Author Topic: Best album-opening track ever?  (Read 15823 times)

onb

  • Between jobs at present
Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #75 on: 15 October, 2009, 10:27:53 am »
Gimme Shelter on Gimme Shelter ,still sends shivers down my spine

Gimme Shelter: on Let it Bleed

+1 to that elsewise though


Doh age related  moment




Closer from Only by the Night   - Kings of Leon

And it Stoned me from Moonndance -Van Morrison

Dont Bang the Drum from This is The Sea - The Waterboys .Which probably has the best final track on an Album in This is the Sea but I suppose thats another thread.
.

Mr Larrington

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Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #76 on: 15 October, 2009, 11:36:48 am »
Achilles Last Stand ~ Presence ~ Led Zeppelin
Airline to Heaven ~ Mermaid Avenue Volume 2 ~ Billy Bragg & Wilco (mostly the latter)
Chic 'n' Stu ~ Steal This Album! ~ System Of A Down
Cochise ~ Audioslave ~ Audioslave
Dimension ~ Wolfmother ~ Wolfmother
Disgruntled Employee ~ The Deathray Tapes ~ Mick Farren & Jack Lancaster
Down On The Street ~ Fun House ~ The Stooges
Drunk On Hallelujahs ~ Skirt ~ The Dear Janes
Evening Of Swing (Has Been Cancelled) ~ CSI: Ambleside ~ Half Man Half Biscuit
Fair Exchange ~ Sunburst Finish ~ Be Bop Deluxe
Hells Bells ~ Back In Black ~ AC/DC
Hunting Tigers Out In 'Indiah' ~ Tadpoles ~ The Bonzo Dog Band
Hurricane ~ Desire ~ Bob Dylan
I Wanna Destroy You ~ Underwater Moonlight ~ The Soft Boys
India ~ The Psychedelic Furs ~ The Psychedelic Furs
Leben Heißt Leben ~ Opus Dei ~ Laibach
Loser ~ Mellow Gold ~ Beck
Losing Touch With My Mind ~ Sound Of Confusion ~ Spacemen 3
Motörhead ~ Motörhead ~ Motörhead
Music For A Found Harmonium ~ Broadcasting From Home ~ Penguin Café Orchestra
Overkill ~ Overkill ~ Motörhead
Puppet Life ~ Laughing Academy ~ Punishment Of Luxury
Requiem ~ Killing Joke ~ Killing Joke
Seven Nation Army ~ Elephant ~ The White Stripes
Sometimes ~ Rattus Norvegicus ~ The Stranglers
Spirit Of The Age ~ Quark Strangeness And Charm ~ Hawkwind
Spook Perv Happenings In The Snooker Hall ~ Ooh Crikey It's ... Lawnmower Deth ~ Lawnmower Deth
Storm ~ Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven  ~ Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Subterranean Homesick Blues ~ Bringing It All Back Home ~ Bob Dylan
Tab ~ 25 Tab ~ Monster Magnet
The Grudge ~ Lateralus ~ Tool
The Sickbed Of Cuchulainn ~ Rum, Sodomy & The Lash ~ The Pogues
The Yip Song ~ Respect ~ Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians
White Room ~ Wheels Of Fire ~ Cream

and of course:

Part 1 ~ Sir Henry At Rawlinson End ~ Vivian Stanshall

That's an hour of my life I'll never get back :P
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #77 on: 15 October, 2009, 11:46:48 am »
Smells like Teen Spirit - Nevermind (Nirvana)



Of course..

CommuteTooFar

  • Inadequate Randonneur
Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #78 on: 15 October, 2009, 12:11:24 pm »
You do realise the best first tracks are mostly on compilation albums.


Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #79 on: 15 October, 2009, 03:00:29 pm »
Koder på snor from the album of the same name by Valravn.  Beautiful.  Clicky for a listen to a snippet:
Koder på snor: Valravn: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads

Also, no YouTube - Jean Michel Jarre - Equinoxe part 1 ???

Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #80 on: 15 October, 2009, 03:02:34 pm »
Allegri's Miserere on the 'Best of Kings' album.

Perhaps the best ever recording of the Miserere.
Quote from: clarion
I completely agree with Reg.

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Rhys W

  • I'm single, bilingual
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Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #81 on: 16 October, 2009, 12:10:49 am »
Not sure if it's been mentioned since last time I contributed, but...

What's The Frequency, Kenneth? - REM, Monster.

After setting the scene, that tremolo-driven guitar sound reappears at later points in the album as a kind of sonic reoccurring theme.

Really Ancien

Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #82 on: 16 October, 2009, 12:28:14 am »
It's still 21st  Century Scihozoid Man.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/SWS3ofzuiMU&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/SWS3ofzuiMU&rel=1</a>

Damon.

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
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Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #83 on: 16 October, 2009, 12:32:58 am »
Not sure if it's been mentioned since last time I contributed, but...

What's The Frequency, Kenneth? - REM, Monster.

After setting the scene, that tremolo-driven guitar sound reappears at later points in the album as a kind of sonic reoccurring theme.

Or even perhaps Accelerate?

But Damon's probably right:

It's still 21st  Century Sciozoid Man.
YouTube - Seasons - 21st Century Schizoid Man

Damon.

