New Wave Outpost Forum

What are some the most classic and recognizable starting notes, riffs, or sounds of the new wave era? There's a been a ton of them used in the Name that Tune games. I'm talking about those songs where you instantly stop and go "Hell yeah, this is freaking classic!" I'd be tempted to immediately say the starting drum taps of Blue Monday but that'd be too easy.

I'm gonna risk some scorn and give props to Madonna's Like a Virgin. I just watched the video and it's freaking classic!!! I've never really like Madonna, but is just so signature of that time, even if it's not new wave. Those first few deep bass synths followed by the sharp guitar strikes - you know it's not anything else ever written.

Others?

Stormtrooper in Drag (Gary Numan) starts off great, and has a even better bass sequence 1/3rd of the way through. The One Thing(INXS) starts off great too. More Than Physical(Bananarama) has a great opener, reminiscent of Boogie Ooigie Oogie (A Taste of Honey). I'm not making a joke, I'm being serious.[:D]

Great topic Blir! This'll be fun. Here are some of mine:

Bizarre Love Triangle, New Order
Trans Europe Express, Kraftwerk
A Town Called Malice, The Jam
Arizona Sky, China Crisis
Crazy, Icehouse
Crazy 8's Johnny Q
Glad I'm Not A Kennedy, Shona Laing
Love Plus One, Haircut 100
Michael, Secession

<a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/cetaceans/index.cfm">I dig whales.</a>

Phew, Town Called Malice...dunno if they start off more classic than that!

Another possibly embarrassing track - True by Spandau Ballet. This instantly puts me in a time and place that can be nowhere else but the summer of '83 in SoCal.

I always like the way XTC - "Making Plans For Nigel" starts off .

*Clang Clang*

Soft Cell's "Tainted Love"

I'll go with:

Devo: Girl You Want
Soft Cell: Tainted Love
Scritti Politti: Perfect Way
ABC: Poison Arrow
Human League: Don't You Want Me
Thomas Dolby: Hyperactive (for me -- for most it's probably She blinded me with science)
Simple Minds: Promised You A Miracle
TFF: Change

... using the "this is classic" criterion from the opening notes.

Radio Clash - The Clash.

She sells Sanctuary - The Cult.

She's in Parties - Bauhaus.

Personal Jesus - Depeche mode

Modern Love - David Bowie.

Smiths - How Soon is Now?

"Genius Of Love" by The Tom Tom Club
Which, since it's inception, has been sampled by MANY musicians.
Just classic.

"Just Like Honey" The Jesus and Mary Chain (of course a dozen more of their songs have the very same intro)

"Never Let Me Down Again" Depeche Mode

"The Cutter" Echo and the Bunnymen

"Where were you Hiding When The Storm Broke?" The Alarm

"Rock The Casbah" The Clash

"Don't Change" INXS

"Touch" Secession

"The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight" Dominatrix

"Boy" Book of Love

My wife:

"Just Like Heaven" The Cure (See first entry)

"How Soon Is Now?" The Smiths

This is like Name That Tune, reversed.

[quote][i]Originally posted by gspot[/i]
<br>Smiths - How Soon is Now?


[/quote]

Don'tcha mean Soho's Hippy Chick?! [:p]

Rigor Mortis by A Split Second...can't mistake that for ANYTHING else.

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/dbince/eight.gif"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/dbince/number6.gif">

Rock the Casbah - The Clash (already listed, but I had to mention it again!)

LOve My Way - Psychedelic Furs. yes, it's one of my faves, but the uplifting keyboard riffs at the beginning always grab my attention.

Happy Birthday - Altered Images. You know what you're in for when you hear these first few notes.

I Ran - AFOS. Overplayed, but [i]come on[/i]--you know you love it!

Pretty Persuasion - REM. Again, you know what you're in for.

Under Pressure - David Bowie & Queen. *bows down here*

Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran. CLASSIC, Quintessential opening with the sexy laugh and the guitar loping right up and atcha!

Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper. Maybe not well-liked around here, but the opening notes always send me right back to that time. It's very reminiscent of that time period.

Only a Lad - Oingo Boingo. Very catchy.

Dear Prudence - Siouxsie. This memorable opening really cemented my love for the genre.

I LOVE opening riffs....great memory-inducing topic, Blir!

DURAN DURAN, GIRLS ON FILM

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I hope we can all overlook the fact that a camera shutter sound is'nt a muscial note [8D]

Hey, somebody around here's gotta know what kind of camera was sampled for that tune's intro? KYYXie?

<a href="http://www.worldwildlife.org/cetaceans/index.cfm">I dig whales.</a>