What rock song has the best first ten seconds?

I think the Beatles do the best job of anybody at beginning songs, and so my favorites are mostly by them (which would include "You Won't See Me," "I'm Looking Through You," "Rain," "Tomorrow Never Knows," "She Said, She Said," and "Ticket to Ride"). I've also always liked the opening of "Rocks Off" by the Rolling Stones from Exile on Main Street.

Some more recent songs that I think have especially good beginnings are "Neighborhood #3" by the Arcade Fire, "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes, "Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens, and "The Slow Descent into Alcoholism" by the New Pornographers.

"Seven Nation Army" is a good one, even though I'm not a big White Stripes fan in general. Another band I'm not a huge fan of is My Bloody Valentine, but the first 10 seconds of "Only Shallow," the opening track on Loveless, are pretty amazing.

I'm also a big fan of the start of "Iron Woman," by Devin Davis, which opened his 2005 album Lonely People of the World, Unite! (the title of which makes me want to start a 'Best Album Titles' thread).

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:
"Seven Nation Army" is a good one, even though I'm not a big White Stripes fan in general. Another band I'm not a huge fan of is My Bloody Valentine, but the first 10 seconds of "Only Shallow," the opening track on Loveless, are pretty amazing.

I'm also a big fan of the start of "Iron Woman," by Devin Davis, which opened his 2005 album Lonely People of the World, Unite! (the title of which makes me want to start a 'Best Album Titles' thread).

I agree about My Bloody Valentine's "Only Shallow" but your talking to a major MBV fan.
Also I would have to say for a rock song I would choose Marquee Moon by Television.

There are so many, but here are some notable ones:

"Politik" by Coldplay
"Helicopter" by Bloc Party
"Drain You" by Nirvana
"Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne
"Why Don't You Get A Job" by the Offspring
"Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, part 1" by the Flaming Lips
"25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago

"Gimme Shelter" - Rolling Stones

The Undertones: "Teenage Kicks", "Boys Will Be Boys", "Forever Paradise", dozens of others.

Wire: "12XU", "Ex Lion Tamer", "Strange", "Used To", dozens of others.

I'm quitting early because this could take all day.

Ha! Wire needs to make the first 10 seconds killer because sometimes that's a third of the song right there.

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Originally posted by timbo8:
"Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne

No one can deny the coolness of the opening to this song. Total classic all the way.

quote:

Originally posted by Everyoneanindividual:

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:
"Seven Nation Army" is a good one, even though I'm not a big White Stripes fan in general. Another band I'm not a huge fan of is My Bloody Valentine, but the first 10 seconds of "Only Shallow," the opening track on Loveless, are pretty amazing.

I'm also a big fan of the start of "Iron Woman," by Devin Davis, which opened his 2005 album Lonely People of the World, Unite! (the title of which makes me want to start a 'Best Album Titles' thread).

I agree about My Bloody Valentine's "Only Shallow" but your talking to a major MBV fan.
Also I would have to say for a rock song I would choose Marquee Moon by Television.

For MBV songs I think my favorite is "Come in Alone." Actually the opening of "Only Shallow" has always kind of annoyed me.

Love the opening of "Touched" on MBV's Loveless.

Sounds like a whale cry, and never fails to make me cry.

http://asa.aip.org/sound/whales/whale.haunting_cry.au
http://asa.aip.org/sound/whales/whale.long_cry.au

"Stealing unawares upon the whale in the fancied security of the middle of solitary seas, you find him kitten-like, he plays on the ocean as if it were a hearth." - Herman Melville

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Blossom Friend,

The first 7 seconds off of Elliott Smith's "I Didn't Understand" are about enough to make me cry. It's like a prolonged musical sigh from someone who feels like shit, doesn't know what to do about it, and after a prolonged period of anxiety and frantic efforts at setting himself straight, finally relents, giving into the pressure and collapsing on the floor. This is one of my favorite songs ever.

quote:

Originally posted by paxsoprano:

quote:

Originally posted by Everyoneanindividual:

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:
"Seven Nation Army" is a good one, even though I'm not a big White Stripes fan in general. Another band I'm not a huge fan of is My Bloody Valentine, but the first 10 seconds of "Only Shallow," the opening track on Loveless, are pretty amazing.

I'm also a big fan of the start of "Iron Woman," by Devin Davis, which opened his 2005 album Lonely People of the World, Unite! (the title of which makes me want to start a 'Best Album Titles' thread).

I agree about My Bloody Valentine's "Only Shallow" but your talking to a major MBV fan.
Also I would have to say for a rock song I would choose Marquee Moon by Television.

For MBV songs I think my favorite is "Come in Alone." Actually the opening of "Only Shallow" has always kind of annoyed me.

My favorite MBV song of all time is actually When You Sleep but for some reason I find the opening of Only Shallow intriguing.

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:
The first 7 seconds off of Elliott Smith's "I Didn't Understand" are about enough to make me cry. It's like a prolonged musical sigh from someone who feels like shit, doesn't know what to do about it, and after a prolonged period of anxiety and frantic efforts at setting himself straight, finally relents, giving into the pressure and collapsing on the floor. This is one of my favorite songs ever.

What's your favorite Elliott Smith album personally I'm a big fan of his self-title debut. But coming close in second is Either/Or.

Ooooh.... I have another one Galaxie 500 "Fourth of July" from This is Our Music.

'Search And Destroy' by Iggy and his Stooges. The sound of the apocalypse before the greatest opening line ever.

The First 15 seconds on Sweet Jane is probably the best in my opinion but that's going over the time limit.

The first four songs that come to mind:

"Thirteen" by Big Star
"Tell Me Why" by the Beatles (my favorite Beatles song, btw)
"Fire" by Arthur Brown
"His Latest Flame" by Mary Lou Lord (love the guitar work from Nick Saloman of Bevis Frond)

quote:

Originally posted by crazed:

"Tell Me Why" by the Beatles (my favorite Beatles song, btw)

I just watched A Hard Day's Night again. Great choice. I'm startin' to think they should show that movie in school. It's a wonderful education.

I left off the Beatles because I'd have to list their entire catalog.

quote:

Love the opening of "Touched" on MBV's Loveless.

Sounds like a whale cry, and never fails to make me cry.

Jesus Christ, message boards are annoying. That is a great tune, though.

I absolutely love both beginnings to Teenage Riot. The opening false beginning section with the simple, clean strummed chords, followed a minute and a half later by that brilliant opening distorted riff.