Top 10 Songs You Know from the First Word
#10: “Summer of ‘69” (1985) Bryan Adams
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Here’s a song where all we need to hear are the opening chords to know what’s playing, never mind the first lyrics! Still, those can’t be ignored either. While most of us have probably never been in a five-and-dime – or even know what it is – we know Bryan Adams got his first real six-string in one. Released in the summer of ‘85 rather than ‘69, this song rose on music charts all over the world. It hit number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and, in 1989, music critic Dave Marsh ranked it the 635th greatest single ever made. We do love a good summer classic.
#9: “Rapper’s Delight” (1979) The Sugarhill Gang
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Although the long version of this song clocks in at an incredibly lengthy 14 minutes and 37 seconds, it only takes about a second and a half to recognize this OG track from the Sugarhill Gang. With just that “hip hop, the hippie” from Wonder Mike, we know we’re about to be delighted by “Rapper’s Delight” – pun absolutely intended. Not to mention the fact that, just like Rosie in “The Wedding Singer”, there are no doubt many ‘80s and ‘90s kids who can sing along to the entire 14 minutes. Now that’s an earworm.
#8: “Jolene” (1973) Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton wrote this song after she caught wind of a red-headed bank clerk flirting with her husband back when they were newly married. The clerk’s name wasn’t Jolene, but all we need to hear is that name emerge from Parton’s mouth before we know exactly what song it is. Actually it can come from anybody’s mouth and you’ll probably think of the track, even if the name isn’t being sung. Admittedly, it does help that it’s the title and also most of the chorus. “Jolene” has been covered multiple times by a variety of artists, from the White Stripes to Lil Nas X. While the instrumental intro might sound a little different, all it takes is that first word.
#7: “Hello” (1984) Lionel Richie
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There’s a moment in the “Scary Movie 4” parody of “Brokeback Mountain” where Anthony Anderson and Kevin Hart sit up, look at each other and sing “Hello, is it me you're looking for?”. That first line of the chorus is obviously the most famous part of Lionel Richie’s 1984 hit song. However, that opening verse is also SO recognizable. It’s a heartfelt admission that always scratches an itch we didn’t even know we had. Whether sung by Richie himself or in an acapella version by comedians, we’ll be swaying along.
#6: “I Will Survive” Gloria Gaynor
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Even if, for some reason we will never understand, you - like that guy in “The Replacements” - don’t like this song, you’ll still know it from the moment it begins. “At” is quite the common word, so we’ll give you “at first” for this one. Still, to be singing along after just two words isn’t bad at all. The only thing we’re “afraid” and “petrified” of is how fast we can all correctly identify the tune before the first line is even finished being sung. It’s gotta be one of the catchiest tracks in history.
#5: “Hooked on a Feeling” (1968) Blue Swede
Maybe you were an “Ally McBeal” fan in the ‘90s and early aughts and still can’t get that dancing baby out of your head. Maybe you got hooked on Tarantino after his directorial debut with “Reservoir Dogs”. Maybe you’re a fan of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies. Or maybe you just have a special place in your heart for ‘70s Swedish rock. Whatever the reason, we can’t imagine there are very many people out there who, upon hearing that “Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga Ooga-Chaka”, don’t immediately recognize it as the start of “Hooked on a Feeling”.
#4: “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975) Queen
While all us ‘90s kids - thanks in large part to “Wayne’s World” - can recite the entire second half of the song on demand, it only takes the opening words to guess “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Queen has a LOT of popular songs, so citing just one as their most famous is a big claim. And, yet, it would be accurate to say it’s this one. We all love the “Scaramouches”, the “Fandango”, the “Galileo Figaro” and “magnifico”. And who hasn’t done the “let me go” singing back and forth bit with friends? Before the song even gets to any of that, though, the line “Is this the real life?” immediately gets us excited for the almost-6-minute musical experience we’re about to have.
#3: “All Star” (1999) Smash Mouth
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We aren’t going to advocate for putting one’s finger and thumb in the shape of an "L" on their forehead if someone doesn’t recognize the song right off the bat. But, you really don’t have to be the sharpest tool in the shed to know this Smash Mouth hit. Released in 1999, the song reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned the band a Grammy nomination. Then, two years later, “Shrek” came out and put the song in the spotlight once again. Throw in the grand memeification of the song in the 2010s and it dug itself even deeper into our musical consciousness.
#2: “Yesterday” (1965) The Beatles
“Yesterday” is one of the greatest pop songs ever written and it’s by one of the greatest bands of all time. We won’t lie: the first word of this song is the title, so that made our jobs a lot easier when we sat down to compile this list. It’s pretty much the perfect storm for creating an instantaneously-recognizable track. There’s no long musical intro in the song either. Just a few strums of the guitar and it begins with the great Paul McCartney’s iconic voice singing the word. In this song’s case, we might even only need the first syllable! Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “You Give Love a Bad Name” (1986), Bon Jovi Shot Through the Heart & We Know What Song It Is “Relax” (1983), Frankie Goes to Hollywood Relax! You Know This Song “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”, Julie Andrews & Dick Van Dyke “Mary Poppins” Fans Unite! “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” (1956), Harry Belafonte You’ll Know This One Before & After the Daylight Comes “Stacy’s Mom” (2003), Fountains of Wayne This Song Has Got It Going On Right From the First Words
#1: “Roxanne” (1978) The Police
You don’t have to put on the red light to know what song this is within the first few seconds of it hitting your ears. And if the little laughter during the opening guitar riff doesn’t give it away, then all you need is to hear that name as Sting introduces us to the song’s main character…. Roxanne. Like a few other songs on this list, the opening word of the track is the song’s title as well - which obviously makes it that much easier to pinpoint. Moment of silence for all the people named Roxanne out there who’ve probably had this sung to them their entire lives. What’s the first word of your favorite song? Let us know in the comments.
