# Best opening lines in a song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2018, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228 "2018-11-09T04:19:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/41 "2018-11-10T00:24:18Z")
Tom Waits, Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis. > [@](#): > > Hey Charley I’m pregnant > Living on 9th Street > Right above a dirty bookstore > Off Euclid Avenue > I stopped taking dope > And I quit drinking whiskey > And my old man plays the trombone > And works out at the track ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/42 "2018-11-10T00:34:37Z")
I figured there was some deja vu goin on: [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-839241.html](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-839241.html) [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-701668.html](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-701668.html) _Now somewhere in the Black Mountain Hills of Dakota There lived a young boy named Rocky Raccoooo-oona_ _I once had a girl Or should I say she once had me_ _The best things in life are free But you can give them to the birds and bees_ _Let me tell you how it will be There’s one for you, nineteen for me_ _Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream_ Yeah, not a whole lot of truly distinctive offerings from this band, surprisingly. Oh well. (even those ones are about 7-out-of-10’s!) _Half a bee, philosophically Must, ipso facto, half not be But half the bee has got to be A vis-a-vis its entity, you see?_ \*It’s getting near dawn, When lights close their tired eyes \* _Generals gathered in their masses Just like witches at black masses_ (Sabbath) _Didn’t I make you feel Like you were the only man?_ (Janis) (also - just the way it’s sung) ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/43 "2018-11-10T01:36:59Z")
I coulda sworn her hair was made of rayon When in your dreams you can see yourself as a prophet Bow tie daddy don’t you blow your top, everything’s under control I ate a hotdog, it tasted real good FZ ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/44 "2018-11-10T02:32:43Z")
Tom Waits, “Eyeball Kid”: > [@](#): > > Well, Zenora Bariella and Coriander Pyle > They had sixteen children in the usual style > They had a curio museum and they had no guile > All they ever wanted was a showbiz child Hell, you could almost just pick a Tom Waits song at random. “A Soldier’s Things”: > [@](#): > > Davenports and kettle drums > And swallowtail coats > Tablecloths and patent-leather shoes > Bathing suits and bowling balls > And clarinets and rings > And all this radio really needs is a fuse > A tinker, a tailor > A soldier’s things > His rifle, his boots full of rocks > Oh, and this one is for bravery > And this one is for me > And everything’s a dollar > In this box That one is like a punch to the heart. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/45 "2018-11-10T03:38:25Z")
More Zappa: _I don’t know much about dancin’ That’s why I got this song One of my legs is shorter than the other And both my feet’s too long_ _Mister America Walk on by Your schools that do not teach Mister America Walk on by The minds that won’t be reached_ _What will you do if we let you go home, And the plastic’s all melted, And so is the chrome?_ ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/46 "2018-11-10T04:31:33Z")
From **Drive-By Truckers** _Your Daddy was Mad as Hell, Mad at you and me… Saw you standing in the hallway, red plastic cup, and one of them big long Cigarettes… We were bored, there was nothing going on… If I make it through this year, I think I’m gonna put this bottle down… By the time you were born there were four other siblings, With your Mama awaiting your Daddy in jail … It was a straight shot, All it took was luck to not get caught… Trapped in a truck with Jimmy, listening to his band, Jimmy’s out of place same as ashtrays and column shifts…_ ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/47 "2018-11-10T05:50:24Z")
Two favs: “I met her in a club down in old Soho” and "Come on. Oh, a storm is threat’ning. My very life today. If I don’t get some shelter. Oh yeah, I’m gonna fade away. War, children, it’s just a shot away. " ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/48 "2018-11-10T06:04:59Z")
Here come ol’ flat top, He come groovin’ up slowly… ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/49 "2018-11-10T10:27:37Z")
“Take This Job And Shove It” - a song pretty much defined by its opening line. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/50 "2018-11-10T11:49:44Z")
“In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream. At night we ride through the mansions of glory in suicide machines.” “It’s a little bit funny, this feeling inside I’m not one of those who can easily hide…” ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/51 "2018-11-10T13:29:11Z")
I don’t want a pickle; I just want to ride on my motorcicle. You can get anything you want at Alice’s restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/52 "2018-11-10T13:50:03Z")
Another Pogues one: “I’ve been loving you a long time Down all the years, down all the days And I’ve cried for all your troubles Smiled at your funny little ways” CSN&Y: “I almost cut my hair It happened just the other day” ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/53 "2018-11-10T13:50:11Z")
Has anybody here seen my old friend Abraham, Can you tell me where he’s gone? ETA: I can’t quit you babe So I’m gonna put you down for awhile ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/54 "2018-11-10T18:47:02Z")
Tracy died soon after a long fought civil war Just after I’d wiped away his last tear -Prince Sometimes it Snow in April I was a fiend, before I became a teen -Eric B and Rakim Microphone Fiend ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/55 "2018-11-10T20:48:22Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > That’s the refrain. It’s the opening line to the song I linked to. It’s not great by itself, but should you be in the room when David utters it, things are about to get best. ---
**Author:** ![Tarataratara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tarataratara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarataratara)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/56 "2018-11-10T21:28:07Z")
You’ve only got one finger left And it’s pointing at the door (Beck, Lord Only Knows) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VztV__2nGoQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Lord Only Knows") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VztV__2nGoQ) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/57 "2018-11-10T22:04:17Z")
_Honey don’t walk out, I’m too drunk to follow You know you won’t feel this way tomorrow_ –Rebels/Tom Petty ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/58 "2018-11-10T23:19:38Z")
Been using it as my sig for several years now. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/59 "2018-11-11T00:06:37Z")
Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah or Why do the nations so furiously rage together, or We like sheep or… Well, pretty much anything from Handel’s Messiah. O Freunde, nicht diese Töne! (Ode to Joy, Beethoven’s 9th) ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228/60 "2018-11-11T01:17:19Z")
_I’m a fleabit peanut monkey And all my friends are junkies That’s not really true_ “Monkey Man” - The Rolling Stones [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-in-a-song/824228.md?page=4)