POLL: Best opening verse of a song

This poll / thread is hunting for the song you think has the best opening verse -- one where the lyrics just seem perfect, and perfectly matched to the music, where the vocal delivery is spot on, with the combined effect of drawing the listener into the world of the song.

Any genre is fine. Nine choices below are listed as examples of how gifted lyricists can give the opening verse punch, power and allure.

Vote for one of the nine specific choices or use No. 10 ("OTHER") to submit your own favorite. Comments welcome below.

Any tone is fine -- from rapscallion and raw to reaffirming and quiet.


TIA.
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Edit: some of the lyrics in the poll box were cut off -- I didn't know what the limit was. Sorry about that. If anybody wants the rest of those lyrics, PM me and I'll send them along.

UPDATE: 5:27 P.M. EST

The poll box isn't coming up on a lot of screens. Not sure why, but I suspect demons.

If anybody has a suggestion on how to restore the poll box, let me know. Thanks.

Oh, the white folks hate the black folks
And the black folks hate the white folks
To hate all but the right folks
Is an old established rule

-- and social comment songs -- whatever the name of that genre is -- and his are tops.

I like Tom Paxton pretty well, too. Almost included "I am Changing My Name to Chrysler" in the poll but ran out of slots.

This is the one for me ...

Time to meet the chef ? ....

OH Boy ! ...

The running man is out of death:

I feel cold and old, it's getting hard to catch my breath ...

It's back to ash: Now you've had your flash, boy ...

The rocks in time compress your blood to oil ... your flesh to coal ...

Enrich the soil ? .. not everybody's goal ...

Anyways: they say she comes on a pale horse, but I'm sure I hear a train ....

Oh boy ! ...

I dont even feel no pain ....

etc etc ....

Anyways: Peter Gabriel and Genesis, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

-- and your example is right there.

Gracias.

It's one o-clock, and time for lunch ...

Dum dee DUM dee dum .....

When the sun beats down and I lie on the bench: I can always here them talk ....

There's always been Ethel: "Jacob, wake up, you've got to tidy your room now " ....

And then Mister Lewis: "Well isnt it time that he was out on his own ?" ...

Over the garden wall: two little love birds > "cookoo to you" ...

Keep them mowing blades sharp ...

etc etc ...

I Know What I Like: Genesis, Selling England By The Pound ...

Gabriel was an incredibly gifted lyricist ....

I know someone who used to plan entire evenings around those early recordings.

And I don't see a damn thing wrong with it either.

-- Dylan songs to put on this poll and had to limit it to just one.

"Like a Rolling Stone" is a masterpiece, pure and simple.

n/t

Yes indeed
Here we are
At St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast
Where I stole the margarine
And wheedled on the Bingo cards
In lieu of the latrine
(Frank Zappa, St. Alphonzo's Pancake Breakfast)

If you can just get your mind together
Then come on across to me
We'll hold hands and then we'll watch the sun rise
From the bottom of the sea
But first
(Jimi Hendrix, Are You Experienced)

Picture yourself in a boat on a river,
With tangerine trees and marmalade skies
Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly,
A girl with kaleidoscope eyes.
Cellophane flowers of yellow and green,
Towering over your head.
Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes,
And she's gone.
(Beatles, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds)

- any list like this.

Except maybe that third one... I doubt if THEY'LL ever go anyplace with such lame lyrics... : )

Typed out in its entirety, to universal public indifference, here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=1056794

Of the ones you offered, "Shelter from the Storm," though I'm the one person on Earth to prefer "I & I," particularly in this context.

Now off to ATA to salute elad for making it possible to put double quotation marks in poll replies, which didn't used to be something you could do. When did this happen?

I clicked it and read the lyrics. You are right -- I do not know this song, but the words have the poetry I'm talking about for this poll. I get really excited over lyricists who can do this. Especially if they "taper" the first stanza of a verse.

I appreciate your taking the time to post it for me. Thank you.

i love the vocals only... then boom boom, boom boom, GACK and then into a kickass guitar groove :headbang:

(sorry, slipped into drumspeak there :))

A strong composition & they deliver it with that sure-footed warm-hearted prophecy thing. Kansas -- a great musician's band.

Please tell them to drop by my place to give a free concert tomorrow evening.