Countdown
John Coltrane Lyrics

Instrumental

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John Coltrane - tenor sax Tommy Flanagan - piano Paul Chambers - bass Art Taylor - drums Written by John Coltrane Recorded May 4, 1959 at Atlantic Studios, New York Originally released on the album Giant Steps, Atlantic SD-1311, January 1960 Read Full BioJohn Coltrane - tenor sax
Tommy Flanagan - piano
Paul Chambers - bass
Art Taylor - drums

Written by John Coltrane
Recorded May 4, 1959 at Atlantic Studios, New York
Originally released on the album Giant Steps, Atlantic SD-1311, January 1960

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Comments from YouTube:

Marco Dunk Bohler

1y↑156

Tommy Flanagan: Jesus Christ I am so glad that Giant Steps is over with!! Next song please!!
John Coltrane: This next one is called Countdown.
Tommy Flanagan: Ok but I'm not soloing on this one.

Revosaxplayer

36w↑5

@Taco Taco these Tommy jokes are tired lol

Taco Taco

1y↑13

Tommy's version of Giant Steps is a classic as well. He just needed some time to practice it is all haha

Nautilus

3y↑326

The reason why the bassist doesnt play until the end because if he played one more note the concentration of matter would have become too thick and have caused a rift in the space-time continuum ending all known life as we know it.

K. Katze

2y↑5

Quite possibly that had already happened, and we're currently living in the new dimension Trane opened.

anteupper

Could'nt have said it better!

Matteo Mancuso

3y↑5

This is one of my favourite comments on Youtube

Marsel Music

3y↑11

i dont know why I read this comment so fast

Victim Of Fate

3y↑12

idk, Paul Chamber was God enough to fix that issue.

Wadosan

2y↑346

Tommy Flanagan: Alright so what’s the tempo for this one?

John Coltrane, snorting a metric ton of cocaine: I am speed

kaspafischer

32w↑4

nice joke... but Trane had already quit drugs by the time he recorded this album... LOL

Miyagui Gtr

@Celso Luis jajajajajajajaja

Ethan McIntosh

1y↑1

Lol, that's the first thing that popped in my head when I started listening to this 🤣🤣

Celso Luis

1y↑2

I laughed at this much more than I should

José Brites

2y↑19

Nesuhi: We only have two and a half minutes of album left to fill and that tune takes, like, ten minutes!
John: Just hit "record"...

Matthew Morris

51w↑20

LMAO I love how Trane just solos for the first 90 percent of the song and then just throws this great melody in there at the very end

Mister LN

2y↑47

why would you play that, that shit's too hard

Hamburgerlord

2y↑2

@cookybea Piano Noises

cookybea

2y↑2

@Declan B. can you even PLAY, old man?

Declan B.

2y↑6

𝐬𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐤

Ariel

2y↑5

The name is Shades DuPris. I like bebop music because it's the besty kind of music.

Inky

2y↑8

The name’s Tom Malone, but everyone calls me Milk Bowl.

3 More Replies...

tuxguys

6y↑44

What an astonishing, layered performance; what a lot of music coming in at under 3 minutes.
I haven't seen the lead sheet for this piece, but I'm told that the changes represent a 6-tonic system...
...which means it has twice as many tonic-areas as the 3-tonic title cut from this LP, "Giant Steps."
Brutal.
And Brilliant.
(I just noticed: You don't actually hear the melody until THE END.)

Shadow Sonata

1y↑12

Just imagining a Cowboy Bebop space battle with this in the background

Giorno Giovanna

32w↑1

Pure kino

rorberyllium

8y↑121

John Coltrane inventing speed metal.

no one

32w

@Everyone said my name was stupid so I changed it. yea theyre dumb, and ppl wish they could change. but theres just a lotta purists for the traditional parts of it, so its always going to be stupid shit like doom or death. i guess its apt for the lyrics, but a lot of metal with positive tone just fits weirdly into that

Everyone said my name was stupid so I changed it.

