Songs that begin "I was born"

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Or near enough...

Eurythmics, Missionary Man, "Well I was born an original sinner"
Rolling Stones, Jumping Jack Flash, "I was born in a crossfire hurricane"
Lee Marvin, Wand'rin' Star "I was born under a wand'rin' star"
Divine Comedy, I Was Born Yesterday, "I, I was born yesterday"

Any others?

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 25 September 2006 07:47 (seventeen years ago) link

john cougar mellencamp, small town ("i was born in a small town")
sam cooke, a change is gonna come ("i was born by the river in a little tent")

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Monday, 25 September 2006 07:50 (seventeen years ago) link

"I was born" by the Unicorns ("I was born a unicorn")
"I ws born" by Billy Bragg/Wilco (off of Mermaid Avenue) "I was born at half past twelve"

― Jacobo Rock (jacobo rock), Monday, 25 September 2006 08:01 (seventeen years ago) link

The Make-Up, "Born On The Floor" ("I was born, I was born, I was born I was born on the floor")

― Chuck Keller (c keller), Monday, 25 September 2006 08:13 (seventeen years ago) link

beefheart: 'sure nuff n yes i do'

― EARLY-90S MAN (Enrique), Monday, 25 September 2006 08:14 (seventeen years ago) link

Magnetic Fields, "I Was Born"
Nick Cave, "Up Jumped the Devil"

the Nick Cave is reaching a bit, half a line before the desired phrase but "Oh my, oh my what a retched life, I was born on the day that my poor mama died" can't be left out.

― Eben Saling (fixieben), Monday, 25 September 2006 08:30 (seventeen years ago) link

killdozer "the puppy":

i was born feet first
and it shows in the way i think...

― GOD PUNCH TO HAWKWIND (yournullfame), Monday, 25 September 2006 08:43 (seventeen years ago) link

JUDY GARLAND I WAS BORN IN A TRUNK PEOPLE

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 25 September 2006 09:12 (seventeen years ago) link

"Run Baby Run" by Cheryl Crow starts with "She was born"

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 25 September 2006 09:19 (seventeen years ago) link

The Madness of Lee Scratch Perry by Momus. Wild song.

― Daniel Giraffe (Daniel Giraffe), Monday, 25 September 2006 09:48 (seventeen years ago) link

"I was born in the desert" - PJ Harvey, "To Bring You My Love"
"I was born on the day that music died" - The Books, ""All Our Base Belong to Them"

― Turangalila (Salvador), Monday, 25 September 2006 09:55 (seventeen years ago) link

The pre-rock soul classic (I forget its name) that begins 'I was born a poor, poor man, And all my life...'

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Monday, 25 September 2006 09:58 (seventeen years ago) link

Gram Parsons, Big Mouth Blues ("Oh, well, I was born in a little bitty tar hut")

Not bad going... could this be the most popular opening line of all time? Although as it's only a line fragment I guess something like "I love..." probably beats it by miles.

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 25 September 2006 10:17 (seventeen years ago) link

Ice-T 'That's How I'm Livin'
Witchcraft 'Chylde of Fire'

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Monday, 25 September 2006 10:19 (seventeen years ago) link

"I was born in a laundromat" Camper Van Beethoven

― 100% CHAMPS with a Yes! Attitude. (Austin, Still), Monday, 25 September 2006 10:35 (seventeen years ago) link

Lenny Kravitz, "Are You Gonna Go My Way?" ("I was born long ago")

Can't believe it hasn't been mentioned yet, but then there's Cher's "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves" ("I was born in the wagon of a travelling show").

― LC (Damian), Monday, 25 September 2006 10:58 (seventeen years ago) link

Heck, I got my Philosophy of Momus mixed up. The song i meant was Toothbrushhead

I was born on a dashboard / toothbrush for a head etc

― Daniel Giraffe (Daniel Giraffe), Monday, 25 September 2006 11:28 (seventeen years ago) link

I Was Born To Love You - Queen
Born In The USA - Bruce

― Revivalist (Revivalist), Monday, 25 September 2006 12:05 (seventeen years ago) link

Yes, "Toothbrushead" is the one. Also my song "Bishonen".

