Top 20 Intros

[s2y]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

LOL....imagine that.

Something about enjoying anything 80's seems to destroy all credibility and sophistication.

[FOG01]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Is there a list? I have no patience for Beato videos...



Please tell me Solsbury Hill was on there?

Keep in mind it is subjective, but he does have Solsbury Hill at #18 and mentions it's the only song on his list with an odd time signature. Beautiful into though.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by dneal

and then he picks Babe I'm Gonna Leave You...

Yes, and for Hotel California that's all he does too - strum through the chords of the verse - when the really distinctive thing about that intro is the arpeggiation. Maybe it doesn't count because it was on an electric 12-string?

[JonPR]

This kind of list it always fun and always highly contentious. We can all think of great ones that he didn't include, and ones that he did include that we've never heard of; and maybe a few that he did include that we think "meh".

I just want to pick up on one of his inclusions: Paul Simon's Scarborough Fair (#10). It's been said before (at least by me!) but any kind of honouring of that arrangement has to acknowledge its origins:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCjUDUshHdQ
Simon did expand on it somewhat, but he wouldn't have had it without Carthy (he heard Carthy's arrangement around 1962).
As for "one of the greatest fingerstyle guitarists of all time" - hmm, well, yes. Among a whole ton of others who were better, but less well known.

Of course, Beato is limiting his list to pop/rock songs, mostly well-known - quite a reasonable limitation.

If was to add to his list (and to Steve DeRosa's nice one), I'd suggest these:

Not Fade Away - Rolling Stones. (Very simple strumming, but confuses you about where the beat is; and also marks the beginning of the Stones' top ten pop career. Some intro!)

Blackwaterside - Bert Jansch. I reckon Jimmy Page himself (Beato's #1) would put that in his top 20.

Horse with no Name - America. Strumming only, again, but definitely iconic.

Streets of London - Ralph McTell. Ralph fingerpicks his way through Pachelbel's Canon in D (more or less).

Midnight at the Oasis - Maria Muldaur. Just four strummed chords, but highly distinctive and juicy sus chords (OK, with a bit of piano too).