I love this question, although an idea of best outros intrigues me because I definitely pay less attention to them than intros, which are an incredibly important part of my favorite songs in general.

Baba O’ Reilly, of course, is a standard, a otherwordly robotic clinking of sythesizer licks that must have sounded really envelope pushing in 1971. The fact that it could be part of any seminal techno track of the present says a lot.

Airbag, although more of an ideal album intro, is still very powerful. For an album where Radiohead began to get spooky and distant, this guitar lick signals sensations of fear of overwhelming, a last gasp of traditional rock sounds and musical expression before a crowded world of buzzing refrigerators and the like drown your individuality out.

King of Carrot Flowers Part II, Neutral Milk Hotel. Even though the lyrics are cryptic and dark on In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, I still talked to a friend about how maybe 50 years from now, songs on there will be sung around campfires like This Land is Your Land. This has to do with the unique non-theistic spirituality that pervades these songs, signaled by the monk-like droning noises that transfer the end of Part I to this track. This is followed by the guitar picking (or whatever you call it) representing the soft vulnerable steps of a humble preacher-like figure stepping up to a thereotical podium. The setting is perfect for Jeff Magnum’s opening line “I love you Jesus Christ…”, etc. You know it’s not a purely Christian sentiment from the audio setup, but some kind of sensation totally unique and unreplicated in anything else I’ve ever heard.

I’ll think of some more. I just felt creative there for a second.

It wouldn't be an Acclaimed Music thread if someone didn't namedrop Neutral Milk Hotel. Not complaining; it is a great album after all. Just find it amusing.

If we're talking intros, we might as well include outros here as well. Hmmm, what's a good outro?



[thinking]





[still thinking]





Ok, maybe we need to establish some criteria here. Are we talking codas (think: Layla), or can it just be a simple, no-fat ending (1979 by the Pumpkins comes to mind)?

Outros?
I always liked the guitar soloing away in the last 40 seconds of Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule The World
What about New Order - Ceremony for an intro?

The intro I can never get out of my head is "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?"

The best outro I can think of at the moment is Stevie Wonder's "Front Line."

sigur ros - svefn-g-englar

the bowed guitar makes me cry

My vote is for "West End Blues" by Louis Armstrong.

The intro includes every note in the 12-tone chromatic scale. And it swings.

Check out you tube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6COgkqy1UU8

Two more I like....

Steely Dan "Hey Nineteen" - nice twangy guitar note.

Elvis Costello "Accidents Will Happen" - the no-intro intro.

Of course, Baba O'Riley
Maybe one of the best intos ever

Also, The Divine Comedy "Bath"

And Pink Floyd

I can't think of one particular Floyd intro
Oh yes : "Echoes"

This question is too hard to reply...
There are so many so good intros...
Some awesome intros that come to my mind now :
"can't you hear me knocking" - The Rolling Stones
"brown sugar" - The Rolling Stones
"TV eye" - The Stooges ("loooooosssssstttt")
"California girls" - The Beach Boys
"this one's for you" - Ed Harcourt (I don't know why but these first piano notes make me thrilling of emotion each time I hear this wonderful song)
"I saw her standing here" - The Beatles (the best "one,two,three,four" ever ! )

"Gimme shelter" - The Rolling Stones

http://youtube.com/watch?v=u2-blWgVk-A

Calling Ocupants of Interplanetary Craft by the Carpenters just came to mind, funny intro. Watch the video. :)

The Motors - Dancing The Night Away

Thinking about it, I think Baba O'Reilly's greatness is reflected in how great LCD Soundsystem's All My Friends is become. The same weak twinkling notes, repeating in a void of empty space, sounding so claustrophic until the rest of the layers of sound kick in. The singers offering perfect lyrical reflections of their times is just the icing on the cake. The buildup from the intro is all you need to make these songs transcendent.

"U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name

From the changing time signature (6/8 to 4/4) to the orchestration and Edge's classic arpeggio crescendo, it's a two-minute journey into the world of the Joshua Tree."

It's actually all in 4/4. What happens is Edge plays a 6 note riff overtop of it (possibly creating a polyrhythm, from a certain point of view).

The band confirms 6/8 on the Classic Album series DVD, and Eno almost destroyed the studio tapes because of his frustration with it.

Doesn't matter. It's still the greatest intro in rock.