Ryan says:
 
I singled out 10 generally-familiar songs I especially like 'cause of the outros. A running thread here seems to be layers of vocals, turned-up intensity, and generally a complete disconnect from the rest of the song - like the songwriter specifically set out to write a monster hush-money check to the audience. Music nerd mode: on.
 
01. ''Strawberry Letter 23' - Shuggie Otis (1971)
Time mark - 2:21
What happens - Bells, Hammond, spidery double-tracked lead guitar, and thick background vocals dance in the sunshine with an old beat box & a bell tree.
 
02. 'This One's For You' - Barry Manilow (1976)
Time mark - 2:57
What happens - Barry jokes & 90's irony are long passe (although his recent nose break will give Leno 2 minutes of add'l material), so maybe he'll start getting more geniune props. 'This One's For You' is incredibly tightly written, with the patended Manilow build-up throughout. The payoff is Barry & a wall of Ron Dante's reaching the mountain's summit with a full orchestra in tow.
 
03. 'Mercy Mercy Me' - Marvin Gaye (1971)
Time mark -2:13
What happens - The song already compassionately kicks you in the stomach, then you turn the corner to find the outro waiting to fly you out of the city in a hot-air balloon with one of those awesome Marvin chords tagging along. Pre-release, Barry Gordy supposedly said this sounds like two radios going at the same time - seemingly not a compliment. I say it sounds like sounds like 2,000 radios all tuned into KGOD.
 
04. 'An American Trilogy' - Elvis Presley (1973)
Time mark - 3:20
What happens - It takes an impressive amount of cynicism not to get goosebumps throughout this bad boy. For the whiteys, at least.
 
05. 'One More Chance' - Zebra (1981)
Time mark - 2:40
What happens - The '78 demo included on the Greatest Hits is a curiosity, but doesn't match the '81 studio version. It's probably an incredibly dorky song, but I'm a sucker for the building mellotron + drum fill ending - all the more odd that it's track 2 on their debut album which also contains the similarly crazy ending of 'Whose Behind The Door'.
 
06. 'Tania' - Camper Van Beethoven (1988)
Time mark - 2:20
What happens - 'Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart' suffers a bit from late 80's production, but is still a dizzying collection of oddity & melody. The album caps off with 'Tania', it's slow-brewing electric Balkan tarantella tribute providing the payoff, with album-closer 'Life Is Grand' taking the stage for the encore.
 
07. 'The Hot Revivalist' - The High Llamas (1996)
Time mark - 2:06
What happens - Sadly, as much as you wish he could & would with his sonic prowess, Sean O'Hagan will never write a 'Wichita Lineman' - leaving you kinda empty every time the latest High Llamas LP appears. Occasionally he has written promising bits though that aren't rewrites from 'Smiley Smile', including 'The Hot Revivalist' with its neverending 10-beat repeating outro. An incredibly soothing vibes-and-organ balm that I would listen to for 9 hours at a stretch if possible.
 
08. 'Slit Skirts' - Pete Townshend (1982)
Time mark - 3:14
What happens - Townshend just lets it loose at the end of this one. The tape ran out during the recording session, so it originally had to fade way too quickly. When remastered in the 90's, they seemlessly looped it to keep the flow going. To a lesser degree, see also 'Rough Boys': supposedly Townshend played crazy random 19th chords along with the track, then later gave the tape to Rabbit & told him to transcribe the part for brass.
 
09. 'Wild West Hero' - Electric Light Orchestra (1978)
Time mark - 3:29
What happens - Jeff Lynne is said to have cranked out 'Out Of The Blue' in 3 weeks - 21 great days for electric pop, then. Moronic rock critics will probably have left the building & spit on the sidewalk by album's end when 'Wild West Hero' finally appears. Grandiose? Yes. Over-the-top? Dude, it's ELO. Sweeping strings & mellotron choirs fight for your ears' attention.
 
10. 'Jack U Off' - Prince (1980)
Time mark -2:46
What happens - I would hope The Artist realizes how friggin' funny this song is. It's a curiosity why more songs don't end with the punchline 'as a matter of fact, you can jack ME off.' You half-expect 20's chorus girls to pop out of the speakers & start Charlestoning on your couch throughout the final manic insanity. Ends with a mighty Prince scream and every analog synth in Minnesota playing along.