1 of 1- GrimsbyFan
- Member
Offline - Registered: December 30, 2018
- Posts: 285
Your Favorite Song Endings
As a segue from a very specific kind of song ending (the instrumental Cha Cha Cha), I would like to know what your favorite song endings are.
Here are a few of mine:
Several Roy Orbison songs have an amazing ending that builds with his unique voice ascending (sometimes along with background singers) into an orchestral crescendo.
Running Scared
Crying
It's Over
Fred Johnson hitting that deep bass note at the end of Blue Moon by the Marcels
The "Shooby-Doo-Bop-Bah-Dah at the end of What's Your Name by Don and Juan
Joey Vann's extended and distinct expression of the words "You Belong To Me" at the end of the song by the Duprees
Last edited by GrimsbyFan (March 6, 2025 10:26 am)
- GrimsbyFan
- Member
Offline
- Registered: December 30, 2018
- Posts: 285
Re: Your Favorite Song Endings
How did I forget to include one of the all-time best song endings.
Janet Vogel hitting those breathtaking notes at the end of Since I Don't Nave You by The Skyliners.
Last edited by GrimsbyFan (March 8, 2025 7:40 am)
- •
Thread Starter- RobN
- Member
Offline
- Registered: December 31, 2018
- Posts: 28
Re: Your Favorite Song Endings
Absolutely love "Cara Mia" - Jay and the Americans
Jay Black was incredible. Even when he was getting up in age, the videos are still worth a look.
- aflem
- Member
Offline
- Registered: August 11, 2019
- Posts: 1,614
Re: Your Favorite Song Endings
RobN wrote:
Absolutely love "Cara Mia" - Jay and the Americans
Jay Black was incredible. Even when he was getting up in age, the videos are still worth a look.
100% agree. This is one of the greatest endings to a song ever and it never fails to give me a chill.
Another one is the great build-up that finishes the #1 song of 1970, Simon and Garfunkel's magnificent "Bridge Over Troubled Water," a masterpiece that builds to an incredible crescendo at the end that is also one of my all-time favorite finishes.
- GrimsbyFan
- Member
Offline
- Registered: December 30, 2018
- Posts: 285
Re: Your Favorite Song Endings
I agree that the ending of Bridge Over Troubled Water definitely sends a chill.
After going back to listen to it, two other song endings came immediately to mind, both with amazing vocals leading into an instrumental crescendo:
Ebb Tide - The Righteous Brothers
MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
- •
Thread Starter- Lorne
- Administrator
Offline
- From: Toronto, Ontario
- Registered: December 30, 2018
- Posts: 1,407
Re: Your Favorite Song Endings
Love Is Blue - Paul Mauriat: The way that the record slows down at the end is a very beautiful ending to a beautiful record.
Abraham, Martin And John - Dion: The harp at the end is a perfect conclusion, particularly given the final words of the song.
Hurt - Elvis Presley: Elvis goes for the big finish and nails it.
My Way - Elvis Presley: This had another big finish, but the way that it ends with the words "We'll meet you again, may God bless you, adios" was incredibly poignant given its release a few months after his death. I think I might have read years ago that those words were added in from the end of another song, but even if that was the case I'm still ok with it.
Way Down - Elvis Presley: This time it wasn't Elvis providing the finish, but J.D. Sumner taking his voice way down below the already low notes he'd been hitting at the end of each chorus of the song.
When I'm With You - Sheriff: According to its Wikipedia entry, 'Guinness World Records lists “When I’m With You” as having the “Longest-held vocal note in a US hit single” which “features a note timed at 19.3 seconds” by “lead singer Federico ‘Freddy’ Curci [who] performed the soaring vocal – starting at 3 minutes 26 seconds – on the recording.”'
- aflem
- Member
Offline
- Registered: August 11, 2019
- Posts: 1,614
Re: Your Favorite Song Endings
I have three more, but I'm not sure everyone here would agree with these choices.
The first one is a bit obscure - "Save The Country" by the Fifth Dimension, a Laura Nyro song that was a modest hit in some places. Fast paced to begin with, it rises to a great crescendo and has an acapella ending by the group.
Next is "My Love" by Petula Clark. A great Tony Hatch song, it moves the whole way through and winds up with a wonderful vocal ending.
Finally, there's nothing better than the Beatles' version of Chuck Berry's "Rock and Roll Music," which is at superspeed the whole way, and then ends with a great guitar riff. I only wish it was longer!
- GrimsbyFan
- Member
Offline
- Registered: December 30, 2018
- Posts: 285
Re: Your Favorite Song Endings
The song Like to Get to Know You by Spanky and our Gang was about 3:00 minutes long, but the coda takes up almost the full last minute. With a very understated embellishment of strings and wind instruments (along with Hal Blaine on drums) backing the group's vocals, it remains one of my favorite song endings.
Side note to this song, relating to a topic from quite a while ago where we discussed lead-ins to songs:
On the album version of LTGTKY (linked below) there is a very cool introduction to the song that was not included on the single. Also, if you're looking to listen to the ending of the song, you'll have to go to the second link. On the album, the coda was presented as a separate cut,
Album version of Like To Get To Know You (including cool intro)
Album version of the coda to Like To Get To Know You
Last edited by GrimsbyFan (March 14, 2025 7:51 am)
- •
Thread Starter- aflem
- Member
Offline
- Registered: August 11, 2019
- Posts: 1,614
Re: Your Favorite Song Endings
There's another semi-obscure record that was a moderate hit in the late 60s that does something similar.
"Hello Hello" by Sopwith Camel, has an odd spoken intro you never got to hear on the radio, because it was easier just to play it without the extra verbiage. But it's on the original and even though it makes no sense, it's perfectly in keeping with the playfulness of the song that follows - including the "Good Evening Friends" piano extro at the finale.