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Opening tracks

50 votes
?
by ColdGlassEye

Trying to put together a compilation for a friend composed entirely of side 1, track 1s. Current thoughts include:

Low - Monkey
Wedding Present - Dalliance
Birthday Party - Sonny's burning
Radiohead - Everything in it's right place
Shellac - Prayer to God
Animal Collective - Peacebone
Clinic - Harmony
The Pixies - Debaser
The Thermals - Here's your future

... and obviously ...

Nirvana - Smells like teen spirit

Any more suggestions?

ColdGlassEye | 08 May '08, 22:01 | Send note | Report this | Reply

thickfreakness - Black Keys

dead leaves & the dirty ground or most stripes track 1s

needle in the hay


subterranean homesick blues

like a rolling stone


Pioneer To The Falls-

Interpol.

Or

'Next Exit' from Antics.

Both very good opening tracks.


Untitled off TOTBL is good to

It's an under-rated skill, nailing a good opening track, and Interpol have it in spades.


It's hard to imagine

a better opening track than Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot.


Elbow have this down too

Any one of them ought to do it. Starlings is the bestest though.


was gonna say this.

Ed Harcourt - A Storm Is Coming. too


Oooooh

I slightly prefer Station Approach. I'm prejudiced though, cos the first time I heard it was at Reading. I nearly fell over when the bass dropped, it was so fucking heavy!


....

station approach is wicked.

yeah Elbow just seem to make wicked opening tracks.


awesome song

if only for 'the streets are full of goths and geeks, I haven't seen my mum for weeks'
How they make that sound brilliant is beyond me, but they do


For ages I thought he said "Greeks"

I couldn't work out what his problem with the Greeks was!


it is Greeks!

but, as its Elbow, I'll allow for a little xenophobia...


I'M A STREETWALKIN CHEETAH

side 1 track 1 of any side 1 track 1 compilation


with a heart full'a naypaaahhhhhmmm

i agree.
altho i vote for teenage riot


The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead

Death Cab - The New Year
Metallica - Battery
MIA - Bamboo Banger


Trail of Dead

Mistakes and Regrets

or At The Drive-In - Arcarsenal.


Led Zep - Immigrant Song

Jesus Lizard - Boilermaker
High On Fire - Devilution


Pornography For Cowards - Million Dead

Arguably the best start to an album ever.


only shallow

MBV


Dillinger Escape Plan

- Panasonic Youth.


Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space -

Spiritualized.

And I can't actually think of anymore :S


...oh and maybe...

The Saddest Day and Concubine by Converge. Just because one is the most brutal, epic OTT way to begin an album and the other is the most brutal, short no bullshit way to begin an album.


the greatest ever opening track is

Angel
Massive Attack
I had it on again the other day. REALLY REALLY REALLY loud.

What a fucking tune. It is cone-bustingly huge. That sound is thick, nasty, oily, dirty and it feels like.....intent.


Plainsong - The Cure

Bleed American - Jimmy Eat World


Plainsong is the ultimate for me

But others that spring to mind are

Feel Good Hit Of The Summer - Rated R (QOTSA)
I Zimbra/Born Under Punches - Fear Of Music/Remain In Light (Talking Heads)
Untitled - Turn On The Bright Lights (Interpol)
Do The Strand - For Your Pleasure (Roxy Music)
and most recently, I think Knocked Up by Kings Of Leon is a fucking cracker


Though not precisely the first song...

"Some Red Handed Sleight Of Hand" by Cursive


also...

Secondsmile - "Our Great And Secret Show"


...

Twilight Sad - Cold Days from the Birdhouse
Frightened Rabbit - The Greys
Pavement - Silence Kid
Jimmy Eat World - Table for Glasses


Suffer For Fashion

...Hissing Fauna - Of Montreal


tip your bartender

by glassjaw.


Down On The Street - SSTSTTTSSSSTTSTSSSSOOOGGES

opens "Ffffuufffffuffuufuffuffffun House"


my suggestions

Adam and the Ants - Cartrouble (weird dreamy/nightmarish first half turns into this wonderful british pop song ala kinks via the sex pistols)

Joy Division - Disorder...it's probably the best ever album opener for me.


So many

Archers of Loaf - Web In Front (definitely, definitely, definitely)
Pavement - Winter Babe (Summer version)
Guided by Voices - Over the Neptune/Mesh Gear Fox (also definitely)
Mission of Burma - That's When I Reach For My Revolver
Wolf Parade - You Are a Runner and I Am My Father's Son
Born Ruffians - This Sentence Will Ruin/Save Your Life
The Stooges - Search and Destroy
mclusky - Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues
Elliott Smith - Needle in the Hay/Speed Trials/Sweet Adeline
Dinosaure Jr - Freak Scene

SO MANY.


