You know those songs with iconic opening lyrics, where your head snaps up and your ears perk? And you immediately know what song is playing as ya prep to jam along?
Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation Studios / Buena Vista Pictures Distribution / Via youtube.com
Well, Reddit user u/herecomesacandle recently asked Reddit, "What’s the greatest opening lyrics to a song that you’ve ever heard?" and got some epic and classic responses.
WarnerMedia / Via giphy.com
Here are some of the best — and if your favorite isn't on here, leave it in the comments! 🎼
1. "Is this the real life? / Is this just fantasy? / Caught in a landside / No escape from reality / Open your eyes / Look up to the skies and see..."
EMI
"Bohemian Rhapsody" by QUEEN (A Night At The Opera, 1975)
2. "Oh, well imagine / As I'm pacing the pews in a church corridor / And I can't help but to hear / No, I can't help but to hear an exchanging of words..."
Fueled by Ramen
"I Write Sins Not Tragedy" by Panic! At The Disco (A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, 2005)
3. "Turn around..."
CBS
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler (Faster Than the Speed of Night, 1983)
4. "Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh / Caught in a bad romance..."
Steamline
"Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga (The Fame Monster, 2009)
5. "I read the news today, oh boy..."
Parlophone Records Limited
"A Day in the Life" by the Beatles (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967)
6. "As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death / I take a look at my life and realize there's not much left..."
Tommy Boy Entertainment / Warner Records Inc.
"Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio feat. L.V. (Gangsta's Paradise, 1995)
7. "It's Britney, bitch."
Jive Records
"Gimme More" by Britney Spears (Blackout, 2007)
8. "When I was a young boy / My father took me into the city..."
Reprise Records
"Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance (The Black Parade, 2006)
9. "I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand..."
Asylum Records
"Werewolves of London" by Warren Zevon (Excitable Boy, 1978)
11. "Theodosia writes me a letter every day..."
Atlantic Recording Corporation
"Wait for It" by Leslie Odom Jr. and the Cast of Hamilton (Hamilton, 2015)
12. "There must be some kinda way out of here / Said the joker to the thief..."
Reprise Records
"All Along the Watchtower" by Bob Dylan (John Wesley Harding, 1967); covered by the Jimi Hendrix Experience (Electric Ladyland, 1968)
14. "Marky got with Sharon / Sharon got Sherice / She was sharing Sharon's outlook / On the topic of disease / Mikey had a facial scar / And Bobby was a racist / They were all in love with dyin' / They were doing it in Texas..."
15. "Coming out of my cage / And I've been doing just fine..."
Island Records
"Mr. Brightside" by The Killers (Hot Fuss, 2004)
16. "Hello darkness, my old friend..."
Columbia Records
"The Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel (Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., 1964)
17. "A long, long time ago / I can still remember how / That music used to make me smile..."
United Artists Records / Liberty Records / Capitol Records
"American Pie" by Don McLean (American Pie, 1971)
18. "Now this is the story all about how / My life got flipped, turned upside down..."
Jive Records
"Yo Home to Bel-Air" ("Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme") by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (Yo Home to Bel-Air, 1992)
19. "Let's get down to business..."
Walt Disney Records
"I'll Make a Man Out of You" by Donny Osmond (Mulan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack, 1998)
20. "The world is a vampire..."
Virgin Records Ltd
"Bullet with Butterfly Wings" by The Smashing Pumpkins (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, 1995)
21. "Look / If you had / One shot / Or one opportunity / To seize everything you ever wanted / In one moment / Would you capture it / Or just let it slip?"
Aftermath Entertainment / Shady Records / Interscope Records
"Lose Yourself" by Eminem (8 Mile: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture, 2002)
22. "Please allow me to introduce myself / I'm a man of wealth and taste / I've been around for a long, long year / Stole many a man's soul and faith..."
Decca Records
"Sympathy for the Devil" by the Rolling Stones (Beggars Banquet, 1968)
23. "Oh, Mama, I’m in fear for my life from the long arm of the law..."
