Where is the damage to the tube and what doe sit look like? That can tell you a lot about the "why". I make sure to 1) see to it the tube lays untwisted on the rim tape and 2) align the tire label to the valve. Both make troubleshooting much easier.
A lengthwise slit on the side of the tube (assuming it was not twisted) usually is a sign of a pinch flat. (And the sound effects you've reported are consistent with a pinch flat.) Spokes rarely damage tubes unless they actually protrude through the tape. That hole will be on the inside and quite small.