Jun 092010
King Strasburg
In honor of pitcher Steven Strasburg‘s remarkable debut for the Washington Nationals last night, can we compile the Top 10 Debut Singles in Rock ‘n Roll? Let’s keep it to singles rather than albums, which we’ve been over before. We’ll have to don the Pince Nez to make sure our suggestions are actual debut singles. If a small indie release is an artist’s first single before a better-known single on a larger label, them’s the breaks, but there are those who might argue that R.E.M.‘s original “Radio Free Europe” single is worthy of inclusion on this list.
OK, let’s get to it. This shouldn’t be too hard, right?
Maybelline by Chuck Berry
Good call.
The Ramones – Blitzkrieg Bop
That’s Alright by Elvis
I’m just gonna toss out some ideas. I think, as far as debuts go, the punk era kicks the ’60s’ ass.
“Radio Free Europe” — yes
“Orgasm Addict”
“Teenage Kicks”
“Blitzkrieg Bop”
“Hand in Glove”
“Anarchy in the UK”
“That’s All Right”
“I’m in Trouble” (Replacements)
“Adult Books”
“Virginia Plain”
“Caught by the Fuzz”
“Maybellene”
She’s Not There by the Zombies
In The City by the Jam
White Riot – Clash
Just What I Needed – Cars
Suspect Device by Stiff Little Fingers
What a great singles band they were.
Mr. Tambourine Man by the Byrds was a pretty good one, but wouldn’t make my top ten, so stay calm, Mod.
Thanks, mockcarr. That and the Ramones’ debut this early in the game might be too much for me to handle.
Good suggestions so far. Whittling these down to a Top 10 will be tough!
I know you’re not the biggest Ramones fan. I like them but don’t love them. But that could be the greatest debut single of all time because:
– It encapsulates everything that is cool about the Ramones and sums up their mission statement in about 2 minutes.
– if it weren’t so overplayed, it would would be their best song.
– even though it’s so overplayed, it’s still fun to listen to.
– it helped to kick start, and give focus to, punk rock as movement
I hear you, cdm. I’m going to work hard to leave my personal biases out of this. This is bigger than me and my tastes – and all that jazz.
I forgot that Elvis’ “That’s All Right” was actually his first single. For some reason I thought “Blue Moon of Kentucky” was released as an A-side first. To me, that’s a keeper. It’s one of the best Elvis songs.
I’m not the world’s biggest Chuck Berry fan either, but “Maybelline” is pretty hot for a debut single.
When the time comes you know I’ll back “Teenage Kicks.”
Is “Orgasm Addict” the first Buzzcocks’ single? If so would it have been a version with Howard DeVoto on lead vocals? That first EP I have with him never fails to disappoint when I spin it.
“Adult Books” is from the second X album. Did they release no singles prior to that? I love that song, but I don’t think of it as a “greatest single.”
If “Virginia Plain” is indeed the first Roxy Music single I might be able to get behind that.
break on through
There’s a picture of Strasburg before someone gave him a towel that makes him look like a member of the Upper Crust. Hrrundi would like that.
Wow, “Adult Books” b/w “We’re Desparate” WAS the first X single, preceeding Los Angeles! My apologies to Oats for doubting his rock expertise. That single is still under consideration.
Likewise, the man was right about “Orgasm Addict.” It must be Pin the Pince Nez on Mr. Mod Day!
I was reminded of the Leningrad Cowboys, I believe they were called, mockcarr.
Re Adult Books: In order for it to be considered the Greatest Debut, doesn’t the song itself have to actually be good?
Ha, cdm, I’m with you there.
Making Time by the Creation is a cool debut.
So far I gotta root, root, root for “Suspect Device.” That single is — cliche alert — *blisteringly hot*!
BTW, not that the world needs my two cents, but: that Strasburg kid is the real effing deal. Last night was pretty astonishing.
Roadrunner by The Modern Lovers
Rock Lobster – B52’s
Little Johnny Jewel – Television
The debut singles of Moby Grape:
Come In The Morning/Hey Grandma
Changes/Fall On You
Omaha/Someday
8:05/Mr. Blues
Lest you think this is overkill, please note that I did not include the fifth debut single, Sitting By The Window/Indifference
Greatest debut singles? Sure, why not. Ten seems too few so I’m only going to do seven. I’m logical like that.
