Favorite Album-Opening Tracks

Show me sets up Poison Arrow very well, and indeed the entire album, which is damn near a production masterpiece.

From 1989 ... "Plainsong," the opening song from The Cure's album, Disintegration, is quite memorable. And if you've ever seen the band perform the album live, this first song makes you think the entire stadium is being being transported into this other-wordy experience. .. Quite magical.

“Can You Forgive Her?” - Pet Shop Boys, Very (1993)

“Eagle” - ABBA, The Album (1977)

“Sat on Your Lap” - Kate Bush, The Dreaming (1982)

“L’Horloge” - Mylène Farmer, Ainsi soit-Je (1988)

To name a few

"Funeral for a Friend," Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

Boston's self-titled album, "More Than a Feeling."

"Strangers in the Night" on Bette's Songs for the New Depression

The whole album is incredible.

r1 and r2, I've never heard the full albums, but those are great openers.

r3, I'll confess I used to skip "Eagle" and drop the needle on "Take a Chance on Me." ;)

Bruce on harmonica. Roy Bittan on piano. [italic]"The screen door slams..."[/italic]

Iconic.

Heart's album "Little Queen" starts out with the rip-roaring song "Barracuda."

This…

"Save me, free me, from my heart this time around..."

"Lose Again" begins Linda Ronstadt's 1976 Hasten down the Wind.

r9, the first song on side two was no slouch, either.

Tubular Bells rolling into Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls, from the album Lullaby, by Book of Love. 1988.

Dark Side of the Moon - Breathe

Beauty and the Beast-David Bowie (Album "Heroes")

"I Know" on Dionne Farris' "Wild Seed - Wild Flower."

"Spark" - Tori Amos

"Rehab" - Amy Winehouse

"On the Bound" - Fiona Apple

"Delicate" - Damien Rice

"Crayon Angels" - Judee Sill

"Boyfriend" - Best Coast

"Walk This World" - Heather Nova

"Going Under" - Evanescence

"Hounds of Love" - Kate Bush

"Baby I'm a Fool" - Melody Gardot

"Haunted" - Poe

"Manon" - Ana Silvera

Baba O 'Reilly-The Who

r18 Hell yeah to "On the Bound!"

Some poppier ones I forgot:

"Run Away with Me" - Carly Rae Jepsen

"That Day" - Natalie Imbruglia

"Never Ever" - All Saints

"Chandelier" - Sia

"Free Me" - Emma Bunton

"Born to Die" - Lana Del Rey

Jackie - The Lion and the Cobra - Sinéad O'Connor

I listened to this opening over and over and over in the '80s.

Oh, the orchestrations, the production and then Martin Fry's vocals... bliss

Not only intro but intro to their first album

"Our Lips Are Sealed" - the GoGos (from the album Beauty and the Beat)

"Come Together" - Abbey Road

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"

"Dreaming" from Blondie's Eat to the Beat

Nsync, Tearin' Up My Heart

Madonna, Like a Prayer

"Gimme Shelter" from Let It Bleed

Welcome to the Jungle, Appetite for Destruction, Guns N Roses.

"Burning Down the House" from Talking Heads' "Speaking in Tongues" album, 1983.

Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin 2

The Clash - "London Calling" off the album by the same name, 1979.

“Meatplow,” from “Purple” by Stone Temple Pilots. The nerve!

"For What It's Worth" starts Buffalo Springfield's Retrospective album.

"Planet Claire" - The B-52's first song on their first album.

r38 Totes sets the table, don't it?

Janie Jones, track 1 from the UK version of “The Clash”

"Mother's Talk," Songs from the Big Chair, Tears for Fears.

The Great Annihilator - I Am The Sun

Kid A - Everything In It's Right Place

Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space - Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space

Love Deluxe - No Ordinary Love

Houdini - Hooch

“Violet” on Hole’s ‘Live Through This’

I Wanna be Adored, Stone Roses

Debaser from Doolitlle

Rid of me, Rid of me

Help I'm Alive, Fantasies

Black Celebration - Depeche Mode

Green Day - American Idiot.

Yeah!

Yeah! I'm awake now!

Being Boring from Pet Shop Boys "Behaviour" album

Not many fans of her here, but I really like A Sorta Fairytale on Scarlets Walk by Tori Amos-

Fun Times in Babylon- Father John Misty- Fear Fun-

Gloria, Patti Smith's Horses

Runnin' With The Devil -- Van Halen (debut album)

And this will likely get me flamed, but whatever...it was THE album of 1979, especially if you were into roller skating at Flipper's. A song from this album played at least once, every hour:

^^ p.s. many of those songs (on OFF THE WALL) were co-written by Rod Temperton of Heatwave....and Grooveline fame.

American Beauty- Grateful Dead

London Calling

Cherub Rock - Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream

"Beds Are Burning" ... The opening track from Midnight Oil's album Diesel and Dust.

Depeche Mode, "I Feel You" from the album, Songs of Faith and Devotion

Release the Pressure - Leftfield

Celebrity Skin - Hole

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart - Wilco

Safe From Harm - Massive Attack

Girls and Boys - Blur

Joy Division - Disorder

From Power, Corruption & Lies

Goddamnit, New Order is the greatest band. Curtis..."leaving the band" was probably the best thing to happen to them.

There's no tasteful way to say that, is there?

OP here. Just wanna say that I'm loving hearing all these songs that I know a singles or radio cuts in a new context, because an album-opener is a different animal.

"Oh What a World" from Want One (Rufus Wainwright)

It was such a joy and privilege to see him perform both Want One and Want Two (almost back to back) last September at the Proms. No easy feat.

Cherry Coloured Funk - Cocteau Twins Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush The first track on pretty much any Lana Del Rey album

The album version, for reference. While I'm not the biggest fan of Ravel's Bolero, the way Rufus interweaves it into the fabric of the song and vice versa is such a brilliant musical decision, and still somehow takes me by suprise.

Fatboy Slim - "Right Here, Right Now" from the album, "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" (1998)

"She Works Hard for the Money" is right up there with "Hot Stuff".

What am I, chopped livah?

Sad thread

Another one of op’s reply to himself lists. Typical boring and dl killing

Oh yeah, how many did OP post? I just posted 7 and I'm not OP.

Landslide on Olivia's Physical.

The Go-Go's "Head Over Heels" from their Talk Show album

I Wonder...

"That's the Way Boys Are" - Lesley Gore (from her 1964 album Boys, Boys, Boys)

Opening the 1964 album Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes, "Walking in the Rain"

Over and Over - Tusk. Gorgeous.

The three-part opening to the Beach Boys' SMiLe: Our Prayer, Gee, and Heroes & Villains.

How has this not been mentioned until R90? Iconic (first) song on a great album.

Romeo Void - "Never Say Never" - first track on Benefactor

Dig Me Out

Silent Alarm, Bloc Party

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called Life..."

Loveland --Mesopotamia, The B-52s

In The Stone

Some more EWF, from All 'n All

Beau Soir from Classical Barbra.

Stuff Like That -- Quincy Jones, from the album "Sounds...and Stuff Like That!!"

You may recognize some beloved voices.

Terrific opener!!

INXS - "Original Sin" - first song on The Swing (1984)

"I Want to Hold Your Hand" - Meet the Beatles

I agree with R27. There is no other song like it, incredibly unique. Never gets old, either.

Thread reminds me to listen to some of my favorite albums. Remember when they could be great? Seems like ancient history.