and one thing led to another.... Great Song Transitions

The Who poll got me thinking about song transitions, the commercials linking Tattoo, Our Love Was and I Can See for Miles being particularly fine examples. Sometimes it can be a trick with the key, or a drum fill that works. I'm particularly fond of the transition from Mad Mad Judy to Raison D'Etre on the Buzzcocks A Different Kind of Tension.
There must be loads more examples...

One of my favourites is the transition between 'Tenement Funster' and 'Flick Of The Wrist' on Queen's Sheer Heart Attack...

The way that 'Black Celebration', 'Fly On The Windscreen' and 'A Question Of Lust' all segue together on Depeche Mode's Black Celebration too... Depeche were really good at transitions between songs on the latter-day Wilder LP's... another one is the one on Violator where 'Blue Dress' goes into 'Clean' via 'Interlude No 3'...

Also, 'Afterglow' into 'Long Agos And Worlds Apart' on the original Ogden's Nut Gone Flake vinyl, where the drum solo at the end of the former crashes into the latter. Sadly destroyed on the CD issues I've heard because of the insertion of some leader tape which was put into the master tape to fade down the end of 'Afterglow' for a single release. So 'Afterglow' fades out and the 'Long Agos' starts, which isn't the intended effect...

A relatively recent transition which is a favourite of mine as well is the way 'A Gap Has Appeared' goes into 'Closer At Hand', with the vocal harmonies.

On Field Music's Tones Of Town, I mean.

Oh god, and XTC's Skylarking has two really good ones... 'Summer's Cauldron' into 'Grass', and 'Ballet For A Rainy Day' into '1000 Umbrellas'...

Most of Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta, especially the second side.

The second side of Dirty Mind by Prince. Think my favourite one is Head going into Sister.

Krafwerk-Numbers into Computer World 2.
ABC-Show Me into Poison Arrow
Hard to pick just one from Prince's Parade, probably Girls & Boys into Life Can Be So Nice.

Ooh yes, 'Numbers' into 'Computer World 2' is a great one!

I've just remembered: 'Second Coming' into 'Ballad Of Dwight Fry' on Alice Cooper's Love It To Death is one that I've always been incredibly fond of.

"Caroline Says" into "How Do You Think It Feels?" (Lou Reed, Berlin)

Lots of good transitions on the first Soft Machine record but I think my favorite is "Plus Belle Qu'une Poubelle" into "Why Are We Sleeping?".

"The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" into "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".

Alien Lanes

(esp. the run from "(I Wanna Be A) Dumbcharger" through "Motor Away". Jesus Christ!)

The medley on side two of Abbey Road

I like the ones where one song stops dead and the other starts cold, no overlap, but they fit together perfectly on the beat.

Best example off the top of my head: Underworld's Beaucoup Fish. The last chord of the deep house ending of "Cups" echoes for 1-2-3-4 beats, then the first beat of "Push Upstairs" drops, perfectly in time and at the same tempo.

Peter Gabriel - On the Air --> D.I.Y.
R.E.M. - Begin the Begin --> These Days
Elton John - Your Sister Can't Twist --> Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
XTC - Burning with Optimism's Flames --> Sgt. Rock

Ween - "Pumpin' 4 the Man" into "Sarah"

The Cars: Moving in Stereo into All Mixed Up

I've always thought the transition from "Friends" into "Celebration Day" is pretty neat.

Side two of "Alma Mater" by the Stockholm Monsters - "Life's two faces" into "Your uniform".

"The notorious Byrd Brothers" - so many great transitions, couldn't pick a favourite.

Side one of the first Pretenders album: "Precious," "The Phone Call," "Up The Neck," "Tattooed Love Boys"

I've always thought the transition from "Friends" into "Celebration Day" is pretty neat.

― Trip Maker, Sunday, September 16, 2012 1:13 AM (17 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yes, me too. I wonder if that transition would have been anywhere near as effective had the drums on the intro to 'Celebration Day' not been accidentally erased.

That drum sample from "Funky Snakefoot" that marks the transition from "To All The Girls" into "Shake Your Rump-ah" on Paul's Boutique is the most exciting thing that has ever happened in music.

'Broken' into 'Head Over Heels' into 'Broken (live)' from Tears For Fears' Songs From The Big Chair.

I just love the way the riff in 'Broken' is reprised as the intro and outro to 'Head Over Heels' in a slower way.

Queen (again) - Ogre Battle-->The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke-->Nevermore-->March Of The Black Queen-->Funny How Love Is

^ Totally agree with this also! ^

Just now on shuffle: beautiful, seamless transition from Aphex Twin - 'Ventolin (Asthma Beats Mix)' > Diddy - 'Hate You Now'.

Listening to a '98 playlist atm, and the shit-hot tension of Blues Explosion's 'Torture' building to its crescendo only to be utterly deflated by the fragile delivery of 'Adia, I do believe I've failed you' just about made me die laughing at my desk.

Parquet Courts, Light Up Gold: “Master of My Craft” → “Borrowed Time”

1. "Full Moon in My Pocket" (Head, Soundtracks) ->
2. "Blam!!" (Sudden) 3:31 ->
3. "Full Moon (Reprise)" (Head, Soundtracks)

Joe Jackson: Target -> Steppin' Out

Jim O'Rourke: "Insignificance" -> "Therefore I Am"

Joni Mitchell “People’s Parties” —> “The Same Situation”

Yes that Joni Mitchell's transition is so good that I always feel like it's one (great) song !