then the first beat of "Push Upstairs" drops, perfectly in time and at the same tempo.

Plasmon, Saturday, 15 September 2012 18:49 (8 months ago) Permalink

Peter Gabriel - On the Air --> D.I.Y.
R.E.M. - Begin the Begin --> These Days
Elton John - Your Sister Can't Twist --> Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
XTC - Burning with Optimism's Flames --> Sgt. Rock

Hideous Lump, Sunday, 16 September 2012 00:19 (8 months ago) Permalink

Ween - "Pumpin' 4 the Man" into "Sarah"

Mr. Snrub, Sunday, 16 September 2012 00:31 (8 months ago) Permalink

The Cars: Moving in Stereo into All Mixed Up

that's not my post, Sunday, 16 September 2012 01:08 (8 months ago) Permalink

I've always thought the transition from "Friends" into "Celebration Day" is pretty neat.

Trip Maker, Sunday, 16 September 2012 01:13 (8 months ago) Permalink

Side two of "Alma Mater" by the Stockholm Monsters - "Life's two faces" into "Your uniform".

"The notorious Byrd Brothers" - so many great transitions, couldn't pick a favourite.

Rob M Revisited, Sunday, 16 September 2012 05:21 (8 months ago) Permalink

Side one of the first Pretenders album: "Precious," "The Phone Call," "Up The Neck," "Tattooed Love Boys"

Elvis Telecom, Sunday, 16 September 2012 05:32 (8 months ago) Permalink

I've always thought the transition from "Friends" into "Celebration Day" is pretty neat.

― Trip Maker, Sunday, September 16, 2012 1:13 AM (17 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yes, me too. I wonder if that transition would have been anywhere near as effective had the drums on the intro to 'Celebration Day' not been accidentally erased.

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Sunday, 16 September 2012 18:18 (8 months ago) Permalink

That drum sample from "Funky Snakefoot" that marks the transition from "To All The Girls" into "Shake Your Rump-ah" on Paul's Boutique is the most exciting thing that has ever happened in music.

a shark with a rippling six pack (Phil D.), Sunday, 16 September 2012 21:46 (8 months ago) Permalink

'Broken' into 'Head Over Heels' into 'Broken (live)' from Tears For Fears' Songs From The Big Chair.

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Sunday, 16 September 2012 22:11 (8 months ago) Permalink

I just love the way the riff in 'Broken' is reprised as the intro and outro to 'Head Over Heels' in a slower way.

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Sunday, 16 September 2012 22:13 (8 months ago) Permalink

Queen (again) - Ogre Battle-->The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke-->Nevermore-->March Of The Black Queen-->Funny How Love Is

don't slip in mud (Matt #2), Sunday, 16 September 2012 22:47 (8 months ago) Permalink

^ Totally agree with this also! ^

The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Sunday, 16 September 2012 23:29 (8 months ago) Permalink


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