# Best Story Songs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850 "2013-03-02T21:41:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/21 "2013-03-02T23:24:45Z")
How about those angsty death songs from the '60s? [Laurie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxLuNkZc5kM) [Teen Angel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE-AcC53OYY) [Last Kiss](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMuWmC5urcI) [Leader of the Pack](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McvWodRXA7k) ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/22 "2013-03-02T23:30:14Z")
[Into: Conditional Discharge/ Don’t try to lay no boogie woogie on the King of Rock & Roll](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgVW3SGu0Ng) by **Long John Baldry** Uneasy Rider by Charlie Daniels Band ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/23 "2013-03-02T23:38:18Z")
Smoke on the Water is a story song. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/24 "2013-03-02T23:49:19Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > _El Paso_ by Marty Robbins > [@Sampiro](#): > > Seconded, and adding _Big Iron_ and _Ballad of the Alamo_ by same. Thirded, and adding _Utah Carol_, _Feleena_(which is El Paso from the woman’s view) and_The Master’s Call_ … so many more by Marty. Steve Earle _Copperhead Road_,_The Devil’s Right Hand_ ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/25 "2013-03-02T23:59:36Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash “One Piece At A Time” Johnny Cash ---
**Author:** ![bytheway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df705f/32.png) [@bytheway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bytheway)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/26 "2013-03-03T00:05:27Z")
Another Old Lang Syne - Dan Fogelberg (based on a [true story](http://www.pjstar.com/news/luciano/x1101623574/Luciano-Its-a-memory-that-I-cherish)) ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/27 "2013-03-03T00:21:32Z")
_Esther_ and _Fee_, both by Phish. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/28 "2013-03-03T00:28:17Z")
[The Highwayman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdlga3QLBvg), Phil Ochs (Alfred Noyes) [Rainy Night House](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ4luSgmPME), Joni Mitchell [Story of Isaac](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUCZB7IKl4c),Leonard Cohen (Suzanne Vega version) [Ocean Gypsy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4oS7BLTZq8), Renaissance [Tam Lin](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy3ihk205ew), Fairport Convention ---
**Author:** ![dada2fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ccd318/32.png) [@dada2fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dada2fish)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/29 "2013-03-03T00:46:29Z")
The Wild-Eyed Boy From Freecloud & Space Oddity by Bowie ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/30 "2013-03-03T01:14:11Z")
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: [The Ballad of Robert Moore and Betty Coltrane](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrjmcyaBYoY), [The Curse of Millhaven](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACG9wv69bKU). Snatch and the Poontangs: [Hey Shine](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg5TYH9tV_w) (language is NSFW). ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/31 "2013-03-03T01:37:17Z")
[Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhRRWwH3Fro) by Warren Zevon. [Red Barchetta](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMtTJS3YcMc) by Rush. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/32 "2013-03-03T01:42:52Z")
[The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKeHQpT5wVE) by Weird Al Yankovic ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/33 "2013-03-03T01:44:30Z")
Better Place to Be and Mr. Tanner–Harry Chapin Pancho and Lefty and Marie --Townes Van Zant (This is two different songs–it looks like it all runs together when I read it.) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/34 "2013-03-03T02:03:49Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > Thirded, and adding… _Feleena_(which is El Paso from the woman’s view) Just to complete the trilogy, [El Paso City](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwBSaLHoA7s), in which a modern day man (well, in the 1970s) has past-life visions of the events in those two songs. Speaking of western story songs about tragic romances between a cowboy and a beautiful Mexican girl, [Gringo’s Guitar](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmpzWALcrYQ). (Perry Como had a much bigger hit than this version, but I much prefer the Sons of the Pioneers.) ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/35 "2013-03-03T02:10:32Z")
The Red Headed Stranger is a Willie Nelson concept album, but the [title track](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTPzP5Qq8q8) is a good story on its own. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/36 "2013-03-03T02:14:41Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Just to complete the trilogy, [El Paso City](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwBSaLHoA7s), in which a modern day man (well, in the 1970s) has past-life visions of the events in those two songs. Also a great one. Need to add _Strawberry Roan_ on the Marty list. ---
**Author:** ![catnoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@catnoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catnoe)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/37 "2013-03-03T02:24:57Z")
He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones Seven Spanish Angels - Willie Nelson and Ray Charles And since I think every song on the album has been listed, just look up Marty Robbins The Gunfighter album. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/38 "2013-03-03T02:32:40Z")
I’ve been on a Meat Loaf kick lately so I’m going to go with Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad Bat Out Of Hell Paradise By The Dashboard Light I think these all count as story songs, although maybe not as much as songs like El Paso which is about as clear cut of a story song as you get (and one of the best songs ever written). ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/39 "2013-03-03T02:34:58Z")
> [@catnoe](#): > > And since I think every song on the album has been listed, just look up Marty Robbins The Gunfighter album. Just in case you want to look it up it’s called **Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs**. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/40 "2013-03-03T02:45:59Z")
Joe Ely: [Me & Billy the Kid](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XZyGhg2IpQ) And his [Indian Cowboy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esz0w3KgB_s); I like Townes’ version better–but it’s not available. Joe does a great version of Robert Earl Keen’s “The Road Goes on Forever”–but let’s listen to [the Highwaymen](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3zSp_uhjcI)… You could listen to Lightnin’ Hopkins tell the one about [Mr Charlie](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtXD4wZobnA)–it really does turn into a song… Or hear Lowell George’s sad tale: [Dixie Chicken](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z-GwdaKrn8)… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850.md?page=3)