Best opening tracks from a debut album..ever

Many moons ago, Seth Munson Green and Noah Thomas Bloom were sitting around listening to Led Zeppelin’s 1. I will not speculate if their state of mind had been artificially or naturally stimulated by any substance (I wasn’t there, after all) but what came out of this meeting of the minds was a statement by Noah Bloom: “Good times, bad times” Noah Bloom was later recalled as saying “Is the best lead-off song, from a debut album ever.” Ever since that statement was related back from Seth Munson Green to the rest of us, a great debate has taken place between myself and many of my friends. Like many other statements Noah Bloom has made over the years: “[my hat] cost more than yours did”, “I could take several shots and still be sober enough to drive several miles before they impaired me”, “I think I could get away with tax evasion.” This one ended up with many hours of heated conversation, and like all of our debates, ended with everyone agreeing to disagree. Until today, because, ladies and gentleman, I present to you: The top 10 opening tracks from a debut album of all time (as voted on by Quinn Rose)

  11. Once- Pearl Jam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPkz7bZoq18, Ironically, from Pearl Jam’s debut album ten, Once is the only song on this list that isn’t a single. Ten (which includes chart toppers: Alive, Even Flow, Jeremy, and Black) is usually in peoples top 20 albums of the 90’s and it is listed as the #209^th album of all-time in Rolling Stones top 500 albums list. Once is loud and in-your-face and let’s people know from the get go, that Pearl Jam is a force to be reckon with.   

10. Baby One More Time- Britney Spears http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-u5WLJ9Yk4&ob=av2e it is easy to boo and hiss this choice, but doing so is useless, stupid, and musically stubborn as a mule. BOMT is as perfect a pop song as it gets.  

9. Break on Through (to the other side)- The Doors http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aE4kUg54GyU The Doors self-titled debut album gave the world an introduction to a new piano driven world of rock n roll. Break on Through was The Doors first single, but according to Wikipedia its highest spot on the charts was only 126. Obviously time has justified its existence and it is now one of their most popular songs (it’s their #2 selling song on Itunes). It is also one of only 4 songs I have sung at Karaoke.

8. Good Times, Bad Times- Led Zeppelin. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm2-K6ttHYs Noah Bloom wasn’t far off in his originally hypothesis. Good Times, Bad Times introduces us to a band that would change the world of rock n roll, forever. In less than three minutes, it lets us know that we will never be the same again. This song is covered by Cracker on the underrated Zeppelin tribute album Encomium  

7. More Than a feeling- Boston http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm_-sW4Vktw Boston’s debut album is the #2 selling debut album of all time and it is in no small part because of this song. This song is by far the top selling Boston single on Itunes, and is rank #39^th best hard rock song of all time by VH1. It is also my favorite song by a 70’s rock band that doesn’t crack my 50 favorite bands of all-time list. Here is a version of The Cool Kats doing a Lip-sync, air instrument version of the song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs0aEuB9rXQ (it’s my sisters favorite scene from Scrubs)

6. Purple Haze- Jimi Hendrix http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ciij718a9Mc The version of Jimi debut album released first in Europe has Foxy Lady as the lead track. However, the American (and Canadian) release has Purple Haze as the lead track. Because, much like Jimi, I am American, I am going to go with the American version of the album.  

5. Head Like A Hole- Nine Inch Nails http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV2EUUF47Ms With Head Like A Hole, Trent Reznor sent a big Fuck You to the corporate music industry and this song tells them They are all going to get what they deserve. Pretty Hate Machine was the first independently released album to go platinum (sell over 1 million records). Head Like A Hole was its most successful single

4. Round Here -Counting Crows http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAe3sCIakXo&ob=av2n though not the albums most successful single (that would be Mr. Jones) it is the best (and that’s saying a lot, as it is an amazing album). This song is pure poetry. Adam Duritz was such a big music star that he dated both Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston when Friends-mania was at its peak, despite the fact he sported the white guy with dreads look.

3. I put a spell on you- Credence Clearwater Revival http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R6nmKjcSeU If you explained this song to as a Northern California band whose lead singer sings with a fake Louisiana accent covering a song that, while really good, could best be described as “spooky voodoo” song must likely heard on Dr. Demento’s playlist http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orNpH6iyokI  I would probably not be very excited about listening to it. But the great thing about this song is it works under any circumstance and while it seems a little weird for a rock band that writes most of its music to lead off its debut album with a cover song, it wasn’t back in 1968.

2. Bring Da Ruckus- Wu Tang Clan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbfGkiecl2M Most Rap albums start with a skit, but Wu-Tang was always better than most Rappers (rap groups), they brought the motherfuckin Ruckus from the very beginning, and the world was never the same again. 

1.Welcome to the Jungle- Guns & Roses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1tj2zJ2Wvg&ob=av2e The minute you realize this is the opening track from Guns & Roses debut album, you realize this list couldn’t (and shouldn’t) have any other song at the top of the list. From the opening guitar riffs to the first time you hear Axl’s voice you realize you are listening to something awe-inspiring. Appetite is the best selling debut album of all time and while it had other chart toping singles, none of them came close to this.

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Let me know what you think…

HUUH