Spinner

Best Opening Lyrics: No. 11

"Oh, I just don't know where to begin"
--Elvis Costello's 'Accidents Will Happen'

Even when he's at a loss for words, rock's walking thesaurus can turn a phrase.

Listen to the line!

All the AOL Music info you want to know

50 Cent, Street King: Rapper Visits…

The Boombox

AP Photo/World Food Programme, Rose Ogola NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Rapper 50 Cent…

Grammy Acceptance Speeches: Watch 30…

AOL Music Blog

FilmMagic, Getty, WireImage It's been a busy week for God. Besides helping…

Earl Sweatshirt Returns, Releases New…

The Boombox

YouTube.com Ironically, Earl Sweatshirt was one of the most visible members…

See all AOL Music »

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

18 Comments

Filter by:
Michael

Of all the lyrics you could have picked for Elvis Costello, you chose a Burt Bacharat song that was written before Costello started his career.

June 23 2010 at 3:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Francesca

I think the point with choosing this line over the others was that even when EC was at a loss for words, he never really was, so to speak. (They even said as much in the caption.)

August 28 2008 at 1:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jim Akin

I love this line because I think of it as the opening of the entire "Armed Forces" album, not just of "Accidents Will Happen" itself. The line implies our narrator is at a loss for words, but it precedes a nonstop barrage of wordplay in some of Elvis's best-ever pop songs. brilliant. "I used to be disgusted..." is a better choice purely as a single song's opening line, though.

January 30 2008 at 10:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bianca

absolutely agree prex.
that's my favorite costello song. so good to see him on here. i just saw him a few months ago and he is 50 times better live.

January 06 2008 at 12:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tonnie

I completely agree, Truth... I thought it was just me not understanding where they were coming from, but I understood fine; they're coming from nowhere.
The songs are cool, but like as a great first lyric, I can think of SO many better ones by EC. The comments here list some much more appropriate first lyrics... Who ARE the people who write these things?
lol All through this list I'd hit "Next", see the line, and go, WTF????

October 17 2007 at 10:50 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
soraya

Honorable Bob Marley? Hmmm. Gotta think about that one. Not disagreeing, but very interesting. Now, i've never really found Elvis Costello's music to be that interesting, but i can dig his style and even his music. Beats being critical.

October 15 2007 at 9:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dev Stack

"Oh, it's so funny to seein' ya after so long, girl.."
Yeah, EC deserves to be on the list.

September 29 2007 at 2:45 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Yagur

Actually, I agree with this choice, although for sentimental reasons... the first time I saw EC in concert, 1988, Universal Studio Ampitheater. He came running on stage with his band (the Imposters, i believe) grabbed the instrument, and downbeat, WHAM: "Oh, I just don't know where to begin..." It was an electric moment, the single greatest I've experienced at 12+ EC concerts I've attended, and I loved most of them. As said, the irony of the most articulate rock musician ever proclaiming his inarticulateness... and saying he doesn't know where to begin, as he begins... he has been more clever, but never better.

September 07 2007 at 1:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jsec

Sorry to be a "Nasty Little Trainspotter," as Declan often calls jis online fans, but the opening to "Brilliant Mistake" is "He thought he was the King of America..." Still a great song w/a great opening, as well.

August 11 2007 at 1:20 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Eric

Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
Sold I to the merchant ships,

the honorable robert nestah marley

August 10 2007 at 11:38 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply