So this morning I was gushing over the greatness the Consoler of the Lonely, the first track of the new Raconteurs album, with a loyal Italian SL36 reader (okay lets be honest…the only Italian SL36 reader), and an he posed a question I thought I’d share.
Is Consoler a better first track than My Name is Jonas?
Brilliant question because as everyone in our generation knows: My Name is Jonas is the standard that every other first track of a cd is measure up to. Jonas starts off the Blue Album with the perfect tone. Bouncy little intro that slams you face first into a wall of distorted power chord greatness, and for the next 3:24 continues to rock your nerdy ass off. If Weezer didn’t have you converted into a lifelong fan by the end of Jonas, you have no soul.
The question inspired me to think in the larger scale though. What is the best first track to an album ever? Jonas probably sits on the top of my list, but here are just a few others that keep it company…
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana, Nevermind
Black Dog – Led Zep, IV
Where the Streets Have No Name – U2, Joshua Tree
Get Innocuous! – LCD Soundsystem, Sound of Silver
Sgt Peppers – Beatles, Sgt Peppers
Marching Bands of Manhattan – DCFC, Plans
London Calling – The Clash, London Calling
Hells Bells – AC/DC, Back in Black
G Funk Intro – Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle
(okay, technically Bathtub is first track, but it’s a skit so it doesn’t count)
This is just a few off the top of my head…let me know what else deserves to be on list!
2 comments:
Am I really an Italian reader? What you just say reader in Italy. I'm not really Italian.
For those who didn't see the email:
My all time top 5 side 1 track 1 (limiting it to CDs I own or have regularly listened to):
1. My Name is Jonas
2. Smells like Teen Spirit
3. Nitro (Youth Energy) – The Offspring from Smash (I don’t count the stupid spoken word intro)
4. Go – Pearl Jam from Vs.
5. Waiting Room – Fugazi from Thirteen Songs (might not really count because it was originally released on an EP that I think was 7 Songs or 6 Songs)
Honorable Mentions:
Loser, Devil’s Haircut, Rush (Big Audio Dynamite II from the Globe – have to give props to Mick), London Calling, Girls and Boys (Blur from Parklife), We Used to Vacation (CWK – I don’t know if requisite time has passed to make this statement, but I’m going with it), Out There (Dinosaur Jr. from Where You Been)
My adds:
Sonic Youth - Teen Age Riot
Iggy & the Stooges - Raw Power
Matthew Sweet - 100% Fun
Pixies - Debaser
Pavement - Summer Babe
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