album has to be Extricate - I can't really single out one song - but the album covers all yer Fall bases.

Have to offer up "How I wrote Elastic Man" as the song to start with. Stunnning, wonky pop song. The best of - 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong is a great place to start.

...'The Classical' from Hexenduction Hour, which is actually quite funky in a dour, impenetrable way. My favourite Fall album is probably 'This Nation's Saving Grace' but I fear this is one band where you're never going to get much of a consensus.

Actually, the best way into the Fall might well be to get hold some tapes of John Peel's Festive 50 from the 80s and 90s. There's always a liberal peppering of Fall tracks, and you get a good sample of more accessible indie stuff to break up the Mancunian sneering a bit.

so I'll have to tag my answer on to your - sorry.

Picking one song an an intro to their 'oeuvre' is tough as The Fall have rumbled on for 3 decades.

You could do worse than listen to the following singles or tracks if you won't risk an album:
Early fall
The Classical - from 'Hex Enduction Hour'
Leave the Capitol - from the 'Slates' EP
Container Drivers - from the 'Kicker Conspiracy' EP
New Face In Hell - from 'Grotesque' - the only song I know that has a kazoo in it.
Totally Wired

Mid-Fall
Cruisers Creek - can't remember which album as I bought the single - possibly This Nation's Saving Grace?
Everything Hurts - from 'Code Selfish'
High tension Line
Hit The North

Later Fall:
Theme From Sparta FC
Blindness
Touch Sensitive
You can find most of the later ones and even some of the early ones on YouTube. Good luck

is my favourite, if only because I had a soft spot for Brix.

I think it's a case of where you came really, the first single is corking bingo masters break out, but the later stuff like sparta Fc (in fact the football songs is good place to start)
covers could be a way in too.
white lightening
FFoldin' money
victoria
ghost in my house
day in a life
Mr pharmacist.
other things to bear in mind some of it is funny , some of it makes no sense, some of it is about the noise, some of it about the words.
personal faves other than above.
Kicker conspiracy.
eat ya self fitter
edinburgh man (which isn't typical at all)
oh and Mark E smith reading the footabll results

The only thing by The Fall I own, being the only thing I've ever heard by them that I liked.

It's a lottery, he might not even make it on stage, but if he does and they're good, you're in for a treat. I've seen them eight times and 6 of those they rocked like good 'uns.

My intro to the Fall was via the 50,000 Fall Fans compilation. It's a good 'un though it 'only' covers the period 1978 - 2003.

I have about half a dozen Fall albums, but with Smithy's cryptic dense (in both senses) lyrics and the band's repetive riffing, one album usually goes a long way. I don't care for "This Nation's Saving Grace, I think it represents an attempt at the "Americanization" of the band's sound and fails miserably. I still love "Live At The Witch Trials", its amateurish, trashy and snotty and sets out a youngish Smith's agenda. "50,000 Fall Fans" works as an excellent overview, with a wide selection of varying styles.

Fave Fall tracks for me

The never fail to laugh "Rebellious Jukebox" an episode of a northern soap opera set in some grim Glossop-like pub.

"Married Two Kids" Classic Smith character sketch.

"Hip Priest" and "Hey Luciani" Don't know why, but this pair gets me everytime.

"Edinburgh Man" sounds like a Fall title, but not a typical Fall song, a lovely tender ballad.

Plus don't forget they are a great covers band "White Lightning", Rolling Dany" and "Victoria" to name a few.

I saw them a few weeks ago in Leeds, these were my thoughts:

The Fall-Stylus Club, Leeds University , 20th March 2008

It's a well known fact that The Fall have had more incarnations than Dr Who. Like the timelord, some versions have been better than others, and you never quite know how long each incarnation will last. This is of course what has made The Fall one of our most creative and inventive bands and although tonights line up may not make Christmas , they're starting to gel together pretty well.

A quirky fast paced instrumental, teases the crowd ,with cheeky keyboard lines and tremolo guitar from Pete Greenway. It's like the theme tune to a seventies cop show; every times there's a stop, we wait with baited breath for the strange little man. He finally ambles on, in black leather coat , growling into the crowd as he grapples with two microphones. Before we know it he's up to mischief, fiddling with amps, sticking a microphone into the bass drum and hiding behind Dave Spurr's meating sounding bass amp.

As expected, a large majority of the set is taken from forthcoming album "Imperial Wax Solvent" .It's early days and first listens, but the material doesn't seem as instant or memorable as that from their last, Reformation Post TLC.
"50 Year Old Man" sounds like a work in progress, divided into three sections; a laid back opening ,then two monotonous stomps ,which don't seem to go anywhere. They verge on dangerous jazz rock territory as Smith mumbles "I'm a 50 Year Man". He certainly looks it, disappearing off stage, as wife Elena Poulou sings "I've Been Duped". She looks miserable, but this is highly infectious, a short and sweet pop song which would sound great on the radio, if The Fall were that kind of band.
"Wolf Kidult Man" is another brief, but fantastic new song, although Smith's words are inaudible.

The Fall sound is still fresh and alive, but, Greenway's guitar is far too quiet, particularly in the incessant, relentless bass riff of "Reformation". Aside from this, the song still sounds like a Tyrannosaurus Rex's trapped inside the venue. The sounds beefed up with the appearance of the bassist from support band "Bobbie", who gave it their all, but failed to interest Fall fans, who were already wound up by deep ques for warm lager earlier in the evening.

"Fall Sound" lives up to it's name, booming around the venue as the bar runs out of hot lager and a mosh pit of students leap about . It's a charismatic sound, but there's something missing from this line up- former guitarist Tim Presley and the extra bass of Rob Barbato are somewhat missed.

Poulous's stabby keys on "Pacifying Joint " are a contrast from the new material and "Mountain Energi" still sounds like a mysterious take on Iggy Pop's "Passenger".

"Tommy Shooter" another newie, is sung by another strange geezer, and although the riff is a stolen moment, its mosh pit madness now as Smith reappears for "White Lightening".
The house lights signify that's our lot, not by any means a classic Fall performance but certainly a good one, Smith looks old but committed and The Fall still sound as innovative as ever. Like good old Doctor Who , they remain one of our country's last few remaining treasures.

Even those that love them (like I do) will disagree about which is the 'best' of the Fall.

For me, it's the period from Hex Enduction Hour in 1982 through to Bend Sinister in 1986, and I would argue that the thing to do is start somewhere in here and then work backwards and forwards.

Individual tracks:

The Classical
US 80s-90s
Cruisers Creek
Eat Y'Self Fitter
Hip Priest
Who Makes The Nazis?
C.R.E.E.P.
The N.W.R.A.
Riddler!

I think as far as The Fall is concerned, there is a need for the penny to drop, as it where - a bit like Marmite, you'll either love them eventually, or never see what the fuss is about.