# Are there any story songs with happy endings? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 2, 2015, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592 "2015-04-02T04:50:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/1 "2015-04-02T04:50:33Z")
Seriously, think about it - I can’t think of a single one from any era where the protagonists walked off into the sunset, happily ever after. Everyone dies miserably in story song – Leader of the Pack (Shangri-Las) - Bad boy boyfriend gets killed in a reckless driving accident. Ode to Billy Joe (Bobbie Gentry) - Family callously makes small talk about Billy Joe’s suicide in front of the narrator (Billy Joe’s sweetheart) over lunch, biscuits get passed around, slices of apple pie get eaten. As karmic retribution for their apathy, the whole family falls apart in the space of a year. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (Vicki Lawrence) - innocent man gets set up by his floozy wife for the murder of her paramour; man gets hanged The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald IGordon Lightfoot) - Ship sinks, everybody drowns. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant (Billy Joel) - Brenda & Eddie get divorced, realize they can’t go home again and resort to nostalgically recalling their happier times before they got married while drowning their sorrows in red wine. Jungleland (Bruce Springsteen) - Wayward girl falls through the cracks, dies anonymously in a seedy flophouse room. Fast Car (Tracy Chapman) - Narrator realizes her lover is a deadbeat, and that her dreams of the two of them ever experiencing any social mobility will never happen, she kicks him to the curb and resigns herself to a life in the projects. The nearest thing to a “happy ending” I can think of in a story song is Helen Reddy’s “Angie Baby” in which at least the villain gets his just deserts. But frankly that song is just so bizarre it seems more like some songwriters’ bad acid flashback. [lyrics here.](http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/helen_reddy/angie_baby.html) So, are there any story songs with happy endings? ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/2 "2015-04-02T04:59:41Z")
“Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes; presumably, the characters also look forward to a “happy ending” after the song ends. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/3 "2015-04-02T05:17:24Z")
The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota (“Weird Al” Yankovic) - dad strongly suggests that they’ll be coming back again next year 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Magicicada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c67d28/32.png) [@Magicicada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magicicada)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/4 "2015-04-02T05:49:51Z")
“…the whole damn bus is cheering and I can’t believe I see/A hundred yellow ribbons round the old, the old oak tree…” ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/5 "2015-04-02T06:04:44Z")
Just when it seemed all was lost and our protagonists were outmanned, outgunned and on the brink of defeat “came the deafening roar of chickens in choppers”. – Cows With Guns, Dana Lyons. ---
**Author:** ![Magicicada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c67d28/32.png) [@Magicicada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magicicada)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/6 "2015-04-02T06:19:06Z")
A Boy Named Sue–Sue’s Dad abandons the family, Sue grows up to be a tough guy and goes looking for Dad (a.k.a. The Son of a [long bleeping sound] Who Named Me Sue), Sue finds Dad and prepares to kill him, Dad explains his reason for the name (something along the lines of since he was going to abandon the family and wouldn’t be there to see his son through his childhood he gave him a name that would get him teased and toughen him up, which to be frank never seemed like a really good reason to me), and Dad and Sue part ways as friends, although Sue still hates that name. And speaking of Johnny Cash (although he didn’t actually write A Boy Named Sue), I believe the auto factory worker in One Piece At A Time who smuggled out Cadillac parts in his lunch box did eventually manage to build himself a car. Running Scared–Maybe not so much a story song, but the ending is unexpected given Roy Orbison’s mournful delivery. Guy falls in love with a woman who had been in love with another man, and is terrified he will lose her to him again. Finally they encounter her former love, who seems very confident he can get her back, and in the last line of the song she turns away and leaves with the narrator. Finally, I think we can all conclude Honey was much better off dead than married to Bobby Goldsboro. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/7 "2015-04-02T06:36:54Z")
