The first line game

OK, so the film-lovers have been doing this for a while now... It’s time for the SWM music fans to experience the same exhilarating, heart-thumping thrill. These are first lines from songs (nothing obscure here so no need to cheat and nothing from the past eight years - sorry, kids.) Song titles and performers please.

a) “What a drag it is getting old”
b) “The local rock group down the street is trying hard to learn this song”
c) “I can’t seem to face up to the facts”
d) “Oh, is this the way they say the future’s meant to feel?”
e) “Darkness of night with the moon shining bright”
f) “Don’t start that talking”
g) “When I think back on all the crap I learnt in High School”
h) “You stir my natural emotions”
i) “Johnny’s in the basement, mixing up the medicine”
j) “Well they tell me of a pie up in the sky”

g) "Kodachrome," by Paul Simon

g) "Kodachrome," by Paul Simon

One point* for Argo


*"Points" are not redeemable for any cash value or goods.

And I'm pretty sure a) is "Mother's Little Helper," by Mick Jagger. I could look it up, but I wouldn't want conceptfan to call me a "cheating cheat." :wink:

And another point* for Argo. The Rolling Stones' "Mother's Little Helper" it is!


*Just so's we're clear about this: "Points" are worthless abstract entities with absolutely no material value.

A and G were the only two that I knew for sure.

I am pretty sure is by the Monkees, but I can't recall which song..
I can tell you several ones that it is NOT!

i) was driving me crazy. I knew it was Bob Dylan, but I couldn't recall the name of the song. So ... I cheated. :oops: I went through my Dylan albums ... It's "Subterranean Homesick Blues."

Half a point?

Is it "the local rock band down the street is trying hard to learn this song,
will have one more night together and soon we will be gone oh no no no,
oh no no no.

TAKE THE LAST TRAIN TO CLARKVILLE

Make that CLARKSVILLE . I hope you do not take off points for spelling.

i) was driving me crazy. I knew it was Bob Dylan, but I couldn't recall the name of the song. So ... I cheated. :oops: I went through my Dylan albums ... It's "Subterranean Homesick Blues."

Half a point?

Three-quarters of a point if you went through your albums and not google.

Make that CLARKSVILLE . I hope you do not take off points for spelling.

No points. Spelling's not the issue though. No points cos you got the wrong song, Ace.

You are a cruel guy indeed to make a guy spend all day at work running old "Monkee Lyrics" through his head. I am proud to say that I don't have any old Monkee albums to look through, so I cheated and pulled up a list of mokey songs. As soon as I saw "Pleasant Valley Sunday" I cursed!

You are a cruel guy indeed to make a guy spend all day at work running old "Monkee Lyrics" through his head. I am proud to say that I don't have any old Monkee albums to look through, so I cheated and pulled up a list of mokey songs. As soon as I saw "Pleasant Valley Sunday" I cursed!

Beats working though, doesn't it. "Pleasant Valley Sunday" Indeed. Only 0.45 of a point though, 'cos you used the internet...

OK, OK. In a frankly naive and misguided attempt to get a few more people involved or even just generate a post or two (dream on), here are the SECOND lines of the ones no-one's got (or bothered with) yet:

c) “I can’t seem to face up to the facts / I'm tense and nervous and I can't relax"
d) “Oh, is this the way they say the future’s meant to feel? / Or just 20,000 people standing in a field?”
e) “Darkness of night with the moon shining bright / There's a set going strong. A lot of things going on..”
f) “Don’t start that talking / I could talk all night”
h) “You stir my natural emotions / You make me feel like dirt and I'm hurt”
j) “Well they tell me of a pie up in the sky / Waiting for me when I die”

I consider myself pretty sharp on "American Top Forty" from the very late fifties to the mid seventies and I am drawing a complete blank on all of these which would lead me to believe that they are most likely:


1)Gosple
2) R and B
3) Jazz
4) Folk

All of which I know next to nothing about.

Or, they are not from that period (but not "Pop Music" either).

Here one for you (from memmory so it could be a little off)

"Here's to my car now it really peels"

This excersize has left me deeply depressed.


c) “I can’t seem to face up to the facts / I'm tense and nervous and I can't relax"
"Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads, anybody? No? Really? Honestly? For fuck's sake!!

d) “Oh, is this the way they say the future’s meant to feel? / Or just 20,000 people standing in a field?”
OK. Maybe this one didn't make it beyond these shores. "Sorted for E's and Wizz" by Pulp.

e) “Darkness of night with the moon shining bright / There's a set going strong. A lot of things going on..”
"Superfly" by Curtis friggin' Mayfield.

f) “Don’t start that talking / I could talk all night”
"Oliver's Army" by Elvis Costello.

h) “You stir my natural emotions / You make me feel like dirt and I'm hurt”
Possibly the finest song title in history: "Ever fallen in love (with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with)?" by the Buzzcocks (would have accepted the Fine Young Cannibals too).

j) “Well they tell me of a pie up in the sky / Waiting for me when I die”
Jimmy Cliff? Anyone heard of Jimmy f****** Cliff? "The Harder They Come"??!!!???? Anyone?

And so ends the "first line game". What's the point? I mean, of anything? Answers on a postcard, please.

Aw, cheer up. We're just a bunch of uncultured yobs.

Aw, cheer up. We're just a bunch of uncultured yobs.

Thanks Argo. I feel a lot better now.