Radio Song, side 1 track 1 of Out of Time. And the weakest track on the album by some distance IMHO. It has some riffs recycled from Stand, insanely annoying backing vocals (yo-ho-ho), an unnecessary rap section at the end and generally comes over instrumentally as a parody of REM’s sound to date. It’s the worst track on the album, rated by me as no better than forgettable instrumental Endgame. And as a parody track of commercial expectations it is surely eclipsed by Shiny Happy People.
A post of best Side 1 track 1’s ever is a regular fixture. So let’s do the darkside – who should have buried their opener mid-way through side 2. We know Dylan is Afterword catnip, so my second entry is from the zim in the comments. Unanswerable surely?
It’s gold from here in – when albums get their worst track out of the way first
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Just. This.
Stone him! Stone the heretic!
You’re wrong. It’s the gatekeeper track. Smile at it and nod along. Indulge him. What follows is why you’re here. If you bail at this point, you’ve thrown everything out with the bathwater. Get past it and wonder at what’s within, remembering fondly the raucous nonsense that tested your mettle on the way in. It’s the perfect track choice for the opener.
Ah. The ‘deliberately shit’ defence. Always handy when excusing a stinker like this.
I’m no Dylan fan but IMO that song ain’t no stinker. I consider it as a sort of musical palate-cleanser for what comes after.
Was going to mention this one before I clicked.
Seriously, I have always loved this track & I genuinely don’t understand the hate for it.
I don’t hate it, but everything else on the album is at least a little better.
I’m with you Jack.
I agree, I’ve always thought it’s a cracking track.
Agree. Never liked it.
It hasn’t exactly stood the test of time but imagine hearing this for the first time in a record booth (remember them?) and remembering this was like 1873 your hero is shouting “Everybody must get stoned” and all them oldies (everyone over eighteen) didn’t get the joke and all us groovers got the joke and…ok, I guess you had to be there.
And his 3rd biggest UK hit (7), only LARS and Lay Lady Lay beating it.
This must win surely? Unlistenable!
Nonsense. It’s great.
I don’t agree, but i thought you were going to say “All The Tired Horses” from Self Portrait. That would be the wrong answer – it’s the only decent song on the album!
This is the obvious one, and yes, it is shit.
Crowded House have two entries IMO. Together Alone starts with the atmospheric but slight Kare Kare and would have been much better beginning with track 2, the absolute banger In My Command. And it’s fairly well documented that their career in the US took a dive when they decided that the slightly snide Chocolate Cake should be the first track, and lead single, from Woodface. Again, track 2 (It’s Only Natural) would have been much better, surely?
Kare Kare is my favourite track on that album.
Agreed. Sets up the album and the (relatively tangential) change in their sound to something more atmospheric. Love that song.
I was coming here to post Chocolate Cake. Terrible song on a fine album.
You could ditch I Wanna Be Adored and have a banging album from She Bangs The Drums onwards
Likewise, I was never that keen on Two Of Us
Yes. But Lennon’s introduction and George Martin’s chortle are the real start of the album.
But it is better than Dig It or Maggie Mae (amongst others),
I lke it actually.
In the Let it Be film both Lennon and McCartney seem to be really enjoying singing this together.
Certainly look comfortable together (back together) doing the harmony singing.
Don’t know if it’s coincidence or mis-interpretaion, but the shot of a tight lipped Yoko Ono in the middle adds to the legend of what the causes for the break up were
Oh I remember that – yes, some rather pointed editing during the ‘Two Of Us’ sequence!
Oh do tell @slotbadger, whatever have you got against that track??
@slotbadger
Apologies. Confused myself. Thought you were talking about your favourite ABBA song…
And I Wanna Be Adored is awesome.
It may not be one of their greatest albums, but Mustapha at the front of Queen’s Jazz takes some getting used to
(problem is it also annoyingly gets stuck in your head).
I can live without Helter Skelter at the front of U2’s Rattle & Hum, and usually skip it anyway.
