# The wrong foot: Albums with a lame first track **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515 "2008-12-17T03:23:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/1 "2008-12-17T03:23:26Z")
Conventional wisdom dictates that when sequencing an album, you want to lead off with a strong track, something to get the listener excited while keeping them in front of the stereo/computer/whatever and playing the album. Imagine dropping the needle on **Highway 61 Revisited** and not hearing “Like a Rolling Stone.” Or, from more recent days, **Elephant** not starting with “Seven Nation Army.” You get the idea. What albums, in your experience, violate this dictum? What albums begin with a duff track? The one that comes to mind for me is an obscure one: Hothouse Flowers’ **Songs From the Rain**. It begins with a mid-tempo, rather characterless ballad called “This Is It (Your Soul)” that I never fail to skip. I’m sure the band doesn’t agree, given that “This Is It” is the **only** track from that album included on their best-of. Be that as it may, to me the album begins with the second track, “One Tongue.” So what first tracks do you all tend to skip? (Exception should perhaps be made for concept or narrative albums, where the first track serves a dramatic role and isn’t necessarily meant to be catchy. **Tommy, The Wall,** and so on.) ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/2 "2008-12-17T04:07:04Z")
A number of compilations come to mind, where they tossed in a few new tracks at the beginning to appeal to long-time fans. But I suspect that’s not what you had in mind, and I can’t think of any real examples at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/3 "2008-12-17T04:08:24Z")
I always skip the first song in **LIVE** ’s _Throwing Copper_ cd (“The Dam at Otter Creek”) and go straight to “Selling the Drama”. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/4 "2008-12-17T04:42:42Z")
I’ll probably get pounded for this, but I think “Brown Sugar” is one of the Stones’ worst songs on one of their best albums. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/5 "2008-12-17T04:53:58Z")
In one case it works: _Star Struck One_ at the beginning of the Smoking Popes’ _Destination Failure_ is so lame that it makes _No More Smiles_ seem great in comparison, and that song’s just a grunge-era hard rocker. When I play that album I always start with that, (actually its genuine lameness **combined with** its slowness do impart a better feeling to the following song, so it’s not all on its suckitude.) ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/6 "2008-12-17T06:15:07Z")
The most obvious one is another Dylan album–Blonde on Blonde. It opens with “Rainy Day Woman” (the “everybody must get stoned” song). It’s a cheesy “wink wink nudge nudge” type thing that doesn’t fit the emotional richness of the other tracks. Hell, it’s not nearly as funny as “Stuck Inside Mobile With These Memphis Blues”. A more obscure is Rilo Kiley’s “It’s a Hit”, the opening track off More Adventurous. It’s your standard slam at politicians and bad artists, with an aimless melody. Everything else is much better written, with much more intensity from the band. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/7 "2008-12-17T09:27:25Z")
It doesn’t help when there’s a particularly strong second track. “Once” isn’t really a horrible Pearl Jam song, but I always skipped straight to “Even Flow”. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/8 "2008-12-17T13:10:36Z")
The Cranberries, “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?”, track 1, “I Still Do.” Only dud on the album and of course it’s first. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/9 "2008-12-17T15:05:55Z")
My definition of a lame first track is any first track on a record album that features a gradual fade-in. I’ve made digital recordings of a lot of used vinyl, and usually have to spend a lot of time cleaning up those first tracks that start very softly, because that’s mostly where the worst scratches are (from the careless and drug-addled dropping/manipulating the needle on the record). ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/10 "2008-12-17T17:09:14Z")
The Moody Blues’ _Every Good Boy Deserves Favour_. I typically skip track 1 (“Procession,” which isn’t really a song) and start with track 2 (“The Story In Your Eyes,” which rocks). ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/11 "2008-12-17T17:22:35Z")
**Garbage’s** eponymous debut album starts off with “Super Vixen”, a weird klunky track that’s definitely the worst on the album. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/12 "2008-12-17T18:00:31Z")
I have no idea why “Womanizer” is the first track on Britney’s _Circus_. “Circus” is a much better song and makes a way better lead-in. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/13 "2008-12-17T18:00:55Z")
> [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](#): > > I’ll probably get pounded for this, but I think “Brown Sugar” is one of the Stones’ worst songs on one of their best albums. This is the sound of me pounding you. 😉 I happen to disagree, but YMMV, what have you… I am trying to think this through - I am trying to think of CD’s where the big hit single is the second track so the first song feels disappointing when you get the CD in the player… ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/14 "2008-12-17T18:23:05Z")
U2’s _Achtung Baby_ starts with the choppy, flat “Zoo Station” instead of the warm and romantic “Even Better Than The Real Thing” or the inspired “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses.” ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/15 "2008-12-17T18:52:21Z")
Alice Cooper’s best (IMO) album, Billion Dollar Babies, starts with the clunker “Hello Hooray”, which is poor not just in context to the great other songs on the album, but poor in general for Alice’s whole catalog. I usually hit skip if it comes up on my iPod. Looking at the credits, it is the sole song that was not penned by the band. 1. “Hello, Hooray” (Kempf) – 4:15 2. “Raped and Freezin’” (Cooper, Michael Bruce) – 3:19 3. “Elected” (Cooper, Glen Buxton, Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith) – 4:05 4. “Billion Dollar Babies” (Cooper, Bruce, Smith) – 3:43 5. “Unfinished Sweet” (Cooper, Bruce, Smith) – 6:18 6. “No More Mr. Nice Guy” (Cooper, Bruce) – 3:06 7. “Generation Landslide” (Cooper, Buxton, Bruce, Dunaway, Smith) – 4:31 8. “Sick Things” (Cooper, Bruce, Bob Ezrin) – 4:18 9. “Mary Ann” (Cooper, Bruce) – 2:21 10. “I Love the Dead” (Cooper, Ezrin) – 5:09 ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/16 "2008-12-17T18:54:57Z")
The **O Brother Where Art Thou** soundtrack album opens with **Po’ Lazarus** , as the movie did. I always skip it and go straight to **The Big Rock Candy Mountain**. ---
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/17 "2008-12-17T19:37:38Z")
I’ve never been a big fan of “Drive My Car” by the Beatles. The whole “beep beep / beep beep / yeah” sounded too novelty-ish and beneath them. I love the rest of _Rubber Soul_ though. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/18 "2008-12-17T19:39:00Z")
> [@Meltdown](#): > > I’ve never been a big fan of “Drive My Car” by the Beatles. The whole “beep beep / beep beep / yeah” sounded too novelty-ish and beneath them. IMO it would be on par with the rest of the album, despite being more reminiscent of their early work, if that part of the song hadn’t been driven (NPI) into the ground by Oldies Radio traffic breaks. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/19 "2008-12-17T20:02:34Z")
I don’t know if I’d classify it as “lame” as much as I’d call it an in-joke, but _First Circle_ by the **Pat Metheny Group** opens with “Forward March”, which is basically a joke song where the band plays out of tune and time with one another and tries to sound like an incompetent marching band. Then the albums lurches into “Yolanda, you Learn” and the rest of the songs, all of which sound nothing like “Forward March”, thankfully. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515/20 "2008-12-17T20:12:08Z")
> [@Meltdown](#): > > I’ve never been a big fan of “Drive My Car” by the Beatles. The whole “beep beep / beep beep / yeah” sounded too novelty-ish and beneath them. Second best song on the album. Great bass line. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-wrong-foot-albums-with-a-lame-first-track/477515.md?page=2)