― Momus (Momus), Monday, 25 September 2006 12:10 (seventeen years ago) link

The Brand New Heavies - "Shelter" (I was born in the city, there's no flies on me...)

― Prince Enki (princeenki), Monday, 25 September 2006 12:15 (seventeen years ago) link

Tobacco Road to thread
'I was born
in a bunk
mama Died
Daddy got drunk..'

― sonofstan (sonofstan), Monday, 25 September 2006 12:21 (seventeen years ago) link

Bad Religion - "Watch It Die" (I was born on Planet Earth)

― Ghost Bear Junior High Attendance Party (Ghost Bear Junior High Attenda), Monday, 25 September 2006 12:22 (seventeen years ago) link

They Might Be Giants - "Absolutely Bill's Mood"
("I was born in a lighthouse/My mother was the sea")

― Whiney G. Weingarten (whineyg), Monday, 25 September 2006 12:24 (seventeen years ago) link

Flaming Lips - "Five Stop Mother Superior Rain"
("I was born the day they shot JFK")

― King-a-Ling (King-a-Ling), Monday, 25 September 2006 12:47 (seventeen years ago) link

"Rainbow Road," Arthur Alexander

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Monday, 25 September 2006 13:19 (seventeen years ago) link

The Manner Of Your Birth

― A-ron Hubbard (Hurting), Monday, 25 September 2006 13:22 (seventeen years ago) link

CCR - "The Working Man"

― willem -- (willem), Monday, 25 September 2006 13:47 (seventeen years ago) link

Butthole Surfers - Pittsburgh To Lebanon
"I was born out my momma ass,
Well, I'm as blind as can be,
I brought my first shotgun,
By the age of three,"

ZZ Top - Just Got Paid (1st Verse, but the song starts with the chorus)
"I was born my papas son,
When I hit the ground I was on the run."

― autovac (autovac), Monday, 25 September 2006 14:09 (seventeen years ago) link

TS: transparent vs opaque thread titles (xpost to hurting and his 1337 search sk1llzz)

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 25 September 2006 14:11 (seventeen years ago) link

Stevie Wonder, 'I Was Made to Love Her'.

I was born in Lil' Rock,
Had a childhood sweetheart,
We were always hand in hand

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 25 September 2006 14:16 (seventeen years ago) link

St Etienne's I Was Born On Christmas Day sadly does not start with the line "I Was Born ..".

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Monday, 25 September 2006 14:17 (seventeen years ago) link

"I was born in the desert" - PJ Harvey, "To Bring You My Love"

...who is quoting Beefheart ("Sure Nuff N Yes I Do"), as she is often wont to do.

Doesn't Scratch Acid's "Holes" start "I was born"?

― Edward III (edward iii), Monday, 25 September 2006 14:19 (seventeen years ago) link

Clarence Carter, "Patches" (in his spoken intro: "I was born and raised down in Alabama")

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 25 September 2006 14:35 (seventeen years ago) link

Supersystem - "Born Into the World"

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 September 2006 14:44 (seventeen years ago) link

Rolling Stones "Jumpin Jack Flash"

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Monday, 25 September 2006 15:02 (seventeen years ago) link

k's Choice "Home" > I was born in a cradle of love

― Ben (crispyben), Monday, 25 September 2006 15:06 (seventeen years ago) link

16 Tons - I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine

Damned if I know who wrote this one.

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 25 September 2006 16:57 (seventeen years ago) link

"I was born to be an American, for at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget they men who died"

I have no idea who sang that, but they made us sing it and do sign language to it in elementary school.
worst.

― mox twelve (Mox twleve), Monday, 25 September 2006 17:02 (seventeen years ago) link

wait, okay, it's not "born," it's "proud," actually, so. scratch that.

― mox twelve (Mox twleve), Monday, 25 September 2006 17:03 (seventeen years ago) link

Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments "My Mysterious Death"

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Monday, 25 September 2006 17:05 (seventeen years ago) link

the gloria record "i was born in omaha"

― Godfrzej Ljang (godfrzej), Monday, 25 September 2006 17:52 (seventeen years ago) link

That sond Ty Webb sang to Lacy Underall when she came to his house in Caddyshack.

