Operator Jim Croce
Rocky Raccoon Beatles
Me and Bobby McGee Kris Kristofferson
Big John (Jimmy Dean)
The Logical song (Supertramp)
Copacabana (Barry Manilow)
My favorite song that has a story behind it is The Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix: songfacts
*Jimi wrote this in 1967 for Are You Experienced?; it was inspired by his girlfriend at the time, Kathy Mary Etchingham. He’d gotten into an argument with her about her cooking. She got very angry and started throwing pots and pans and finally stormed out to stay at a friend’s home for a day or so. When she came back, Jimi had written “The Wind Cries Mary” for her.
Kathy Mary recalled, “We’d had a row over food. Jimi didn’t like lumpy mashed potato. There were thrown plates and I ran off. When I came back the next day, he’d written that song about me. It’s incredibly flattering.” (Source Q magazine February 2013)*
I really like A Whiter Shade Of Pale Songfacts and started thread about it here on SDMB, this original video has footage of the band walking around London in (1967?) and looks really cool.
Where do we draw the line to what is a story? Most of these are autobiographical or historical, not quite a story song but good songs:
Sunday Morning Coming Down - Kris Kristofferson
Positively 4th Street - Bob Dylan
Five Years - David Bowie
Last Thing I Needed - Willie Nelson
I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am - Merle Haggard
The Way It Was in '51 - Merle Haggard
Born In The USA - Bruce Springsteen
My Hometown - Bruce Springsteen
Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits
Smoke On The Water - Deep Purple
Sweet Jane - Velvet Underground
Stan - Eminem
Fourteen Years - Guns N Roses
Jigsaw Puzzle - Rolling Stones
Jane Says - Jane’s Addiction
Jeremy - Pearljam
April 29, 1992 - Sublime
Cleaning Windows - Van Morrison
The River - Bruce Springsteen
Half the album of Nebraska is could fit on the list directly above
These are story songs right:?
Seven Spanish Angels - Ray Charles and Willie Nelson
Johnny 99 - Bruce Springsteen
Space Oddity - David Bowie
I came in here to say “American Pie”, which someone else mentioned.
How about “Tribute” by Tenacious D?
Another vote for Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts.
Also have to mention the Traveling Wilbury’s homage to Springsteen - “Tweeter and the Monkey Man”.
The Man From Snowy River.
Originally a poem by “Banjo” Paterson( who also wrote Waltzing Matilda).
Set to music and performed by Slim Dusty.
The Star–Spangled Banner
Video Killed The Radio Star
The Ballad of the Green Berets
most Meat Loaf songs
I hope you don’t have Irving on your “Fantasy Gunslinger” team, because he was actually 142nd:
A hundred and forty-one could draw faster than he,
But Irving was looking for one forty-three.
Was coming in to post this one, too.
Though, I prefer the Del McCoury Band’s (bluegrass) interpretation of it.
The story song seems to have been a staple of pop radio in the 70s. In fact, we’ve discussed them here at least once. I have these on my Ipod:
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia - Vicki Lawrence
Ode to Billy Joe- Bobbie Gentry
Dark Lady- Cher
Billy Don’t Be a Hero - Bo Donaldson
Gypsies Tramps & Thieves - Cher
I’ll add Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel
Another vote for the Jack of Hearts.
But a question: other than being set in New Jersey (and I think you need more than that), how is “Tweeter” a homage to Springsteen?
Here’s one that tells the story of something I lived through: It Sprinkled, It Rained, and It Poured by John and Marina Nickerson. This record was a huge regional hit; if you lived in upstate New York back in 1972, you may remember it.
El Paso, absolutely. John Henry was a steel drivin’ man, second. Maybe the one by Baez about Georgie wrecking his engine and dying by the firebox door…
God’s Own Drunk - Jimmy Buffett
I came in here to mention Chapin and Taxi; also Cat’s Cradle.
Do you have a link to other discussions?
I’m wondering if a poll would be in order – of course I usually do when the number of candidates gets big enough. Which asks, "have we had such a poll already?