[Boydie]

Hi all

Prompted by MIKE's post in a thread in the Writing Section I thought it would be great to have a thread that collected some of everyone's favourite opening lines

It would be great if people could post their favourite one from a released song AND post their favourite one they have written (or plan to use)

[jacksimmons]

had to think about this a bit but this one came straight to my head:

"Once upon a time you dressed so fine,
you threw the bums a dime in your prime
DIDN'T YOUUU."

And for some reason the first line of Raspberry Beret by Prince always gets me. Dunno why because it's not particularly poignant. "I was working part time in a five-and-dime, my boss was Mr. McGee." For me, that's a weird one, but yeah.

There are some songs that I think have classic opening lines like Basket Case: "Do you have the time, to listen to me whine, about nothing and everything all at once?"

Actually, best opening line of all time, for me, has to be Bowie's Moonage Daydream: "I'm an alligator! I'm a mama-papa coming for youuuuuu!" Awesome.

As for my own music. I have a song that exists in an unreleased demo from a few years ago about running away from home, and it starts: "Strawberry season we ran away/ Yeah we were the graves/ On everybody's lips."

[Yodasdad]

This really highlights my uncanny ability to listen to a song and not hear any of the lyrics.

I can't remember any! Let alone the best.

Actually I can remember one, so I guess that must make it my favourite.

'Slip inside the eye of your mind'

As for my own, they're not worth mentioning (and I can't remember those either)

Yodasdad

[jacksimmons]

Sounds of Silence is pretty classic, too. Just remembered because it was mentioned in the other thread. I'm sure there are a few brilliant Beatles openers.

[S.T.C]

Hard questions!
I like ''People stared at the make up on his face'' from Lady Stardust David Bowie...sort of dramatic with the piano esp for the 70's...also on the list the ,Sounds of Silence .Hello darkness my old friend...classic

For my own , ?Just writing the one below,,,,sort of grabs your attention

'reflections off a two foot lens, hanging over my back wall' (yeah i know bit random, but it makes sense when you read the rest)


Off my CD ..
'It was late that night, maybe later than i care to remember'
'Whistle that song you used to sing'
'Are you waiting by the phone for a call or invitation'
'When the evening sun dies down'
'On a wide open plain i buried my sorrow'
'This night is special , maybe unique'
'Today i crossed a line. aline in my mind'
'You think i'm living with my eyes closed'

[Mike67]

So many to choose from, but "From the ice-age to the dole-age" is cute.

As for mine, I haven't written that many yet, but "Broken words, and a twist of fate" is the one I'm probably most pleased with so far. Perhaps I'll write a song around really bad chat up lines, so I can have a bad chat-up and a bad opening line:- "If I could rewrite the alphabet I would put 'U' and 'I' together."

Mike

[Mike67]

Sounds of Silence is pretty classic, too. Just remembered because it was mentioned in the other thread. I'm sure there are a few brilliant Beatles openers.

Now in this regard, Paul Simon is a genius:

Hello, Darkness, my old friend
When you're weary; feeling small
Slow down you move too fast
The problem is all inside your head, she said to me
What a dream I had
Let us be lovers, we’ll marry our fortunes together
I can hear the soft breathing of the girl that I love

It's like, every song he's written.

Mike

[PopTodd]

Favorite from a released record:
"Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine..."
(Patti Smith - "Gloria")

Favorite of my own, I don't really know. Maybe this one? It's from one of my newer ones.
"I put on my outside smile, as I step out the front door...

[Wicked Deeds]

From Roddy Frame's Frame's brilliant album 'Seven Dials' - Rear View Mirror. 

'I see the sun dip down and disappear
Digging all the music of the young guns here
Sentimental chords without suffering'

Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/roddy-frame/rear-view-mirror-lyrics/#iqtDbvQLKMpDD7Pc.99

There are so many good lyrics to choose from it could have been a different song or artist but the above has been playing in my car lately.


My personal favourite is from my song ' 10 things she said'

10 things she said , to do before you die.
Our time is brief and soon my love, I'll fly.
There's a world out there; it's waiting to be found.
she briefly sighed, 'til silence made no sound.

it could have been a different lyric but this one has always stayed with me.

[delb0y]

As an opening line "I woke up this morning" can't be beat. I stole the idea of using repetition across songs and have used "I was leaning against a lamp-post" as the opening line in several songs.

[boolio]

Wow, tooo many to choose from but opening line for a released song...

"A boy is born in hard time Mississippi
Surrounded by four walls that ain't so pretty"

simple but sets the scene brilliantly...

from "Living for the City"

Stevie Wonder

As for mine...blush

"I was only blowing bubbles back in '66
When Sir Geoff scored a hat-trick on that sacred Wembley pitch "

from "Do it again this year"

My 2014 world cup song -

Sorry, I'll get my coat!!  

[Viscount Cramer & His Orchestra]

First two that come to me which I've always liked both include LA.....go figure!

One might be first 2 lines...Neil Young..
'Think I'll pack it in and buy a pick-up take it down to LA'

and John Denver 'It's a long way from LA to Denver'

Lots of LAs and Denvers!

[nooms]

always liked these  from 'oh well'
I can't help about the shape I'm in
I can't sing I ain't pretty and my legs are thin
But don't ask me what I think of you
I might not give the answer that you want me to

[tone]

Paul Simon has loads as has already been demonstrated. Here's one of my favourites courtesy of Tom Waits

I spent all my money in a Mexican whorehouse
Across the street from a Catholic church

But then it's hard to find a bad lyric in his entire career, so no big surprise here

[jacksimmons]

Now in this regard, Paul Simon is a genius:

Hello, Darkness, my old friend
When you're weary; feeling small
Slow down you move too fast
The problem is all inside your head, she said to me
What a dream I had
Let us be lovers, we’ll marry our fortunes together
I can hear the soft breathing of the girl that I love

It's like, every song he's written.

Mike

A man walks down the street, he says. 'why am i soft in the middle?'
And probably my personal favourite of his: The Mississippi Delta was shining like a national guitar. Mwah.