Which songs have the greatest opening lyric/first line?

equalsql

I was reading an article about Prince last night and I was reminded of the opening lyric to Sign' O the TImes:

"In France a skinny man died of a big disease with a little name". Powerful stuff.
It got me thinking as to what are the greatest opening lines ever.

I'd vote for the above plus:

"Hey, hey, mama, said the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove"
from Black Dog by Led Zeppelin.

"I can't help it 'bout the shape I'm in I cant' sing, I ain't pretty and my legs are thin"

from "Oh Well" by Fleetwood Mac.

Anyone care to state their personal top 3? 
If so please include the lyric, song name and artist in your post..

Let's see what gems are out there

close2u

You've got a lotta nerve to say you are my friend

You just want to be on the side that's winning

Bob Dylan

Positively 4th Street

equalsql

close2u said:

You've got a lotta nerve to say you are my friend

You just want to be on the side that's winning

What songs, what artists?

JAYJO

equalsql said:

close2u said:

You've got a lotta nerve to say you are my friend

You just want to be on the side that's winning

What songs, what artists?

  Bob Dylan.  Positively 4th street. Ace tune.

JAYJO

Once upon a time you dressed so fine, threw the bums a dime, in your prime, didnt you!..... Bob Dylan (Like a Rolling stone)
Imagine theres no heaven!.....  JohnLennon. (Imagine)
Time takes a cigarette, David Bowie (Rock n Roll Star)

mart

I pulled into Nazareth, feelin' about half past dead.

The Weight by The Band.

viz

"David?!" - Yankee Rose (David Lee Roth)

failed_astronaut

It's maybe cheating to list the whole first verse, but "The City" by The Dismemberment Plan -

Now I notice the streetlamp’s hum
The ghosts of graffiti they couldn’t quite erase
The blank-faced stares on the subway
As the people go home
The parks lay empty like my unmade bed
The streets are silent like my lifeless telephone
And this is where I live, but
I’ve never felt less at home
So I’m not unsympathetic
I see why you left
There’s no one to know
There’s nothing to do
The city’s been dead
Since you’ve been gone

Em, happy friday everyone?

JAYJO

failed_astronaut said:

It's maybe cheating to list the whole first verse, but "The City" by The Dismemberment Plan -

Now I notice the streetlamp’s hum
The ghosts of graffiti they couldn’t quite erase
The blank-faced stares on the subway
As the people go home
The parks lay empty like my unmade bed
The streets are silent like my lifeless telephone
And this is where I live, but
I’ve never felt less at home
So I’m not unsympathetic
I see why you left
There’s no one to know
There’s nothing to do
The city’s been dead
Since you’ve been gone

Em, happy friday everyone?

you had me at Dismemberment Plan!

RobDavies

"Well she wore big knickers and she worked on t' sewage farm"

DesVegas

Thou shall not steal if there is a direct victim

redrighthand

I can better all of the above.

Arab Strap, Packs of Three:

It was the biggest cock you'd ever seen,

But you'd no idea where that cock had been.

mart

Took my son and his tear-stained face out of Sunday School. (Martyn Joseph, Cardiff Bay)

I was twenty one years when I wrote this song, I'm twenty two now, but I won't be for long. (Billy Bragg, New England)

Gassage

Plaistow Patricia- Ian Dury and the Blockheads;


Arseholes, bastards fucking cunts and pricks.

Aerosols for bricks.


Pretty unbeatable I'd say.

richardhomer

'Remember when you were young, You shone like the Sun'....

mike_l

RobDavies said:

"Well she wore big knickers and she worked on t' sewage farm"

I think I've dated her......

BigMonka

mart said:

I was twenty one years when I wrote this song, I'm twenty two now, but I won't be for long. (Billy Bragg, New England)

That's a straight rip off from Simon & Garfunkel's Leaves That Are Green. Good line though.

vasselmeyer

Pink Floyd, Time "Ticking away, the moments that make up a dull day. Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way."

The Who, Won't Get Fooled Again "We'll be fighting in the streets, with our children at our feet"

Don MacLean, American Pie "A long, long time ago, I can still remember how that music used to make me smile"

Simon & Garfunkel "Hello, Darkness, my old freind."

scrumhalf

"If you don't' wanna fuck me baby, baby fuck off" - Fuck Off by The Electric Chairs.

BigMonka

There's a creepiness about the song Slow Motion by Third Eye Blind where the melody is nice but the words are:

"Miss Jones taught me English But I think I just shot her son. Cause he owed me money. With a bullet in the chest you cannot run"

Gassage

Dunno if totally qualifies, but my absolute favourite is this (also my fave song of all time by a country mile- perfection)


There is freedom within
there is freedom without
Try to catch a deluge in a paper cup
There's a battle ahead
many battles are lost
But you'll never see the end of the road
While you're traveling with me