The Wailers, “Tall Cool One”
James Brown “Please Please Please”
Sex Pistols “Anarchy in the UK”
The Undertones “Teenage Kicks”
The Kingsmen “Louie Louie”
Booker T. and the MGs “Green Onions”
B-52s “Rock Lobster”
Seven singles for seven innings pitched.
Beck, Loser
Nick Lowe, Heart of the City/So It Goes
“Welcome to the Jungle” GnR
“After Midnight” by Eric Clapton.
I thought about “Welcome to the Jungle” as well, but “It’s So Easy” was actually released as a single in England in June of 1987. “Welcome to the Jungle” was released in October of that year. I looked up a bunch of songs one would normally think of as debut singles and found most of them were actually a second or third release. It makes me wonder how many bands have a big hit with their first song.
“Arnold Layne” by (The) Pink Floyd.
Monkees – Last Train To Clarksville
Gene Vincent & the Bluecaps – Be-Bop-A-Lula
Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix
I was going to give a smart ass answer and offer the 4 Beatles first solo singles and blow everyone away, but their first four solo singles are WEAK!
Lennon: Give Peace a Chance
McCartney: Another Day
Harrison: My Sweet Lord (best of the bunch)
Starr: Beaucoups of Blues
No wonder people were bummed when they broke up.
for real
I always felt that Devo started out on a very high note with the Mongoloid/Jocko Homo single.
Shout out also to Richard Hell’s ORK single, Blank Generation/You Gotta Lose/Another World
Well, I think Townsperson ljhord has locked up the top spot! I almost snarfed hot tea with lemon when I read that.
Welcome aboard, wookified!
There’s one single so obvious that I would have expected HVB or mockcarr to have suggested by now that I’m starting to think it wasn’t the band’s debut single…
Calling “After Midnight” a debut single is like Ichiro Suzuki winning rookie of the year in Major League Baseball after playing nine seasons in Japan. Have Mr. Moderator and Bud Selig ever been seen in the same room?
All righty then, if bostonhistorian is gonna call foul on my Clapton choice I shall recall it and submit Chris Rea’s “Fool (if you think it’s over)”.
I’m not calling foul, merely pointing out that the system allows for some anomalies. chickenfrank tried to exploit it as well, then realized that post-Beatles debuts were less than the sum of their parts.
The Who – Can’t Explain
Pretenders – Stop Your Sobbing
Van Halen – You Really Got Me
The Kinks – You Really Got Me
Pince Nez: “You Really Got Me” was The Kinks’ third single. It is Van Halen’s debut, though. I didn’t realize taht one came first for them!
30 Seconds Over Tokyo
The Who by any other name is still the Who I think, so Zoot Suit would be their first single.
Do we include the High Numbers? I was leaning toward making prior band names an exception.
I’m still shocked that mockcarr or HVB has not suggested a particular song I was sure they’d throw into the ring!
Keep ’em coming; later we’ll begin to whittle down the list to the Top 10 Greatest Debut Singles Ever. Surely we will reach consensus!
What? I don’t really like Love Me Do that much.
Also, My Sharona doesn’t make a top 10 for me. My Bologna by Weird Al, might…
“In the City” by the Jam.
“My Sharona” is the one I figured you, mockcarr, or hrrundivbakshi would nominate!
Little Richard, Tutti Frutti
I see, “In the City” was already submitted. So.
Little Richard released a number of things before Tutti Frutti.
Johnny Cash, “Cry Cry Cry.” It’s not “Folsom Prison Blues,” but still damn great.
“Hey Jealousy” – Gin Blossoms
Ms Rita was the 1st single for Gin Blossoms hey Jealousy was like 3rd (ok I need to actually research this)
“How Many More Years” – Howlin’ Wolf
“I’m A Man” b/w “Bo Diddley” by Bo Diddley
“Tear It Up” – Johnny Burnette & The Rock & Roll Trio
“Please, Please, Please” – James Brown
“Let’s Go Trippin'” – Dick Dale
“I Wish You Would” b/w “A Certain Girl”- The Yardbirds
“All Tomorrows Parties” b/w “I’ll Be Your Mirror” – The Velvet Underground
“I Wanna Be Your Dog” b/w “1969” by The Stooges
“Green Fuz” – Randy Alvey & Green Fuz
“United” b/w “Zyclon B Zombie” – Throbbing Gristle