What are my 10 favorite rock record album opening tracks?
09.06.2025 04:00
Elvis Costello : “Brilliant Mistake” (1986)… Elvis Costello’s grandest statement of purpose.
Randy Newman : “Have You Seen My Baby” (1970)…I have always adored Randy’s wit, cynicism & biting lyrics, but this opener was just plain Fats Domino song & dance fun.
Fugs : “Kill for Peace” (1966)…The sixties first underground band meant to offend in everything they did & while this track was tame in comparison to most of their other songs “KfP” made another strong comment on wars, specifically Viet Nam.
& Led Zeppelin : “Immigrant Song” (1970)…”Whole Lotta Love” will always be definitive but this brief performance proved how much power early Led Zeppelin could muster in 2:27 minutes.
Rod Stewart : “Every Picture Tells a Story” (1971)…Martin Quittenton proved just how much rock and roll momentum could be squeezed out of an acoustic guitar & everybody else went along for the ride, while Rod The Mod crafted his finest opener on his finest album.
Ten Years After : “Bad Scene” (1969)…Some of the best cock rock of the era.
The Clash : “The Magnificent Seven” (1980)..I adored the funkiness of this track.
Wire : “Practice Makes Perfect” (1978)…Wire went from creating a essential punk masterpiece “Pink Flag” (1977) to crafting a indispensable post punk masterpiece & this groovy song was chosen to open up that sophomore album “Chairs Missing”
Genesis : “Watcher of the Skies” (1972)…Hard to argue with a classical rock record that opened with this Gabriel era gem & side 2 was the epic 22+ min “Supper’s Ready”
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The Doors : “Road House Blues” (1970)…Folks under the false impression that the Doors couldn’t rock out should head here toot sweet & begin worshipping at the feet of Robbie Krieger & Lonnie Mack.
Ray Charles : “Busted” (1963)…This opened Brother Ray’s best studio album in fine full orchestra R&B rocking style.
The Who : “I am the Sea”>”The Real Me” (1973)…Entwistle’s bass owned this performance.
Janis : “Move Over” (1970/1971)…The Full Tilt Boogie Band weren’t as passionate as Big Brother but they held their own with our Little Girl Blue on this rocker.
Emerson Lake & Palmer : “Tarkus” (1971)…A bit of a cheat as a side long epic piece.
The Velvet Underground : “White Light-White Heat” (1968)…The most abrasive rock heard since Elvis’s “Hound Dog” (1956)
John Cale : “Fear is a Man’s Best Friend” (1974)…Lou didn’t hit his solo stride until 1982 but Cale’s best solo work was during the mid-70’s & this Island label debut opener was the beginning of a superb 3 record run.
Cream : “I Feel Free” (1967-US version)…This superb early single was wisely chosen to open up the US version of my favorite Cream album.
Allman Brothers / “Don’t Want You No More” >”It’s Not My Cross to Bear” (1969)…The Brothers exploded on the rock scene with this pair of segueing rock n’ blues performances.
Savoy Brown : “Tell Mama” (1971)…Dave Walker left something to be desired in his singing albeit this blooze n’ boogie was arguably Savoy Brown’s finest opening track.
Bachman-Turner Overdrive : “Not Fragile” (1974)…The very essence of heavy opener, best experienced on the original Kendun pressing.
Grateful Dead : “Uncle John’s Band” (1970)…The Dead leave the psychedelic weirdness of their earlier studio records behind & craft a acid/folk masterpiece of hippiedom.
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Elton John : “Funeral for a Friend” > “Love Lies Bleeding” (1973)…Proof to the naysayers that Elton John was also born to rock.
Van der Graff Generator : “Killer” (1970)…Dark ominous keyboards & Peter Hamill’s unique singing were perfect compliments to each other.
ZZ Top : “Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings” (1975)…2:43 mins of crushing top tier “Little Ol’ Band from Texas”before they sold out to the MTV brats. Best experienced on the original RL pressing.
