# 'It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day.' Other songs about specific days. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 3, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964 "2019-06-03T15:59:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/1 "2019-06-03T15:59:56Z")
I love Bobby Gentry’s [Ode to Billy Joe,](https://youtu.be/nv33eaygVDQ) a suicide ballad (a subset of murder ballads) done by a singer/songwriter who had a beautiful voice and played a wicked guitar. The use of a specific date and well-described place anchors it in reality and adds to its power. What other songs use dates as plot devices? Note: If there are hijacks regarding what was thrown off the bridge these things happen. ---
**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:** [June 3, 2019, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/2 "2019-06-03T16:04:12Z")
Do you remember the 21st night of September? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/3 "2019-06-03T16:16:35Z")
The third of September “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/4 "2019-06-03T16:18:38Z")
It was the dark of the moon on the sixth of June… Convoy. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/5 "2019-06-03T16:21:45Z")
Tom Paxton’s Born on the Fourth of July ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/6 "2019-06-03T16:22:06Z")
The U2 song, [Pride (In the Name of Love)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_(In_the_Name_of_Love)), mentions the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr on April 4. ---
**Author:** ![Rough\_Draft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@Rough\_Draft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rough_Draft)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/7 "2019-06-03T16:24:31Z")
Now the first of December was covered with snow So was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston… -James Taylor, _Sweet Baby James_ ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/8 "2019-06-03T16:26:51Z")
_…On the first of March, On the holiday…_ Sufjan Stevens, “Casimir Pulaski Day” ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/9 "2019-06-03T16:32:41Z")
“December 7th, 1941 Divine Wind silhouette Against the rising sun” _[Aloha, Sayonara](https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=11&v=nil2xDA0t7w)_ - The Honolulu Mountain Daffodils. A very specific time (and place, of course) “Today is the FIRST of SEPTEMBER See you at your graveside, baby” [I’ll meet you in Poland, baby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEKywqH7dXw) by Scraping Foetus Off the Wheel. Another very specific time and place… ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/10 "2019-06-03T16:35:11Z")
The Night Chicago Died. -Paper Lace (no actual date is mentioned, and the showdown between Capone and the Chicago PD was fictionalized) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/11 "2019-06-03T16:42:02Z")
Then it doesn’t count. :o ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/12 "2019-06-03T16:46:06Z")
“Saturday, here in the park, thinkin’ it’s the fourth of July…” By Chicago Transit Authority/Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/13 "2019-06-03T16:51:36Z")
Not a specific date, but pretty close, especially since it also mentions the year: “December, 1963,” by the Four Seasons. “Oh, what a night Late December, back in '63” ---
**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:** [June 3, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/14 "2019-06-03T16:53:17Z")
[Fourth of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgFHM8HMbWQ) by Bruce Springsteen “Remember” by John Lennon (“Remember, Remember the Fifth of November.”) “New Year’s Day” by U2. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/15 "2019-06-03T16:56:13Z")
Any song that mentions Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/16 "2019-06-03T16:57:43Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Not a specific date, but pretty close, especially since it also mentions the year: “December, 1963,” by the Four Seasons. > > “Oh, what a night > Late December, back in '63” Similarly, Peter Gabriel’s **Biko** has: _September, '77 Port Elizabeth, weather fine_ ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/17 "2019-06-03T16:59:57Z")
Yesterday–Beatles ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/18 "2019-06-03T17:00:55Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Any song that mentions Christmas. Not always. The Bee Gee’s “First of May” mentions Christmas trees. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/19 "2019-06-03T17:02:51Z")
Ironically, on that same day in June that Billie Joe McAllister committed suicide, Neil Diamond was deflowered by an older woman (in the song “[Desiree](https://genius.com/Neil-diamond-desiree-lyrics)”): “It was the third of June On that summer’s day When I became a man At the hands of a girl almost twice my age” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964/20 "2019-06-03T17:14:58Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Do you remember the 21st night of September? There’s a song celebrating my birthday? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-the-third-of-june-another-sleepy-dusty-delta-day-other-songs-about-specific-days/834964.md?page=2)