# 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:** 6
**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:** [September 10, 2013, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/101 "2013-09-10T01:58:51Z")
“In the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey!” - Beck, “Loser” “How do you keep a moron held in rapt suspense? I’ll tell you that later, but first I’ll tell you this!” - Lux Interior of the Cramps, “The Most Exalted Potentate of Love” “I dunno why you wanna impress Christgau. Aww let that shit die, and light up a new dawn.” - Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, “Kill Y’r Idols” ---
**Author:** ![10000000GMK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/10000000gmk/32/7305_2.png) [@10000000GMK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/10000000GMK)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/102 "2013-09-10T07:23:08Z")
“Jesus died for somebody’s sins, but not mine” - Patti Smith, “Gloria”. Best first line to the first song on a first album. "Sometimes I sing the blues when I know I should be prayin’ " - T-Bone Walker “I Got the Blues” ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/103 "2013-09-10T08:02:10Z")
Two favorites from Natalie Merchant: Doctors have come from distant cities,just to see me, Stand over my bed, disbelieving what they’re seeing… “Wonder” When I was just a little girl, my momma said to me "Beware of the Devil my child in the dark rocky places he’'ll keep. “Build A Levee” ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/104 "2013-09-10T08:35:41Z")
She was married when we first met, soon to be divorced I helped her out of a jam, I guess, but I used a little too much force. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/105 "2013-09-10T09:30:02Z")
Please allow me to introduce myself; I’ m a man of wealth and taste Frankly, Mr. Shankly, this position I’ve held, it pays my way but it corrodes my soul My father was a gambler down in Georgia; he wound up on the wrong end of a gun ---
**Author:** ![10000000GMK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/10000000gmk/32/7305_2.png) [@10000000GMK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/10000000GMK)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/106 "2013-09-10T09:43:15Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > She was married when we first met, soon to be divorced > I helped her out of a jam, I guess, but I used a little too much force. But that isn’t the opening line to that song… ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/107 "2013-09-10T10:54:49Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again … from one of my favorite Elvis Costello songs: > > “He thought he was the King of America, > Where they pour Coke-a-Cola just like vintage wine …” Nice one. One of my favorites as well. I don’t believe we’ve heard from **Neil Young** yet: “Tin soldiers and Nixon coming…” (Ohio) “I came down from the misty mountain, I got lost on the human highway” (Human Highway) “Trying to remember what my daddy said, before too much time took away his head” (Prairie Wind) mmm ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/108 "2013-09-10T12:35:08Z")
Charlie, you’re not my Charlie any more. You’re screwing it up. - The Whitlams, [“Buy Now, Pay Later”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5D1ECXGmqM) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/109 "2013-09-10T12:50:07Z")
Mittels Druck und Körperwärme wird aus unserer Konfusion eine Kernfusion und ungeheuer _Feurio! - Einstürzende Neubauten_ Hands up who wants to die!\* Sonny’s Burning - Birthday Party\* Why Be Ashamed Of Hatred -There’s Nothing Wrong With Burning _Raping A Slave - Swans_ Keep Your Head On The Ground . Push Your Ass Up _A Screw (Holy Money) - Swans_ England, my country, The home of the free, such miserable weather… _Can’t Be Sure - Sundays_ Suddenly shattered, ear to ear, cut to the guts and I’m screaming to be _Shatter - Shelleyan Orphan_ ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/110 "2013-09-10T13:00:32Z")
From Cowboy Mouth (the greatest live band ever): “My eyelids said four thirty, btu the radio clock said six and I was thinking up a reasonable excuse” “Tina says don’t talk to me like I am deaf and dumb, we’ve broken down and broken up so much that I am numb” “The Texas sun beats down upon me like the devil’s smile” “Well it looks like I’m a dumbass, I done dropped the ball again” ---
**Author:** ![BrokenBriton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@BrokenBriton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrokenBriton)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/111 "2013-09-10T13:28:48Z")
Screen door slams, Mary’s dress waves. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/112 "2013-09-10T13:36:37Z")
“War! The Very first war of our world.” -Amon Amarth, “War of the gods” “Sing me a song, you’re a singer Do me a wrong, you’re a bringer of evil The Devil is never a maker The less that you give, you’re a taker” -Black Sabbath, “Heaven and Hell” “I killed a man 'cause he killed my goat I put my hands around his throat” -Mastodon, “Curl of the Burl” “There comes the siren that warns of the air raid, there goes sound of the guns sending flack” -Iron Maiden, “Aces High” “I’m all messed up in Texas And I’m lookin for a damn good time” -Hank 3, “Long Hauls and Close Calls” “Rise of the one, of the dark Iconoclast” Symphony X, “Iconoclast” ---
**Author:** ![Sassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/113 "2013-09-10T21:11:23Z")
I was gonna get up off that bar stool Just as soon as I could figure it out - John Hiatt ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/114 "2013-09-10T22:13:09Z")
If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/115 "2013-09-10T22:57:42Z")
> [@10000000GMK](#): > > But that isn’t the opening line to that song… Yeah, I realized that later, when I hit the “Replay” button in my head. :smack: It was late. ---
**Author:** ![Scupper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Scupper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scupper)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/116 "2013-09-10T23:20:05Z")
“Kennesaw Mountain Landis was a bad motherfucker.” Kennesaw Mountain Landis - Jonathan Coulton ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/117 "2013-09-11T10:50:21Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > “The screen door slams, Mary’s dress waves…” (Springsteen, Thunder Road) > [@HotDogWater](#): > > Thanks mmm for Thunder Road. > [@BrokenBriton](#): > > Screen door slams, Mary’s dress waves. Has anyone mentioned Thunder Road yet? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Longshanks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Longshanks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Longshanks)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/118 "2013-09-13T17:43:28Z")
I’m coming out of my cage and I’ve been doing just fine gotta gotta be down because I want it all it started out with a kiss how did it end up like this? It was only a kiss It was only a kiss. The Killers - Mr. Brightside ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/119 "2013-09-13T18:13:12Z")
I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin’ 'bout half past dead. -The Band. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-your-favorite-opening-lines-of-songs-please-post-the-first-line-only/668289/120 "2013-09-13T18:23:52Z")
Nice girls, not one with a defect; cellophane shrink-wrapped, so correct. _Watching the Detectives._ As apparently others feel in this thread Elvis Costello has a way with words. [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=5) [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=7)