# Best opening lines (song edition) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 8, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930 "2010-11-08T17:29:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/61 "2010-11-09T16:48:04Z")
Hey hey mama said the way you move Gonna make you sweat gonna make you groove ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/62 "2010-11-09T16:51:13Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > I’ve always like the opening lines of _Modern Love_, by David Bowie: > > _I catch the paperboy > but things don’t really change…_ Ah, but what about lines BEFORE the opening line? _Modern Love_ is great even before the lyrics, as Mr. B. muses: _ **“I know when to go out / when to stay in / get things done.”** _ And Jeb Loy Nichols kicks off a haunting song (“Confusion”) with an audible to the band: _ **“Aw, right… you ready? Aw right, let’s make it lonely.”** _ ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/63 "2010-11-09T16:56:44Z")
Side one of the original release of Jefferson Airplane’s _Surrealistic Pillow_ ended with “Today,” followed by “Comin’ Back to Me.” I’ve always regarded the pairing as a sort of mini-suite. Both begin with dynamite lines, respectively “Today I feel like leaving you more than before” and “The summer had inhaled and held its breath too long.” A lot of Airplane lyrics could lure you in on the strength of the opening lines, actually–though as pointed out above, the follow-up frequently meandered. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/64 "2010-11-09T17:00:09Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I’ve always heard it as _Mary’s dress waves_, but “sways” sounds cool too. And–to cite my major gripe with lyrics–“sways” actually _rhymes_. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/65 "2010-11-09T17:09:13Z")
_Round, like a circle in a spiral, Like a wheel within a wheel, Never ending or beginning, On an ever spinning reel._ ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/66 "2010-11-09T17:35:20Z")
Sharks gotta swim, bats gotta fly, I gotta love one woman 'til I die My Gal (some old Harvard Math(s) teacher) Men were excecuted, women bled, beads and fish changed hands and - children stayed up late Only the Stones Remain, The Soft Boys (Robyn Hitchcock) There’s a moon in the sky, it’s called the moon The B52s – guess what the song’s called? ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/67 "2010-11-09T17:54:30Z")
Two afternoon tornados Well, they ripped into a home The victims believed to be elderly Their identities unknown Hundreds were buried for days By a volcano west of here Oozing mud blocked highways We all ran in fear! -“The Sky is Falling” by Melora Creagar ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/68 "2010-11-09T18:13:58Z")
_Breathe deep the gathering gloom. Watchlights fade from every room. Bedsitter people sit back and lament, Another day’s useless energy spent._ ---
**Author:** ![Pandoranoid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce73a5/32.png) [@Pandoranoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pandoranoid)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/69 "2010-11-09T20:29:53Z")
Rain and thunder and lightning Crumbling buildings Falling hurricanes Earth shattering membranes Scattering insane Happening Souls keeps burning And the sky keeps plummeting Now–Blackilicious, ‘Sky is Falling’ This summer I went swimming This summer I might have drowned But I held my breath and I kicked my feet And moved my arms around, I moved my arms around–Loudon Wainwright, ‘The Swimming Song’ ---
**Author:** ![Sassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/70 "2010-11-09T23:04:55Z")
John Hiatt - “Paper Thin” I was gonna get up off that bar stool Just as soon as I could figure it out 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/71 "2010-11-09T23:27:18Z")
Couple in the next room bound to win a prize. They’ve been at it all night long. – Paul Simon How old do you think I am? he said. I said, well, I didn’t know. He said, I turned 65 about 11 months ago. – Tom T. Hall ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/72 "2010-11-10T02:50:47Z")
“Said Red Molly to James, ‘That’s a fine motorbike. A girl could feel special on any such like.’ Said James to Red Molly ‘My hat’s off to you, that’s a Vincent Black Lightning, 1952.’” ---
**Author:** ![dada2fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ccd318/32.png) [@dada2fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dada2fish)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/73 "2010-11-10T02:56:18Z")
This week dragged past me so slowly The days fell on their knees - David Bowie We’ve done four already but now we’re steady and then they went: One, two, three, four - John Bonham ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/74 "2010-11-10T04:04:32Z")
_Whatsoever I’ve feared has come to life_ _And whatsoever I’ve fought off became my life_ “Fell on black days” **SoundGarden** ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/75 "2010-11-10T04:04:33Z")
I was nineteen when I came to town, they called it the Summer of Love They were burning babies, burning flags, the hawks against the doves _Richard Thompson - Beeswing_ Well there’s a house in an alley In the squats and low-rise Of a town with no future But that’s where my future lies _Richard Thompson - Cooksferry Queen_ She was there one minute and then she was gone the next Lying in a pool of herself with a twisted neck _Richard Thompson - Did She Jump Or Was She Pushed_ In my nightmare everything’s wrong I’m waiting for love, but you come along _Richard Thompson - I Can’t Wake Up To Save My Life_ mmm ---
**Author:** ![uncle\_squeegee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b5e925/32.png) [@uncle\_squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uncle_squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/76 "2010-11-10T05:27:19Z")
Something about the way you taste Makes me want to clear my throat -Devo, _Gut Feeling_ ---
**Author:** ![I-VI-ii-V](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@I-VI-ii-V](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I-VI-ii-V)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/77 "2010-11-10T07:12:50Z")
_I bought a toothbrush, some toothpaste, a flannel for my face Pajamas, a hairbrush, new shoes and a case I said to my reflection, “Let’s get out of this place.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/78 "2010-11-10T08:45:49Z")
Dig, if you will, the picture. Prince - When Doves Cry ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/79 "2010-11-11T03:16:48Z")
Hey, shutup, don’t lie to me. I met you on the midway of the fair last year, and you stood out like a ruby in a black man’s ear. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@bibliophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophile)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930/80 "2010-11-11T04:12:09Z")
_And it came to me then that every plan is a tiny prayer to Father Time_ Death Cab for Cutie, “What Sarah Said” _And so it is. Just like you said it would be. Life goes easy on me. Most of the time._ Damien Rice “The Blower’s Daughter” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-lines-song-edition/559930.md?page=5)