# What are some of your favorite opening lines of songs? (Please post the first line only) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289 "2013-09-07T22:21:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/21 "2013-09-08T04:30:30Z")
New entry from this past year: “I’ve heard love songs that make a Georgia man cry” - Jason Isbell - Stockholm ---
**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:** [September 8, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/22 "2013-09-08T04:54:41Z")
When the night has come and the land is dark And the moon is the only light we’ll see ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/23 "2013-09-08T05:15:22Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Nick Lowe should probably get the credit for that one. Checking, I see you’re right. I thought Costello and Lowe had co-written that song but I see Lowe wrote it by himself. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Medlo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hi\_Medlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Medlo)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/24 "2013-09-08T12:40:22Z")
“In a place you only dream of’ Where your soul is always free” Green Grass and High Tides, the Outlaws. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/25 "2013-09-08T12:54:52Z")
Bop bop-a-lu-a a-whop bam boo ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/26 "2013-09-08T12:55:32Z")
I cite theses often: “She was just seventeen, you _know_ what I mean” - Paul McCartney (with edit approval by John Lennon ;)) “I guess I shoulda known, by the way she parked her car sideways that it wouldn’t last” - Prince ---
**Author:** ![I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@I\_Made\_French\_Toast\_For\_You](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Made_French_Toast_For_You)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/27 "2013-09-08T14:20:06Z")
Jesus died for somebody’s sins / But not mine (Patti Smith, Gloria) ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/28 "2013-09-08T14:25:50Z")
He was a hard headed man, he was brutally handsome… And she was terminally pretty. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/29 "2013-09-08T14:32:11Z")
In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream. (Bruce Springsteen) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/30 "2013-09-08T14:36:20Z")
A long, long time ago I can still remember how that music used to make me smile -American Pie ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/31 "2013-09-08T14:42:30Z")
“So I stood by the roadside, the soles of my running shoes gripping the tarmac like gunmetal magnets.” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/32 "2013-09-08T14:47:03Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Elvis Costello has some great opening lines: > > –snip– > > “Is it all in that pretty little head of yours?” - Veronica Elvis co-wrote this one with some guy named Paul McCartney. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/33 "2013-09-08T14:50:36Z")
Southern trees bear a strange fruit. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/34 "2013-09-08T14:58:39Z")
Two from me: “It’s one o’clock and time for lunch (bum de dum de dum dum).” and “Imagine there’s no heaven.” ---
**Author:** ![dataguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eada6e/32.png) [@dataguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dataguy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/35 "2013-09-08T16:01:45Z")
Levon wears his war wound like a crown He calls his child Jesus Elton John Levon ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/36 "2013-09-08T16:38:56Z")
I’m always touching myself I’ve got nothing else to do… Squeeze Touching Me, Touching You ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/37 "2013-09-08T18:21:35Z")
**Well since my baby left me, I’ve found a new place to dwell** **There’s a lady who’s sure all that glitters is gold** … **Well its one for the money, two for the show** **Welcome to the jungle, we got your disease** **Like to tell you about my baby** - Them. Needs to be played very loud [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srxj-PsKLDg) **It was the third of September, that day I’ll always remember** - Temptations , this takes some time to get to the lyrics, especially on the better longer version - but that opening line! [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6c0P5sWCWg) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/38 "2013-09-08T19:08:46Z")
How about a line _before_ the first line? _**I know when to go out; when to stay in… get things done…**_ (Do I need to say that it’s Bowie’s “Modern Love”?) And Bob Weir’s brilliant solo album has a song “Walk in the Sunshine” where he calls out over the opening vamp: _ **"Look out now… cause here comes some free advice!"** _ ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/39 "2013-09-08T20:08:55Z")
Uno… dos… one two tres quatro! ---
**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:** [September 8, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/40 "2013-09-08T20:14:10Z")
The Empty Bottle was half empty The tide was low and I was thirsty Old 97s “Barrier Reef” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289.md?page=3)