Keep It Between The Lines

I was thinking about the best opening lines to songs ever while at the gym tonight. Its rather funny, but out of my favorite songs, most don't have the most memorable opening lines. The chorus usually sticks out for me. My favorite openers usually tell a story. Pearl Jam opening "Alive" with "Son, have I got a little story for you" is brilliant and it sets the stage for a song about the most twisted of families. I recently read that the song was about incest, with the whole mother/son relationship. I really don't get that out of it but I guess to each his own. Another favorite is by Alkaline Trio in their song "You've Only Got So Far To Go." "Soon ends our stay here, its been fun. But tonight, lets raise a glass to us." This song has a very strong emotional connection for me, as it was after high school and I was really into my ex at the time, but she didn't want me. Longing. The lyrics don't always have to be powerful though. Pavement has two of the best openers ever with "Ice, Baby! I saw your girlfriend and she was eating her fingers like it was just another meal (Summer Babe)" I love how it takes the piss out of Vanilla Ice at a time when he was the biggest star ever. Also, "Lies and betrayals, fruit covered nails, eeeeeeelectricity and lust" from "Paper Cut" is just so stupidly brilliant, it kicks ass. From the indie world, the winner hands down is "Reasons" by Built To Spill. "Come through me, you arrive and I'm on fire." I think that if I ever get married, this will be my wedding song.

The best openers ever have to be from Prince and Elvis Costello, two of the most literate songwriters ever. "Sign Of The Times" gives us "In France, a skinny man died of a big disease with a little name", "It was 10:35 on a lonely Friday night", and "I guess you know me well, I don't like winter. But I seem to get a kick out of doing you cold" on one fucking album. Elvis Costello may be the best songwriter ever, in my opinion. "Alison" has its "Oh, its so funny to be seeing you after so long girl" line, but the best is in my favorite song of all time, "Man Out Of Time" off of "Imperial Bedroom." "So this is where he came to hide, when he ran from you. In a private detective overcoat, and dirty dead mans shoes." The song has so many great lyrics, but my favorite is "You drink yourself insensitive, and hate yourself in the morning." So true, so many times.

Oh, I forgot to mention T.R.O.Y by Pete Rock and CL Smooth in there too, as probably the most touching hip hop song ever, and one of the best stories too. "I reminisce for a spell, or shall I say think back, 22 years ago to keep it on track." CL Smooth was my age when he wrote the greatest hip hop song ever. Prince was my age when he wrote "Dirty Mind." Shit.