1y↑1

Vengeance * i have to say, metal sub genres have the most ridiculous names

oozrenn

1y↑1

i would say that grindcore would be the closest thing to jazz in metal

Maximiliano Gabriel

2y↑2

Trash metal

Higher Image Status

28w↑4

This is like Giants Steps more homely younger sister that doesn’t get the attention she’s deserves. I see you Jan.

haroun

4y↑47

This was recorded only a few years after Charlie Parker's death so Coltrane (just like everybody else) was still reeling from the experience. We used to call this playing 'tempo'...

andrescabreraf

8y↑71

This is the soundtrack God was listening at the creation fo the universe. Period.

kekebaby

That's exactly what it sounds like. Flying fractals 🔥🔥🔥

Reynaldo Madrid I

2y↑1

andrescabreraf.....I agree!

Fernando Guerra

9y↑20

Oh god, his technique is mindblowing.

MrAlexdoesmovies

2y↑10

When the improv is the head...

clarkewi

2y↑6

Parker would be impressed. Bird's grade of A+ for originality and technique.

Vernard James

5y↑59

I could listen to that ending all day.. so good

Hilbert's Inn

3y↑6

Yeah, it's really cool how he winds to down to a beautifully phrased lyrical passage after all that virtuoso shredding.

Sequoyah Cisneros

3y↑1

Yes.

Tripus 180

5y↑1

Vernard James me too 😂

Happy Me

9y↑6

I also like Allan Holdsworths version of this Coltrane song

Jordan Peters

2y↑10

60 years later and this is still one of the best performances ever. I love that it doesn't really become a "song" until the very end, and then it just ends. Beautiful and intense.

André Santiago

1y↑1

I find it amazing that most jazz players are able to play at fast tempo and still keep the swing feel. To listen to it, put in the .50 velocity

Isuckatnames60

3y↑5

When you're in a heated argument and your opponent is an idiot

Drop the Chalupa!

43w↑3

Not going to lie. Always thought this was even more impressive than "Giant Steps" and feels shorter too. Perfect tune to sum up Atlanta or New York traffic or going to the airport.

5bm

1y↑5

Ah yes, Giant steps and Countdown are now the two songs that replicate mild stress so well it motivates me to do something I need to do as if I am the definition of SPEED.

ああ

5y↑27

ブルージャイアントでこれを吹くシーンが一番好き

dumbjazzhead

52w↑2

I cry to this :(

とある王立国教騎士団

3y↑11

これは学園祭で吹いたら度肝を抜かれるなｗｗ

Marsel Music

3y↑2

Bebops: so fast 2 minutes felt like half an hour of content

Michael Björk

2y↑2

02:13 those end chords are so elegant!

Murky Waters

4y↑10

A frenetic corkscrew dances to a machine gun upon a field of glowing flowers...and then comes the herculean freight train to take them all home. Splendid.

Daniel Fitzgerald

1y↑2

It sounds like his saxophone is having a panic attack

Francisco Javier Ruiz

2y↑2

Absolutely craziness of time, accuracy and audacity!!!

Jom63110

17w

The best counter-argument to why meth is great

kekebaby

Never fails to blow my mind! 💣💣💥 I ALWAYS play at least 4-5x because I can't get enough of the explosions.

Gordon Gunn

1y↑1

I could listen to Paul Chambers all day. So innovative in his bass lines.

bannanapancake

2y↑3

Scott’s bass lessons brought me here... good grief.

cduggan7070

9y↑1

ive been looking for this forever. i have book with john coltrane's songs and solos and i couldnt find a recording of this besides the CD it came with, thank you!

Tygonit Dwa Plusy

2y↑1

I first thought that the playback speed in the video is 2x...

Jazzerson

4y↑6

I turn up the pace on my player to 1.5 x on this to play along to as it's just too darn leisurely. ;-)

Jazz and Life

3y↑114

90% Intro, 10% Head at the end.

ygg drasil

16w

starts with a drum solo, then sax solo, then head. It's a tune in reverse!

Luis Flores

18w

It's refreshing to hear variation on the form of every jazz recording

D. prest

30w

Issa countdown

Tudo Música com André Macleuri

1y↑1

but the shape of the song is reversed!

desmond jamison

2y↑10

So... No head?...

