# 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:** 3
**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, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/41 "2013-03-03T02:52:02Z")
I forgot _1952 Vincent Black Lightning_ by Richard Thompson. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/42 "2013-03-03T02:52:44Z")
“A Quick One While He’s Away” by the Who Kurt Weill’s [“Pirate Jenny”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7awW5nrDHk) “[L. A. County](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCOEne9eocU)” by Lyle Lovett ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/43 "2013-03-03T03:22:46Z")
“I’m my own Grandpa.” Heard it only twice, once in the Muppet Show, once in the Donnie and Marie Osmond Show by Paul Lynn. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/44 "2013-03-03T03:29:20Z")
“Taneytown” and “Tom Ames’ Prayer,” both by Steve Earle. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/45 "2013-03-03T03:41:03Z")
Sinead O’Conner - Her Mantle So Green: [Sinead O'Connor - Her Mantle So Green - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcuL2lTFp34) Luke Kelly - The Kerry Recruit: [Luke Kelly The Kerry Recruit (Rare) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkqK72W-HLk) The Dubliners-Whiskey in the Jar: [- YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eOIU9ekSMk) The Pogues - Fairytale Of New York: [The Pogues - Fairytale Of New York (Official Video) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8) Flight Of The Conchords - Jenny: [Flight Of The Conchords - Jenny - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlYkIJVguCU) Elvis Costello - God’s Comic: [Elvis Costello - God's Comic Live 1989 - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0N6TfU54o8) The Dead Milkmen - Punk Rock Girl: [The Dead Milkmen - Punk Rock Girl HD - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyaK3jo4Sl4) ---
**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, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/46 "2013-03-03T03:41:27Z")
The one thing that needs to be pointed out about story songs is this: They suck. No, no, actually they’re wonderful and when you hear one you fall in love with it and want to hear it again. Trouble is, everyone else want to hear it again too, so you wind up hearing it a thousand times. You can be minding your own business listening to the radio when you find yourself dragged back into caring about that stupid kid whose dad doesn’t have time for him and wishing you could push them all off the Tallahatchie Bridge. Now as to why I have\* [Billy Don’t Be A Hero](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0lKmznjgfQ) in rotation on my mp3 player, the saturation backlash was so fierce I didn’t hear it again for 40 years. \*(or had, until about a week ago, thus completing the circle.) ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/47 "2013-03-03T04:10:31Z")
Country and folk music are full of ballads. Some of my favorite ones are Tom Dooley - Doc Watson [- YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NJgAcJPnZk) Tennessee Stud - Doc Watson [Doc Watson - Tennessee Stud - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq-1G6Wif8s) Redneck Love Gone Bad - Shannon Lawson [Redneck Love Gone Bad - Shannon Lawson - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I9BewOXA2s) Three Wooden Crosses - Randy Travis [Randy Travis - Three Wooden Crosses - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuMdpdgKoHk) Golden Ring - George Jones and Tammy Wynette [George Jones and Tammy Wynette- Golden ring - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9KniULwvjE) Two Black Cadillacs - Carrie Underwood [Carrie Underwood - Two Black Cadillacs - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVEBZLrjpw4) Goodbye Earl - Dixie Chicks [The Chicks - Goodbye Earl (Official Video) - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw7gNf_9njs) ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/48 "2013-03-03T04:56:15Z")
Big Bad John by Jimmy Dean Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport by Rolf Harris ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/49 "2013-03-03T05:03:04Z")
**Lies** by Stan Rogers **White Squall** by Stan Rogers **Barrett’s Privateers** by Stan Rogers ---
**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 3, 2013, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/50 "2013-03-03T05:31:48Z")
Theme song for the Beverly Hillbillies Theme song for Gilligan’s Island Theme song for The Brady Bunch Hey, you said all genres. **gigi** : Your knowledge of Stan Rogers impresses this Canadian. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/51 "2013-03-03T06:19:10Z")
> [@mcgato](#): > > Dylan’s _Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts_ The obvious choice, but other good ones are [Black Diamond Bay](http://www.metrolyrics.com/black-diamond-bay-lyrics-bob-dylan.html) (tragic and hilarious) [Talkin World War III Blues](http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs/talkin-world-war-iii-blues) - also hilarious and [Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream](http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs/bob-dylans-115th-dream). ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/52 "2013-03-03T09:27:47Z")
Most of my off-the-top-of-my-head choices have been taken, so I had to dig [Be My Girl, Sally](http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6-qDHDk753g). The link does not go a Police rendition, but some guy doing the key monologue of the song. It’s worth a listen. Not exactly safe for work, but you would really need to be paying attention to the lyrics. Turn down the volume or close your door and enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/53 "2013-03-03T16:57:32Z")
Quite a few of Slim Cessna’s songs fall into this category. Here’s the first one I ever heard, and still a favorite, about [How We Do Things in the Country](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJm2yEQo4aU). ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/54 "2013-03-03T17:07:13Z")
Because I can’t resist flogging Slim Cessna a little more, [That Fierce Cow is Common Sense in a Country Dress](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE4spAEIhfE). ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/55 "2013-03-03T17:21:23Z")
> [@5\_time\_champ](#): > > Though I always thought it was “the house rent blues” I’m not sure it’s not; house-rent makes sense in context, but house-man doesn’t - a house-man is a live-in handyman, which isn’t the case for the teller of the tale. Possibly another meaning for house man… = roomer? ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/56 "2013-03-03T17:36:06Z")
Did anyone mention “Rocky Raccoon” or “She’s leaving Home”? By the Beatles, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/57 "2013-03-03T17:42:22Z")
[Shades of Gray](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWapiYbYr2M) - Cry Cry Cry [And the band played waltzing matilda](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kkOToOipAQ) - Clancy Brothers ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/58 "2013-03-03T18:30:32Z")
The River - Bruce Springsteen ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/59 "2013-03-03T18:35:06Z")
If you’re gonna do “Big Bad John” by Jimmy Dean, then immediately thereafter you have to do “Cajun Queen” also by Jimmy Dean. (she brings him back to life…and they go on to have 110 grandchildren!) ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850/60 "2013-03-03T19:06:25Z")
Blacksmith of Brandywine Dawson’s Christian With of the Westmereland Potato’s in the Paddy Wagon [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-story-songs/651850.md?page=4)