Best opening lyric (side 1 track 1) to launch a career

Steely Dan, "Do It Again"

In the mornin you go gunnin'
For the man who stole your water
And you fire till he is done in
But they catch you at the border
And the mourners are all singin'
As they drag you by your feet
But the hangman isn't hangin'
And they put you on the street

 

Screw me, do you know how annoying this is if you don't also list the song title the quote is attributed to...???

 

What song is that from?...

 

It's even better the second time.

 

Canadian Mounted, baby
A police force that works
Red and Black
That's their color scheme

 

When I woke up this morning, things were lookin' bad
Seemed like total silence was the only friend I had
A bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down... and won
And it was twelve o'clock before I realized
I was havin'... no fun

Ah, But fortunately, I have the key to escape reality

John Prine - Illegal Smile

 

Crowded House, "Mean to Me"

She came all the way from America
She had a blind date with destiny
And the sound of Te Awamutu
Had a truly sacred ring
Now her parents are divorced
And her friend's committing suicide

 

Lime and limpid green, a second scene A fight between the blue you once knew

Pink Floyd

 

Dire Straits, "Down to the Waterline"

Sweet surrender on the quayside
You remember, we used to run and hide
In the shadow of the cargoes I'll take you one time
And we're counting all the numbers down to the waterline

 

[mumble] yourself is radio [mumble] stay
Reason is [mumble mumble mumble] grey

 

"Well, I don't know why I love ya like I do / Nobody in the world can get along with you"
"Make me a deal and make it straight / All signed and sealed, I'll take it"
"In the time of chimpanzees, I was a monkey"
"Hey ho, let's go! Hey ho, let's go!"

 

Good choice. It's "limpet green", though:

 

"Welcome to the jungle we've got fun and games"

 

Ian Dury:

I come awake with the gift for womankind
You’re still asleep but the gift don’t seem to mind
Rise on this occasion, halfway up your back
Sliding down your body, touching your behind

 

(Get Ready)
My name is KIIIIIIIIIIIID...Kid Rock!

 

I was going to go with One Two Three Fowah

 

Iced Earth introduced themselves to the world with their song Iced Earth, on the album Iced Earth. The instantly quotable ham of Gene Adam ensures it is a striking opening.

What do I see-yerrrrrrrr? On the icy plains-ah?
The desolate onnnnnnnnnnnnnne!
Is my terrain-ah!
The wind it blows cooooooooooooooooold-ah!
Howling my name-ah!
I am the king-ooooooh
The king of this waste

 

FWIW.... The original release of the Crowded House debut started with "World Where You Live."
For some reason, someone thought to muck with the running order for the CD release.

 

You're right of course, forgot about that... OK, well if they can do it, so can I

Crowded House (LP Version of debut) "World Where You Live"

Here's someone now who's got the muscle
His steady hand could move a mountain
Expert in bed, but come on now
There must be something missing
That golden one leads a double life
You'll find out
Tell me, I don't know where you go
Do you climb into space
To the world where you live
The world where you live

 

The US version started with "WWYL" - not the Australian.

 

The Sex Pistols' real start, on their first single almost a year earlier, was an even better opening salvo!

"I am an Antichrist
I am an anarchist
Don't know what I want, but I know how to get it
I wanna destroy passers-by
'Cause I wanna be Anarchy!"

 

I'm guilty of this and I still liked this post. Made me laugh.

 

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (Launched a whole genre!)

What is this that stands before me?
Figure in black which points at me
Turn around quick, and start to run
Find out I'm the chosen one

 

A-wop bop a loo bop, a-whop bam boom!

(Here's Little Richard, March 1957)

 

Definitely not his first album