Best first song on a debut album in rock & roll history

[Magrittes Pipe]

Poll question: Best first song on a debut album in rock & roll history

You know, the kind of song that when you put on the record you say "GodDAMN! I'm gonna follow this artist to the end of the earth and back!" only to have them inevitably disappoint you at a later date.

These are my faves (in chronological order). Try to vote for one of 'em, but if you MUST choose "other," lemme know what you picked.

Poll result (35 votes)
Love - "My Little Red Book"	(2 votes, 6%)	Vote
Can - "Father Cannot Yell"	(0 votes, 0%)	Vote
Roxy Music - "Re-Make/Re-Model"	(0 votes, 0%)	Vote
Eno - "Needles in the Camel's Eye"	(2 votes, 6%)	Vote
The Fall - "Frightened"	(1 votes, 3%)	Vote
The Pretenders - "Precious"	(8 votes, 23%)	Vote
Solar Radio - "Last Night in Christchurch"	(5 votes, 14%)	Vote
The Gun Club - "Sex Beat"	(3 votes, 9%)	Vote
Jane's Addiction - "Trip Away"	(3 votes, 9%)	Vote
other???	(11 votes, 31%)	Vote

[Richardo]

1. "I like the way you cross the street, 'cause you're.....

...Precious."

[Magrittes Pipe]

2. But not me, baby, I'm too precious.

I had to fuck off!

[salvorhardin]

3. The Clash

London Calling

[Magrittes Pipe]

6. That was their third album.

"Janie Jones" was the first song on their debut.

It would've been a fine choice as well.

[salvorhardin]

25. Oops! You're correct

For some reason my brain filtered out "debut" in the OP.

I just relistened to the album last night so it's still stuck in my head.

[Zuni]

7. the first song on the first Clash LP is Clash City Rockers

which is a pretty bad ass song when you get down to it

[Magrittes Pipe]

15. No, that's the first song on the US version...

...which was released Stateside AFTER Give 'em Enough Rope.

[Zuni]

17. don't hurt me

That is the version I have.

[tigereye]

58. ah

Give Em Enough Rope. My husband's favorite.

[Magrittes Pipe]

59. Mine too.

Your husband has good taste.

[tigereye]

68. yes, I think so!

too bad he refused to drive to Cleveland for the Meet up. We went to the Cleveland Art museum and I think he would have liked it - the Asian Art Collection was phenomenal. And I think he would like some of the same people here that I like.

[Zuni]

69. Stay Free is my all time favorite Clash song

That is on Give Em Enough Rope. Whole album rocks. Super Black Market Clash is good too.

[Magrittes Pipe]

72. My fave is "Cheapskates."

[Zuni]

84. that is a good one too

I love Mick Jones guitar work on that one

[tigereye]

101. I like London Calling the best, myself

Lost in the Supermarket is one of my favorites, although most of the songs on that album are stellar.

[patcox2]

37. What I like About You, the Romantics

Before it was a beer commercial, it was a beautiful thing. Best power pop song of my lifetime. Anyone here their new album (2003)? It rocks.

[flamingyouth]

4. I voted for Love

But that's a cover and my favorite song off that album is "Signed D.C."

[Magrittes Pipe]

9. Yes, it's a cover....

But who woulda thought anyone could make a Bacharach/David song ROCK?

[flamingyouth]

30. Oh, it's an awesome song

Just giving Lee's songwriting its due.

[Beware the Beast Man]

5. "Black Sabbath," by Black Sabbath, on the album "Black Sabbath"

[Zuni]

11. ooooh---good call!

I Loves me some Sabbath

[Richardo]

What was the name of the band again?

[RetroLounge]

57. Here here...

Great Debut song...

RL

[KurtNYC]

8. Eruption/Runnin' With The Devil - Van Halen

Just when I thought metal couldn't get any heavier, Eddie Van Halen gets this pipe organ power then uses tapping and harmonics innovatively.

[johnnie]

40. I believe "Jamie's Crying" was the first song on that album

No?

[AntiCoup2K4]

45. No.

It was Runnin With The Devil. Jamie's Cryin was originally the last song on side one of the LP.

[johnnie]

53. Oh..my bad

I haven't played that album in a long time.

[KurtNYC]

48. Runnin' With The Devil

then Eruption then Your Really Got Me. What a way to start a career!


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004Y6O...