― Bill Magill (Bill Magill), Monday, 25 September 2006 18:18 (seventeen years ago) link

I WAS BORN TO RUB YOU
I WAS BORN TO LICK YOUR FACE
I WAS BORN TO RUB YOU
BUT YOU WERE BORN TO RUB ME FIRST

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Monday, 25 September 2006 18:31 (seventeen years ago) link

Nervous Gender, "Monsters" (1981):

I was born beneath the muffler of a '55 Ford
My mother had to bite off my umbilical cord

― These Robust Cookies (Robust Cookies), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 05:03 (seventeen years ago) link

The Vaselines "Sex Sux (Amen)"

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 05:29 (seventeen years ago) link

Felt 'Mobile Shack': I was born in my mother's bed / In a downstairs room /12 Melville Road / In Birmingham

― bham (bham), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 08:00 (seventeen years ago) link

Incredible String Band, Douglas Traherne Harding

"When I was born I had no head
My eye was single and my body was filled with light"

... I imagine it gave the midwife quite a shock

Incredible String band, Bad Sadie Lee

"I was born in wild Wyoming
I always fancied roaming"

... and believe me, the song doesn't get any better after that

― Am I Re-elected Yet? (Dada), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 08:38 (seventeen years ago) link

Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Born in Chicago

I was born in Chicago in 19 and 41...

― kaygee (kaygee), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 12:20 (seventeen years ago) link

"I was born in a laundromat" Camper Van Beethoven
Opening line is actually "Down here on the north side" (or something like that).

Paul Simon - Born in Puerto Rico
Warren Zevon - Jeannie Needs a Shooter
Bob Seger - I've Got Time
and I Was Born on the Day Before Yesterday from The Wiz

― Mike Dixn (Mike Dixon), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 14:08 (seventeen years ago) link

Suede - Pantomime Horse

― thomas (thomas), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 15:10 (seventeen years ago) link

Mojo Nixon - Hamlet Chicken Plant Disaster

I was born in a town called Hamlet

― Ben Dot (1977), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 15:14 (seventeen years ago) link

"He Made A Woman Out Of Me" - Betty Lavette ("I was born on the levee, a little bit south of Montgomery)

"Born To Love You" - Slim Smith, which counts if you disallow the Oooh-ooohs before the "I was born to love you" stuff starts.

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 15:20 (seventeen years ago) link

"Brought Up Hard" by Easy (writ. Lambert & Potter), "I was born on the wrong side of the tracks..."

& if you're allowing "She was born...", you have to allow "He was born in the summer of his 27th year..." ("Rocky Mountain High")

― Greg Fernandez (haydn60), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 19:18 (seventeen years ago) link

Laura Nyro - "Stoney End"

I was born from love
and my poor mother worked the mines
I was raised on the good book jesus
till I read between the lines
now I don't believe I want to see the mornin'

― nickn (nickn), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 20:33 (seventeen years ago) link

Bad Seed by the Circus (Texas 60s garage band)
“I was born in a taxi in a thunderstorm".

― eyesteel (eyesteel), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 12:01 (seventeen years ago) link

I WAS BORN TO RUB YOU
I WAS BORN TO LICK YOUR FACE
I WAS BORN TO RUB YOU
BUT YOU WERE BORN TO RUB ME FIRST

-- Mr. Snrub (mistersnru...), September 25th, 2006.

DAMN YOU, Mr. Snrub!!!!
that's what immediately sprang to mind for me...

― edde (edde), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 23:05 (seventeen years ago) link

I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine
Picked up a shovel and I walked to the mine
I hauled Sixteen Tons of number 9 coal
And the straw-boss said, "Well, bless my soul"

― William Ryan Stuart Hamilton (Stagger Lee), Thursday, 28 September 2006 06:11 (seventeen years ago) link

"I was born on a pirate ship"

― js (honestengine), Thursday, 28 September 2006 13:55 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh yeah, Grateful Dead "New New Minglewood Blues"

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Thursday, 28 September 2006 14:42 (seventeen years ago) link

Talking Heads from True Stories:

In 1950 when I was born
Papa couldn't afford to buy us much
He said be proud of what you are
There's something special 'bout people like us

People like us
(Who will answer the telephone)
People like us
(Growing as big as a house)
People like us
(Gonna make it because)

We don't want freedom
We don't want justice
We just want someone to love.
Someone to love.

