Top 3 album openings of all time - go.

[allewartenaufdaslicht_]

Everytime I think about it, my personal list changes completely, depending on what mood I am in and what I have been listening to. Right now, the album openings (BTW I don't mean the openER as in the entire first song, I'm talking strictly about the way the artist leads the listener into the album) that would come to mind for me are:

1. Opeth - In Cauda Venenum (perfect mix of initial suspense followed by epic show starter)

2. Steven Wilson - To The Bone

3. Little River Band - Sleeper Catcher (CAUTION: I mean the version that starts with Fall From Paradise including the orchestral intro part, which I attached to this post. If you don't know this album and opener, taker the time and give it a spin. This album is one of the big masterpieces of 20th century rock music, I kid you not.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h2KDckNtog&list=OLAK5uy_nmfYHh7PDahe49cDYeBMS324U7JdPJlmY

Anyway guys, I love a good album opening. What do your current top 3 look like?

 

[Fritzinger]

Not necessarily in a particular order, but these are the first that come to mind:

Steely Dan - Gaucho (Babylon Sisters)
Genesis - Foxtrot (Watcher Of The Skies)
Big Big Train - The Underfall Yard (Evening Star)
Donald Fagen - The Nightfly (IGY)
Haken - Vector (Clear)
Frost* - Day & Age (Day & Age)
Rammstein - Mutter (Mein Herz Brennt)
Talk Talk - Spirit Of Eden (The Rainbow)
Yes - Tales From Topographic Oceans (The Revealing Science Of God) - but the original intro that was cut for the original LP release.

[Dave_Manchester]

#1 (by a mile). *BUM-bum BUM-bum BUM-bum BUM-bum BUM-bum...*

"I've bin mad fer fackin' years, absolutely years, I've bin over the edge fer yonks..."


#2. The opening few minutes of Floyd's Wish You Were Here (i.e Shine On Part I)


# 3. The 'morning/awakening whistle' and slow intro build-up of Telegraph Road (Love Over Gold by Dire Straits)


Honourable mention:


The first 5 or 6 minutes of Godspeed You Black Emperor's 'Lift Your Skinny Fists' album ('Storm'). 

[WilliamMunny]

Fun thread idea!

In no particular order:

Radiohead — "Airbag" (from OK Computer...freaking love that riff)

Miles Davis — "Générique" (From Ascenseur pour l'échafaud...that opening run might be my favorite sequence of notes ever)

Genesis — "Squonk" (Trick of the Tail...to this day, that open might be the heaviest thing I've ever heard)

[emtee]

Deep In The Motherlode is probably my all-time favorite opener.

[romdrums]

Three that I like:

Marillion - Hotel Hobbies
IQ - Sacred Sound
Rush - Tom Sawyer

[SoundscapeMN]

3 of my favorites...

Toy Matinee - Toy Matinee (Last Plane Out)
Marillion - Marbles (The Invisible Man)
The Family Crest - Beneath the Brine (Beneath the Brine)

[HOF]

I’m confused by the Squonk and Motherload mentions. Those are not album openers (I guess Squonk does open Seconds Out).

(BTW I don't mean the openER as in the entire first song, I'm talking strictly about the way the artist leads the listener into the album)

I always come back to Portnoy’s massive drum fill on 6:00. Still gets me every time.

[WilliamMunny]

I’m confused by the Squonk and Motherload mentions. Those are not album openers (I guess Squonk does open Seconds Out).

(BTW I don't mean the openER as in the entire first song, I'm talking strictly about the way the artist leads the listener into the album)

I always come back to Portnoy’s massive drum fill on 6:00. Still gets me every time.

Fair enough...suppose I didn't read the OP close enough...I was just focusing on great 'intros' to songs.

[HOF]

I’m confused by the Squonk and Motherload mentions. Those are not album openers (I guess Squonk does open Seconds Out).

(BTW I don't mean the openER as in the entire first song, I'm talking strictly about the way the artist leads the listener into the album)

I always come back to Portnoy’s massive drum fill on 6:00. Still gets me every time.

Fair enough...suppose I didn't read the OP close enough...I was just focusing on great 'intros' to songs.

I do love how both of those songs start. They just start with a bang right from the first beat.

[Grappler]

Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime

I Remember Now - Narrative intro track
Anarchy-X - instrumental track that gets the listener's adrenaline pumping
Revolution Calling - giant, anthemic song that gets fists in the air. 

[El Barto]

Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

I don't even like Megadeth much, but that's the opener by which I compare all others.