[Rabrrrrrr]

63. That gets my vote! I was totally blown away when I put that baby

on the turntable when it came out.

Holy shit!!

[AntiCoup2K4]

89. The only thing that could have made the beginning of that album better....

...Was if they had left "House Of Pain" on it. The car horn sound that we all know now as the intro to RWTD was originally part of House of Pain. The horn sounded briefly after every chorus, then the extended one at the end of the song, after which the bass intro to RWTD kicked in. For some reason WB or Ted Templeman or whomever decided to pull "House of Pain" from the album, but faded in the final car horn anyway.

"House of Pain" ended up on 1984, but in a far different version than the original. You can hear the original demo of the two songs on various Van Halen bootlegs, most notably the "Gene Simmons Demo" aka "ZERO".

I'm hoping that when the eventual Van Halen boxset is released that they finally restore HOP/RWTD to its God intended form.

[sundog]

10. Cruel Summer - Bananarama

Really, though... maybe Suite Judy Blue Eyes from CSN's debut.

Sorry, feelin a little bit earthy today

[Magrittes Pipe]

16. I like "Cruel Summer" a lot better than "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes."

[Zuni]

18. you are dead to me

[sundog]

19. hehe

[jpgray]

12. Wire - "Reuters"

That song kicks my ass.

Also 13th Floor Elevators' "You're Gonna Miss Me," and just because I have it on right now Orange Juice's "Falling and Laughing."

[Magrittes Pipe]

21. I love "Reuters"...

...but the second song ("Field Day for the Sundays") is even better. And "Mannequin," "Champs," "Fragile"... the list goes on and on.

Pink Flag is just too superlative an album. It's not natural.

Of course, you just weighed in to be contrary, as I have both Can AND the Fall listed above.

[vi5]

13. Whoa....My initial thought at this was Ocean Size by Janes Addiction

Then you reminded me about their first album. That's as good an answer as any though, although other than their reunion they never really fell off in quality over their 3 albums. At least in my opinion.

[Zuni]

14. One of my favorite debut songs

is "I can't Be Satisfied" by Muddy Waters. It was a single though, not on an album

[BurtWorm]

20. "Killing an Arab" by the Cure on Boys Don't Cry

"I Will Follow" by U2 on Boy (Talk about bands that disappointed eventually!)

"Sure Nuff n Yes I Do" by Captain Beefheart on Safe as Milk (though he never disappointed).

[jpgray]

22. Yeah, Beefheart's debut is pretty awesome (nt)

[asthmaticeog]

26. At the risk of getting flamed by STM,

I absolutely agree that "I Will Follow" was a great one.

[BurtWorm]

50. I didn't want to put that one in the subject line.

Coss I dint wanna be flammit, neither.

[terrya]

23. "Never Gonna Give You Up" - Rick Astley

You had the confluence of a tremendous song...and the great, but tragically short lived career of an amazing artist.

[Magrittes Pipe]

28. Praise Him!

[terrya]

38. Thank you...for keeping the flame alive.

[mcscajun]

83. Not dead...not done.

http://www.rickastley.co.uk /

2004 was to be a special year for British Rick fans when a surprise 8 date tour was announced for September/ It would be the first stage appearance for Rick in 14 years! The tour kicked off in Dublin and included most of Britain's major cities before finishing at The Criterion Theatre in London. It even included a concert at the world-famous Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, a venue most musicians are honoured to play in. Each performance comprised of 'classic' songs from past decades including Sinatra, Bacharach and The Carpenters as well as a few from Mr Astley's musical resume. The sell out tour was hailed a success attracting an audience of all generations with some attendees travelling from as far a-field as mainland Europe and Mexico!

[Magrittes Pipe]

24. I voted for "Sex Beat."

Didn't wanna piss off my avatar's ghost.

But it was a tough choice between that, Roxy, and the Pretenders.

[jpgray]

33. That has the coolest purple album cover of the bunch

I'll grant you that.

[Lautremont]

67. As did I

Songs don't hardly get better.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

27. 21st Century Schizoid Man, King Crimson

"In The Court Of The Crimson King"

[jpgray]

31. And the best song the band ever did

(and yeah I've heard Red, Discipline and Larks Tongues, so all you Crimso fanboys can come and blow me)

[Rooktoven]

73. maybe, but

Title track of the same album is really good...

