Best Opening Line to a Song?

[KenL]

A good song will have an opening line that arouses your curiousity and makes you want to stick around to hear how the story ends. That opening line might be the most crucial line of the song, oftentimes.

I heard my favorite one in the car on the radio yesterday, and remembered once again what a brilliant opening lyric it is:

"He was born in the summer of his 27th year, coming home to a place he'd never been before...."

That line grabs you by the throat, throws you into a chair, and tells you to pay attention because I've got something to say. Great line to begin a great song, I'm amazed once again every time I hear it.

What's your favorite?

[fingerstile]

It's not an acoustic tune (to say the least!), but my favorite opening line is from "Search and Destroy" by the Stooges:

"I'm a streewalkin' cheetah with a heart full of napalm"

[BrunoBlack]

The start of -- In the Air Tonight, by Phil Collins stands out for me. Good tension set up between the music and lyrics.

"I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
And I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord"

[sevargnhoj]

"Sitting on a park bench, eyeing little girls with bad intent"...


makes my skin crawl everytime...

[Godders]

"Living on the road, my friend, was gonna keep you free and clean. Now you wear your skin like iron and your breath's as hard as kerosene"

[Side1LedZepIV]

Well she was just seventeen, you know what I mean

[Long Jon]

I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand, walking through the streets of Soho in the rain,

Warren Zeavon

[topographic]

Even though I no longer support the sentiment in this line as much as I once did,
I gotta say that this line was indeed a killer beginning:

“Tin soldiers and Nixon coming / We’re finally on our own”

[topographic]

I like that Warren Zevon line too

[ewalling]

"I was born in a crossfire hurricane" is quite the conversation opener, in my view!

[McGee]

Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for a train

[MikeBmusic]

Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels - Running on Empty, Jackson Browne

Just yesterday morning they let me know you were gone - Fire and Rain, James Taylor

Always look so good on the outside, When you get to believin' it's true, Then you know that you're on your way - Been Too Long on the Road, Bread

[Buc-a-Roo]

Out in the west Texas town of El Paso, I fell in love with a Mexican girl....
Marty Robbins

[Jim_G]

There must be some way out of here, said the Joker to the Thief.

[Long Jon]

''Well I've been running down the road trying to loosen my load,''. (Eagles)



Always makes me think of a guy in urgent need of a bathroom ....