A few weeks ago my friend Beth Mann, ask me me to list my favorite great song intros and closers. It took me a while to come up with my list because there were so many to choose from. At the same time I'm finishing reading Nick Hornby's High Fidelity. A book featuring many Top Five lists. So, between Beth's question and the book I decided to start including my favorite Top Five lists to my blog. I'm doing this because 1) I believe it will be fun to come up with Top Five lists and 2) they're easy to write. So, with a nod to Beth, I give you my Top Five Great Song Intros. Please feel free to comment and give me your Top Five.

1. Hell's Bells - AC/DC - Can you think of any other song intro that is as cool as this one? Really. Even today, almost thirty years later, this song intro still gives me goosebumps.
2. Baba O'Riley - The Who - One of the great all-time song intros. I think I like the intro more that the song.
3. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix - For me, this song (more so than Purple Haze) defines the essence of Hendrix's soul. It combines rock and blues and throws in the Wah Wah intro for extra spice.
4. Money, Time - Pink Floyd - These two intros were actually assembled and engineered by Alan Parsons. Yes, that Alan Parsons.
5. Eruption into You Really Got Me - Van Halen - These two songs - and especially the transition from Eruption into You Really Got Me - have probably accounted for more kids picking up the guitar than any others in the history of rock.

Honorable mentions:

• What I'd Say - Ray Charles
• Am Trying to Break Your Heart - Wilco
• Welcome to the Jungle" Guns'n'Roses
• Tomorrow Never Knows - Beatles
• Monkey Man - Rolling Stones

Dishonorable mentions:  I think Al Green is great.  I love his music.  Many of his songs, however, start wimpy and end incredibly strong including:  Love And Happiness and Beware.