Top 100: False Endings

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I guess we try and exclude songs that have extended periods of silence separating the song and the ending. The only example that comes quickly to mind is the Black Keys - "240 Years Before Our Time" but hopefully you know what I mean anyways.

100. Kyuss - 50 Million Year Trip (downside up)

This one sheds most of the tracks by having them all fade out except for one guitar track which continues for a while before the other tracks are reintroduced for 30 seconds. No new ideas are reintroduced and to be honest I don't see the tail section as being necessary at all (though I love the song).

― buyabiznatch (buyabiznatch), Sunday, 25 June 2006 18:02 (nineteen years ago)

I fuckin' LOVE it when bands do this--"Oh, too bad, the song's over, oh well-HOLY SHIT WTF OMGGGGG"

But the only one that comes to mind right now is
99. "Angel is a Centerfold" - J Geils Band

― max (maxreax), Sunday, 25 June 2006 18:12 (nineteen years ago)

98. Pavement - "Fame Throwa"

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Sunday, 25 June 2006 18:35 (nineteen years ago)

97 - Roxy Music - In Every Dreamhome A Heartache.

Fades out completely, then fades back in for another few seconds of spazziness...

― Jack Battery-Pack (Jack Battery-Pack), Sunday, 25 June 2006 19:01 (nineteen years ago)

96 The Smiths - "That Joke Isn't Funny Any More"

Best. JohnnyMarr. Evah.

― Half loaf, half pompadour (noodle vague), Sunday, 25 June 2006 19:03 (nineteen years ago)

95. Pulp - Like a Friend

The Eagles of Death Metal do this, like, every other song.

― Simon H. (Simon H.), Sunday, 25 June 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah--I think it's a Josh Homme thing, because he does it in

94. Queens of the Stone Age - "You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar But I Feel Like A Millionaire"

― max (maxreax), Sunday, 25 June 2006 19:17 (nineteen years ago)

93. "(Everything I do) I Do It For You" - Bryan Adams.

― chap who would dare to be a nerd, not a geek (chap), Sunday, 25 June 2006 20:01 (nineteen years ago)

92. The Stone Roses "I Am The Resurrection"

When I first recorded it off the radio, I presumed that the first three minutes were the song in toto and, sensibly, cut it off. I was proven VERY, VERY wrong by the next amazing six minutes - I had to request it from the same DJ the following week (college radio, and all) before I could hear it again.

― Richard Baez (Johnny Logic), Sunday, 25 June 2006 20:11 (nineteen years ago)

Beach Boys - I'm Waiting For The Day

When those drums kick back in...

― mcdaid (mcdaid), Sunday, 25 June 2006 20:17 (nineteen years ago)

yeah josh homme does like that move...

90. Queens of the Stone Age - Song for the Deaf

― buyabiznatch (buyabiznatch), Sunday, 25 June 2006 21:12 (nineteen years ago)

89. Undertones - Teenage Kicks

― briania (briania), Sunday, 25 June 2006 21:58 (nineteen years ago)

88. Suspicious minds

[ps, where's the false ending in 'teenage kicks?']

― whatever (boglogger), Sunday, 25 June 2006 22:54 (nineteen years ago)

87. Throwing Muses, 'Fever Few'

― derrick (derrick), Sunday, 25 June 2006 23:46 (nineteen years ago)

87. Motorhead, "Overkill"

― a. begrand (a begrand), Sunday, 25 June 2006 23:51 (nineteen years ago)

86. Motorhead, "Overkill"

― a. begrand (a begrand), Sunday, 25 June 2006 23:51 (nineteen years ago)

85. god - a man without a woman is like a nun without a jackhammer

― electric sound of jim (and why not) (electricsound), Sunday, 25 June 2006 23:54 (nineteen years ago)

84. Orange Juice - Falling and Laughing

― tyler (tyler), Sunday, 25 June 2006 23:58 (nineteen years ago)

83. Kiss, "I Love it Loud"

The usual fade-out, fade-in gimmick.

― a. begrand (a begrand), Monday, 26 June 2006 00:05 (nineteen years ago)

82. Mac & Cheese - Let 'em In

― PappaWheelie 2 (PappaWheelie 2), Monday, 26 June 2006 01:38 (nineteen years ago)

81. The Clash - Safe European Home

― S- (sgh), Monday, 26 June 2006 04:48 (nineteen years ago)

80. nEW yORK dOLLS - Personality Crisis

How could you beat that?!

