I asked a bunch of songwriters to dish their favorite opening lyrics…
I’ve read through the list a few times, and out of the opening lines that struck me, these are some elements I believe make them memorable:
Curiosity
These opening lyrics pique your interest without giving away too much information, so you want to keep listening:
- I heard there was a secret chord
- There must be some kind of way out of here
- I read the news today; oh boy
Open Loops
An open loop is a thought that doesn't get completed, leaving you wanting to close the loop:
- Please allow me to introduce myself
- Dig, if you will, the picture
- A man walks down the street
Places, Weather, and Environments
A fast way to make an impression is to describe the details of the environment in your lyric:
- It was raining hard in 'Frisco
- On a dark desert highway
- Mind if I sit down?
Unique and Unusual
These lyrics draw your attention toward objects and ideas that stand out:
- Jeremiah was a bullfrog
- Hello darkness, my old friend
- Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream
Active
Lyrics that have action are more engaging than passive opening lines:
- The screen door slams
- Stop...in the name of love
- Take the ribbon from your hair
Universal Suffering
We all know suffering and these opening lyrics acknowledge your pain:
- When you try your best but you don't succeed
- When I find myself in times of trouble
- Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
- And now, the end is near
- We're caught in a trap
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1- One more day could have passed me by
2- I knocked on your window at 8:00am on a Saturday
3- for a third of my life, you made laugh, made me smile
4- we all wake up everyday can we improve, can we get better
I remember when I lost my mind. There was something so pleasant about that place.
1) Can you see me even here? The silver chord lies on the ground. “And so I’m dead,” the young man said, over the hills and far away.
2) I sit and I think what am I to do? You know its all up to you.
3) Let us be lovers, we’ll marry our fortunes together.
4) I’m fed up! I can’t take no more of this crap!
5) As I did walk down Hampstead fair came upon Mother Goose so I turned her loose and she was screaming.
6) Whenever I get lonely, I go inside and cry. Just play on my guitar and from my soul springs froth the Truth, mindless of the Fools who tell us what to do.
7) And the lamb lies down on Broadway.
8) Now that you’re gone, don’t know what to do. Now that you’re gone, I’m so missing you. Now that you’re gone, I’m feeling the pain. Now that you’re gone, things won’t be the same.
9) Crowded afternoon and there’s not enough room in the city today.
10) Every time the sky gets dark and grey, raindrops fallin’ to the ground. Silver grey clouds are floating through, never heard with quite a sound.
11) I’ve been thinking ’bout our fortunes and I’ve decided that we’re really not to blame.
12) Border People coping with strife, Border People struggling with life, to get what we privileged have always known and taken for granted, compassion has flown.
13) There might have been things I missed, but don’t be unkind.
14) I came walking into your life, you came walking into mine. Out for a simple evening, nothing more in mind.
15) The lunatic is on the grass.
16) You came up from the depths of the ocean to embrace me appearing from nowhere, simply out of the blue.
17) Just yesterday morning, they let me know you were gone.
18) Hello dear maid Marion and how are you today? Did you wake with teardrops in your eyes?
19) What’s the Ugliest Part of You Body?
20) Carried away by the Monterey surf, a dousing by water unplanned.
21) She would never say where she came from.
22) When two lovers touch tenderly in the night, everything will be alright.
23) Well I tried to make it Sunday but I got so damn depressed…
24) Awaken this morning from a wonderful dream, surging inside of me or so it seems.
25) Imagine there’s no heaven.
26) Awaken with you by my side, how I feel so good inside. Words cannot tell the feelings that I feel. I rejoice that it is real.
27) What would you say if I sang out of tune?
28) Here I am watching you, watching all your sun shine through There you go on your way, I will love you come what may.
29) Come down off your throne.
30) On the phone I hear you sayin’ you don’t want to be with me. Can’t perceive the song you’re playing, why you want to set me free?
31) It’s late in the evening, she’s wondering what clothes to wear.
32) The day outside is cloudy and grey. Think about tomorrow, I think about today.
33) Ziggy played guitar, jamming good with Weird and Gilly.
34) Something’s missing, something’s not right.
35) Here’s a little song you can all join in, its very simple and IK hope it’s new.
36) You are so precious, so precious to me.
37) You sheltered me from harm, kept me warm, kept me warm.
38) When I look into your eyes, I feel a feeling so profound.
39) Operator, won’t you help me make this call?
40) Teletype’s a buzzing with news from abroad, Salvador elections ain’t nothin’ but a fraud.
41) My head is hanging heavy with the thoughts of him in mind
‘Tis sacrilege for us to take advantage of the blind
42) All alone in this icy house, all alone timid as a mouse, fly away on your wings.
43) Into this house we’re born. Into this world we’re thrown. Like a dog without a bone. An actor out alone.
44) Chirping birds fill my ears with sound. Quiet night none but parked cars around. And I’m so alone walking through the streets of life.
45) Come gather round people wherever you roam.
46) Walked out of the door was red in the face, yelling and screaming had got me no place. Calmed down and told them my point of view and when they refused me I said what they could do with their bureaucracy here to serve you and me.
