Favorite Opening Track on a McCartney album?

Technically the tracks for Back To The Egg and Egypt Station are not the opening track for each one of those albums, and yes, technically Venus and Mars/Rock Show is two tracks, but a) I wanted those albums to have a fighting chance and b) Splitting up Venus and Mars/Rock Show is like splitting up Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End.

 

Too Many People, as it is easily one of my fav Paul solo tracks of all time.

But I must say that I really enjoy Big Barn Bed as an opener. It's a silly song, far from great. But for some reason, it really works as a fine and fun opening song.

 

Really tough decision--a lot of the tracks here would go on my personal "Best of" playlist for Paul, but ultimately I went with Band On The Run: 5 minutes and 13 seconds of pop perfection.

 

I picked Band On The Run, because i still think it is fantastic.
but
Too many people
Venus and Mars/ Rockshow
Let em in
Getting Closer
Coming Up
Tug of War
Pipes Of Peace
No More Lonely Nights
are all great tracks and great opening tracks, imo

 

Although I hold Too Many People, Big Barn Bed and Coming Up in equal regard as openers I chose My Brave Fave. Lovely song, almost like a comeback of sorts.

I always felt Jet would make a better opener for BOTR. Just the way I became accustomed to it because of All The Best (UK).

 

These tracks would make a pretty great playlist IMO.

 

I may well be the only one - but Mumbo is a better jolt of adrenaline than any Epi-pen

(Though I confess there are so many great ones it made "I Don't Know" a tempting answer)

 

I tried to come up with a more insightful choice but “Band on the Run” is clearly the best song, a title track, and one that defines the theme of the album.

 

I had to go with Band On The Run but have always loved Off The Ground as the opening track of OTG, the vibe really works. Same with No More Lonely Nights.

 

Easy, No More Lonely Nights, with London Town following, then Coming Up.

 

Venus & Mars/Rock Show

 

Lonely Road

 

I voted "Coming Up" but "Band on the Run" is equally great to me.

The best openers imo:
1. Coming Up / Band on the Run
2. Getting Closer - the Reception bit helps make this one's impact better. Great track. Kind of obscure to the general public.
3. My Brave Face - great way to open that album.
4. Venus and Mars/ Rockshow - however... the recorded version is kind of weak-sounding. The performance from WOA is better. I think the studio version could have used a more powerful mix (lower slide/higher drums).
5. Let Em In - This is maybe an odd choice but it certainly is a great track and sets the mood for what is kind of a low key album. Silly Love Songs would have been a better start.
6. Mumbo - totally insane he started an album this way. that's why I like it.
7. Stranglehold - Great track... too bad the album couldn't live up to it.
8. Lonely Road - another great track - again too bad about most of the album that followed.

Worst openers imo:
1. Dance Tonight - I hate this song with a passion.
2. The Song We Were Singing - Flaming Pie is certainly rated higher by most McCartney fans that I rate it. Still it has some great material on it... and then it also has pedestrian garbage like this song.
3. Off the Ground - What a horrible choice for an opener AND a title track. The only thing worse would be if they featured the band's feet on the cover. OOF.
4. Big Barn Bed - I really love this song. But why was it the opener? It's the kind of tune I would expect to end a side or maybe start side 2. I think the answer is clearly that Red Rose Speedway is a strange and very low key album and there was nothing else on it that works as a big rock number to start (maybe Get on the Right Thing... but that was a Ram outtake). If I was Mr. A&R on the album I would have pushed for "My Love" or maybe "When the Night" to start it. But then again... I'd have maybe picked other tunes for the final album in general but that's a different discussion.

 

I had to go with Band on the Run, but this was my 1B. Nothing else was close to these two.

 

London Town

 

Yeah, I have to agree.
Mumbo is an amazing opener for the lo-fi universe that is Wild Life.

Take it, Tony!

 

Question for those who have voted so far:

Was your vote determined mostly by the strength of the song itself, or how well it works as an opener?

 

First 2 and then Band in Run..
RAM is his best album.

 

Agree 100%

 

Reading this I’m reminded again of how intoxicating this album is. It still has that homespun charm about it with the medley being some kind of gateway of what would soon follow and I also love the sequencing. Can’t wait for the deluxe!

 

for me, both .... I find BOTR to have a nice flow to lead you into the album.

 

The underrated London Town

 

The opening line instantly links it to Ram, which already should offer a clue. It was a bit later when I learned some songs on RRS were Ram leftovers.
I love how BBB starts a bit tentative, like something from his debut, and then builds up as some kind of rave-up. Awesome opener!

 

How does "Other" go again?

 

Venus And Mars/Rock Show - It's not the best song, there are a few better. But, I think it's the best OPENING song.