Best Opening Line to a Song

Big Ole Life


Glass half empty, glass half full
Depends on the day, depends on the fool who is asking
And the fool who replies
You're gonna drink it up anyway
Does it really matter what you say?
Raise your cup to another day in this big ole life

Rani Arbo

We-de-de-de
De-de-de-de-de
De-we-um-um-a-way
We-de-de-de
De-de-de-de-de
We-um-um-a-way

A-wimmoweh, a-wimoweh
...  The Lion Sleeps Tonight

No no no no no no no no no
No no no no
No no no no
No no no no
No no no no
No no no no no

Nobody But Me

NYPIzzaNut

Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

Mosca


Did you ever see Dallas
From a DC9 at night?
Dallas is a jewel,
Dallas is a beautiful sight.
And Dallas is a jungle,
but it sure gives off
a beautiful light.

My all-time favorite Jimmie Dale song.  That voice!

Yes indeedy.

Here's a song written by Butch Hancock but made famous by Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and it's my fave song of his.
 
Thirst is not the answer, oceans come & go
I loved her seven seas worth, Lord I loved her so
But she let me down so easy, one slow drop at a time.
I would've killed myself, but it made no sense
committin' suicide in self-defense
when she said, "Babe, you're just a wave, you're not the ocean."

carlton pierre

NYPIzzaNut

Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

Mosca


Did you ever see Dallas
From a DC9 at night?
Dallas is a jewel,
Dallas is a beautiful sight.
And Dallas is a jungle,
but it sure gives off
a beautiful light.

My all-time favorite Jimmie Dale song.  That voice!

Yes indeedy.

Here's a song written by Butch Hancock but made famous by Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and it's my fave song of his.
 
Thirst is not the answer, oceans come & go
I loved her seven seas worth, Lord I loved her so
But she let me down so easy, one slow drop at a time.
I would've killed myself, but it made no sense
committin' suicide in self-defense
when she said, "Babe, you're just a wave, you're not the ocean."

Mine also.

If you were a bluebird, honey, you'd be a sad one.
I'd give you a true word but you've already had one.
If you were a bluebird, you'd be crying,
You'd be flying home.
 
edit: I love his lyrics, but his melodies move me to tears sometimes, they are so simple and beautiful. 
 
 
 

Another songwriter who has the same effect; Dan Penn.
 
At the dark end of the street
That's where we always meet
Hiding in shadows where we don't belong
Living in darkness to hide our wrong
You and me, at the dark end of the street
Just you and me
 
 
 

Mosca


Another songwriter who has the same effect; Dan Penn.

At the dark end of the street
That's where we always meet
Hiding in shadows where we don't belong
Living in darkness to hide our wrong
You and me, at the dark end of the street
Just you and me

 
Clarence Carter's version!   Though it's barely a version.

Whle you were off in France, we were stranded in the British Isles.

Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

Mosca


Another songwriter who has the same effect; Dan Penn.

At the dark end of the street
That's where we always meet
Hiding in shadows where we don't belong
Living in darkness to hide our wrong
You and me, at the dark end of the street
Just you and me

Clarence Carter's version!   Though it's barely a version.

James Carr version.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzcdNwIkmYA

Speaking of songwriters.....
Let us pause in life's pleasures and count it's many tears
While we all sup sorrow with the poor
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears
Oh, hard times come again no more
 
...Stephen Foster was no slouch

i95
 

Whle you were off in France, we were stranded in the British Isles.

Along those same lines - one's about a band's lazy manager, the other about a blow-up doll, but I always think of them as a pair:
 
Judy was an American girl
She came in the morning with the U.S. mail

And, of course, they're both on this GREAT CD...

 

 

 

 

Hey, Bo Diddley
(Hey, Bo Diddley)
Hey, Bo Diddley
(Hey, Bo Diddley)
Hey, Bo Diddley
(Hey, Bo Diddley)
Hey Bo Diddley
(Hey, Bo Diddley)
 
http://www.youtube.com/wa...RY&feature=related

Mosca


Hey, Bo Diddley
(Hey, Bo Diddley)
Hey, Bo Diddley
(Hey, Bo Diddley)
Hey, Bo Diddley
(Hey, Bo Diddley)
Hey Bo Diddley
(Hey, Bo Diddley)

http://www.youtube.com/wa...RY&feature=related

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas,
Only a hippopotamus will do,
I don't want a doll or winky tinker toy,
I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy.
I can see him now on Christmas morning,
Creeping down the stairs.
What a joy and what suprize,
When I open up my eyes,
And see my hippo hero,
Standing there.
 
 

 A lot of the opening lines to songs I listen to are instrumental. I listen to a lot of Jazz. Some of my favorite artists are Ellis, Wynton, and Branford Marsaillas. The whole family is so talented. Harry Conick is also one of my favorite Jazz guys. Charlie Parker had the greatest opening riffs on a Sax that I ever heard. Dick Dale had the best guitar opening riffs that I ever heard! Best drum riffs have to go to John Bonham of the WHO.
 
  JMHO
 
  David O.

boyardee65
 

 ...John Bonham of the WHO.

Robert Plant has just turned over in his grave. What? He's not dead yet? Oh. In that case, he's either jumped off a bridge or is now, God forbid, a folk singer.

i95

boyardee65
 

...John Bonham of the WHO.

Robert Plant has just turned over in his grave. What? He's not dead yet? Oh. In that case, he's either jumped off a bridge or is now, God forbid, a folk singer.

Excellent, i95

Mosca

Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

Mosca


Another songwriter who has the same effect; Dan Penn.

At the dark end of the street
That's where we always meet
Hiding in shadows where we don't belong
Living in darkness to hide our wrong
You and me, at the dark end of the street
Just you and me

Clarence Carter's version!   Though it's barely a version.

James Carr version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzcdNwIkmYA

I like The Commitments version also...Russ

I am he as you are he as you are me
and we are all together
See how they run like pigs from a gun
see how they fly
 
...Russ

Your cheatin' heart,
Will make you weep,
You'll cry and cry,
And try to sleep,
But sleep won't come,
The whole night through,
Your cheatin heart, will tell on you...

How many days has it been since I was born
And how many days till I die

The First Mate's name was Ripper
By God he had a pipper
He lined his
(Oh, never mind)

The admiral's daughter
Went down by the water
With Davey and his dinghy
....

Michael Hoffman


The First Mate's name was Ripper
By God he had a pipper
He lined his
(Oh, never mind)

Hoffman, DON'T drink the brandy!!

Well, I can't forget this evening
And your face when you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way the story goes
You always smile, but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows

Old thread, and I didn't read it all, but...
  "Laid my head on the railroad track,
    waitin' for the double E,
  The train don't come by no more,
    poor, poor, pitiful me."
         Warren Zevon.

Oh, yeah, Zevon was a great songwriter.

Hello All,
I wrote these words...
Well I smoke like a fish
And drink like a chimney,
And money in my pockets,
Well, I ain't got any,
But I've got love for you.
Take Care,
Fieldthistle