2 More Replies...

Starr Xu

7y↑3

Damn... It's sooo fast!

Hexblade xan

That feel when your on this song.

Louren Bates

this is a masterpiece. my all time favorite song by John Coltrane. He's been declared a Saint by the way...

Rafayera69

Much more enjoyable when played at x0.75. Great piece anyways!

MicroNik

9y↑2

I was looking at my real book while listening to this..freaked out when he started playing..didnt know he started with the solo

Tudo Música com André Macleuri

the shape is reversed

Peter Palaj

8y↑1

What an ending.

Figs3

2y↑6

Blue Giant. An amazing music manga the main character plays this.

Joshua Atere

@ImaniHekima-You're right, tune UP...countDOWN...gotta love the fancy 2-5's lol

El Tigre

6y↑1

fucking awesome!

josele kiwi

No way, this guy sure have like a method to improvise in his compositions.
Try to improvise in a backing track of coltrane is mindblowing.

slowriot

10y

i just searched this song on youtube. thanks for uploading it yesterday!

dcbandnerd

Never mind the breathing - what kind of Super Sayian fingers did the John Coltrane have?! Good Lord how was he even real?!

KelliKakesENFP

Love...this...song!!!

john guerra

thank you blue giant for blessing me with good stuff

Dominic Carioti

Each chorus is ten seconds long

Disciple

68 BPM for anyone who’s curious. 68 in cut of course.

Sergio lazaro mejía

1y↑1

John Coltrane spitting eighth notes at 314BPM like it was a frickin' machine gun

Stillwater

All tenor players salute.....The General has spoken.....

Reynaldo Madrid I

2y↑1

@ 1:37 - 1:47 ....this tune goes into another dimension! Classic Coltrane!

BlikenavE

I think of Bill Burr's joke and impression of Coltrane music when he bought his jazz-loving girlfriend a Coltrane album. L O L this song reminds me of his impression.

Jotaro Dripjo

3y↑1

Wow. It's hard to believe this tune was based on Tune Up by Miles Davis. Coltrane was on another level still to be surpassed by any other musicians.

Patrick Schoultz

7y↑31

did homeboy put his apple headphones up to his computer microphone

Garret Brough

6y↑1

@Patrick Schoultz it sounds like a vinyl due to the crackling.

Shin Taro

最高です！！

モート!

20w

ブルージャイアントの文化祭シーンから
かっこいいわまじで

Stephen Dedalus

8y↑177

One could never guess all this comes from two simple ii V I's.

John McMinn

21w

Imaj7s Descending major 3eds and a V7 before each one.
You could just play dominant on each V7 and follow it that way .
Actually this is the modern jazz sound because it breaks away from the standard Girshwin kind of structure.
Central park west was a Ballad Coltrane wrote that was actually the same exact chords as Giant steps

naresh

two coltrane changes

naresh

and two fucking triangles

N.I.B

2y↑1

Practically MacGyver made this song.

Marsel Music

HA!

7 More Replies...

Coin

かーっけ！

Metta Beshay

37w

Why are Tommy Flanagan jokes always so funny

Luis Flores

18w

Everyone shaming Tommy when he is the best pianist comparing to the whole comment section

Claudia Maria

3y↑1

Blue Giant chapter 18. Such power

kim blues

워매 죽이는구마 👍

Jeff Lampert

6y↑2

Listened to this a few times in the past. Thanks for putting it up. Oughta have millions of hits but the times are what they are. This song makes my body shake.

Samuel Beltrami

I genuinely love this piece but I think you have to listen to it several times to really appreciate it

Thomas Hughes

51w

@dumbjazzhead And yet I think Coltrane says everything that could possibly be said about those changes on a saxophone in those 2 minutes. Going any longer would only have diminished it.

dumbjazzhead

51w

@Thomas Hughes Its pretty short as well. only 2ish minutes which is unusual for jazz

Thomas Hughes

1y↑2

Not sure it's possible to listen to it only once!

The Scatman

5y↑105

Giant steps on steroids! (if you can believe such a thing!)

ßãgl

2y↑145

The name is Shades DuPris, and I play jazz saxophone. I'm 18 years old and better than you.