Most bands seem to obey the “start with a banger rule” – I’m having a spot os trouble naming and shaming
(starts researching with a view to returning to the conversation)
Blur – Girls & Boys
I imagine the record company demanded a hit single, or they wouldn’t release the album.
Girls & Boys was delivered, placed as track 1, and then a different album happened after that
But where your argument falls down is, it’s a fantastic track.
I give you…
“At the Bottom of Everything” from “I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning” by Bright Eyes.
A stinker, no doubt.
Gorgeous album, mind…
What?! One of the best spoken intros ever followed by some inspired lyrics sung with absolute passion? Your mileage has varied significantly from mine here.
Its my favourite on the album…. I know I have no taste.
The new Jason Isbell album Reunions. I have stopped playing it already reinforcing by previously stated view that it is disappointing.
But even its fans agree the first song What’ve I Done To Help ? Is a pain in the arse.
I only gave it a few plays, but from those I thought What’ve I Done To Help was the stand out on a decent of not great album.
Jason confirms the track was “inspired” by Michael Kiwanuka.
This fan disagrees. I love the song and think it’s a great album opener.
Nor do I find the album as a whole remotely disappointing. It’s up there with his best.
Always like you Carl. That Junior, eh?
Yep I’m with you Carl it’s terrific and I love the opener.
Taxman on Revolver. Never liked that choppy guitar riff, or the self serving whining lyrics. Yellow Submarine is a throwaway kids song but at least it has humour and is done with panache. It’s one of the greatest albums ever but not because of its opening track.
I wonder whether George ever felt a tad embarrassed by the lyric to Taxman in his later years. A desire to retain personal worldly wealth doesn’t really stack up with Krishna consciousness.
But the choppy guitar riff is what makes the song for me.
Don’t forget that the top rate back then – which the HJHs were paying – was 98%. That’s a lot to give away in order to keep tuppence.
Kind of makes things today look ludicrous in comparison. Most of the people with big money these days (hello Mr. vacuum cleaner) pay absolutely bugger all tax compared to the high earners in the 60s. The Tories in particular have overseen an entire industry dedicated to cheating the country out of income generated by a tiny proportion of job sharing mutual back slappers.
Paging @Tiggerlion. Looks like we each have cohorts…
Obviously, it’s brilliant.
The count in and the expired ‘ohh’ immediately grab the attention. The choppy guitars are great and the lyric really quite shocking. Notwithstanding foxy’s point above, it was a real surprise to hear this from Harrison. However, it’s soon apparent that it would be foolish to take the message at face value. There is a macabre humour here (“My advice to those who die, declare the pennies on your eyes”) and the backing vocals take charge of the song (“if you drive a car…if you take a walk…”). Harrison is being led around by the nose. McCartney even bosses him on guitar, his energetic snarl dominating the sound. Best of all, Taxman is powered by cowbell. It’s a crackling start to an album full of surprises, drawing the listener in and wrongfooting him/her at the same time and perfectly setting up 34 minutes of amazement and wonder.
Dear heavens – Taxman has a mighty fine tune but unfortunately the lyrics are of a juvenile pop star bemoaning his wages aren’t what he thought they would be. “Foolish to take the lyrics at face value”? “Macabre sense of humour”? Taxman has always been embarrassing and always will
“…a crackling Start!” – you are a card, Mr Tiggs!
Thank you.
If you think Taxman is dreadful on Revolver, you can’t think much of track five on Sound Affects.
Just as bad
I always thought it was a shame Weller didn’t have the balls to put it track one side one.
Fine Time on Technique. Plinky-plonky mid-table Acid House, with Barney hopping on one leg like he needs a wee, and creepy Uncle Hooky perving about his “love technique”.
Thank the Lord for skip buttons.
Another massive hit!
Interesting, listening to the PH & The Light live albums, how songs which seem like jarring aberrations seem to fit in better with their mates. You still have to have the stomach for pervy Uncle Hooky, though..
Um, I quite like it. It’s funny. Obvs maybe not intentionally.
