# Favorite Song Opening Lines **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 27, 2000, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509 "2000-04-27T18:44:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![G.B.H.Hornswoggler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c67d28/32.png) [@G.B.H.Hornswoggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G.B.H.Hornswoggler)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/1 "2000-04-28T05:17:00Z")
I know we’ve done a book opening lines thread recently, but I don’t remember one about songs. The breakup songs thread inspired me to find my favorite first song line: “Now that your picture’s in the paper being rhythmically admired…” from _Welcome to the Working Week_ by the inimitable Elvis Costello It has the additional benefit of being the first song on Costello’s first record, so it doesn’t get any more “opening” than that. So what’s your favorite opening line? * * * I’m your only friend I’m not your only friend But I’m a little glowing friend But really I’m not actually your friend But I am ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/2 "2000-04-27T18:44:00Z")
“I’m your only friend, I’m not your only friend, but I’m a little glowing friend…” From the **They Might Be Giants** song _Birdhouse in Your Soul_. 😉 J/K Ace… Right now my favorite would probably be: all these accidents that happen follow the dot coincidence makes sense only with you, oo-ooh **Bjork** , _Joga_ * * * I have chainmail underwear. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/3 "2000-04-27T19:07:00Z")
"Well he went down to dinner in his Sunday Best, (excitable boy, they all said) And he rubbed the pot roast all over his chest… -Excitable Boy, Warren Zevon ---
**Author:** ![guitarmax\_99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f19dbf/32.png) [@guitarmax\_99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guitarmax_99)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/4 "2000-04-27T22:28:00Z")
Massachusettes songwriter Peter Nelson (On Signature Sounds Records) is one of the best songwriters I know. He has a song called “If you won’t leave me alone, I’ll find someone who will” - that also is the opening line. * * * I feel much better since I’ve given up hope. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/5 "2000-04-27T22:32:00Z")
What do you do when it’s falling apart/ and you knew it was gone from the very start? Do you close your eyes/ and dream about me? When You Close Your Eyes - Night Ranger. Still one of my favorites, after all these years. ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Berry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@Carl\_Berry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Berry)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/6 "2000-04-27T22:39:00Z")
“By the side of a river, A little Tom Tit, sang ‘Tit Willow, Tit willow, Tit Willow’” ---
**Author:** ![dpr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dpr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dpr)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/7 "2000-04-27T22:57:00Z")
“Here we stand, here we fall” - Hammer to Fall, Queen “I was working one night inn my office when a man I had recently killed called me up from a phone near my building” - Turn Around, They Might Be Giants (still the only song I know to feature the word obsequious) ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/8 "2000-04-27T23:11:00Z")
“You can’t run away forever, but there’s nothing wrong with getting a good head start”. Jim Steinman, Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through ---
**Author:** ![Quadzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/a4c791/32.png) [@Quadzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quadzilla)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2000, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/9 "2000-04-27T23:15:00Z")
“I met you before the fall of Rome, And I begged you to let me take you home. You were wrong…I was right You said good-bye, I said good night…” –“It’s All Been Done” by Barenaked Ladies …and even though they’re not lyrics in the traditional sense, I love the clarinet trills at the beginning of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” * * * Christopher Robin Hood - he steals from the rich and gives to the Pooh. ---
**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:** [April 28, 2000, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/10 "2000-04-28T00:06:00Z")
“Of words poetic, I’m so pathetic that I often have found it best to let them rest unexpressed.” “Spring is here Spring is here All is skittles and All is beer.” * * * “What we have here is failure to communicate.” – Strother Martin, anticipating the Internet. [www.sff.net/people/rothman](http://www.sff.net/people/rothman) ---
**Author:** ![Suo\_Na](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/11 "2000-04-28T00:11:00Z")
Damn! Democritus beat me to it! Okay, so: “You’re from New York/ You are so relevant/ You reduce me to cosmic tears.” I think I’m developing the Los Angelinos’ traditional contempt for New Yorkers. Naah. Still contemptuous about LA. * * * Only you can prevent solipsism. ---
**Author:** ![Suo\_Na](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/12 "2000-04-28T00:13:00Z")
Democritus beat me to “Birdhouse in your Soul”, that is. “Particle Man, Particle Man. Doing the things a particle can.” * * * Only you can prevent solipsism. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/13 "2000-04-28T00:51:00Z")
“On a dark desert highway/ Cool wind in my hair/ Warm smell of coolitas (sp?)/Rising up through the air” Hotel California _The Eagles_ “All my bags are packed I’m ready to go/ I’m standing here outside your door” Leaving on a Jet Plane _By whomever did it the first time and Chantal Kreviazuk_ “Make up your mind Decide to walk with me Around the lake tonight Around the lake tonight By my side” Possum Kingdom _The Toadies_ ## “God, I feel like hell tonight/Tears of rage I cannot fight/I’d be the last to help you understand/Are you strong enough to be my man?” _Sheryl Crow_ Bargain not with the Darkness: in time it will take us all. Exerpted from The Book of Nod St. TopazAntares: Patron Saint of Quintuplet Posts. And Patron Saint of Chinese Food. _Courtesy of SwimmingRiddles_ ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/14 "2000-04-28T00:57:00Z")
“I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand, Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain. He was looking for a place called Lee Ho Fook’s, Gonna get a big dish of beef chow mein.” _Werewolves of London_ by Warren Zevon of course. I was very disappointed to discover that Lee Ho Fook’s does not serve beef chow mein. The food there was pretty good, though. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Happy\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Dave)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/15 "2000-04-28T01:02:00Z")
the first days are the hardest days don’t you worry anymore cause when life looks like easy street there is danger at your door GreaTFuL DeaD uncle johns band * * * HaVe a GreaTFuL DaY… ---
**Author:** ![Kakkerlak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bb73d2/32.png) [@Kakkerlak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kakkerlak)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/16 "2000-04-28T02:33:00Z")
“Well they blew up the Chicken Man in Philly last night. and they blew up his house too.” - Atlantic City, Bruce Springsteen ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/17 "2000-04-28T03:33:00Z")
[sniff] —Casey Jones, by the Grateful Dead [chuckle] —Whole Lotta Love, by Led Zeppelin * * * Sing glogalimp, sing glugalump, From deep inside the Wuggly Ump. ---
**Author:** ![Kvallulf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@Kvallulf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kvallulf)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/18 "2000-04-28T03:45:00Z")
All alone now, except for the memories. ---
**Author:** ![Flang\_Dang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e4f/32.png) [@Flang\_Dang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flang_Dang)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/19 "2000-04-28T04:16:00Z")
“The Mississippi delta was shining like a National guitar.” “Graceland”, Paul Simon * * * "It was Christmas in Prison And the food was real good. We had turkey and pistols Carved out of wood. And I dream of her always. Even when I don’t dream, Her name’s on my tongue And her blood’s in my stream" “Christmas in Prison”, John Prine * * * And this one: | | V * * * “Did you ever wake up, Bullfrogs on your mind?” - Wm Harris ---
**Author:** ![mega\_the\_roo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@mega\_the\_roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mega_the_roo)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2000, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509/20 "2000-04-28T04:50:00Z")
we don’t know what we’re talking about that’s just words in our libretto i don’t know if the sum of our stretto will end up in a terrible shout _Frank Black and the Catholics_ - Bad Harmony * * * “Mega the Roo - Patron Saint of Marsupials and Shampoo” -Ms Riddles [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-song-opening-lines/16509.md?page=2)