― Aditya (dan138zig), Monday, 26 June 2006 04:53 (nineteen years ago)

79. Matthew Sweet - Sick of Myself (X2)

― A Giant Mechanical Ant (The Giant Mechanical Ant), Monday, 26 June 2006 05:00 (nineteen years ago)

78. Pet shop Boys - Heart

― Chinchilla Volapük (Captain Sleep), Monday, 26 June 2006 05:00 (nineteen years ago)

77. Butthole Surfers - Butthole Surfer

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Monday, 26 June 2006 05:23 (nineteen years ago)

76. The Beatles - Helter Skelter (X2)

― A Giant Mechanical Ant (The Giant Mechanical Ant), Monday, 26 June 2006 05:38 (nineteen years ago)

A-Ha - I've Been Losing You

Childhood memory of hearing the 'main' bit of this on the radio, then some ads or the weather or something, followed by the false ending. Thought that was cool.

― smn (smn), Monday, 26 June 2006 08:14 (nineteen years ago)

75. Metallica - Battery

― latebloomer aka rap's yoko ono (latebloomer), Monday, 26 June 2006 09:21 (nineteen years ago)

er, i think i meant disposable heroes

― latebloomer aka rap's yoko ono (latebloomer), Monday, 26 June 2006 09:41 (nineteen years ago)

74. Jan Garbarek - Breeze Ending (from Esoteric Circle

― J Arthur Rank (Quin Tillian), Monday, 26 June 2006 10:12 (nineteen years ago)

73. Elvis Presley -- Suspicious Minds

― Brad C. (Brad C.), Monday, 26 June 2006 12:17 (nineteen years ago)

Stooges - "TV Eye"
Budgie - "Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman" (but only if you're playing the 45)

― fuckfuckingfuckedfucker (fuckfuckingfuckedfucker), Monday, 26 June 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

70. the contours - "do you love me"

69. elvis presley - "how great thou art" (the live version, but probably the studio version too)

68. the beatles - "rain"

67. green - "better way" (featuring the greatest "1234!" countoff ever)

66. the four tops - "bernadette"

― Lawrence the Looter (Lawrence the Looter), Monday, 26 June 2006 12:38 (nineteen years ago)

65. Mr. Bungle "Ma Meeshka Mow Skwoz"

― you can email me if you wish to challenge the truth (nickalicious), Monday, 26 June 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

64. The Wrens--13 Months in Six Minutes

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Monday, 26 June 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

65. MX-80 Sound, "Tidal Wave" (I count 3 or 4 endings. The spiritual forerunner to the aforementioned "Butthole Surfer", since they both closed Side One of their respective LPs. And what goes together better than surfing and waves?)

― M. Agony Von Bontee (M. Agony Von Bontee), Monday, 26 June 2006 13:20 (nineteen years ago)

62. Down Down - Status Quo

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Monday, 26 June 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

61. Flipper - "Brainwash"

― Edward III (edward iii), Monday, 26 June 2006 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

60. "Divine Intervention" by Matthew Sweet

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 26 June 2006 14:11 (nineteen years ago)

59. Pulp- "Mile End" ("Song end . . . Or does it?")

― David Bachyrycz (David Bachyrycz), Monday, 26 June 2006 15:34 (nineteen years ago)

58. The Gentrys, "Keep on Dancing"
57. Badfinger, "No Matter What"
56. Raspberries, "Overnight Sensation"

― Dan Heilman (The Deacon), Monday, 26 June 2006 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

55. Sebadoh - "Flame" - long slow fade out, 5 seconds of dead silence, 40 seconds of music.

― davelus (davelus), Monday, 26 June 2006 19:13 (nineteen years ago)

54. The Who, "Welcome"
53. The Beatles, "Strawberry Fields Forever"
52. Wilco, "Dreamer in My Dreams"

― Dan Heilman (The Deacon), Monday, 26 June 2006 20:04 (nineteen years ago)

51. The Beatles "Hello Goodbye"

― Richard Baez (Johnny Logic), Monday, 26 June 2006 20:09 (nineteen years ago)

