Best opening lyrics?

[Ellen]

So, we haven't had a lyrics thread on the new board yet. We all know Ryan can write some great lyrics, but what are your favourite opening lyrics of his songs?

I'll start:

I like the way he sings these lines, and I like the imagery:
Every night I read this novel about you
Holding roses in the pouring rain
But the ending's tore up, trying to hail a cab
Think no one can read you, but I can
(Cherry Lane)

Just a perfect start to a song, with these few words he describes a place and a time so vividly I can see it when I close my eyes:
All the railroad lights shine on the city
Full moon shall pass in twilight
In the oldest oak tree by the neighboring factories
Forever rising steel beams in twilight.
(Like The Twilight)

I know lots of people, including Ryan, think it's silly, but I really like this, it really sets the feel for the whole song:
The sun is shinin' hard at my feet
The city is an animal ready to eat
(1974)

Your turn.

[Sinainn]

I've always loved the lyrics for Jacksonville Skyline.
The opening lyrics reminds me a little bit when I was a small kid;
places have changed so much since:

The banks of the river run through my hometown
As a boy I ran the dirt roads, and I scraped my knees
Well they paved the roads eventually
With neon signs and car dealerships and diners

[ship's wise man]

Well I was waiting around for somebody to die
(Natural Ghost)

i don't know exactly why, but it's just so direct and free spoken.

[LucyLost]

Poor litte Rose, beaten by the rain

On the new album, I really like this, from Go Easy:

i watch the evening grow old
i watch the sun grow tired
collaps'in into the meadowlands
funny how i still hear that voice
sometimes it's like it's so loud
i only hear the ringing sound

and Meadowlake Street--
There's something about you
That reminds me of all those times
When I wasn't sorry, when I wasn't blue
The cherry moon it shone down on us
Under the stars shining down every one for you
If I could count them all
I would circle the moon
And count 'em back to nothing
Till I got to you

I fear that if I didn't have to go meet someone like five minutes ago, I could sit here for several hours and do this...

[Avalanche]

Agree with you on Cherry Lane, but I also love:

Today I watched the boats
Moving through the harbour
Walking on water
In your arms I'd stay

[Davey]

"Ah the night... here it comes again"

[Ellen]

Good ones here!

I especially agree about Jacksonville Skyline, in fact, lots of Whiskeytown-era lyrics are wonderful.
How about Tennessee Square
Red ribbons hang in a Tennessee square
Old people laughing and singing and dancing down there
I'd like to join them, I got no money to spare
So I sit here and watch from the porch
Drinking whiskey in Granddaddy's chair.

And something about Desparate Ain't Lonely slays me everytime:
I try not to drink, 'cause if I sit and think I'll go crazy
Desperate ain't lonely, you know I've been had.
Pockets are empty
In the daytime, I'm lonesome
In the nighttime, I'm sad.

And so many more...

[momo_adachi]

Agreed about Natural Ghost - it's an awesome opener.

Also, who can deny the awesomeness of "let me sing a song for you that's never been sung before?" or "if the walls of the room could talk, I wonder to myself, would they laugh?"