I was called upon in the 3rd grade class
I gave my answer and it caused a fuss
I'm not the same as ev'ryone else
And times were hard for people like us

People like us
(Who will answer the telephone)
People like us
(Growing as big as a house)
People like us
(Gonna make it because)

What good is freedom?
God laughs at people like us
I see it coming
Like coming down from above

The clouds roll by and the moon comes up
How long must we live in the heat of the sun
Millions of people are waitin' on love
And this is a song about people like us

People like us
(Who answe the telephone)
People like us
(Growing big as a house)
People like us
(Gonna make it because)
We don't want freedom
We don't want justice
We just want someone to love.

Someone to love.
Someone to love.
Someone to love.

― Disco Nihilist (mjt), Thursday, 28 September 2006 18:49 (seventeen years ago) link

Mott The Hoople "Wrong Side Of The River" ("I was born on the wrong side of the river")

― Hatch (Hatch), Thursday, 28 September 2006 18:53 (seventeen years ago) link

Grateful Dead - New, New Minglewood Blues

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Thursday, 28 September 2006 19:47 (seventeen years ago) link

"I was born in East Virginny
To North Carolina I did go
There I spied a fair young lady
And her age I do not know"

― King-a-Ling (King-a-Ling), Thursday, 28 September 2006 19:55 (seventeen years ago) link

four years pass...

Honorable mention to "Crackerbox Palace" - George Harrison ("I was so young when I was born")

― SB Sorrow (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 18:08 (thirteen years ago) link

The pre-rock soul classic (I forget its name) that begins 'I was born a poor, poor man, And all my life...'

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Monday, September 25, 2006 5:58 AM (4 years ago)

"Rainbow Road," Arthur Alexander

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Monday, September 25, 2006 9:19 AM (4 years ago)

These are the same song.

― SB Sorrow (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 18:19 (thirteen years ago) link

Not quite the same, but "Into the Mystic" by Van Morrison starts, "We were born before the wind."

― o. nate, Wednesday, 22 June 2011 18:28 (thirteen years ago) link

(Although "Rainbow Road" is not pre-rock)

― HOOSIC has the right to steendrive (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 18:30 (thirteen years ago) link

Aceyalone, "The March"

― bentelec, Wednesday, 22 June 2011 19:00 (thirteen years ago) link

i was born mean...
by the time i was two they were calling me, calling me satan

i was born mean...
by the time i was twelve i was killing, killing for satan

― paul wibier - "killing for satan (love theme from satan's sadists)"

― And the piano, it sounds like a carnivore (contenderizer), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 21:14 (thirteen years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73zJZ1Rw5Rs

― And the piano, it sounds like a carnivore (contenderizer), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 21:14 (thirteen years ago) link

The Indelicates - The Road from Houston to Waco
("I was born Vernon Wayne Howell of Houston")

― if, Wednesday, 22 June 2011 21:17 (thirteen years ago) link

"Born on Saturday" by Saturday's Children - "I was born on a Saturday..."

― Ktulu says, I've come to hate my body (wk), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 21:32 (thirteen years ago) link

can't believe nobody mentioned The Birthday Party's "Mutiny In Heaven"...

"I was born...

and fled this fuckin' heap on doctored wings"

― sleeve, Thursday, 23 June 2011 00:24 (thirteen years ago) link

love this thread

― by another name (amateurist), Thursday, 23 June 2011 00:34 (thirteen years ago) link

Captain Beefheart "Sure 'Nuff 'n Yes I Do"

― sleeve, Thursday, 23 June 2011 00:35 (thirteen years ago) link

Mercyful Fate's "Evil"

"I was born in a cemetary
Under the sign of the MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON"

― SBing crosby (Neanderthal), Thursday, 23 June 2011 00:36 (thirteen years ago) link

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