A melody is a sequence of notes, so while many famous melodies contain an E, asking for those songs starting in the E Note is a specific and interesting challenge.
Here is a list of well-known melodies that famously begin on the note E.
Classical Music
Here are song classical songs starting in E.
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”), First Movement: The two opening orchestral chords are emphatic E-flat major chords, establishing the home key and the heroic nature of the piece.
Mozart’s Symphony No. 39, Fourth Movement: The main theme of this lively finale begins on a single, repeated E.
Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, Prelude: The iconic opening arpeggio starts squarely on a low E (the open sixth string of the cello).
Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14: The beautiful, wordless vocal line begins on a high E.
Vivaldi’s “Winter” from The Four Seasons: The tense, shivering opening motif for violin begins on the note E.
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Film & Television Scores
“Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter (John Williams): The famous celesta melody that defines the Harry Potter franchise begins on an E.
“The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme)” from Star Wars (John Williams): The ominous, marching theme for the Empire begins on a strong, repeated E.
Main Theme from Game of Thrones (Ramin Djawadi): The cello-driven main theme kicks off with a powerful, low E.
“The Godfather (Love Theme)” by Nino Rota: The iconic, sorrowful trumpet solo begins on a high E.
Popular Music
“Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple: The legendary guitar riff is one of the most recognizable in rock history and starts on an E (the open 6th string).
“Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream: Another iconic riff, played by Eric Clapton, begins by hammering on from a low E.
“Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes: The main riff, often mistaken for a bass line, is played on a guitar tuned down and starts on an E.
“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd: The celebrated guitar intro begins with a chord, but the very first note struck is the open low E string.
“Back in Black” by AC/DC: The famous opening guitar riff is played on the A string but is centered around and heavily emphasizes the note E as its tonal anchor.
“Day Tripper” by The Beatles: The classic, riff-driven song starts with a guitar line that begins on an E.
“Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson: The iconic bass line, which is the core melodic element of the song, starts on an E.
Jazz Standards
“Take the ‘A’ Train” by Billy Strayhorn: The melody of this jazz standard, famously played by the Duke Ellington Orchestra, begins on an E.
Important Distinction
Here it is important to make an important distinction:
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