Which language should I learn?

Sup /prog/, I want to learn a language. I'm thinking something fairly simple to start off with like PHP but I hear alot of people saying it's shit. I'll be learning on my own from a reference book plus ebooks I can find.

So what would be a good language for a beginner to master before progressing to something more complex.

Thanks!

Do lumberjacks make excellent carpenters?

Following this learn C bullshit, one would think they would.

Lumberjacks know how the fuck trees work. They know how they grow and how to cut them down and how to make boards.

Carpenters know wood, how to cut it, where to use and what to use to fasten it together. To do this, he only needs to know about wood. He doesn't need to know how to down a fucking tree and then how to plant a new one to replace it so he can cut it down later.

Learn C if you think the 2 best tools for building a house are an ax and a chainsaw.