Best song breakdown.........

[two fingers]

Here's what I'm talking about. A song is costing along in whatever genre it belongs in, and all of a sudden POOF, it just breaks down completely. It almost disappears into thin air. The intensity is still there, but the volume isn't.

Here are examples of my favorites.

VanHalen - Panama The instrumental part of that breakdown is just great. (I just wish David Lee Roth had shut up for a few more seconds.)

Peter Frampton - Do You Feel Like We Do live.

SRV's version of Little Wing. I read an article once that said during that breakdown you can actually hear the amp buzz with good enough headphones, and it was right.

I dig ALL KINDS of music, so I don't care what kind it is. Jazz? Blues? Rock? Pop? Funk? Live or studio? What are your favorite examples? Youtube (or some other) links would be great, but certainly not required. I don't even care if it's a regional act. Go nuts!

[4dog]

What is called a breakdown in some of todays music,, i wouldnt call a breakdown literally

[BassFuzz24]

Modest Mouse - Teeth Like God's Shoeshine
John Frusciante - Unreachable
Bon Iver - Minnesota, WI

That's all I can think of right now.

[wcnewby]

I think it could have something to do with the lyrics. If you build a song up, you have to have something at the end, there has to be an end... if there isn't the song just peters off.

Look at "why can't this be love" and how it doesn't fail the way "Panama" does...

[wcnewby]

Here is a good country song. The end ties back to the beginning... Watch this piece build. It's no wonder it is getting such good marks with the public.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OZhw-aQTP8

[ffutterman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF8wIjtPcfs

2:00 mark.

/thread

[JimK]

"Scorpio"- Dennis Coffey?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dZtm2uMwcs

Breakdown @about 1:25
...followed by about 2-minutes of a Bob Babbitt bass solo.

[VintageBoutique]

The live KISS verions of "Watchin' You" has a great breakdown after the 2nd verse.

[bass12]

James Brown's "Funky Drummer", "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose" (the remake), Chuck Brown's "We Need Some Money", Chic's "I Want Your Love", Sister Sledge's "We Are Family". Pretty much any funk or disco track worth its salt is going to have a tasty breakdown in it.

[wcnewby]

Argh... I missunderstood the use of the term breakdown... I get it now, and coincidentally spotted a little one at 3.00 on this from Joe Walsh the other day. Found it on youtube. Don't blink...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1T8jia3USQ