Great opening lines - book, song or speech

[All uphill]

I love an opening line that draws you in:

"Today mother died. Or maybe yesterday, I don't know"

Albert Camus, L'etranger.

Which first lines have hooked you?

 

[Sharky]

It was the best of times and it was the worst of times

 

[sungod]

"once a guy stood all day shaking bugs from his hair. the doctor told him there were no bugs in his hair."

 

[ColinJ]

‘It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen...'

Launching us immediately into the distopian world of 1984.

It was one of the books that I studied for my English Literature O-level and it made a big impact on me.

 

[PeteXXX]

The wall on which the prophets wrote
Is cracking at the seams
Upon the instruments of death
The sunlight brightly gleams

King Crimson ~ Epitaph

 

[dicko]

In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth….

 

[All uphill]

"Many years later, as he faced the firing squad..."

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

 

[dicko]

Call me Ishmael…

Moby Dick

 

[stephec]

Take me down to the paradise city
Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty

 

[Sharky]

When I think of all the good times that I've wasted having good times

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Old man, look at my life
I'm a lot like you were...

Neil Young, "Old Man"

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

“In the beginning there was nothing, which exploded.”

Clearly there has to be a Pratchett on here

 

[All uphill]

When I think of all the good times that I've wasted having good times

That was a new one on me

 

[glasgowcyclist]

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again."

 

[raleighnut]

These mist covered mountains..............................