Alice Cooper : “School’s Out” (1972)…This great opener was also Alice Cooper’s best single.
Lynyrd Skynyrd : “Saturday Night Special” (1975)…There were two songs that defined LS & this was one of those two performances.
Van Morrison : “Saint Dominic’s Preview” (1972)…Van The Man had so many indispensable openers albeit this has always been a personal preference.
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The Beatles /“I Saw Her Standing There” (1963)…1,2,3,faah! was how the Brits first experienced the Beatles on album, personally I preferred my 1963 American single of “I Want to Hold Your Hand” bw “ISHST” more.
Deep Purple : “Highway Star” (1972)…The live Made in Japan version was definitive but everything has to start somewhere.
Steely Dan : “Bodhisavatta” (1973)…This gem played like a jazzed up “Rock Around the Clock” for the 70’s
Tom Petty & Heartbreakers : “Refugee” (1979)…One of very few times Petty’s silly stoned immaculate southern drawl didn’t irritate the fuck out of me.
Mott the Hoople /“All the Way from Memphis” (1973)…One of the greatest openers in all rock and roll history.
Black Sabbath : “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” (1973)…The greatest opener riff meister Tony Iommi, Geezer & Ward ever crafted, just edging “War Pigs” out due to Iommi’s oh so heavy riffs.
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In no specific sequence after #1 & I utilized only one band per suggestion…
MC5 / “Sister Anne” (1971)…7+ mins of heavy rock assault.
Lou Reed : “Paranoia Key of E” (2000)…The grooviest opener on any Lou Reed solo project.
Bryan Ferry : “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” (1973)…Ferry’s best Dracula has risen from the grave vocals along with some of the 1970’s most outrageous production was found on Ferry’s debut solo record & this performance only added to the bathos BF was conveying on the entire “These Foolish Things” record.
Wilson Pickett : “In the Midnight Hour” (1965)…This opener was more than just great it was epic rock and roll.
Bob Dylan / “Subterranean Homesick Blues” (1965)…Zimmy plugged in & nodded first toward Chuck Berry.
Roxy Music : “The Thrill of it All” (1974)…Arguably Roxy Music’s most thrilling (pun intended) opening performance.
New York Dolls : “Babylon” (1974)…This opener documented the Doll’s rock and roll lifestyle perfectly.
Jimi Hendrix : “Freedom” (1970)…The opener chosen for Jimi’s first posthumous album.
Pere Ubu : “Non-Alignment Pact” (1978)…The original single was pure punk but the opener to the Ubu’s debut album was a excellent example of leader David Thomas’ self titled “avant-garage” brilliance.
Boston : “Don’t Look Back” (1978)…Not quite the masterpiece of “More Than a Feeling” but still a compelling listen from these sterile & clean A.O.R. darlings.
Lovin’ Spoonful :”Do You Believe in Magic” (1965)…This opener/lead off single was one of rock’s most transcendent moments.
#1) The Rolling Stones / “Gimme Shelter” (1969)…This is the greatest in many categories, including greatest performance in rock.
Bob Seger & Silver Bullet Band : “Rock and Roll Never Forgets” (1976)…Rock and roll that reminded all of us 30 yr old rock and rollers just why we dug Chuck Berry & Little Richard so much.
King Crimson : “20th Century Schizoid Man” (1969)…Arguably ground zero for classical rock.
David Bowie : “Station to Station” (1976)…A 10+ min epic of coke fueled brashness that successfully put Bowie at a Roxy Music level of innovative excellence.
Talking Heads : “Born Under Punches” (The Heat Goes On) (1980)…The Heads had many superb opening moments & I simply chose this funk masterpiece through random selection.
Foghat : “Eight Days on the Road” (1974)…Foghat became bigger stars with “Fool for the City” the following year regardless this opener began this boogie quartets most consistent record.
The Stooges : “Down on the Street” (1970)…Urban street thugs on the loose in the big city.