47) Raven hair and ruby lips, sparks fly from her fingertips
48) I’ve had enough of my fantasy land, leastways for right now
49) I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style.
50) You put my world together then took it apart again
51) Your specialty is not eroticism, I guess your boyfriend’s into masochism.
52) Faced with that same ould road again, worn and so well traveled.
53) Well the rain’s fallin’ down around you, so you cry yourself to sleep. I know love hurts when one doesn’t love as deep.
54) How wonderful it is to see a couple in love, hands reaching out to bridge the heavens above.
55) Today I feel like leaving you more than before.
56) His life was sad today, she took his breath away.
57) Stayed in bed all morning just to pass the time.
58) Walking down the rocky cliff of Bar Harbor, see the rushing waves cover me with foam.
59) Pickin’ up the pieces of my sweet shattered dream, I wonder how the old folks are tonight.
60) Night time is a magical part of the day.
61) Time, time and again I see you starin’ out at me.
62). I’m a graduate from college lookin’ for a job.
63) All the leaves are brown.
64) I see my lady calling from the other shore not knowing what she’s wanting any more.
65) Just a kind word or two, that’s all you really need to get you by.
66) I awake with you by my side, I recall the evening that we cried.
67) It’s a marvelous night for a Moondance.
68) I’m listening to the sound of rain, the way it rattles on the windowpane.
69) There’s no place in this world I’ll belong when I’m gone.
70) I play the game the same ould way.
71) Oh sergeant, I’m a draftee and I’ve just arrived in camp
I’ve come to wear the uniform and join the martial tramp.
72) Simple…shoulda kept it nice and simple. Remember when it was so simple?
73) Well Stewball was a racehorse.
74) I was born of the lonely life cuddled in the arms of the dead and the dying. What’s the use of even trying now?
75) I can see why you think you belong to me.
76) I awoke to your morning glory when you rewrote my whole life story.
77) Whenever I’m with him, something inside starts to burning and I’m filled with desire.
78) Anti-racial global facial staring out with hateful eyes, objects lacking in com passion are only there for spouting lies.
79) Oye como va, mi ritmo bueno para gosar, mulatta.
80) I’m wandering lonely far and away thoughts of the future attention to pay.
81) Now that I’ve lost everything to you.
82) Eyes upon the galaxy wander your own way. Realize human potential, yesterday’s today.
83) Imagine me and you, I do.
84) A peaceful demonstration to inform of dangers hid.
85) I’ve, I’ve got to get on my feet and get away before the cycles repeat.
86) I look around and I see the fruits of all my labours.
87) The soldier came knocking upon the queen’s door.
88) There’s times I sit alone and I wonder what life has in store for me.
89) No one knows what its like to be the bad man, to be the sad man behind blue eyes.
90) Every time I sit here and try to write a song.
91) I’m the kid who ran away with the circus, now I’m watering elephants.
92) Some days the sun don’t shine some days the wind don’t blow.
93) Southern man, better keep your head. Don’t forget what your Good Book said.
94) Sixty years is a good long while, trials by fire and fires by trial.
95) We are going, heaven knows where we are going.
96) Once again I’m in a bind. How could I be so unkind?
97) This land is your land, this land is my land.
98) Oh it feels so good to see the sun in the sky after being so down last night.
99) If I had a hammer, I’d hammer in the morning.
100) Look out the window what do I see? Wind blowing free.
In case you did not notice the pattern, I alternated my favorite opening lines of cover songs (one per musical performer/group
with one exception – can you identify which performer has two selections?) with the opening lines of just some of my originals.
I ALWAYS welcome constructive criticism.
Stay safe, stay healthy and be well!`
Dirty old river, must you keep rolling, rolling on through the night! Great topic 🙂
On a morning from a Bogart movie, in a country where they turn back time,
She comes strolling along like Peter Lorre, contemplating a crime.
She comes out of the sun in a silk dress, running like a water color in the rain
Don’t bother asking for explanations she’ll just tell you that she came
In the Year of the Cat
“I’m young enough to still see the passionate boy that I used to be, but I’m old enough to say I got a good look at the other side.” – Billy Joel “The Night Is Still Young.”
“I live my life like there’s no Tomorrow”
“She saw the look in his Eye”
“I get up, and nothing get’s me down”
Van Halen
absolutely LOVED THIS!!!
JUICE
Awesome! Thanks. 🙂
Some of those lines bring make a lot of fond memories!
The Mississippi delta was shining like a National guitar
Got a gun in my holster
Got a horse between my knees.
Hey, ho makes you feel so fine
Looking out across the orchard in the bright sunshine
Mairzy doats and dozy doats
When you’re down and troubled and you need a helping hand…..
He was a drinkin’ man with a guitar problem
My fav first verse and best story song…
[Verse 1]
Another suburban family morning
Grandmother screaming at the wall
We have to shout above
The din of our Rice Krispies
We can’t hear anything at all
The morning sun touched lightly
On the eyes of Lucy Jordan