XTC - "No Thugs In Our House"

― bernard snow (sixteen sergeants), Monday, 26 June 2006 20:20 (nineteen years ago)

(is #50, of course)

― bernard snow (sixteen sergeants), Monday, 26 June 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

49. Psychic Paramount - Para5

― lrsn (larssen), Monday, 26 June 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

(maybe even two fake outs, and very loud)

― lrsn (larssen), Monday, 26 June 2006 20:23 (nineteen years ago)

48. King Crimson, "21st Century Schizoid Man" (one of the best, too)

― Joe (Joe), Monday, 26 June 2006 21:52 (nineteen years ago)

47 : heaven 17 - and that's no lie ('how men are' 10 minute album closer)

only just rediscovered this due to new reissues .. and damn it's good. several false endings. it keeps coming back for more.

― mark e (mark e), Monday, 26 June 2006 21:57 (nineteen years ago)

46. Husker Du - Ice Cold Ice. Just when you think it's faded out...whoops!

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Monday, 26 June 2006 22:05 (nineteen years ago)

45. Supergrass - Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others cover

fades after the first couple of seconds, then right back in, always thought I had a faulty mp3

― Christopher Alan Suchma (suchma), Monday, 26 June 2006 22:13 (nineteen years ago)

44. Television "Marquee Moon"

owns this thread.

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 26 June 2006 22:45 (nineteen years ago)

43. Fog - Pneumonia

It doesn't sound like an ending, it sounds like a total collapse, the various elements in the track all seem to fuck up or fall over or drift away or spaz out over the space of about 30 seconds...and then suddenly it's HEY! EVERYTHING PILES BACK IN! Including that beautiful soaring scratched solo. And everyone's happy again!

― JimD (JimD), Monday, 26 June 2006 23:03 (nineteen years ago)

Procol Harum -- Rambling On

― Tronid K (tronidk), Monday, 26 June 2006 23:44 (nineteen years ago)

41. J Mascis and the Fog - If that's how it's going to be

― A Giant Mechanical Ant (The Giant Mechanical Ant), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 00:46 (nineteen years ago)

40. Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Only Takes a Night

― A Giant Mechanical Ant (The Giant Mechanical Ant), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 01:15 (nineteen years ago)

39. Black Strobe - Italian Fireflies, - used to fox them young dancing types every time.

― lexurian (lexurian), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 02:26 (nineteen years ago)

38. "Let Me" - Paul Revere & the Raiders
37. "Take What You Need" - Steppenwolf

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 03:35 (nineteen years ago)

36. "Hully Gully" - Olympics

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 03:36 (nineteen years ago)

35. The Kinks, "Situation Vacant"

― Dan Heilman (The Deacon), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

34. the mighty Raspberries, "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 14:59 (nineteen years ago)

33. Bobby Freeman, "Do You Want to Dance?"

― Dan Heilman (The Deacon), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 15:36 (nineteen years ago)

32. Jonathan Richman, "Ice Cream Man," the live version with like 8 false endings.

― mike a (mike a), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 15:49 (nineteen years ago)

I'm sorry, but....

31. November Rain

― Matthew E. Armstrong (gensu3k1), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 17:37 (nineteen years ago)

30. Wire - "Field Day For the Sundays"

― Matt Golden (goldmatt), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 18:49 (nineteen years ago)

29. Cee-lo - Glockapella ("Ahhh..Ahhh....I tricked you")

― A Giant Mechanical Ant (The Giant Mechanical Ant), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 00:00 (nineteen years ago)

28. "I Can Help" (album version) - Billy Swan

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 02:35 (nineteen years ago)

27. Glenn Miller Band: "In the Mood". Has three false endings.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 02:55 (nineteen years ago)

26. "April In Paris" - Count Basie

(may as well mention that Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds" appears on this list twice, at 88 and 73)

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:43 (nineteen years ago)

25. "Fingertips - Part 2" - Little Stevie Wonder
24. "One For My Baby & One More For The Road" - Tony Bennett

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:45 (nineteen years ago)

23 Built to Spill, Untrustable Pt 2 (About Someone Else)

Up to 5 in this masterpiece! After the first one it becomes a whole new song, and that climaxes with the remaining 4, all quite subtle, but each one taking the song in yet another direction.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:56 (nineteen years ago)

The real number 1 should be Television - Marquee Moon (it's #44)

― Aditya (dan138zig), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

22. Cee-Lo "Follow Me"

― you can email me if you wish to challenge the truth (nickalicious), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

21. The B-52's - "Love Shack"
20. Tom Robinson Band - "2-4-6-8 Motorway"

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:54 (nineteen years ago)

19. Rodney Franklin - "The Groove" (loads of them, then ends on a fade)

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

70. the contours - "do you love me"

This should be number one!

