So what was the story here? (Sequential songs that tell a story)

[Cuckoorex]

I queued up “Rock Steady” by No Doubt and was struck by the fact that “Detective” (which is about a woman snooping around to find evidence of cheating by her boyfriend) was immediately followed by “Don’t Let Me Down” (which is about tentatively giving someone a second chance after screwing up, so, you know, don’t screw up again, fella) and wondered what other songs might give an immediate second chapter to an ongoing story on an album. Any other examples?

[Leaffan]

Well, there’s the entire album of Tommy, and Quadrophenia, and The Wall, for example.

[Novelty_Bobble]

The Human League released “don’t you want me baby?” and Lousie a few years apart and they both deal with the same two people (and both are less sweet and sappy than a first listen would let on).

Good songs as well.

[Peter_Morris]

@Novelty_Bobble

The Human League released “don’t you want me baby?” and Lousie a few years apart and they both deal with the same two people (and both are less sweet and sappy than a first listen would let on).

Interesting, I know both songs, but it never occurred to me that they are linked. Do you have a cite for that?

[Uncle_Brother_Walker]

I always mention Queensryche’s Operation Mindcrime. A great story about brainwashing.

They even made a Mindcrime II, but the story gets a little convoluted.

[Antinor01]

There’s Love the Way You Lie and Love the Way You Lie part 2 by Rihanna and Eminem that are about the same relationship from both the male and female viewpoint.

[Peter_Morris]

Buddy Holly: *Peggy Sue *followed by Peggy Sue Got Married.

[Electric_Warrior]

Things get a little weird between the first and second parts of Cygnus X-1.

[Dewey_Finn]

I don’t know why I know this, but R Kelly released a series of songs (22 songs, per Wikipedia) called “Trapped in the Closet” that apparently tell an ongoing story.

[Novelty_Bobble]

@Peter_Morris

Interesting, I know both songs, but it never occurred to me that they are linked. Do you have a cite for that?

the wikipedia entry for the song mentions Phil Oakey’s intended interpretation.

Oakey points out that the story is actually about the original protagonists from “Don’t You Want Me” meeting up 4 years later. In “Louise” the man sees his lost love again and still cannot deal with reality. The anger that drove the earlier song has dissipated, and is replaced with a hopeful fantasy that his ex-lover is drawn to him all over again. So Louise is really about self-deception, delusion and eternal sadness.

[Rick]

Harry Chapin released Taxi and then later the aptly named Sequel.
Same two people many years later.

[Ponch8]

Lesley Gore sang “it’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to” and later followed it up with “Judy’s Turn to Cry.”

[Nametag]

@Cuckoorex

I queued up “Rock Steady” by No Doubt and was struck by the fact that “Detective” (which is about a woman snooping around to find evidence of cheating by her boyfriend) was immediately followed by “Don’t Let Me Down” (which is about tentatively giving someone a second chance after screwing up, so, you know, don’t screw up again, fella) and wondered what other songs might give an immediate second chapter to an ongoing story on an album. Any other examples?

I’m not familiar with Rock Steady, but No Doubt’s breakout album Tragic Kingdom contained several songs in which Gwen Stefani vented her feelings about breaking up with bassist Tony Kanal.