3 Legendary Opening Lines in Classic Rock That Will Blow Your Hair Back

Sometimes, the first run of lyrics at the start of a song are the most memorable. It’s not the chorus, not a bridge, not the ending line. The best part can be found at the beginning, at least musically. Let’s look at a few iconic classic rock opening lines that will blow your hair back!

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“Sympathy For The Devil” by The Rolling Stones (1968)

“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.”

Here’s a classic for the ages. “Sympathy For The Devil” is one of The Rolling Stones’ most recognizable songs, one that earned them some critical acclaim back in 1968. And this samba rock song has quite the opening line, where Mick Jagger sings from the perspective of the Devil himself. The whole song is a roller coaster ride, and it starts off on the perfect note.

“Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey (1981)

“Just a small-town girl, livin’ in a lonely world / She took the midnight train goin’ anywhere.”

It’s not even really the lyrics that blow one’s hair back in this opening line. It’s more so Steve Perry’s otherworldly delivery. There’s so much power packed into that opening line, and it still hits just right, decades after it first hit the airwaves. “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey was a No. 9 hit on the Hot 100 chart back in 1981.

“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen (1984)

“Now I’ve heard there was a secret chord / That David played and it pleased the Lord / But you don’t really care for music, do ya?”

This is one of the most-covered songs ever for a reason. Leonard Cohen’s most well-known song is a gorgeous piece of work. It’s one that barely can be defined as classic rock but deserves a spot on this list anyway. We could spend hours going over the symbolism and themes found in “Hallelujah”, but since we’re strapped for time, let’s just look at that stunning opening line.

This line has biblical connotations. Saul, who is tormented by a demon or dark spirit, seeks out a harp player who can musically shoo the demons away. That harp player is David, composer of the Psalms. The narrator of “Hallelujah” believes that if he can write the right song, it will please his love. However, she doesn’t like music, so it may not be worth it in the end.

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