― JoB (JoB), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:04 (nineteen years ago)

18. Ringo Starr, "Six o'Clock" (full 5:26 version)

― Dan Heilman (The Deacon), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

17. The Jesus Lizard - Mouthbreather

― Mike Dixn (Mike Dixon), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 22:34 (nineteen years ago)

16. NIN - March of the Pigs

― A Giant Mechanical Ant (The Giant Mechanical Ant), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 23:54 (nineteen years ago)

15. Beach Boys - You Still Believe in Me

Ah-AAAAH-ah-ah ah-ah, ah-ah-ah ah-ah, ah-ah-ah aaaaah.

― Steve Go1dberg (Steve Schneeberg), Thursday, 29 June 2006 02:46 (nineteen years ago)

14. associates - white car in germany

― as cleaned on tv (daggerlee), Thursday, 29 June 2006 02:54 (nineteen years ago)

Beach Boys - You Still Believe in Me

I'm not buying this one, the track never actually comes to rest, there's always a pulse there even when it calms down. "Has a false ending" != "has a quieter bit then gets loud again".

― JimD (JimD), Thursday, 29 June 2006 08:09 (nineteen years ago)

13. Rapeman - Kim Gordon's Panties

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Saturday, 1 July 2006 02:25 (nineteen years ago)

12. The Ronettes - Be My Baby

(It's quick so you might not notice it)

― Aditya (dan138zig), Sunday, 2 July 2006 13:13 (nineteen years ago)

11. It Bites - Calling all the Heroes

― JTS (JTS), Sunday, 2 July 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

10. Wilco - I Got You (At the End of the Century)

― The Ultimate Conclusion (lokar), Sunday, 2 July 2006 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

9. No Compassion - Talking Heads
8. Beau Mot Plage - Isolee

― A Giant Mechanical Ant (The Giant Mechanical Ant), Sunday, 2 July 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not buying this one, the track never actually comes to rest, there's always a pulse there even when it calms down. "Has a false ending" != "has a quieter bit then gets loud again".

It's not just a quieter bit. The song sounds like it's over, everything is resolved, and it could very well end right there. Then it comes back and repeats til fade out. It's as much a false ending as anything.

― Steve Go1dberg (Steve Schneeberg), Sunday, 2 July 2006 18:41 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

7. Rockpile - "Wrong Again (Let's Face It)"
6. Rufus - "You're Welcome, Stop On By"

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Friday, 18 August 2006 12:14 (nineteen years ago)

5. Suede - "Still Life"

― Scourage (Haberdager), Friday, 18 August 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

4. Paul McCartney, "Beautiful Night." Full stop, pause, a little wobble on bass from Paul, and then Ringo brings us back in for an extended riff on the chorus, plus horns of ecstasy. Great stuff.

I think #1 should be this thread, since I note it rampaged forward on-beat for three straight days, then died..... then was revived for the top seven!

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Friday, 18 August 2006 19:06 (nineteen years ago)

3. UFO or DIE- "Dog Wave"

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Friday, 18 August 2006 22:11 (nineteen years ago)

2. "Tore Up" - Harmonica Fats

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Saturday, 19 August 2006 02:57 (nineteen years ago)

1. def leppard - animal

― Charlie Howard (the sphinx), Saturday, 19 August 2006 04:24 (nineteen years ago)

0. sabotage

― A Giant Mechanical Ant (The Giant Mechanical Ant), Saturday, 19 August 2006 04:33 (nineteen years ago)

It's cool that we made it through the thread without cheating. Both editions of THE BOOK OF ROCK LISTS have a Songs With False Endings chart.

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Saturday, 19 August 2006 09:38 (nineteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.