[The Mary Ellen Carter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhop5VuLDIQ) - the song stops just short of the point where the laughing, drunken rats get their comeuppance. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/8 "2015-04-02T06:41:08Z")
The Streets “A Grand Don’t Come for Free” The story develops over the album rather than just one song. Protagonist is over his ex and getting on OK by the end. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/9 "2015-04-02T06:43:43Z")
In Alice’s Restaurant Massacre, Arlo didn’t get drafted. ---
**Author:** ![Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ac8455/32.png) [@Your\_Great\_Darsh\_Face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Your_Great_Darsh_Face)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/10 "2015-04-02T08:02:27Z")
The little girl gets her _Scarlet Ribbons_ so that her innocent faith in God will continue untainted. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/11 "2015-04-02T08:13:29Z")
“She’s Leaving Home”, the Beatles. Happy for _her_, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/12 "2015-04-02T09:22:51Z")
I always thought that Tom Jones’ — whom I would no more listen to than Elvis usually — _**[Delilah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delilah_%28Tom_Jones_song%29)**_ was very funny. Exemplifies the effects of an incontinent lack of self-control… Anyway, at the end the cops are coming, which is a happy ending for those of us who don’t want psychopaths as neighbours. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/13 "2015-04-02T09:43:23Z")
Blinded by the light Mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun Whoa, but mama that’s where the fun is ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/14 "2015-04-02T09:52:04Z")
Does “tie a yellow ribbon” qualify? ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/15 "2015-04-02T09:59:54Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Does “tie a yellow ribbon” qualify? First one I thought of, too, but it was already mentioned above. In _PT-109_ by Jimmy Dean, the hero aquits himself nobly (and grows up to be President, although I guess you could say his term didn’t have a happy ending). _The Night Chicago Died_, daddy came home safe. _Maxwell’s Silver Hammer_, he apparently gets away. It made Rose and Valerie happy, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/16 "2015-04-02T11:47:37Z")
[Ob-la-di, b-la-da](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/beatles/obladioblada.html), by The Beatles. The last verse starts > [@](#): > > Yeah, happy ever after in the market place > Molly lets the children lend a hand (Foot!) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/17 "2015-04-02T12:18:43Z")
Taylor Swift’s [Romeo and Juliet](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/taylorswift/lovestory.html)has an ending that actually chokes me up every time I hear it. I don’t know why, it’s kind of sappy really. Maybe I’m just jealous because I never had a romantic love story of my own. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/18 "2015-04-02T12:41:53Z")
In Kenny Rogers’ “Coward of the County,” the titular coward shows himself not to be so, by beating the everliving shit out of the guys who [it is implied] raped his wife. I wouldn’t say any rape song has a “happy” ending, but that was at least a satisfying one. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/19 "2015-04-02T12:53:38Z")
[“Saginaw, Michigan”](http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/classic-country/saginaw-michigan---lefty-frizzell-14966.html) by Lefty Frizzell ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2015, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592/20 "2015-04-02T12:54:05Z")
I can think of three Dylan story songs with reasonably positive endings. 1. “Went To See the Gypsy” _I went back to see the gypsy It was nearly early dawn The gypsy’s door was open wide But the gypsy was gone And that pretty dancing girl She could not be found So I watched that sun come rising From that little Minnesota town_ The sense of the ending, at least IMHO, is that though the gypsy’s gone, he’s perfectly OK with that; he doesn’t really need whatever wisdom the gypsy had to offer him. 1. “Day of the Locusts” _I put down my robe, picked up my diploma Took hold of my sweetheart and away we did drive Straight for the hills, the black hills of Dakota Sure was glad to get out of there alive_ He and his girl successfully escape from one very weird graduation ceremony. 1. “Isis” _She said, “Where ya been?” I said, “No place special” She said, “You look different.” I said, “Well, I guess” She said, “You been gone.” I said, “That’s only natural” She said, “You gonna stay?” “If you want me to, **yes**.”_ (Lyrics from “Isis” are as sung on the _Desire_ album, and not those on the [bobdylan.com](http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs) website.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-story-songs-with-happy-endings/716592.md?page=2)