Best opening tracks of debut albums?

Another vote for 'I Saw Her Standing There.'

 

You ain’t kidding.

 

"Illegal Smile" -- John Prine, "John Prine"

 

Runnin' With the Devil - Van Halen
Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
21st Century Schizoid Man - King Crimson
Rock the Nation - Montrose
Good Times Bad Times - Led Zeppelin
Holidays in the Sun - Sex Pistols
I Put a Spell on You - CCR

 

The UK release of "The Records" kicked off with "Girl", but well I live in the US, so that release began with this:

 

Ringo Starr - Sentimental Journey

 

Show Me-ABC
Oblivious-Aztec Camera
Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town-Talking Heads
Precious-The Pretenders
21st Century Schizoid Man-King Crimson

 

It wasn't like the band were all first-timers forming a band from scratch as some of them came out of Renaissance and others had worked with the Strawbs, but Illusion's first LP Out of the Mist in 1977 had Isadora as a pretty good first track:

 

@rockclassics, I can't send private messages, so I put it here.

I just want to say that I have COMPLETELY fallen in love with the Gypsy album in your avatar - it's actually your avatar that made me aware of it, I liked the artwork so I gave it a listen. I am completely amazed by its warm, golden beauty. So, uh, thank you

 

Cool. Always glad when I can introduce someone to Gypsy. You might want to also check out their second album In the Garden. It.is almost as good as their first album.

 

"Hi, we're Chicago Transit Authority; allow us to make our 'Introduction'".

Hey there, everybody...

 

That sounds great, I will definitely do that.

 

Fountains Of Wayne – “Radiation Vibe”

 

Despite being a rockabilly fan, I'm not the biggest Stray Cats fan, but Runaway Boys, man, that's something else.

 

Joy Division - Disorder

 

The Milkshakes - She'll Be Mine

 

Suzi Quatro - 48 Crash
'Cause it's like a lightning flash, and what's the other thing now.

 

The Beatles (the obvious)
Jimi Hendrix Purple Haze
The Doors Break On Through
Cream NSU
13th Floor Elevators You're Gonna Miss Me
Allman Bros Don't Want You No More-Not My Cross to Bear
Pink Floyd Astronomy Domine
Elvis Costello The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes
Boston More Than a Feeling
Mott The Hoople Rock n Roll Queen
CCR I Put a Spell on You
Al Green I Can't Get Next To You
Steely Dan Do It Again
Van Morrison TB Sheets

Blondie X Offender
Lovin Spoonful Do You Believe in Magic
Lynyrd Skynyrd I Ain't the One
Graham Parker White Honey
MC5 Kick Out the Jams
The Stooges 1969
Great Society Sally Go Round The Roses
Pere Ubu Non-Alignment Pact
Them Mystic Eyes
Just a few of my favs.Peace.

 

Astronomy Domine

 

Chris de Burgh, from the debut Far Beyond These Castle Walls, Hold On:

 

U2 I Will Follow - Boy
R.E.M. Radio Free Europe - Murmur

 

Yes, "Good Times Bad Times" is the greatest, for me.

Some other thread discussions about this (All have now been closed for further reply):

Greatest openers on a debut album

Favorite Openers on Debut Albums?

Greatest Opening Song on a Debut Album (You Can Only Pick One)

 

I'm a US person, and never owned the US "Meet The Beatles."

But I did own "Introducing The Beatles." I Saw Her Standing There

 

Well technically "Introducing The Beatles" was the band's first U.S. release. It beat "Meet" by 10 days but, for lots of U.S. buyers, "Meet" was probably the first taste of the band.

 

"Good Times Roll"-The Cars
"Remake/Remodel"-Roxy Music