An ode to great opening songs to albums

A great opening song is one of the best ways to cement an album as one of my favourites.

There are different methods of accomplishing this - but I think my favourite is when the opening song introduces the story of the album. Pink Floyd is the band which, in my humble opinion, does this best (or if not best, then just best for me). Just listen to "In the Flesh?" off of their album "The Wall":

When the song reaches the chorus at 0:56, the drums, guitar, and synth come together to give you this irresistible feeling that some story that has always been told is being told again. When Roger Waters starts singing at 1:32, with the line "So ya thought ya might like to \ go to the show", he introduces you to the next 1 hour and 35 minutes of your life, which will have you crying, headbanging, and doing heroin in a hotel room.

I could go on with Pink Floyd and opening songs (see Speak to Me / Breathe off of Dark Side of the Moon), but there are more artists that I can highlight. For more rock, Led Zeppelin's debut album starts with Good Times Bad Times:

Jesus Christ, what a way to introduce the world to your band. John Bonham just slays throughout the entire song, Good Times Bad Times doesn't hit the same "start of an epic" feeling that Pink Floyd hits at, but goodness gracious, it does not fail to catch your attention.

In terms of opening songs to debut albums, Kanye West also hit something special. "Intro / We Don't Care" introduces Kanye and his album "The College Dropout" to the world as a light, fun, absurdly catchy album:

It introduces the "Old Kanye" before there was one, who made good music, didn't take himself too seriously, and just enjoyed life.

Let's get a little darker: Death Grips introduces its debut album Ex-Military with the song Beware, which starts with a chunk of a Charles Manson interview:

God DAMN it's​ hard not to run through a brick wall with that. This song prepares you for the sweet depravity that the rest of the album brings. It instantly pulls you into that world where Death Grips is the one band that matters and that has ever mattered, all within one short song. After thinking about it, Death Grips is really good at starting albums strong ("Get Got" off of The Money Store, "You Might Think He Loves You for Your Money but I Know What He Really Loves You for It's Your Brand New Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat" off of Government Plates, e.t.c)

So what is a bad start to an album? It is a song that doesn't hit the (or one of the) point(s) of the album. I think that starting the album is like starting some bit of writing. You have to have your point clear, for the reader's (and listener's) sake. Don't waste their time by pfaffing about with other stuff. *

But, I mean, there are albums that, in my opinion, don't have a fantastic start but I love the album all the same (see The End of Comedy, by Drugdealer). The first song of an album is by no means the defining component which​ makes the album great. But, when the first song is great, it just makes the album that much better for me.

* Note: After thinking about this, I am wrong. The opening song to King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard's album "Fishing for Fishies" is "Fishing for Fishies": It is a great song, on a great album, and it doesn't really sound like the rest of the album. The first time listening to it, I had no idea what to expect after that song - and I think that it makes me love it even more.

So, oh well. Start an album however you please, who cares. But a great start to the album is just so gosh darn great.

Other great starting songs to albums:

Punch Brothers, Phosphorescent Blues: song Familiarity

Dope Lemon, Honey Bones: song Marinade