Note that

only for Elliott Smith do the forward slashes signify separate songs.


get

Out At The Pictures - Hot Chip on there


its an obvious one

airbag.
those guitars still make my spine tingle 10 years later


...

Red House Painters - Grace Cathedral Park
Joy Division - Disorder
Afghan Whigs - Crime Scene Part 1
The National - Secret Meeting
Sebadoh - Soul and Fire

...and obviously...

Counting Crows - Round Here


dälek

Either Abandoned Language, if you have ten minutes to spare, or Distorted Prose, if you want some really sweet screechy noises.

Also, Stapleton - Capitals. They rule!


Try

The Knife - Silent Shout

?


Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil

Teenage Fanclub - The Concept
Dion - Born To Be With You
The Cult - Wildflower (oh yes indeed)
Liars - Plaster Casts Of Everything
Modern Lovers - Roadrunner
Funkadelic - Mommy, What's A Funkadelic?
Galaxie 500 - Blue Thunder

Jeez, there's loads!

QOTSA - Regular John (as a bonus one)


Yeah...

The Liars track is a great opener...


Most importantly

which track is going to open your compilation?


Would always have to go with

The Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored
My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow
The Jesus And Mary Chain - Just Like Honey


My current thought for opening track ...

High on Fire - "Devilution". Just to catch everyone off guard. Those drums!

There's loads, aren't there? This is going to be tricky ...

Though there's chance this might turn into a podcast, which would be cool: I'd get to pontificate on why each choice was amazing ... :)

More please!


The Bronx - Heart Attack American

RFTC - Middle
Mad Capsule Markets - Tribe
Hot Snakes - Braintrust


Magazine - Definitive Gaze

Bjork - Human Behaviour
Hefner - The Hymn For The Cigarettes
Cat Power - The Greatest
The National - Fake Empire


Magnetic Fields - absolutely cuckoo

Herman Dune - i wish that i could see you soon
Sisters of Mercy - alice


S by Labradford

from Mi Media Naranja

and Come See The Duck from Deerhoof, Green Cosmos?


Army of Me - Bjork

How has no one said this already, it's pretty much the greatest album opener ever!


Yep

this wins. Or Sleater Kinney - One Beat.

Other good uns:
Born Under Punches - Talking Heads
A Message to you Rudy - Specials
Radio Free Europe - REM


In fact, R.E.M. ...

Radio Free Europe, Pop Song 89, Begin the Begin, Finest Worksong, Drive ...

Another band with the Opening Track gene.

(Radio Song is being ignored for the purposes of this reply.)


True

even Around the sun started with Leaving New york, which was fairly decent.

I reckon Sleater Kinney may run them close though, with Dig me out and The fox as well.


FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!

Or:

Converge - Concubine
Every Time I Die - Romeo A-Go-Go
American Football - Never Meant
At The Drive-In - Arcarsenal
Gay For Johnny Depp - Cumpassion
Joanna Newsom - Emily
Q and not U - Soft Pyramids
These Arms Are Snakes - The Shit Sisters


Wonderful People

- Q and not U


Breakin' into heaven

Stone Roses


Takes too long to get there.

See also 'Beyond The Pale,' the opening song from The Mission's excellent 'Children' LP.

It was produced by the Led Zep bass player dontchya know...


Secret Machines - First Wave Intact

Phoenix - Everything Is Everything
Explosions In The Sky - The Birth And Death Of The Day
iLiKETRAiNS - Terra Nova
Mew - Am I Wry? No
Siberian - Belgian Beer And Catholic Girls

Just off the top of my head. The list is endless.

Someone should start a 'Why is the tenth track on an 11 track album always rubbish?' thread.


Bumpity-bump!

Just in case anyone's got any more suggestions.

:)


Midlake - Roscoe

Love - Alone Again Or
Band of Horses - Is There A Ghost
Nick Cave - The Mercy Seat


Ride - Leave them all behind

is a great slow builder.
Beta Band - Dry the Rain
Neil Young - Cinnamon Girl
Tom Waits - Ol'55


Thats crazy i am just watching High Fidelity

Mine would be.

The Shins - Sleeping Lessons
The Beta Band - Dry The Rain
Camera Obscura - Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heart Broken
Pavement - Stereo
Beck - E-Pro
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Love Burns
Jeff Buckley - Mojo Pin
Death Cab For Cutie - New Year
The Clash - Janie Jones
Nirvana - Serve The Servants


What do they go for in High Fidelity?

(Whichisn'tatallwhereIgottheideafromohno.)


Everyone Thinks He looks Daft - The Wedding Present

Lily - Jonquil
I Want Wind To Blow - Microphones
Any opener by Elbow (as mentioned)
I'd say the best opening track I have ever heard is Teenage Riot.


I agree with

the guy who said Disorder - Joy Division