# Greatest Opening Riffs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 14, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661 "2003-04-14T16:16:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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:** [April 15, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/61 "2003-04-15T21:40:53Z")
You Really Got Me - Kinks Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen Conquistador - Procol Harem ---
**Author:** ![yawndave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@yawndave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawndave)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/62 "2003-04-15T22:01:24Z")
'Young Man Blues": The Who/Live at Leeds “Smoke on The Water”: good choice, but how about “Woman From Tokyo”? “Revolution”: Beatles “Rock Bottom”: UFO “Detroit Rock City”: Kiss “Achille’s Last Stand”: LZ ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/63 "2003-04-15T22:31:59Z")
“Moby Dick” by Lewd Zeppelin Happy ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/64 "2003-04-15T22:33:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Happy Lendervedder \* > [BLewd Zeppelin > \*\* Boy, talk about your Freudian typos. ---
**Author:** ![Puzzle\_Piece](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Puzzle\_Piece](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Puzzle_Piece)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/65 "2003-04-18T01:00:12Z")
The Smiths - This Charming Man I sort of felt the metalheads were taking over. ---
**Author:** ![Govindha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5fc32e/32.png) [@Govindha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Govindha)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/66 "2003-04-18T02:01:23Z")
world peace the cromags crucified agnostic front flame still burns youth of today anything by coheed and cambria just a few… ---
**Author:** ![Carcosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@Carcosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carcosa)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/67 "2003-04-18T02:36:13Z")
Baby Please Don’t Go - Van Morrison ---
**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 18, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/68 "2003-04-18T03:38:05Z")
Ziggy Stardust! ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/69 "2003-04-18T03:39:47Z")
I can’t believe that no one’s mentioned **Iron Man**. Also: Metallica; **For Whom the Bell Tolls** AC/DC: **Back in Black** Judas Priest: **Breaking the Law** Nirvana: **Smells Like Teen Spirit** (I know it was overplayed but do you remember how cool it was the first time you heard it?) ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/70 "2003-04-18T06:39:39Z")
I got a chill on Smells Like Teen Spirit. I hadn’t heard it in ages, then the GF was watching Moulin Rouge a couple nights ago and the sound was up…and that guitar started. Man, that was good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![bjohn13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@bjohn13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bjohn13)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/71 "2003-04-20T00:42:13Z")
I gotta second Guns ‘n Roses "Sweet Child O’ Mine". That is, overall, the greatest guitar song ever written. “Paradise City” also has to have a vote. Actually, anything by Guns n’ Roses deserves a vote…but those two songs especially. Also, two Pearl Jam songs deserve recognition (I haven’t seen them yet): “Alive” and “Yellow Ledbetter”. Throw in a half-vote for “Red Mosquito”. Yes, I’ll allow a vote for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. That riff took the rock world by storm…and even though it’s all power chords, it is actually an intermediately difficult rhythm to master. But the little intro ditty for Mad Season’s “River of Deceit” is much more powerful, even if it is more mellow. Something has to be said for Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” even though I think the rest of the song sucks. Several mentions of AC/DC here…my favorites by them are the first four tracks from _Blow Up Your Video_: “Heatseeker”, “That’s the Way I Wanna Rock and Roll”, “Mean Streak”, and “Go Zone”. I also have to give credit for “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)”. I also love a few Clapton greats: “Let it Rain”, “Layla” (Derek and the Dominos), “Presence of the Lord” (Blind Faith…a rather tough chord progression). Another favorite is from the Stone Temple Pilots: “Interstate Love Song”. Finally, though it’s a band I cannot stand, I gotta give my kudos to Metallica for coming up with “Nothing Else Matters”. And throw in a second for Lynard Skynard’s “Sweet Home Alabama”…and a second for Pink Floyd’s “Money” as well as a first vote for “Have a Cigar”. Man…I could go on and on… Does the harmonica intro for Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” count? How about Bob Dylan’s version of “All Around the Watchtower”? Or the train whistle…the whistle again…the sudden rumble of the steel wheels on the tracks…the whistle again…the sudden rumble of guitar…the train gets louder…and louder… You know what I’m talking about…it’s Aerosmith’s version of “Train Kep’ a Rollin’”. Another example of a near-perfect guitar tune. ---
