I'd like to try and compile a collection of musical false starts to see what the effect is. I find them curiously fascinating - are they genuine moments of humanity or false modesty, perhaps?

I'm sure there are loads but the above are the only ones that come to mind right now.

My favourite is probably the Bob Dylan one where the band's failure to join in at the right time seems genuine, and they make amends very quickly by picking it right up on Take 2 after all the laughter - and boom, they're off and running!

Without much pondering The Clash's "Wrong 'em Boyo" also comes to mind.

Dead Kennedys - Dogbite

1, 2, 3, 4, Rowf! Hold it! that's too slow.

1,2,3,4! Rowf! Miaow! etc

:lol:

Bob for me, funny stuff. I was under the impression (I don't know from where) that the false start is a comic 'here is how I used to play it' acoustic, interrupted by a mocking laugh, and then a kick in the face of a full electric band.

My favourite false start would have to be The Troggs Tape.

"It's a fuckin' number one! It is!"

Once saw some film of either the Turtles or the Lovin' Spoonful live and they totally blew the start of a song but then restarted flawlessly. Sublime. Looked for it on youtube to no avail.

my favourite is still that flipper song that starts with a burst of feedback and then the singer says "wait, wait, everybody start at the same time!" like he's just discovered this fantastic new approach to music.

That one would have to be a running gag - that bit where the accoustic guitar starts off brillinantly and Reg yells "YEAH!!", followed by "NO!" five seconds later - priceless.

Going to have to do some serious rooting around for the other ones mentioned that I've not heard, but thanks for the suggestions.

"The Sheriff" by Emerson, Lake and Palmer, featuring a heartfelt "Shit!" presumably by Carl Palmer.

It was the Lovin' Spoonful and here it is

Do You Believe In Magic (take 1 & 2 live)

Thanks - I'm sad enough to download a whole ELP album for the sake of one "shit!" :thumbsup:

Mott The Hoople had two false starts that I can think of. "Born Late '58" and "Momma's Little Jewel".

Just remembered: Being Boiled by The Human League ("Ready? Yeah, let's do it")

and Friends by Led Zeppelin - those stray four notes JPJ plays at the beginning always struck me on what what was the first album I ever heard.

I was going to choose: "What number is this, Jim?" "7A!" but it's not really a false start.

What's the Wedding Present one where he shouts, "Aw, that was rubbish!"

Who's that by?

I've not actually heard Beatles version of Dig A Pony (there isn't a false start on the Laibach version anyway), but apparently they stop so Ringo can sneeze.

its off the bizarro album, i know that much.

fritter you have been here on and off all day, like me, are you unemployed ?

Astoundingly Led Zeppelin III is also the first LP ever I can recall hearing cognisably with Friends still remaining among my absolute favourite Led Zep songs.

The quiet one at the end.

If you are my eldest brother, I'm sorry I drew all over the cover and pulled the cardboard wheel out of the sleeve - I was only 7 after all. But Friends is a great track - it's as though they said "Right, Immigrant Song'll keep those lunkheads happy, now let's do something different".

Yep, just checked: Be Honest!

"7A" is Daydream Believer. As I say, though, it's not really a false start if we're being strict about this, it's just talking really.

is it the one that goes

im not sure
and im not asking but
i thought i heard you say
just walk past him

It's: "What number is this, Chip?"

Chip Douglas was the producer.

(to LC)It isn't but I know the one you mean. That one goes all noisy. AW is right.

When I was 15 or 16 that was my favourite record but now I can't remember the names of any of the songs.

How about songs that grind to a halt and then start again? Do they count?

Pixies false start: "Where Is My Mind".

"Whoooooo...." "STOP!"

hmmmmm...

what about...

it was all because you
didnt like my mum
well im afraid i
cant get born again
oh its not just me whos changed

hammer time.

Could be....

I was thinking about that, but where do you start the song was the problem. I love the Nick Cave DVD with the version of Deanna that grinds to a halt after 10 seconds with he falls off the stage.

I was 11 then and my cardboard wheel is still intact although the cover has been a bit pasted together with the preceding and the successional LP in the box.

BTW: Doesn't Tangerine form the same album also begin with a false start after which Jimmy Page pauses to set the right tempo?

i think it is because it goes

and if we're really really going to be honest...

Ah yes, good one.

Yep, that's the one.

I was gonna suggest "Born Late '58" but I thought you'd all think I was mad. The loneliness of the diehard Mott the Hoople fan :(

I'll have to check "Momma's little Jewel" :)

Dead kennedy's, cant remember which song, but,
"Uh oh, rays guitar broke, rays broke his guitar string,
Let me tell you a story about oregon------story
---Tolerant Oregon"

If it isn't "M.L.J.", it's another one from that period. B)

When playing live, as a matter of course, Henry Cow used to stop mid-tune with an intended 'bum-note', and then start again; it was a gesture of something or other.

.

False starts, pre-ambling, doing it again... i don't there's much that gets better than this, so any excuse will do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5QYijFfOaQ

No false start here, but what about this one too just for the hell of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxhuQWKwbqY

Does Dresden Style count as a false start? Either way, all guitars should sound like this.

No.

Born Late '58 was the *first* song that sprung to my mind when I saw the thread title, and I'm not even in a big Mott fan.


If Not for You by Dylan - the version on the Biograph set (might not be the 'standard' one) has a *bit* of a false start, or it sounds like that.

Does Daydream Believer count?

The first track on 'Nilsson sings Newman' has an *excellent* 'false start' that rages along for about a minute, before turning into a standard lumbering Randy Newman thing. Reminds me of the B side of Cliff Richard & the Young Ones 'Livin' Doll' come to think of it, even tho I've not heard that for years. :rolleyes:

Yet another obscurity, but the demo of 'Conversation Piece' on the Bowie 'Beckenham Oddity' bootleg has one of the best false starts ever imo, very sweet. :girl2:

Fine Time by Robert Palmer is another good one.

Get To You by the Byrds sounds a bit like a false start.

I *think* Tumbling Tumbleweeds by Mike Nesmith might be another candidate? (might be clutching at straws, going from memory on most of these).

Good one Stranger - though I recall Tumbling Tumbleweeds having a long fade in, although I don't own it so can't be sure.

Not - technically - a false start, but I always loved this classic rock moment;

"There was a telling moment in the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh, the original megastars-save-the-third-world supergig which Ravi Shankar put together with Harrison, when the crowd enthusiastically applauded Shankar's initial burst of sitar. 'If you appreciate the tuning so much, I hope you will like the playing more..."