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.
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
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana, Nevermind
Tax Man - Beatles, Revolver
The hijacked Cheap Trick intro to Check Your Head - Beastie Boys
“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.)
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.
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…
I’m crazy about the opening track of “Up!” by Shania Twain. That song always picks me up when I need it.
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.
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.”
Baba O’Riley-Who’s Next
Jerusalem-Brain Salad Surgery
Hiway Star-Made in Japan
AC/DC’s Back in Black opens with Hells Bells, not Back in Black
“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.
I’m surprised no one mentioned this one yet
“Magical Mystery Tour” (from the album of the same name)
by the Beatles
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.