[emtee]

I’m confused by the Squonk and Motherload mentions. Those are not album openers (I guess Squonk does open Seconds Out).

(BTW I don't mean the openER as in the entire first song, I'm talking strictly about the way the artist leads the listener into the album)

I always come back to Portnoy’s massive drum fill on 6:00. Still gets me every time.

My bad. Down And Out is the opener but I harken back to my vinyl days and DitM opened side 2. I always listened to side 2 first, hence my mistake.

[Dream Team]

Where Eagles Dare
Painkiller
Magic Man

[HOF]

I’m confused by the Squonk and Motherload mentions. Those are not album openers (I guess Squonk does open Seconds Out).

(BTW I don't mean the openER as in the entire first song, I'm talking strictly about the way the artist leads the listener into the album)

I always come back to Portnoy’s massive drum fill on 6:00. Still gets me every time.

My bad. Down And Out is the opener but I harken back to my vinyl days and DitM opened side 2. I always listened to side 2 first, hence my mistake.

I hadn’t thought of the vinyl possibility. Back then you kind of needed a second opener for side 2 I guess!

[Stadler]

Where Eagles Dare
Painkiller
Magic Man

That's a good one.

I kind of dig the way "The Number Of The Beast" opens side two of the record. 

[Fritzinger]

I’m confused by the Squonk and Motherload mentions. Those are not album openers (I guess Squonk does open Seconds Out).

(BTW I don't mean the openER as in the entire first song, I'm talking strictly about the way the artist leads the listener into the album)

I always come back to Portnoy’s massive drum fill on 6:00. Still gets me every time.

My bad. Down And Out is the opener but I harken back to my vinyl days and DitM opened side 2. I always listened to side 2 first, hence my mistake.

I hadn’t thought of the vinyl possibility. Back then you kind of needed a second opener for side 2 I guess!

One of the albums that made perfect use of side 1 and 2 was Hotel California in my opinion.

Side 1 closes with Wasted Time and leaves you with that wonderful melody in your head. And once you turn the vinyl around, side 2 opens with a reprise, a "reminder" of Wasted Time. As if they were saying "previously on... Hotel California" and then you are transported back into the world of this album.

[MrMike]

A few I didn't see mentioned.

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
Rush - 2112
Kiss - Destroyer
Dream Theater - Train Of Thought

[TAC]

Kiss - Destroyer

I was going back and forth about posting in the thread, but Detroit Rock City was one of the first ones I thought of.

[Elite]

How about The Light, by Spock’s Beard.

Which is also the only case I can think of where the first song on the first album is the best song the band has ever done.

[Mladen]

How about The Light, by Spock’s Beard.

Which is also the only case I can think of where the first song on the first album is the best song the band has ever done.

I agree with this completely. Such an odd thing. And I love so many other SB tracks as well.

[Deathless]

Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime

I Remember Now - Narrative intro track
Anarchy-X - instrumental track that gets the listener's adrenaline pumping
Revolution Calling - giant, anthemic song that gets fists in the air.

100%. I'll throw Welcome to the Jungle by GNR in here.

[Stadler]

How about The Light, by Spock’s Beard.

Which is also the only case I can think of where the first song on the first album is the best song the band has ever done.

You can make an argument for More Than A Feeling.

[RoeDent]

U2 - The Joshua Tree. The opening to Where the Streets Have No Name is spine-chilling.

The Dear Hunter - Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise. Aaaah-aaaah-aaah...A sinister slide resounds...

[twosuitsluke]

The Dear Hunter - Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise. Aaaah-aaaah-aaah...A sinister slide resounds...

One of my first thoughts

[wolfking]

Black Sabbath
Painkiller
Aces High

[HOF]

How about The Light, by Spock’s Beard.

Which is also the only case I can think of where the first song on the first album is the best song the band has ever done.

I do love that song and think it’s a great answer to this question. I might posit At The End Of The Day as similarly great.

[HOF]

I’d say The Spirit of Radio, Subdivisons, and The Big Money are up there in terms of album intros.

[Kram]

Where Eagles Dare
Painkiller
Magic Man

This is a good one I was just listening to Piece of Mind yesterday.  Here's a few -

Steven Wilson - First Regret (HCE)
Opeth - Ghost of Perdition (Ghost Reveries)
Dream Theater - Regression/Overture 1928

[Kram]

I’d say The Spirit of Radio, Subdivisons, and The Big Money are up there in terms of album intros.

These are all great.  Rush has quite a few great openers..

[TAC]

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