POLL: Best Opening Track on P&J (and JP) Albums

" . . . the way other double-disc winners were not."

remember: you're voting for song, not album

Joni in an easy win.

hint to vote trolls: make Arrested Development the overwhelming victor for all our sakes

Mordy, I'm surprised! I like the song too but I can't help but compare it in my head to "Help Me" and "Free Man in Paris." That's not why it isn't getting my vote--I also flat out prefer others here, particularly Nirvana, which I chose--but it does kind of contradict my earlier "vote for the song," in the sense that in some ways I'm voting for what's surrounding it, though not necessarily the album as a whole.

Truth is, I think "Court and Spark" works a lot better as a song when removed from the rest of the album. Especially compared to Help Me (muted lovesing desperation) and Free Man in Paris (Dorathy Parkeresque expat). "Court and Spark" is really light, and fabulous. Not to mention it was one of Joni's best rhythms ever:

He was playing on the sidewalk
For passing change
When something strange happened
Glory train passed through him
So he buried the coins he made
In peoples park
And went looking for a woman
To court and spark

Anyone who doesn't vote for MJ is a vegetable.

^^^this

And yeah, Matos, it was neck-to-neck with Smells Like Teen Spirit. But at the end of the day, I'll go back to Court and Spark before I go back to Smells Like.

What's that thing on "Nation of Millions" called that actually precedes "Bring the Noise" and is listed as a separate track?

Oh, sorry, missed the thing about skipping intros. Dang.

I think "Countdown to Armageddon" would probably win best title in this poll, Rickey

too bad Fear didn't win, then best title would unquestionably go to "Contract on the World Love Jam"

Went with "Holidays In the Sun."

Running a close second: "Bring The Noise"

next five, not in order:
Graham Parker & the Rumour, "Discovering Japan" (Squeezing Out Sparks, 1979)
The Clash, "London Calling" (London Calling, 1980)
The Clash, "The Magnificent Seven" (Sandanista!, 1981)
Michael Jackson, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Thriller, 1983)
Nirvana, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Nevermind, 1991)

next three after that:
The Who, "Baba O'Riley" (Who's Next, 1971)
Elvis Costello, "No Action" (This Years Model, 1978)
Hole, "Violet" (Live Through This, 1994)

unless I missed one.

"Mama's Always on Stage."

Just kidding. MJ tied with the Pistols.

In a poll of best opening tracks on LPs you otherwise don't care much for, Graham Parker would take it, easily (I love "Discovering Japan," but the rest...).

I'm voting for "Beyond Belief" because it's the one choice that I like way more than the album itself.

Great, four of my favorite "opening" songs ever in a death-match? Grunt, groan, moan...I pick "Holidays in the Sun."

BTW, where's the TV on the Radio track?

I voted for "Bring the Noise." But there are only three songs on this list (Wilco, Arrested Development and the one from Imperial Bedroom) that I don't like. And most I love.

I'm voting for "Beyond Belief" because it's the one choice that I like way more than the album itself.]

It was difficult to leave this out as it's possibly my favourite EC song (and I love "No Action" almost as much), but I'm still about half in love with the rest of the album.

BTW, where's the TV on the Radio track?

lol @ Matos forgetting the winner of his own poll :D

Truth is, I think "Court and Spark" works a lot better as a song when removed from the rest of the album.

Maybe, but it's also such a great lead-in to "Help Me" and "Free Man in Paris."

Teen Spirit over Bring The Noise and Baba O'Riley

"Startin' Somethin'" over "Born In The USA"

Er...I hadn't noticed "Born in the USA." I wouldn't have voted for it, but it should have been one of my top also-rans.

Song whose appeal I will forever find inexplicable: "Devil's Haircut."

And what "Discovering Japan" is to Scott Woods, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" sort of is to me. (Rest of the album is okay, though.)

I'm leaning towards "Sign 'O' the Times" over "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". I like a bunch of those other songs but those 2 are something else.

I went with "Bring the Noise", especially paired with "Countdown to Armageddon" as the purest sonic amphetamine I know. Runners up: "Discovering Japan", "Sign O' The Times", "Baba O' Riley", and "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

anyone else for PJ Harvey "To Bring You My Love"? what a monster of an opening track...

what fresh hell

It's not letting me vote for "Let's Go Crazy," what's going on?

OH OKAY I SEE

Oh, fuck it—Baba O'Riley over Startin' Somethin'.

I have never understood the love for Joni Mitchell. But then again, I've never understood the love for Fleetwood Mac either.

what fresh hell

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

So many great ones. "Wanna Be Startin' Something" after "Holidays in the Sun," "Violet," and "The Boy in the Bubble," the last one chosen because it's the one song I really want to hear right now.

*after = over

and she was

wow

I chose Baba. Wanna Be Startin was very close though.

"Thunder on the Mountain"

Runners up: "GhettoMusick", "Holiday in the Sun", "Smells like Teen Spirit", "Sign O the Times", "London Calling", "Magnificent Seven", "No Action", "Odds and Ends".

hahaha oh god I was really stoned when I started this, so of course I forgot that TVOTR won, duh.

"Bring the Noise." This poll actually makes this collection of albums look better than they might actually be.

Omg. I totally missed And She Was.

That would've taken it over Court and Spark. (Sorry, Joni)

baba o

"london calling"

hahaha oh god I was really stoned when I started this

Heh--if only I had that excuse...

Someone make this entire list of songs a Double-CD in chronological order so the world can be healed kthx!

You could just play "Heal the World" over and over for the same effect.

"Heal the World" is a great song though I think two+ hours of it would be a little grating. Must try.

JC.

my top 3:

Public Enemy - Bring the Noise
De La Soul - The Magic Number
The Clash - London Calling

Wow...can't decide between Baba and "Bring The Noise." Baba certainly has the most bizarre intro of any song on the list.

Huh, "Court and Spark" is probably my least favourite track on that album, aside from "Twisted". Went with "Bring The Noise".

"London Calling" for me, too.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

RIP poll-gag crew

and, apparently, a simultaneous RIP to the discussion-that-matters crew.

"Wow...can't decide between Baba and "Bring The Noise." "

That's why they tied!