Tomy Jones

26w

What

Sheperino Gaming

37w

not quite my tempo

Cryfur

1y↑2

m i n i o n s

Hamburgerlord

@Sharkus Barkalius it's a reference dude.

ThreeSingle and co

2y↑3

Insolent weebs

10 More Replies...

salas

woooo

Oscar Ortega

Jimmy Bruno lead me to this song. Whew!

Evan Hubbard

I’m still mystified as to what I just heard

Miss MX

A cover of this tune by the great (and late) Allan Holdsworth is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYzipotLMZQ

Yenni Johansson

5y↑5

Joey alexander! His new album Countdown.. John coltrane one of his heros...

Never Trust Power

4y↑1

Charlie Parker You weren't too bad yourself.

Lawrence Siden

3y↑4

Can't he play any faster?

。言葉の重みおじさん

39w↑4

ソニー大から来ました
かっこよすぎる

Arthur Lecomte

Guys, someone told me that this music is brilliant. I have quite an extensive knowledge of music, I only do not know much about music theory. So, I try to understand this music by ear, but I can’t. The only thing which sounds absolutely brilliant to me is the ending. Can someone explain me the middle part, why do people think it’s so amazing? I’m really curious

Max Brinster

Learn the chords hes playing. Slow it down. Repeat it like 1000 times if your using ears or just read what he plays out of omnibook if you can read. Once you get thru first four bars doing this it should sound a little less like notes, and a little more like music to your ears.

hustlaus

9y↑1

GOT DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!

pEW pEW

How many living saxophonists do you reckon there are right now that could play this note for note with less than 3 months practice?

Nate Swearingen

Cool that you put up a vinyl LP-recorded version..........or is that an --ironically--vintage effect added to a remastered digital new copy???? Very neat for me, as a 41 year old that has it on CD but--alas--was coming of age while Vinyl was dying--to be able to hear that. Thank you :D

Shasta WestonX

Fast af.

takeCofMT4

1:58からの疾走感が好き

Dominic Carioti

Those 46 who disliked this are just haters who can't play

Joel Mencía Encarnación

5y↑2

Damn!!! O.O

Dean Simms

Astonishing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Charles Barry

That was speed!!!

Dominic Carioti

At .5 speed he sounds drunk lol

DYNODRUM

Nice little Ditty they're Riffin Through Hear ya

Angel Vega

3y↑2

Its like starting on the middle and going to the beggining at the end, LOL

Caleb Pendergast

5y↑3

How many keys is he playing in?

Fjord cpJ

5y↑4

Basically 6-tonic system but often the dominants are switched to altered-oriented sound, so there are more scales involved.

Howard Mao

5y↑15

+Caleb Pendergast All the keys, man. All the keys.

sculpteur MPCEM

coule dans mes veines ..

mussman717word

John Coltrane. The Bad Brains of Hard Bop.

Colonial Waster

3y↑1

This is sex, just listen to that ending.

Steven Cumber

5y↑14

5 4 3 2 1 Blastoff!

ハスボー

5y↑101

ブルージャイアントから。
こんな速いの吹いてたのね、大は笑

まさし

30w

同じく聞いてビビった(笑)

Daniel Rojas

@The ninja Thanks! Haha

Lyendith

Same here. XD A really great manga.

The ninja

3y↑4

He's talking about the manga "Blue Giant"

dwarfplayer

3y↑3

Edward McKenna inhale

Exhale

Boy

1 More Replies...

Christopher Wetherspoon

8y↑6

How man beats per minute is this ?

K. Katze

@Spencer PerrineAnd yet it also lopes along at ~120, and a stately ~60! And simply clicks down to these lower tempo channels at the end. Genius.

Mason Abney

Yes

Spencer Perrine

5y↑9

+Christopher Wetherspoon The tempo in the drum solo intro is about 370-380 bpm, after that it hovers around 330-350bpm.

Michael Hinton

9y↑7

Are you friggin' kidding??? Take a listen to an actual musical genius. Comparing Beyonce to Coltrane is like comparing a snail to a brain surgeon.

Christmas High

5y↑9

はーや
これは圧倒されるわ

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