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #84 on: 16 October, 2009, 10:06:14 pm »
Takk.... - Takk, Sigur Ros
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Tourist Tony

  • Supermassive mobile flesh-toned black hole
Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #85 on: 20 October, 2009, 10:26:23 pm »
Not sure if it's been mentioned since last time I contributed, but...

What's The Frequency, Kenneth? - REM, Monster.

After setting the scene, that tremolo-driven guitar sound reappears at later points in the album as a kind of sonic reoccurring theme.
"Leitmotif" or "idée fixe"

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #86 on: 20 October, 2009, 10:27:44 pm »
Not sure if it's been mentioned since last time I contributed, but...

What's The Frequency, Kenneth? - REM, Monster.

After setting the scene, that tremolo-driven guitar sound reappears at later points in the album as a kind of sonic reoccurring theme.
"Leitmotif" or "idée fixe"

Of which there's a particularly good example in Richard Strauss's "Till Eulenspiegel's Lustige Streiche".
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Tourist Tony

  • Supermassive mobile flesh-toned black hole
Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #87 on: 20 October, 2009, 10:31:03 pm »
Or in Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #88 on: 20 October, 2009, 10:40:00 pm »
Or in Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique
Indeed. You could argue that the first movement of Beethoven's 5th symphony, or the first movement of his 1st piano concerto, also include an idée fixe, although in both cases a very rudimentary one.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Rhys W

  • I'm single, bilingual
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Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #89 on: 20 October, 2009, 11:28:55 pm »
Huh? There's some other guitar parts that sound a bit like it is what I meant.  :-[

Really Ancien

Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #90 on: 21 October, 2009, 05:49:56 pm »
'That Lady' from 3+3 by the Isley Brothers is a good track, there's a nice live version.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ng8n76liv4Y&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Ng8n76liv4Y&rel=1</a>

Damon.

Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #91 on: 21 October, 2009, 05:57:53 pm »
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/j8WP7aOD_9Q&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/j8WP7aOD_9Q&rel=1</a>   OK, possibly not ever, ever, ever...but still good. ;)
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Flying_Monkey

Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #92 on: 21 October, 2009, 06:03:33 pm »
'That Lady' from 3+3 by the Isley Brothers is a good track, there's a nice live version.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ng8n76liv4Y&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Ng8n76liv4Y&rel=1</a>

Great song, but I'd rate 'Fight the Power' off The Heat is On as a more powerful opening track though.

Really Ancien

Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #93 on: 21 October, 2009, 06:20:10 pm »
'That Lady' from 3+3 by the Isley Brothers is a good track, there's a nice live version.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ng8n76liv4Y&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Ng8n76liv4Y&rel=1</a>

Great song, but I'd rate 'Fight the Power' off The Heat is On as a more powerful opening track though.


Curiously, 'Fight the Power' is that rarity, Funk/Prog crossover, collaborating with Margouleff and Cecil of 'Tonto's Expanding Head Band' who did a lot of work with Stevie Wonder. I prefer the Funk/Rock crossover of 'That Lady'. I think I prefer the Public Enemy 'Fight the Power'. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/2WHe5fxS3dA&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/2WHe5fxS3dA&rel=1</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/wuaSzFf7yq0&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/wuaSzFf7yq0&rel=1</a>

Damon.

Flying_Monkey

Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #94 on: 21 October, 2009, 06:23:53 pm »
Now Innervisions is a superb album... in fact all of the stuff he did that came out of that collaboration is awesome.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #95 on: 25 October, 2009, 12:47:47 am »
Just thought of another great one - and somewhat surprised it hasn't been mentioned already...

This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us by Sparks, from Kimono My House.

d.
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Hummers

  • It is all about the taste.
Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #96 on: 25 October, 2009, 08:50:17 am »
Another vote for the Pink Floyd albums up to and including Wish You Were Here and King Crimson, Court of the Crimson King. 21st Century was used on Children of Men and I had forgotten how good it was.

My submission; Exercise 1 from Bent's Programmed to Love.

Bonkers but quite delightful which is true for the whole album.

H

Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #97 on: 28 October, 2009, 04:42:10 am »
Happy Monday's Kinky Afro, opening track to Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches. It has no place amongst the true musical greats like Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, but that whole album reminds me of when life was at its best. I was 16-17, just started working so had money but without the responsibilities of adulthood, getting stoned and drunk every weekend, and was dating the first person I've ever properly loved (still do in a way). Good times.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #98 on: 28 October, 2009, 10:57:50 am »
I Thank You on Deguello by ZZ Top.
Getting there...

RJ

  • Droll rat
Re: Best album-opening track ever?
« Reply #99 on: 28 October, 2009, 08:38:35 pm »
(in no particular order)

Canadee-i-o - Penguin Eggs (Nic Jones)

Debaser - Doolittle (Pixies)

Romeo had Juliette - New York (Lou Reed)

Know Your Rights - Combat Rock (The Clash)

Block Rockin' Beats - Dig Your Own Hole (Chemical Brothers)

Tangled Up in Blue - Blood On the Tracks (Bob Dylan)

Novocaine for the Soul - Beautiful Freak (Eels)

Blue - Tomorrow the Green Grass (Jayhawks)

Requiem - Killing Joke (Killing Joke)

An excellent selection....

Bonus track:

Country Home - Ragged Glory (Neil Young)  ;)