On the other hand, an upbeat, driving banger with a light touch absent on what is, in the main, a rather dreary, samey album with too much of Hooky’s whiny bass lines. And I like New Order. Not sure about Love Vigilantes on Low-Life though.
The otherwise brilliant Don’t Get Weird on Me Babe is probably Lloyd Cole’s finest solo album but the opening track Butterfly is an appalling misstep. I usually play albums on shuffle but this one always starts with track two.
Radiohead’s Planet Telex on The Bends. Not a disaster, but a high bar set from thereon in.
Yes. Almost like that was the last track on Pablo Honey, ‘now we can get on with evolving’.
Hm, that was always the track I liked most! I’m not really a fan of The Bends, but I thought Planet Telex (sonically speaking – the riff and the drums) looked ahead to OK Computer (which I love).
Not my favourite on the album – but I put that down to my tape (yes, I bought it on tape) being a bit wonky, so it always sounded like it was about to be chewed up by my tape player. I used to skip through it till the sound improved.
It was recorded as a demo in their rehearsal rooms and producer John leckie couldn’t better it in the studio. My Iron Lung was recorded live at the Astoria (which came out on VHS and, years later, DVD – you can see me down the front).
I watched that the other night on YouTube. You can see the delight in Yorke’s face when they play the new stuff, compared to the stuff from the first album.
Some of us in the audience thought much the same thing!
It is customary to mention “The Beta Band Rap” as the opening track which undid most of the mystique they had acquired on the EPs.
I was just about to mention that one! What a disappointment after the three EPs, to start their first album proper with a comedy “rap” song. It’s about six minutes long or something as well, if I remember.
In a similar vein Oasis surely lost what was left of their critical standing after Be Here Now by opening the first of many comeback albums with Z-grade (even for them) stinker F~~~in in the Bushes.
Just to be contrary, that’s actually the only Oasis track I like! It sounds like DJ Shadow. I first heard it in the film Snatch, and I couldn’t believe it was Oasis.
I’ve never been terribly partial to Metal Machine Music, Part One from Metal Machine Music. It fills me with an ennui so profound that I cannot be bothered listening to the subsequent three parts.
Oh, you are missing out. After the atonal opening track, the rest of the album is joyous and melodic. Quite moving actually. And some of his best lyrics.
I shall have to make the effort. *Sigh*
Such is my insecurity that I am now worried you don’t realise I’m joking……! 🙂
I wasn’t. 😉
It’s a real toe tapper once you get past the admittedly difficult opener! The recent Children In Need cover by Peter Kay and Tony Christie only served to introduce the joys of MMM to a new generation.
They ruined it for me just like happened after the Perfect Day cover. Spoiled it forever.
Hurrah it’s on YouTube I’ll give it a go.
Difficult to dance to, but it has helped clear my blocked ears.
Atrocity Exhibition on Joy Division’s Closer
“Airportman”, which opens R.E.M.’s “Up” album isn’t exactly a classic.
Kind of slightly off topic, but Beck’s song Devil’s Haircut might qualify here. It’s the first track on his 1996 album Odelay, a fine record.
It’s not a bad song really, but I just think it’s an ugly way to start an album. It’s very very loud and seems to just cut in, as if the tape has been spliced at that point or something. It needs a count in or a drum roll or… just something.
Shockingly poor lyrics, 8 mins long..no great tuneage in evidence. Weakest (by virtue of going on for so long if nothing else) of an overall weak album. Of couse it should go at the start to convert those casual listeners:
Oh yes. Terrible
One of his worst ever songs. Trouble is the album doesn’t get much better….
Some good stuff towards the end Kingdom of Days, The Last Carnival and (bonus) The Wrestler. Redeemed himself somewhat with next album Wrecking Ball.
Then another dip with High Hopes, before storming back with (Album of the Year) Western Stars.
Weirdly I really liked High Hopes because it was so non-uniform, whereas Wrecking Ball I found too mannered.