The Night Watch on Starless and Bible Black is up there, As is Starless on Red.

Your point is well taken, though. Not to say the band went downhill (by no means) but that they made near perfect record the first time out.

[Rooktoven]

74. Communication Breakdown should be an option as well -nt

[Rooktoven]

70. I was going to say Break on Through on "The Doors",

but I forgot this one (on one of my favorite albums no less...)

[Enraged_Ape]

29. Boston - "More Than a Feeling"

I know they've been overplayed over the last 20-some years, but when this album came out, I swear it was a revelation. My dad bought a whole new stereo system just for this album.

[cestpaspossible]

100. That was my pick. or The Cars "Let the good times roll"

[salvorhardin]

32. ABBA

Ring Ring

[ailsagirl]

34. Kinks Kinks Kinks

All Day and All of the Night
You Really Got Me

Greatest rock'n roll band of all time.

[mcscajun]

35. "In rock & roll history" ??

Sounds like one or two decades to me.

[Magrittes Pipe]

36. Yep.

But come on. "I Saw Her Standing There," while a great song, just doesn't cut the mustard.

[XNASA]

39. If it wasn't for Solar Radio.......

Then my choice would have been either "Re-Make/Re-Model", of course.

[swag]

41. "Holidays in the Sun" from "Never Mind the Bollocks,

Here's the Sex Pistols"

[patcox2]

42. What I LIke About You, The Romantics

I meant to put this down here. Before it became a commercial, that song was cool.

The Cars, what was the first song, "Moving in stereo? Thats a close second, that one created a genre, right there with the first song, skinny tie music was born.

[asthmaticeog]

43. Saxon, "Still Fit to Boogie"

[H2O Man]

44. "Purple Haze"

from "Are You Experienced?" I remember thinking, "Wow! What is this guy all about?"

[taught_me_patience]

62. (Purple Haze) changed my life

when I heard it for the first time 25 years after it came out. Definately the #1 opening song of an Album.

[H2O Man]

88. Yep.

I don't think the rest of the songs listed on this thread come close.

[kwassa]

106. "Purple Haze" changed everything in rock

Most of the other examples here are stunningly trivial.

I lived in Ohio, where nobody played this record on the radio. This was a word-of-mouth hit, just prior to the rise of FM radio. Everybody bought this record with no airplay at all. Everyone also bought the record wihout hearing it, the most monumental buzz on a debut record.

It changed rock completely, with no radio play, and no advertising. Unimaginable today.

[mark414]

46. eno

needle in the camel's eye is worth the price of that album alone

[Tikki]

47. "The Witch"....The Sonics...

She got a long black hair
and a big black car......


circa 1964

Tikki

[Magrittes Pipe]

52. I know what you're thinkin'

But you won't get far.

[BearFlagDemocrat]

49. Nine Inch Nails

"Head Like a Hole" -- Pretty Hate Machine

[dean_dem]

51. Elvis Costello: "Welcome to the Working Week"

Radiohead: "You"

[tigereye]

60. I voted for the Pretenders

but I think I would have preferred Elvis C.

[Zuni]

71. I thought Elvis Costello released Less Than Zero first

I think Less Than Zero is a better song anyway

[peekaloo]

91. Either that song or 'Radio Free Europe' off 'Murmur' by r.e.m.

[chenGOD]

54. Butthole Surfers - "Concubine" from Psychic, Powerless, Another Man's Sac

also....

Alice in Chains - "We Die Young" from Facelift...

I'm assuming we're talking full albums as opposed to EPs

[argyl]

55. "Mr. Tambourine Man" by The Byrds from "Mr. Tambourine Man"

With the opening notes from McGuinn's twelve string Rickenbacker I was hooked. Loved them from the original lineup on this album to the final configuration which featured two of the best pickers to share the stage in the same band, the excellent McGuinn and the incomparable Clarence White with his scorching string bending Telecaster.

[Toby109]

56. "Break on Through" -- The Doors

[jayfish]

61. "Welcome To The Jungle" Guns N' Roses -NT-

Jay

[kwassa]

64. "Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix "Are You Experienced?" debut

It changed rock 'n roll.

[Bridget Burke]

65. I went with the Pretenders.

Other possibilities:

"Blues In The Bottle" by the Holy Modal Rounders (on "Holy Modal Rounders"--later known as "Holy Modal Rounders #1"). I knew I liked folk music, but I could tell this was definitely not Peter, Paul & Mary.

