What are my 10 favorite rock record album opening tracks?
10.06.2025 05:50
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.
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.
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.
Bob Dylan / “Subterranean Homesick Blues” (1965)…Zimmy plugged in & nodded first toward Chuck Berry.
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.
Emerson Lake & Palmer : “Tarkus” (1971)…A bit of a cheat as a side long epic piece.
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”
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.
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.
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& 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.
The Clash : “The Magnificent Seven” (1980)..I adored the funkiness of this track.
The Stooges : “Down on the Street” (1970)…Urban street thugs on the loose in the big city.
Lou Reed : “Paranoia Key of E” (2000)…The grooviest opener on any Lou Reed solo project.
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.
Van Morrison : “Saint Dominic’s Preview” (1972)…Van The Man had so many indispensable openers albeit this has always been a personal preference.
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.
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.
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.
Elvis Costello : “Brilliant Mistake” (1986)… Elvis Costello’s grandest statement of purpose.
Wilson Pickett : “In the Midnight Hour” (1965)…This opener was more than just great it was epic rock and roll.
Bachman-Turner Overdrive : “Not Fragile” (1974)…The very essence of heavy opener, best experienced on the original Kendun pressing.
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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.
#1) The Rolling Stones / “Gimme Shelter” (1969)…This is the greatest in many categories, including greatest performance in rock.
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.
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New York Dolls : “Babylon” (1974)…This opener documented the Doll’s rock and roll lifestyle perfectly.
MC5 / “Sister Anne” (1971)…7+ mins of heavy rock assault.
Lynyrd Skynyrd : “Saturday Night Special” (1975)…There were two songs that defined LS & this was one of those two performances.
Elton John : “Funeral for a Friend” > “Love Lies Bleeding” (1973)…Proof to the naysayers that Elton John was also born to rock.
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.
Ten Years After : “Bad Scene” (1969)…Some of the best cock rock of the era.
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.
Ray Charles : “Busted” (1963)…This opened Brother Ray’s best studio album in fine full orchestra R&B rocking style.
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.
Jimi Hendrix : “Freedom” (1970)…The opener chosen for Jimi’s first posthumous album.
The Who : “I am the Sea”>”The Real Me” (1973)…Entwistle’s bass owned this performance.
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.
Mott the Hoople /“All the Way from Memphis” (1973)…One of the greatest openers in all rock and roll history.
Steely Dan : “Bodhisavatta” (1973)…This gem played like a jazzed up “Rock Around the Clock” for the 70’s
Lovin’ Spoonful :”Do You Believe in Magic” (1965)…This opener/lead off single was one of rock’s most transcendent moments.
Van der Graff Generator : “Killer” (1970)…Dark ominous keyboards & Peter Hamill’s unique singing were perfect compliments to each other.
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”
Deep Purple : “Highway Star” (1972)…The live Made in Japan version was definitive but everything has to start somewhere.
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.
Alice Cooper : “School’s Out” (1972)…This great opener was also Alice Cooper’s best single.
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.
Roxy Music : “The Thrill of it All” (1974)…Arguably Roxy Music’s most thrilling (pun intended) opening performance.
King Crimson : “20th Century Schizoid Man” (1969)…Arguably ground zero for classical rock.
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.
In no specific sequence after #1 & I utilized only one band per suggestion…
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.
The Velvet Underground : “White Light-White Heat” (1968)…The most abrasive rock heard since Elvis’s “Hound Dog” (1956)
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.