Greatest opening lines to a song

I met a gin-soaked barroom queen in Memphis

The Rolling Stones "Honky Tonk Women" from "Through The Past Darkly" LP (London, 1969)
 
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In the mornin' you go gunnin' for the man who stole your water
And you fire till he is done in but they catch you at the border
And the mourners are all singin' as they drag you by your feet
But the hangman isn't hangin' and they put you on the street
 
“Please allow me to introduce myself, I’m a man of Wealth and taste”

“I see a red door and I want to paint it black”

"I’m a flea bit peanut monkey, all my friends are junkies, I’m a cold Italian pizza, could use a lemon squeezer "

Stones again
 
Howth Head said:
I was at his Lisdoonvarna appearance in 1982 - brilliant performance with the likes of Danny Kortchmar and Russ Kunkel in his band. Pretty sure he did 'Somebody's Baby' which had just come out as a single from the soundtrack of Fast Times at Ridgmont High
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That would have been some gig to witness. Really jealous!
Howth Head said:
.Rocky DeValera and the Rhythm Kings performed after him (around midnight) and I can remember watching Browne's crew dismantling the equipment while dancing around to Ferdia and the boys, who must've seemed alien to their American sensibilities. (RIP Richie "Milkboy" Taylor.)
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I suspect Lisdoonvarna would have offered several experiences that were alien to them!
 
On a dark desert highway , cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance , I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim I had to stop for the night .
The eagles..hotel California
 
Midnight in Montgomery
Silver Eagle, lonely road
Was on my way to Mobile
For a big New Year’s Eve show.

Alan Jackson’s tribute to Hank Williams
 
There must be some kind of way outta here
Said the joker to the thief

Bob Dylan but prefer Hendrix's interpretation
 
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Tom Waits again:

Well you gassed her up
Behind the wheel
With your arm around your sweet one
In your Oldsmobile
Barrelin' down the boulevard
You're looking for the heart of Saturday night
 
Don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work
Don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work
Don't forget your shovel if you want to go to work
Or you'll end up where you came from like the rest of us, digging, digging, digging.
Christy Moore ....ye can guess the title ;)
 
"Now look at them yo-yos, that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin', that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free"

Money for Nothin' by Dire Straits co-authored by Gordon Sumner & Mark Knopfler

OK, OK, so it's a verse, so sue me!
 
Out on the wily windy moors
We'd roll and fall in green
You had a temper like my jealousy
Too hot too greedy.

How could you leave me
When I needed to possess you
I hated you and loved you too

Kate Bush ...Wuthering Heights
 
When I was just a little lad, I used to go to school
Id sit down there in the seat feeling like a fool
The teacher toult us everything , everything we knew
She had a big lump of a stick that was bent into a bow

Richie Kavanagh.....Aon focal eile
 
H
mathepac said:
"Now look at them yo-yos, that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin', that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free"

Money for Nothin' by Dire Straits co-authored by Gordon Sumner & Mark Knopfler

OK, OK, so it's a verse, so sue me!
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Ah no you can’t move the goalposts like that , opening lines set the scene .
Best lyrics is a totally different question .
Great lyrics quoted by you above though .
 
mathepac said:
"Now look at them yo-yos, that's the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain't workin', that's the way you do it
Money for nothin' and your chicks for free"

Money for Nothin' by Dire Straits co-authored by Gordon Sumner & Mark Knopfler

OK, OK, so it's a verse, so sue me!
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Sue you? I'm sending lawyers, guns and money right now.
 
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