A&M Records
"Renegade" by Styx (Pieces of Eight, 1979)
24. "I hate every ape I see / From chimpan-A to chimpan-Z..."
Rhino Entertainment Company
"Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z" by Troy McClure (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) (Songs in the Key of Springfield, 1997)
25. "Oh, my, God, Becky / Look at her butt..."
American Recordings / Reprise Records
"Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot (Mack Daddy, 1992)
26. "Hello? Is there anybody in there?"
Harvest Records
"Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd (The Wall, 1979)
27. "I wanna be the very best..."
Koch Records
"Pokémon Theme" by Jason Paige (Pokémon 2.B.A. Master, 1999)
28. "We come from the land of the ice and snow / From the midnight sun, where the hot springs flow..."
Atlantic Record Corporation
"Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin (Led Zeppelin III, 1970)
29. "Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today / To get through this thing called life..."
Warner Records inc.
"Let's Go Crazy" by Prince and The Revolution (Purple Rain, 1984)
30. "Early in the morning, risin' to the street / Light me up that cigarette, and I'll strap shoes on my feet..."
MCA Records
"What I Got" by Sublime (Sublime, 1996)
31. "At first I was afraid, I was petrified / Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side..."
Polydor Records Ltd
"I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor (Love Tracks, 1978)
32. "I hurt myself today / To see if I still feel / I focus on the pain / The only thing that's real..."
American Recordings / Universal Music Group Nashville
"Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails (The Downward Spiral, 1994); covered by Johnny Cash (American IV: The Man Comes Around, 2002)
33. "Am I loud and clear, or am I breaking up? / Am I still your charm, or am I just bad luck? / Are we getting closer, or are we just getting more lost?"
Geffen Records
"Swing Life Away" by Rise Against (Siren Song of the Counter Culture, 2005)
34. "Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba / Sithi uhm ingonyama..."
Walt Disney Records
"Circle of Life" by Elton John (with Lebo M. singing the opening Zulu vocals) (The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, 1994)
35. "Tonight, I’m gonna have myself a real good time / I feel alive / And the world, I'll turn it inside out, yeah / I'm floating around in ecstasy..."
EMI Records Ltd / Elektra Records
"Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen (Jazz, 1978)
36. "Ooga-chaka, Ooga-ooga / Ooga-chaka, Ooga-ooga..."
EMI Records Ltd
"Hooked on a Feeling" by B.J. Thomas (On My Way, 1968); covered by Jonathan King, who added the 'ooga-chaka' chants (Hooked on a Feeling, 1971); then covered by Blue Swede (Hooked on a Feeling, 1974)
37. "ARE YE READY, KIDS?"
Nickelodeon Records / Epic Records / Sony Music Soundtrax
"SpongeBob SquarePants Theme" by Painty the Pirate (SpongeBob SquarePants: Original Theme Highlights, 2001)
38. "ALL ABOARD! (maniacal laughter)"
Jet Records
"Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne (Blizzard of Ozz, 1980)
39. "Somebody said you got a new friend / Does she love you better than I can?"
View this video on YouTube
40. "The world was on fire and no one could save me but you..."
View this video on YouTube
41. "Listen to the wind blow / Watch the sun rise..."
Warner Bros.
"The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac
42. "There is a house in New Orleans..."
Columbia Graphophone
"The House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals (The Animals, 1964); though it is a traditional folk song
43. "I said a hip-hop, the hippie the hippie / To the hip, hip hop you don't stop / Rock it to the bang bang boogie / Say up jump the boogie to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat..."
Sugar Hill Records
"Rapper's Delight" by Sugarhill Gang (as a single in 1979; Sugarhill Gang, 1980)
44. "Carry on my wayward son..."
Kirshner
"Carry On Wayward Son" by Kansas (Leftoverture, 1976)
45. "Do you have the time to listen to me whine..."
Reprise Records
"Basket Case" by Green Day (Dookie, 1994)