songs with the best climatic ending

One that fits both the "climatic" and "climactic" ending is "Raindrops" by Dee Clark. I never fail to shudder or otherwise react when I hear that thunderclap after he sings, "It keeps on falling... [BOOM] ..."

 

The first thing I thought of was

Orbison - Crying
Yes - Going For The One

 

Interesting....I was thinking the opposite - that most of the songs listed have a "cold" ending.

 

I think the story behind that one is Moon's drum tech or studio hands spent hours setting up various percussion items around the kit including a large rack of concert chimes (or tubular bells). At the end of the song Moon simply pushed the rack of chimes over on the kit completely crashing everything together in one massive din. Moon walked away smug and happy with himself (I guess it was a statement) and the crew cleaned up. So much for the classy orchestra concert percussion!

 

How about CCR's cover of "Suzie Q" (yeah, I know the drums fade after that)?

"Surf's Up", either the plaintive wail of the studio demo, or the versions that end with "Child Is Father Of The Man"

And if the fade renders some of the choices a mere "crescendo",
I always liked Alex Van Halen's drum nuttiness at the end of "Hang 'Em High".




Dan

 

The Beatles - Twist and Shout (a precursor to A Day in the Life?)
Paul - Backseat of My Car (the 'ending' starting with the big scream)
Rossini - William Tell Overture (as Steve said about Mahler, though, not exactly a song)
Simon and Garfunkel - Keep the Customer Satisfied (out of control horns)
Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill (builds and builds and builds...)
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms (deceptively powerful as the keyboards build up)
CSNY - Country Girl suite (the entire Country Girl part is very powerful)
CSN - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (great do-do-do-do-doot coda, with an abrupt end)

 

MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - Dusty Springfield
Touch Me - The Doors ("stronger than dirt!")'
Turn Around Look At Me - Vogues
Cara Mia - Jay & The Americans
Ebb Tide - Righteous Brothers
Those Were The Days - Mary Hopkin
Live and Let Die - Wings

 

Cherry Red Wine - Luther Allison

 

Heart of the Sunrise-- Yes

 

Like many other posts, when I think climactic endings I think Roy Orbison---Crying, In Dreams etc.....

 

Evil Woman by Spooky Tooth

 

I don't know if it's been mentioned or not but how bout MacArthur Park? Oh Noooooooooooooo!

Bruce

 

David Bowie - Station To Station
AC/DC - For Those About To Rock (Live)

 

Another Yes with a great ending-
Awaken

 

the live 12" version of I Burn For You by Sting
Instead of fading like on the live cd, this version (also in the 'movie') starts building on the alternate riff as Branford solos, then Omar starts flailing away as fast as he can and the whole thing climaxes.

 

Ebb Tide - The Righteous Brothers

 

Even Orbison's solo track on the first Wilburys album, or his "You Got It".

 

The Grand Finale - 2112 - Rush

 

Black Sabbath - "Black Sabbath"

 

Love that ending! - not only the guitar - but the way the drums fade, then shift to the right as they go away.

A 'descending' type of climactic ending - for me anyway - is I Am The Walrus with the music fade out and the continuing sound of an old radio dialing and fluctuating frequencies....then hearing an older male voice say "serviceable villain" out of nowhere...a trippy psychedelic fade with an oddly spooky quality to it.

 

Best ever to me is "Nineteen Hundred Eighty-Five" by McCartney and Wings

I love listening to my Quad DTS and hearing the instruments build in with his "Shake it down break it..."s and then BOOM!...

And the little coda...

I used to rewind the cassette in high school and play that part over and over.

Jeff

 

love that one

 

The Cowboy Song- Thin Lizzy

 

I've been thinking of that song too but listed "Live and Let Die" instead.

 

It is a killer record.

Supper's Ready - Genesis
Tomorrow Never Comes - Elvis
Evil - Stevie Wonder