"You're Gonna Miss Me" from the "Psychedelic Sounds" by the 13th Floor Elevators. Yes, I know it was a hit single first.

"Across The Great Divide" from "The Band."

"Marie, Marie" from "The Blasters."

In each case, the beginning of a long, strange trip with several interesting detours.

[redqueen]

66. Haven't heard all of those, so it seems that my vote doesn't really count,

but I still voted for Precious.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

75. Nas - New York State of Mind from Illmatic

and the Genesis is an intro track - ya nitpicking bastige!

[RandomKoolzip]

77. The title says "rock and roll."

Nas is hip hop.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

80. Sorry assface

my bad

[RandomKoolzip]

81. Glad you see things my way.

Dongbreath

[MrSlayer]

76. "Evil has no Boundaries" by Slayer.

22 years later and they have yet to disappoint me. One of the rare bands who stick to their guns and never sell out.

[Concerned Prude]

78. Television- See No Evil or REM- Radio Free Europe

From those in the poll I voted for Love- t's a great song, although I think the second track, "Can't Explain" is even better

[Magrittes Pipe]

82. And the fourth track, "My Flash on You," is even better than THAT.

Good call on Television, but I think the side openers are weak. "See no Evil" and "Elevation" are my two least favorite tracks on the record.

[argyl]

87. Is this the same "My Flash on You" that's on Love's first album?

[Magrittes Pipe]

102. We're talking about Love's first album.

[RandomKoolzip]

79. "Validation," The Minutemen.

"What you need is validation/ Go ahead, you got my permission!"

Sure, it was on an EP, but so what?

[Dr Zoidberg]

85. "Roadrunner" by the Modern Lovers

And they didn't even stay together long enough to inevitably disappoint me at a later date!

But from the fine options you gave I voted for the Fall.

[donheld]

86. Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing

or Heart - Magic Man

[Atlas Mugged]

96. Dire Straits, for sure!!!

I don't remember the year, but I remember the first time I heard that unique sound on the radio. Unlike anything I'd ever heard before, and it was a particularly major event considering how wretched the airwaves were at the time. Dire Straits restored my faith in rock.

Both Pearl Jam and Nirvana's first issues struck a nerve with me, too. Nothing has really affected me that way since.

[Coventina]

90. "Our Lips Are Sealed" Go-Go's, Beauty & the Beat

[SmileyBoy]

92. "Blew" by Nirvana on Bleach

One of their best songs also.

[warrens]

93. Blitzkreig Bop by the Ramones.

[Kat45]

94. "Welcome to the Jungle" - Guns'N'Roses

A great song, on a great album. I wouldn't say the band's music later disappointed me; it was the band's implosion.

[KittyWampus]

95. Talking Heads- Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town.

1. Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town
2. New Feeling
3. Tentative Decisions
4. Happy Day
5. Who Is It?
6. No Compassion
7. Book I Read
8. Don't Worry About the Government
9. First Week/Last Week ... Carefree
10. Psycho Killer
11. Pulled Up

[KittyWampus]

97. Queen- Keep Yourself Alive

1. Keep Yourself Alive
2. Doing All Right
3. Great King Rat
4. My Fairy King
5. Liar
6. The Night Comes Down
7. Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll
8. Son & Daughter
9. Jesus
10. Seven Seas Of Rhye
11. Mad the Swine (Previously Unreleased)
12. Keep Yourself Alive (Re-Take)
13. Liar (Remix)

[kwassa]

105. College Classmates: The Talking Heads

yeah, I went to school with David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Tina Weymouth. Dave and Chris were in a school band called the Artistics.

I know the guy who taught David Byrne to play guitar, now well-known film director Gus Van Sant.

what else?

David didn't speak any French, and I know the woman, Eve, who, I was told, taught him "qu'est-ce que ce" for what became the Psycho Killer refrain ....

dropping names.

[leftofthedial]

98. WITHOUT QUESTION!!

"Do It Again" --Steely Dan

[Atlas Mugged]

99. 'Bette Davis Eyes' - Kim Carnes

We are talking debut album here, right?

[Bok_Tukalo]

103. R.E.M. 'Radio Free Europe'

<ope>

[masshole]

104. Big Country

"In a Big Country", From debut album "The Crossing"
80's one-hit wonders. Pretty good album though.