Allow Me To Introduce Myself: 3 of the Best Opening Lines to Rolling Stones Songs

The opening line of a song can be a tricky lyric to pin down. It’s the first introduction a listener has to your track, and given many people’s attention spans, you only have a few seconds to draw them in…The Rolling Stones are a band that has figured out how to routinely deliver a powerful opening line. Check out our favorite opening lines from the group, below.

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“You Can’t Always Get What You Want”

I saw her today at the reception / A glass of wine in her hand / I knew she would meet her connection / At her feet was her footloose man

The opening line to the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” paints quite the picture. It’s impossible to not picture the woman in question as Mick Jagger sings about a missed connection. We all love a well-told story. This track is one of Jagger’s most impressive bouts of prosaic songwriting.

“Honky Tonk Women”

I met a gin-soaked barroom queen in Memphis / She tried to take me upstairs for a ride / She had to heave me right across her shoulder / ‘Cause I just can’t seem to drink you off my mind

In a similar vein, the opening line to the Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women” sets a visceral scene. The listener is immediately dropped into a dimly lit bar somewhere in the south. This song saw the Stones make a turn toward country music. Though that could’ve seemed like a cheap pastiche, the level of detail in these lyrics makes it seem like an effortless transition.

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“Sympathy for the Devil”

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

Arguably, the Stones’ best opening line comes from “Sympathy for the Devil.” Few opening lines in rock music are as well known as this one. Nearly everyone–Stones fan or not–can sing along to this track about the changing tides of history, war, and violence. There are many ways to sing about such things, but the Stones took an unexpected, yet all together more effective route.

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