Greatest Album Closers?

Off Topic!!!
1

Some of you were talking about it, so let’s have a go at it. What’s the best final track on an album?

Same rules as before, any genre of music, but it must be a proper album, one that was intended to be an LP/CD (so that narrows it down to the phonograph era). Don’t include greatest hits compilations - and soundtracks can only be considered if it was an LP first or was always intended to be a record and was just folded into a movie, before or after (Alice Cooper’s Welcome to My Nightmare, for example - to release it with a different company it had to be tied to a show of some sort - the LP came first, then they had to decide what to attach it to, which became a TV special)

Here’s the first side of the album, er, topic…

2

The first that came to my mind, was a driving, psychedelic mantra of epic proportions. @moviegique selected the albums stellar opening track, I’m going to offer up the closer to my all-time favorite LP (Beatles or otherwise)

6 Likes
3

This are the two I was really thinking about last night when I was thinking about creating this thread…

1 Like
4

Oh, and I think they’d revoke my metal cred if I didn’t also mention this one…

2 Likes
5

I find that Weezer is really, really good at picking fantastic album closers.

For one…

… you have “Only in Dreams” from the Blue Album. I can’t really add much commentary for a non-single track that’s been analyzed to death, but everything from 3:52 to the end of the song (MY GAAAAAAAAAAAWD, THE BUILD-UP OF THAT INSTRUMENTAL) is perfection.

2 Likes
6

For another, as much maligned as Make Believe is…

… “Haunt You Every Day” is a SENSATIONAL closer. But for my money, I prefer the stark, pared-down sound (not to mention the competing/overlapping vocal section at the 2:58 mark) of the demo track as opposed to the Ric Ocasek-overproduced version on the final album.

7

From Electric Ladyland, Hendrix slays on this closer

More Beatles, who not only created my all-time favorite album, But, my all-time favorite song as well. Haunting, soaring, a masterpiece. Might be the most famous final note in rock n’ roll history.

5 Likes
8

And if I’m going to post my heroes from the 60s, I have to include Bob

3 Likes
9

“Hurt” from NIN’s The Downward Spiral, because COME ON.

10

It’s very possible that I’m going to name a Prince song every time someone does one of these threads

But I’m also gonna go with this one, previously nominated by me for best extra-long song, the closing track on Pastel Blues

note: I don’t know why the songs are listed out of order on that cover image?

1 Like
11

I will always champion “Champagne Supernova” at the end of What’s the Story (Morning Glory)? It’s a seven-and-a-half minute track that’s absolutely earned.

1 Like
12

“Rock n’ Roll Suicide”
IMG_0991
David Bowie- The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars

2 Likes
13

I always am partial to They Might Be Giants finisher for I Like Fun.

1 Like
14

“Curtain Call”

IMG_0992
IMG_0992600×600 147 KB

The Damned The Black Album

1 Like
15
3 Likes
16

Despite being the very best song on a near-perfect album, Baby I’m A Star is not the closer on the album. The title track of Purple Rain is the closer.

1 Like
17

Pixies - “Gouge Away”

2 Likes
18

One of my favorites is the last track on (J) Geils Band Monkey Island

Such a great album and “Wreckage” is just epic

19

Mos Def.

But does anything beat Sgt. Pepper’s closing chord of “A Day In The Life”? (Maybe overlook the coda, as you would for Abbey Road, or Band on the Run. I guess it’s a McCartney thing.)

Ah, I see you DID post that. lol

20

You know you’re right – I always think of them in the order they’re played in the movie, in which Purple Rain comes before BIAS.

Well in that case, I nominate Purple Rain :smiley:

1 Like