Best first line (music)

Cafe Society
1

Yesterday I was driving to the golf course. Getting psyched to see Joan Jett this Saturday, I was cycling through her CDs and what should come on but the first song on the first side of her first solo album.

I don’t give a damn bout my reputation!

After I cranked that mother and screamed along for a few miles, I started thinking that was just about as awesome of a debut as I could think of.

So what are some of your faves?
I’m not asking about best first albums, or even best first songs - give me your best first lines!

My runner up may well be:

Now that your picture’s in the paper being rhythmically admired
and you can have anyone that you have ever desired
all you gotta tell me now is why, why, why, why
welcome to the working week!

Of course, a part of my fondness for my runner-up might result from memories of one of my fave local bands (The Rave). Saw the week the Shah of Iran was deposed, and they opened with that tune, dedicating it to the Shah…

2

Radiohead - Airbag - “In the next world war, in a jackknifed juggernaut, I am born again.”

3

KICK IT! (Beastie Boys: Fight For Your Right To Party)

4

“Well I woke up Sunday morning, with no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt…”

Kris Kristofferson

5

Fuck tha police coming straight from the underground.
A young nigga got it bad 'cause I’m brown.

-Fuck tha Police by N.W.A.

L. L. Cool J is hard as hell…

-Rock the Bells by L. L. Cool J. This one’s in the delivery.

6

Jim Steinman: “You can’t run away forever, but there’s nothing wrong with getting a good head start.”

7

This one came to mind first.
As did this one:

Which I think pretty much wins it…

8

Patti Smith: “Jesus died for somebody’s sins - but not mine!” The opening line from “Gloria” on her amazing album Horses.

9

Wow - some pretty good ones
I especially like the Patti Smith and the Beatles.

Re: the one who shall not be named, wouldn’t that have to be something off of For You? (It’s been a while, so I can’t provide the line.)

10

Hey, you!

-Madness, One Step Beyond

11

There’s a madman in the corner of your eye

-Iron Maiden, Chains of Misery

12

“I feel like a quote out of context, withholding the rest” - Ben Folds Five, Best Imitation of Myself

13

I’ve always liked “Nothing to do to save his life, call his wife in” (“Good Morning, Good Morning”, The Beatles, on the off chance somebody doesn’t recognize it).

14

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown: “I AM THE GOD OF HELL FIRE AND I BRING YOU … FIRE”

15

“It’s murder on the dancefloor, but you better not kill the groove; Dj, gonna burn this goddamned house right down.” Sophie Ellix-Bextor

I don’t know why. It’s just amusing to me to think of a bunch of people actually dancing around people getting killed. Either that, or I haven’t had enough coffee yet to make a good choice. /shrug

16

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

Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon

17

I’m a street walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm
Iggy Pop - Search and Destroy, from the unforgettable Raw Power

18

If I thought about it, I’d probably come up with some better ones, but for some reason, the one that popped into my head was:

“‘Can I have your autograph?’ he said to the fat blonde actress”

(Velvet Underground, “New Age”)

19

Oh, good call.

20

Two from Dylan:

I ran out most hurriedly, and joined the John Birch Society

and

God said to Abraham, kill me a son