Best opening track of an album?
 

I was listening to the Shins "Wincing the Night Away" earlier, and I was thinking about how awesome "Sleeping Lessons" is for an opener. I'm wondering what other opening tracks people out there REALLY like, regardless of whether the rest of the album holds up.

I think "The Fear" does a great job of setting the tone for Pulp's This Is Hardcore album.

This is our Music From a Bachelor's Den
The sound of loneliness turned up to 10
A horror soundtrack from a stagnant waterbed

Hell's Bells - AC/DC

It's hard to think of just one, but out of my top 4 albums, I have to say "The House Is Rockin'" from "Guitar Slinger" by the Brian Setzer Orchestra. I wasn't too familiar with Setzer or the orchestra at all, and it blew me away.

Hellion - Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance

Remember Now/Anarchy-X - Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime

Politik - Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head

Waitin' For The Bus- ZZ Top
Running With The Devil-Van Halen
Gimme Shelter-Stones
Stranglehold-Ted Nugent
Ridin' The Storm Out-REO
Rock The Nation-Montrose
Ain't Nuthin' But A House Part-J. Geils Band
Purple Haze-Hendrix
Carry On-CSNY
Footstompin' Music-Grand Funk
Radar Love-Golden Earring
Whole Lotta Love-Zep

Airbag - Radiohead - OK Computer

I've always loved how "Crime Scene, Part 1" kicks off the Afghan Whigs' Black Love. Perfect song to set the tone for the album.

Ditto for "Girl in the War" on Josh Ritter's The Animal Years.

In The Flesh?

They Might Be Giants "Theme From Flood" from Flood.

"Why is the world in love again?
Why are we marching hand in hand?
Why are the ocean levels rising up?
It's a brand-new record
for 1990
They Might Be Giants' brand-new album
Flood!"

Either that, or Violent Femmes' "Blister In The Sun". Those are my favorites.

:thumbsup:

Begin the Begin - REM Life's Rich Pageant
Funeral for a Friend/Loves lies Bleeding - Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
No Action - Elvis Costello This Year's Model
Brown Sugar - Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers
London Calling - The Clash - Londong Calling
These Important Years - Husker Du - Warehouse Songs and Stories

Finding My Way-Rush

:up:

Teenage Riot - Sonic Youth
Disconnect - Rollins Band
Mean Street - Van Halen
We Rock - Dio
Bark At The Moon - Ozzy
Rusty Cage - Soundgarden
Aces High - Iron Maiden
Dogman - King's X
Holy Wars - Megadeth

Baba O'Riley - The Who - Who's Next

Chemical Brothers - Surrender - Music:Response

Cold Brains - Beck - Mutations

Excluding obvious stuff like "Taxman", a few that spring to mind...

Maggot Brain off of Maggot Brain by Funkadelic: such a weird start to the album ("drown in your own shit"?!?) followed by one of the most incredible guitar solos in history. A very offbeat start to one of the most bizarre and varied funk albums ever made.

Love is the Drug off of Siren by Roxy Music: sleazy 70s art rock par excellence. Basically set the template by which all 80s bands were to operate.

Only Shallow off of Loveless by My Bloody Valentine: that drum and then you think your speakers have suddenly blown. What the hell is that sound?

Accidents Will Happen off of Armed Forces by Elvis Costello: "Ohhhh, I jes' don't know where to beeeegggiiinn", one of my favorite openings to any song ever.

Blood and Thunder off of Leviathan by Mastodon: pure power pouring out your speakers, slightly less technical than other songs on the album, but just rocks the house.

Born Under Punches off of Remain in Light by Talking Heads: so dense and polyrhythmic it takes more than a few seconds to figure out what the hell is going on, then you start bopping your head and you're set for the rest of the album.

Race for the Prize off of The Soft Parade by Flaming Lips: incredibly huge sound, great piano riff and endless optimism. Puts me is a good mood every time.

Summer Babe off of Slanted and Enchanted by Pavement: sloppy drums, great guitar riff and the laziest vocal ever somhow make for perfection.

Rocks Off off of Exile on Main Street by the Rolling Stones: may be an obvious choice, but the Stones were masters of great leadoff tracks and this is my personal favorite.

Down on the Street off of Funhouse by The Stooges: stripped down, primal, bleak, driving as all hell.

Words off of The Last Broadcast by Doves (Intro doesn't count): driving drums and then a guitar hook that sounds like it dropped in from Heaven. Great song.

First thing that came to my mind as well.

Dead Kennedys - "Kill the Poor":

"Efficiency and progress is ours once a-more
Now that we have the neu-ta-ron bomb"

That and the ever-obvious "Like a Rolling Stone".

Radiohead - Everything In It's Right Place - Kid A
Tool - The Grudge - Lateralus
The Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock - Siamese Dream
Rage Against The Machines - Testify - The Battle Of Los Angeles
My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow - Loveless
Dragonforce - Thru The Fire And The Flames - Inhuman Rampage

Cowboys From Hell - <b>Pantera</b>: <i>Cowboys From Hell</i>

Blistering opener from one of the best metal albums of all time and one of Dimebag's most well-known ass-kicking' solos.

Taxman