Best Album Opening/Closing track?

[spark in the night]

Oh this hurts.

My favorite songs off each album are the openers (except Nimrod, Warning, and 21CB)

My favorite closing is Whatsername. That last note....emotions.

[21stcenturyidiot]

1,039 isn't an actual album, it's a compilation, so IWTBA isn't really an album closer. the judge's daughter is the 39/smooth closer. i'd suggest you to change that

I'd say 1'039 counted as an album, but I'll change if people want me to

[KatherineKerplunk]

Oh, crap! I forgot to mention best closing track. Whatsername

[BringMoreKnives]

Nice Guys Finish Last for best opening, Whatsername for best closing.

[Neon Light]

Seems like we're mostly in agreement about Whatsername. Rounds the entire album together perfectly, and to know that it's actually about Amanda makes it even cooler.

For the opening I have to go with Burnout. "I declare I don't care no more" could not be a better way to start an album. But I'm loving Nuclear Family as well.

[iScottie]

Nuclear Family / Whatsername

[Clayish]

Whatsername is the greatest closing song I've ever seen.

[Forever Now]

Went with At the library and Whatsername.

[porksoda]

God, Green Day always have such great openers, but I had to go with "Burnout" because it just sets the tone of the rest of the album so well. Close second was "Armatage Shanks", and third was "American Idiot". Album closers... That's another story. Went with "Macy's Day Parade" because I feel like it closes out Warning really well.

[Insomniac1984]

I prefer 2000 light years away as opening song and Prosthetic Head as the closing one.

Some of the others are epic, too.

[San Miguel]

Burnout is my favourite opener, not because it's my favourite song from that list, but it sets up Dookie so well. "i declare i don't care no more"

Whatshername is such a beautiful song to end my favourite album. It rounds off the story and is very thought provoking.

So they are my two choices!

[Todd]

Uhh.. First of all, Strangeland is not the closer to Kerplunk. and neither is My Generation. Words I Might Have Ate is the closer, with the Sweet Children EP as bonus tracks. No different than saying Favorite Son is AI's closer, or Another State of Mind is 21CB's. The strategy in laying out the tracks has a huge impact on the album, and ending an album with My Generation or I Want To Be Alone just doesnt feel right. That's not the order that they were intended to be listened to. I have 1039 and Kerplunk split up in my iTunes so I can listen to them the way they were meant to be heard. The Judge's Daughter makes an excellent closer, My Generation is a good end to the fast paced Sweet Children EP. I don't know why they included Sweet Children EP on Kerplunk, it just doesnt sound right to me. Going from WIMHA to Sweet Children is a turn off to my ears. The nice song about sorrowed regret of losing your girlfriend-straight to the fast punk song about taking advantage of a girl.

When writing an essay- you always start with an intro or a topic sentence. Something to sum up what it's about. In the same way, At the Library does the same thing with 39/Smooth. AI with AI, Warning with Warnig, etc. Each opening track should be able to describe the whole album in one song. Just like an essay again, the closing track should wrap things up and leave the listener begging for more. That's why fans continue to buy music. If the closing track sucks, that's the last thing the listener has in their heads, and when they think about buying another album, well they don't.

[Blond-O-Sonic Shimmer Trap]

Nice Guys Finish Last is my favourite song they've used as an opener so I voted for that but in terms of best opener for the rest of the album you could argue for Burnout or American Idiot, both set the tone for the kind of stuff in the rest of the record. Both on their best records funnily enough.

I don't know why they included Sweet Children EP on Kerplunk, it just doesnt sound right to me. Going from WIMHA to Sweet Children is a turn off to my ears. The nice song about sorrowed regret of losing your girlfriend-straight to the fast punk song about taking advantage of a girl.

Agreed, also all of it except My Generation is dire and it just makes Kerplunk seem like a significantly weaker record for it yet when it's 12 tracks it's as consistent as Uno.

[CemeteryDrive]

I have always thought Burnout is a brilliant opening song, I love the way it just kicks off. I'd love to see this as the start of a show!

[July21]

yay, my two favorites won

[fatherotti]

Just as I suspected. 21stCB got the vote for best opener and Whatsername for best closer. 21stCB was the perfect opener IMO because the opening build up was perfect. You have the opening drums and all of a sudden bam....the band is back. Whatsername will be always be the perfect ending to the perfect album. The end lyrics always send chills down my spine..."forgetting you but not the time." It almost sounds like its saying "this is the end." I don't know how else to describe it, its the perfect ending. If there was another song afterward....it couldn't top it. It WAS the end.

[21stcenturyidiot]

For me it's a toss up. Macy's Day. Whatsername, See the Light and Oh Love all work brilliantly as album closers

[BlackBaboon]

I know the question refers strictly to Green Day, but I've never heard an album that tops London Calling/Train in Vain.

[21stcenturyidiot]

Holiday in the Sun/EMI is pretty awesome if we're going wider

[Justin]

Whatsername is by far the best album closer. That song is fucking amazing, such a great vibe which if you listen to with headphones and turn them up loud gives chills down your spine. Too good!

"and in the darkest nights, if my memory serves me right, ill never turn back time, forgetting you, but not the time"

Truly amazing words

[scottrowan200]

Can't belive Armatage Shanks is so low. I think that's a brill opening track. But I think I have to g with 21cb and whatshername

[Holly]

I had trouble deciding between At The Library, 2000LYA, Burnout and Song of the Century, but I went with Burnout. It just kicks straight in there, fucking awesome. Those opening lyrics are also my favourite.

As for closing track it undoubtedly has to be Whatsername, it's the perfect closing track, a real spine-tingler.

[Jessicabasketcase]

Burnout is my favourite opener, not because it's my favourite song from that list, but it sets up Dookie so well. "i declare i don't care no more"

Whatshername is such a beautiful song to end my favourite album. It rounds off the story and is very thought provoking.

So they are my two choices!

I agree!

[Harry Potter.]

Opener: Nuclear Family. That first note crashes in, and I just feel it, y'know? I can feel the music.

Closer: Whatsername. Epicness on the highest level possible. How the song just evolves.

[Iop]

Well, it doesn't happen too often that i find myself on the majority-side of these "which song"-thingies.

"I declare i don't care no more..." - SOOOO great (and so comprehensible)

and

"...and in the darkest night - if my memory serves me right - i'll never turn back time - forgetting you but not the time."

(gives me goosebumbs every time and a lump in my throat and a tear in the eye from time to time)

I also like "At the Library", "Armatage Shanks", "Walking Contradiction", "Prosthetic Head" and "Words I Might Have Ate" (which is awesome, and would have been a great closer if the "Sweet Children EP" wasn't there) but "Burnout" and "Whatsername" make the race.

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The greatest closer i have ever heard is "Only in Dreams" from Weezer's first album. I love everything about it. We used to dim the light, close the eyes and just listen to it after band practise - no one was talking, no one was moving. Just listening and dreaming.