**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 20, 2003, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/72 "2003-04-20T03:25:58Z")
“Werewolves of London” - Warren Zevon “Sweet Home Alabama” - Lynyrd Skynyrd “Hotel California” - The Eagles But #1, hands-down, has to be “Satisfaction”, by the Stones. I would have voted for “Don’t Fear the Reaper”, but it just doesn’t have enough cowbell. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/73 "2003-04-20T10:04:43Z")
**Soundgarden** from Superunknown: Let Me Drown Fell on Black Days Superunknown Spoonman Fresh Tendrils 4th of July from Badmotorfinger: Rusty Cage Outshined Jesus Christ Pose More to come later, when it’s not the middle of the night… ---
**Author:** ![bjohn13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@bjohn13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bjohn13)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/74 "2003-04-20T16:42:02Z")
Ahh…a vote has not yet been cast for “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison. And since we got a few Soundgarden votes already, let me just point out that I think the best intro (and all around) riff from any Soundgarden tune is from “Big Dumb Sex” off the _Louder than Love_ CD. Most hard rockers know the song… ---
**Author:** ![Cholo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Cholo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cholo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/75 "2003-04-21T03:11:18Z")
**Walk This Way** **Same Old Song and Dance** **Back in the Saddle** by Aerosmith **One Way Out** **Statesboro Blues** **You Don’t Love Me** by The Allman Brothers Band **Come Together** **Day Tripper** **Paperback Writer** **Taxman** **Revolution** by The Beatles **Satisfaction** **Jumpin’ Jack Flash** **Honky Tonk Women** **Gimme Shelter** **Brown Sugar** **Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’** **Beast of Burden** **Shattered** by The Rolling Stones **Pride and Joy** **Love Struck Baby** **Couldn’t Stand the Weather** **The House is Rockin’** **Tightrope** **Wall of Denial** by Stevie Ray Vaughan **Stay With Me** **Ms. Judy’s Farm** by The Faces **Tears of Rage** by The Band **Subterrean Homesick Blues** **Like a Rolling Stone** **It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding** **Highway 61 Revisited** **I Want You** **Gotta Serve Somebody** by Bob Dylan Just some of my faves! ---
**Author:** ![Quack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e99b99/32.png) [@Quack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quack)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/76 "2003-04-21T05:28:41Z")
Personal favorites: Green Day - Longview (try and play that bass line, you’ll appreciate the speed of it) Marshall Tucker Band - This Ol’ Cowboy Beatles - Let It Be Bob Seger - Old Time Rock and Roll (oh yeah, the classics) CCR - Fortunate Son Elvis Costello - Allison Marvin Gaye - Let’s Get It On (Instantly recognizable) Operation Ivy - Sound System (if you know that one, bless you a thousand times) Rancid - Dope Sick Girl AC/DC - Back in Black Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster Weezer - Say It Ain’t So Let’s hear it for the lesser-known bands and their killer openers! ---
**Author:** ![rempar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dc4da7/32.png) [@rempar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rempar)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/77 "2003-04-21T05:42:53Z")
roling stones - gimme shelter ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/78 "2003-04-21T12:12:06Z")
Since you’ve been gone - Rainbow Pride(In the name of love) - U2 She’s not there - Santana Papa was a rolling stone - Temptations, one of the best intros ever. Thriller - Micheal Jackson This old heart of mine - Isley Brothers Cigarettes and alchohol - Oasis Pictures of Matchstick men - Status Quo , crap really but very distinctive. Oh well! - Fleetwood Mac Squeeze box - The Who. ---
**Author:** ![karomon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@karomon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/karomon)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/79 "2003-04-21T22:05:27Z")
I can’t believe that song about going blind is not in here. Y’know. “I can’t see I can’t see I’m going blind” That’s Korn, right? I’m not a Korn fan AT ALL. That first few seconds of the song are stuck in my head for eternity, though. ---
**Author:** ![that.sound.again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e5b9ba/32.png) [@that.sound.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that.sound.again)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661/80 "2003-04-21T22:56:15Z")
Well, a couple of songs that haven’t been mentioned spring to mind: **Chameleon** by Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters - the best opening. Ever. And this groove goes on for 16 minutes without getting boring! (well, almost) also **Birdland** by Weather Report. **Kalamazoo** by Primus if I have to name one in particular. (if you’re into that check out **knee** by Düreforsög for a great opening, too) **Golem II: The Bionic Vapour Boy** by mr. Bungle. The sound of their pianist getting wound up (quite literally) **Come to Daddy** by Aphex Twin - doesn’t get much more direct than that. **Radioactivity** and it’s intro-track **Geiger-Counter** by Kraftwerk. Not really what you’d call riffs but still a great opening. And while it may be a little cheesy I like the way the Dire Straits kick off their songs in general. Seems I have a weird taste in music. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-opening-riffs/168661.md?page=5)