"The" riff

[Mardoch]

So someone posted the attached video in the \m/ Metal \m/ G+ community earlier today, and it made me think/wonder/say...what's the most recognizable riff out there? I posit that Smoke on the Water is extremely high on the list. Maybe even #1.

What say ye, folks? If you had to vote for the most recognizable riff of all time, what are some of your choices? Keep in mind... not favorite, or best, or whathaveyou. Out and out mass recognition.

(time stamped youtube links encouraged)

 

[Sir Exar Kun]

We used to have this conversation back in the day also..... "Smoke" is certainly right there. I would throw out "Crazy Train", perhaps even more so since the mini-van commercial.

Good thread!

 

[jem777az]

Cat Scratch Fever
Living After Midnight
Black Dog
Start Me Up
Can't Get No Satisfaction

 

[Mardoch]

I thought about Crazy Train too, but it just doesn't seem as wide open as some of the older classics.

My wife said Black Dog too. Cat Scratch Fever is a good call, that one's pretty damned recognizable.

I threw this one out there too, which I must say is way up there. Start at 0:40. How does one post with a specific time on these here forums?

 

[PureXul]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LjbMVXj0F8&t=28s[/ame]

 

[Mardoch]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LjbMVXj0F8&t=28s

Excellent choice.

 

[Bamafan]

Sweet Home Alabama's opening riff has to rank up there.

 

[Mardoch]

Now that's one that neither my wife nor I considered. But yeah, not too many people (definitely not in the South at least) don't immediately know what those notes signify.

 

[mel_progson]

I would say Smoke on the Water still has the honour. Outside that and taking the younger generation into account, I would suggest these 2...

 

[Bryan316]

Black Sabbath - Iron Man
Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water
Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
Iron Maiden - Run To The Hills

The Tuning Song

 

[Comic Book Dude]

AC/DC has a bunch....Highway To Hell, Hells Bells, Back In Black....the list goes on.

 

[MetalAges]

I threw this one out there too, which I must say is way up there. Start at 0:40. How does one post with a specific time on these here forums?

On youtube, there's a checkbox you can click and it will start the link at whatever the current spot in the video is.

 

[Mardoch]

AC/DC has a bunch....Highway To Hell, Hells Bells, Back In Black....the list goes on.

Thunderstruck! How'd we not think of that before. Nice.

 

[AeonicSlumber]

/thread

 

[OrbWeaver]

 

[Comic Book Dude]

"You Really Got Me"- The Kinks
"Wild Thing"- The Troggs
"Born To Be Wild"-Steppenwolf

How far back can we go?

 

[Mardoch]

On youtube, there's a checkbox you can click and it will start the link at whatever the current spot in the video is.

Right. I did that and tried to embed and got bupkiss. I'm assuming that was my fault. I tried the video tag and the youtube one, both to no avail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GMxOBE4E5w

/thread

My wife brought that one up too, but she was quick to assure me that she still doesn't like it, lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyXz6eMCj2k

Nice! Didn't think of that one.

"You Really Got Me"- The Kinks
"Wild Thing"- The Troggs
"Born To Be Wild"-Steppenwolf

How far back can we go?

You Really Got Me was one of mine too, but I didn't think up the other two. Go as far back (or forward) as you want. It's just a fun discussion.

 

[lane_miller]

Ritchie actually played the riff a bunch of diferent ways. I believe the Machine Head version was finger picked.

 

[Purveyor Of Evil]

BLACK SABBATH - "Paranoid"
MOLLY HATCHET - "Beatin' the Odds"
IRON MAIDEN - "The Trooper"
YES - "Owner of a Lonely Heart"
VAN HALEN - "Unchained"
FIGHT - "Nailed to the Gun"
RUSH - "Fly By Night"
BOSTON - "Don't Look Back"
ARMORED SAINT - "March of the Saint"
HELLOWEEN - "I Want Out"

 

[Bryan316]

Immigrant Song and Thunderstruck are DAMN fine nominations. Most certainly.