# Has there ever been a better "story song" than... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 13, 2015, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526 "2015-10-13T06:08:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526/121 "2015-10-16T01:45:30Z")
Another Chapin [song](https://youtu.be/ODMye94wMfk). ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526/122 "2015-10-16T15:12:44Z")
“Stairway to Heaven”! ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526/123 "2015-10-16T15:30:21Z")
If you do not know Jason Isbell or the Drive By Truckers, then stop what you are doing, [read this story/page](http://www.examiner.com/article/decoration-day-the-true-story-behind-jason-isbell-s-drive-by-truckers-song), and listen to “[Decoration Day](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwyh3zQ6vPg)” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526/124 "2015-10-16T15:47:20Z")
> [@Hoopy\_Frood](#): > > … > (And countless Scottish and Irish ballads.) Well, laddie, since you mentioned them: Lanigan’s Ball: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFwjp3GfEGM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFwjp3GfEGM) The Scotsman: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl96vNqNjlg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl96vNqNjlg) ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526/125 "2015-10-16T21:49:45Z")
_Afternoon delight._ Starland Vocal Band. I hate waiting to the middle of a cold dark night. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526/126 "2015-10-16T22:20:59Z")
> [@phungi](#): > > If you do not know Jason Isbell or the Drive By Truckers, then stop what you are doing, [read this story/page](http://www.examiner.com/article/decoration-day-the-true-story-behind-jason-isbell-s-drive-by-truckers-song), and listen to “[Decoration Day](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwyh3zQ6vPg)” Yes. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526/127 "2015-10-16T22:27:16Z")
‘Willy Dear’ by The Tillers, a band I seem to have got mildly obsessed with of late. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/4W0a0QI-ksk/maxresdefault.jpg "The Tillers - Willie Dear (Live @ Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion 2013)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W0a0QI-ksk) ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526/128 "2015-10-17T03:48:28Z")
Buck Dharma [Your Loving Heart](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HBs2eUlb0A) ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526/129 "2015-10-17T06:47:53Z")
> [@MacLir](#): > > I will concede the lack of pronouns, however, recall that the first line is ♫ **Ridin’** on the _City of New Orleans_ … ♫. The box cannot contain itself. The first line is “Ridin’ on the City of New Orleans Illinois Central Monday morning rail” The [City of New Orleans] train is riding on the [City of New Orleans Illinois Central Monday morning] rail. How about the line in the chorus “I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans” Pretty definitive. As for the OP, who can forget “Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale a tale of a fateful ship” [smack] ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526/130 "2015-10-17T13:50:23Z")
> [@phungi](#): > > If you do not know Jason Isbell or the Drive By Truckers, then stop what you are doing, [read this story/page](http://www.examiner.com/article/decoration-day-the-true-story-behind-jason-isbell-s-drive-by-truckers-song), and listen to “[Decoration Day](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwyh3zQ6vPg)” I would also include “Outfit.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vBps5Qr1D4E/maxresdefault.jpg "Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Outfit") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBps5Qr1D4E) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526/131 "2015-10-18T01:42:05Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > The Doors, _The End_ > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > “Stairway to Heaven”! Also “Freebird” and “Aqualung.” Can you tell when my formative years were? ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526/132 "2015-10-18T02:18:15Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [The Playmates - Beep Beep](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enqNl7tdLR4) Heh, a formative song in my childhood. My parents probably regretted buying that record. Two of my favorites, from local cowpunk outfit Slobberbone: [Pinball Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2YLRXvvr4M) [I Can Tell Your Love is Waning](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S_Nas0CRwk) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-better-story-song-than/734526.md?page=6)