# Favorite opening tracks from debut albums **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [June 14, 2025, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622 "2025-06-14T12:55:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/21 "2025-06-14T18:34:19Z")
“Ricky”, “Weird Al” Yankovic (includes a cameo appearance by Dr. Demento near the end) https://www.youtube.com/embed/6ZlLQLFq_H4?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=RD6ZlLQLFq_H4 ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/22 "2025-06-14T18:37:24Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Mothers of Invention - “Hungry Freaks Daddy” Beat me to it. My other entry is The Beatles debut album **Please Please Me** which opens with “I Saw Her Standing There.” Paul’s “one two three fah!” starts a terrific live-in-the-studio performance of a terrific song. Although… the album’s title song, which starts side two of the lp, is for my money THE greatest 45rpm ever recorded. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/23 "2025-06-14T18:52:46Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Pw2krdBz7IA/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgUyhIMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAknIBvinvPCywyXilqIkVdP9kpGg "The Tragically Hip - Blow At High Dough") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw2krdBz7IA) ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/24 "2025-06-14T18:58:38Z")
The Eagles - [Take it Easy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0ZZHNRHA2g) Tracy Chapman - [Talkin’ about a Revolution](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2wneBVssPc) And, of course… The Beatles - [I Want to Hold Your Hand](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1HDt1tknTc) ---
**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:** [June 14, 2025, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/25 "2025-06-14T19:15:25Z")
“Nuclear Burn” from the first Brand X album _Unorthodox Behaviour_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AJuXt10C3MM/maxresdefault.jpg "Nuclear Burn") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJuXt10C3MM) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/26 "2025-06-14T20:19:45Z")
_21st Century Schizoid Man_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7OvW8Z7kiws/maxresdefault.jpg "King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man (Including "Mirrors")") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OvW8Z7kiws) ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/27 "2025-06-14T22:54:53Z")
Astronomy Domine - Piper at the Gates of Dawn [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EOta1fulN1Y/maxresdefault.jpg "Astronomy Domine") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOta1fulN1Y) (She’s In A) Bad Mood - Confusion is Sex [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KHvO_ISc8zI/maxresdefault.jpg "[She's in A] Bad Mood") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHvO_ISc8zI) Eye Flys - Gluey Porch Treatments [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Yqs3DRsTDXo/maxresdefault.jpg "Eye Flys") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqs3DRsTDXo) Just Like Honey - Psychocandy [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7EgB__YratE/maxresdefault.jpg "The Jesus And Mary Chain - Just Like Honey (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EgB__YratE) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/28 "2025-06-14T23:03:19Z")
Great lead off song for a great album/career! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FJTIIfhk2k4/maxresdefault.jpg "Welcome To The Working Week") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJTIIfhk2k4) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/29 "2025-06-14T23:08:41Z")
[Can’t Get Enough](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XwKk_LmwTI) by Bad Company on their self-titled album. [Wait](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-gUkHyOaJE) by the J Geils Band on their self-titled album. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/30 "2025-06-15T01:27:55Z")
You know what was coming as soon as you put _Ramones_ on to play. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/268C3N2dDYk/maxresdefault.jpg "Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=268C3N2dDYk) ---
**Author:** ![cieskokid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cieskokid/32/5374_2.png) [@cieskokid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cieskokid)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/31 "2025-06-15T02:33:16Z")
Nov., 1972 Steely Dan opened with this classic =\> [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jmdiKePVUy8/maxresdefault.jpg "Do It Again") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmdiKePVUy8) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/32 "2025-06-15T06:04:19Z")
Purple Haze opens up Hendrix’s first album, _Are You Experienced?_. Not the best song on the album, but far from the worst, but you sure knew what you were in for. “Wait” the first song on the first J. Geils Band album was pretty good also. Still hum it. I was in Boston when they started, and I got to see them in the summer of 1973. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/33 "2025-06-15T08:04:56Z")
The Smashing Pumpkins are my favorite band of all time, so I have to toss in their debut album’s first track. I think it’s a great song, but I also like the fact that it’s also the band’s first released single, and the song is appropriately titled, “I Am One”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/TCzRKOCjkgM/maxresdefault.jpg "I Am One (Remastered 2011)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCzRKOCjkgM) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/34 "2025-06-15T08:06:32Z")
Also, I’ll point out we had this same thread 15 years ago: > [@great opening songs on debut albums](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-opening-songs-on-debut-albums/530392): > > I appreciate a great opening song by a new band to make a statement. Some of my favorites: [Pain Lies on the Riverside](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD67wlWhC6U) by Live - while Throwing Copper was their best known album, Mental Jewelry was their debut, and this opening song is incredible… they were only 17 at the time… [Once](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPkz7bZoq18) by Pearl Jam - the opening ambient sound complements the closing song on the album, but the initial riff kicks off a great album… [Jenny Was a Friend of Mine](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4aFhDQwEHU) by The Killers - maybe I am a sucker for a good opening … ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/35 "2025-06-15T08:37:17Z")
“Last Plane Out” from Toy Matinee’s eponymous and only album features a very Beatles-like fade-in/crescendo and kicks off an excellent track list. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xyTdtf0LFMk/hqdefault.jpg "Toy Matinee - Last Plane Out") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyTdtf0LFMk) ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/36 "2025-06-15T09:11:10Z")
Foreigner by Foreigner started out with the apply named song Feels Like the First Time. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/37 "2025-06-15T10:06:27Z")
I came here to post that and you beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/38 "2025-06-15T11:26:24Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Also, I’ll point out we had this same thread 15 years ago And I (the OP) even posted to it! 🤦‍♂️ (I don’t remember that thread at all…) ---
**Author:** ![ch51](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ch51/32/3111_2.png) [@ch51](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ch51)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/39 "2025-06-15T14:27:52Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OAn65_5x1kw/maxresdefault.jpg "Precious (2018 Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAn65_5x1kw) Pretenders first album (also called Pretenders) opens with Precious. Awesome start to a fantastic album! ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2025, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622/40 "2025-06-15T16:04:45Z")
“Black Sabbath” on the album “Black Sabbath” from the band Black Sabbath. Lays out their unique (at the time) sound and whole later career. Perfect first track. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/b_EcPEuHvag/maxresdefault.jpg "Black Sabbath (2009 Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_EcPEuHvag&t=1s) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-opening-tracks-from-debut-albums/1019622.md?page=3)