# best opening track on an album **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2003, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889 "2003-06-19T09:37:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Second\_Guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@Second\_Guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Second_Guest)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/61 "2003-06-20T17:27:54Z")
For some reason, the first thing that came to mind when I saw this thread was **Tom’s Diner** from Suzanne Vega’s _Solitude Standing_. I haven’t listened to (or even thought about) that CD in years. Now I really want to hear it again. Thanks for jogging my musical memory. ---
**Author:** ![Improvisor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/50afbb/32.png) [@Improvisor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improvisor)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/62 "2003-06-20T18:19:40Z")
What about one of the great albums of all time? **Wouldn’t It Be Nice** from the **Beach Boys** album **Pet Sounds** Kudos to **Sympathy for the Devil** , **Sleep to Dream** , **Purple Haze** , and **Where the Streets Have No Name** ---
**Author:** ![BizarroRonJeremy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@BizarroRonJeremy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BizarroRonJeremy)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/63 "2003-06-20T18:57:22Z")
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana, Nevermind Tax Man - Beatles, Revolver The hijacked Cheap Trick intro to Check Your Head - Beastie Boys ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/64 "2003-06-20T20:03:49Z")
“Taxman” from “Revolver” by the Beatles. “She Has Funny Cars” from “Surrealistic Pillow” by Jefferson Airplane. (Dumb song name, has nothing to do with the actual lyrics of the song, but it is a kick ass opening track.) “Court & Spark” from the album with the same name by Joni Mitchell. It’s low-key and laid back, but works nonetheless as an opening number. “Red Rain” from “So” by Peter Gabriel. Just awesome. “What’s the Matter Here?” from “In My Tribe” by 10,000 Maniacs. (Actually, this is one of only a very few songs I like by this band, but I have to admit, it has great forward momentum. Too bad most of the rest of this record is boring.) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/65 "2003-06-20T21:51:09Z")
The Beastie Boys’ use of a Zeppelin sample (from _When the Levee Breaks_) on _Rhymin’ and Stealin’_ is also a great start to their debut album. _Sure Shot_ is a really good start to _Ill Communication_. ---
**Author:** ![Thunderclap\_Monolith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@Thunderclap\_Monolith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thunderclap_Monolith)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/66 "2003-06-20T21:52:48Z")
How about these: “Spirit of Radio” - Rush, Permanent Waves “Tom Sawyer” - Rush, Moving Pictures “Subdivisions” - Rush, Signals Rush always seems to have great opening tracks that really set the mood. These, in my opinion, were their best albums and these tracks really get things started. “Narcolepsy” - Ben Fold Five, The Unauthorized Biography… “No Reply” - The Beatles, Beatles For Sale “Collision” - Faith No More, Album Of The Year “Holy Wars” - Megadeth, Rust In Peace Man, these tracks completely rock and set the stage for some serious, aggressive metal “No Son Of Mine” - Genesis, We Can’t Dance “Allentown” - Billy Joel, The Nylon Curtain I’ve always been struck by the production of these songs. Each has a distinct tone that the rest of the album seeks to replicate. There are so many more… ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/67 "2003-06-20T22:06:58Z")
I’m crazy about the opening track of “Up!” by Shania Twain. That song always picks me up when I need it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/68 "2003-06-20T22:11:36Z")
No one’s said “Help!” yet. Or if they did, I missed it. How about “Gun” from Uncle Tupelo’s Still Feel Gone. Also, “Schizophrenia” by Sonic Youth. I’m sure I’ll think of more later. ---
**Author:** ![typhoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@typhoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typhoon)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/69 "2003-06-21T01:59:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Caprese \* > \*\*Funny, this was going to be my top pick, I remembered Gimme Shelter as being the first track on Let It Bleed. But when I googled the CD, Shelter was listed as track 4. > Just checked my old vinyl album–Gimme Shelter is the first track. > Opening tracks don’t get much better than Gimme Shelter. \*\* I have a CD remaster of that album from 1986. The track order in the back is completely messed up (including “Gimme Shelter” as the fourth track), but the actual disc is indexed as it should be (“Gimme Shelter” to “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”). Go figure. And I’ll toss in “Baba O’Riley.” ---
**Author:** ![yawndave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@yawndave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawndave)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/70 "2003-06-21T16:59:20Z")
Baba O’Riley-Who’s Next Jerusalem-Brain Salad Surgery Hiway Star-Made in Japan ---
**Author:** ![percussion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@percussion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percussion)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/71 "2003-06-21T17:25:24Z")
AC/DC’s Back in Black opens with Hells Bells, not Back in Black ---
**Author:** ![Jerrybear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jerrybear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerrybear)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/72 "2003-06-21T18:16:34Z")
“Closer to Fine” from the Indigo Girls first album. “Dark Star” from the Grateful Dead “Live/Dead” album. Agree with “She Has Funny Cars” by the Airplane. As for the title not having anything to do with the lyrics, this was San Francisco in the late sixties after all! How about “Like A Rolling Stone” from Dylan’s Highway 61? Or, “Rainy Day Women” from Blonde on Blonde? Or, “Tangled Up In Blue” from Blood on the Tracks? I think ol’ Bobby Zimmerman may hold the record for really great opening tracks. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/73 "2003-06-21T18:27:38Z")
I’m surprised no one mentioned this one yet “Magical Mystery Tour” (from the album of the same name) by the Beatles ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889/74 "2003-06-21T21:55:58Z")
I don’t think Aerosmith’s _Dream On_ has been mentioned. I think it’s their best song, and it’s the first one on their first album. _Natural Mystic_ is a tone-setting and powerful opener to Bob Marley’s _Exodus_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-opening-track-on-an-album/182889.md?page=3)