User:MIDI/List of songs with unusual count-ins

A number of songs in popular music have unusual or unconventional count-offs. Whereas a usual count-in may consist of a vocal rhythm count-off consisting of one bar ("1-2-3-4") or two bars ("1, 2, 1-2-3-4"), unconventional count-offs include placeholder words, counting in different languages, or nonsense words.

1960s

 * The Beatles – "Taxman" from Revolver (1966)
 * George Harrison's count of "one, two, three, four" is the more prominent than a fainter count in the left channel. The main count, however, is out of time and the latter is in correct tempo with the rest of the song.

1980s

 * Punk rock band Big Black typically start songs with a count-off of "one, two, fuck you!"
 * Electric Light Orchestra – "Four Little Diamonds" from Secret Messages (1983)
 * Jeff Lynne gives a count-off of "After four – four!"
 * John Lennon and Yoko Ono – "I Don't Wanna Face It" from Milk and Honey (1984)
 * Lennon counts off "un, deux, ein, zwei, hickle-pickle"

1990s

 * Oasis – "The Masterplan", b-side from "Wonderwall" (1995)
 * Noel Gallagher's vocal overdub track includes the lines "Get the count in – where﻿ is it? There it is!" before the count-off begins
 * The Beatles – "A Day in the Life" from Anthology 2 (1996)
 * Lennon counts off "sugarplum fairy, sugarplum fairy" in a drone