Of starts.. and ends

Ever since you started listening to meejik,the one thing you always remembered was the start of any song.No surprises there, since as kids, we loved a few songs and as soon as it started playing on TV,radio or now,the Internet, we directed our attention to it. My nephew, a few months back,had to listen to 'Taxi Taxi', the Tamil song, on TV for him to start eating. :)

Over the years, as we started listening to music by the tons,the start became even more important.Not that it was all was that needed for you to get hooked to a song,but it was important nevertheless. During a recent weekend drive(the usual one), I decided to give one of my older folders some work . U2-All that you cant Leave Behind. I'd heard it in college, thanks to a friend who had the cassette.I'd heard all of the songs, but for one. New York.I don't know why, but I always remember running out of patience on the start,with Bono in absolutely no hurry to get the song going. I would forward it and head onto the next song. Today was different. I was tackling the traffic filled twists heading out of the valley and had forgotten to forward it. A minute or so into the song, it came alive,with so much energy, true to the name of the song. I heard it, and heard it again .. and again.

The first few minutes of a new song were always when, sitting in the car, you go either way,'Oh interesting' or.. 'Next station',most of the time. It didn't matter if the song was to get better later on, you'd assume that you'd jump listening to it in the middle and in the future and . An assumption. New York's start wasn't alone. Every time you'd listen to 'Hallowed be thy name' you'd use the slow start to get yourself closer to the speakers.. and then go breathless on the seemingly endless '(running)lowwwwwww........' trip with Dickinson. And then wait for it to blast on your face. Most AC/DC songs were similar,TNT,Hells Bells.. all slow starters that packed a punch.

The starts were remarkably brilliant in Indian film music as well. As I grew up, it was exhilarating listening to the starting minute of Ilayaraja's best numbers.So much that I'd created a 1:30 min collection of three of my fav ones.The starts from Mouna Ragam,Agni Natchathriam and that mid blowing theme from Punnagai Mannan. Rahman took over the mantle from him, to perfection with an innumerable number of such gems in the first minute. Too many to count.And the new wave of Hindi music with SEL,Amit Trivedi,Pritam(even if its lifted) have carried that forward. Oh!, the starts.

But there are some songs that make you wait all the way, before introducing you to their best. Dire Straits' Lady Writer is a prime example. It is a good song,starts in typical Dire Straits style, but you have to go to the last 30 seconds to get the best part.Mark Knopfler toys with the guitar and with such speed, you want the song to go on for some more time. Brilliant,end. Rahman produced something similar too, with 'Kismat Se' from Pukar. Nothing great, but having heard it recently, I bring it up.A song dripping with melody, the male and female voices come together in the end for a promising duel, with the tabla joining in, not to be left out. It is real short, when all three sounds merge and lead to a promising end.You only wish the tabla went a little more crazier.

I'm sure there are tons of other songs that have brilliant starts and ends that belie the sluggish start. The ones I have here are just those that I remember,very well,now.Do chime in with your picks.

Edit(10/26): In the 'ends' section... I forgot the 'Big Daddy' of all ends. 'Stairway to Heaven', Led Zep.Oooh! Thats is the most expensive gift you'll get, for your time. You wait for the first 4 minutes listening to Robert Plant talking about his 'wonder'.Then you are introduced to a certain Jimmy Page on the guitar. The two then decide to call Mr. Bonham on the drums and give you the gift. Your 'precious'.2 minutes. 2 minutes of adrenaline rush. 2 of the best musical minutes.Then,The End. One that needed the support of that START. Ah!