# Songs about historical events **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532 "2010-04-09T14:54:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/41 "2010-04-09T19:55:10Z")
Although the historicity of the events themselves is questionable, Metallica’s _Creeping Death_ is about the plagues YHWH visited upon Egypt while the Hebrews were enslaved to them. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/42 "2010-04-09T20:01:10Z")
Might be a stretch as well, but _[Strange Machines](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Strange-machines-album-version-lyrics-The-Gathering/5B33F2F0C4C1CC6948256C060029A341)_ by The Gathering is about traveling in time and space to witness historical events. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/43 "2010-04-09T20:16:56Z")
Christy Moore’s _City of Chicago_ is about the Famine and immigration to…somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/44 "2010-04-09T20:24:40Z")
[“Wreck of the Old 97”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wreck_of_the_Old_97#The_ballad) The version I knew was by Johnny Cash, but it’s been recorded by many and dates back to the 1920’s. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/45 "2010-04-09T20:24:43Z")
“No Man’s Land” (aka “Green Fields of France”), Eric Bogle. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/46 "2010-04-09T20:34:30Z")
“Éamonn an Chnoic” (“Ned of the Hill”) a/k/a “[Young Ned of the Hill](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcSASSyYADo&feature=related)” (Pogues version) is about [Éamonn Ó Riain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89amonn_an_Chnoic), a Catholic outlaw in post-Cromwell Ireland. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/47 "2010-04-09T20:58:37Z")
A couple by Genesis - “The Return of The Giant Hogweed” refers to the actual introduction of an exotic invasive weed. _Long ago in the Russian hills A Victorian explorer found the regal Hogweed by a marsh He captured it and brought it home Botanical creature stirs, seeking revenge_ And “The Battle Of Epping Forest” was based on a news story of modern-day gang fights. ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/48 "2010-04-09T21:01:23Z")
I didn’t add _The Marine Corps Hymn_ because I thought a Marine should do the honors, but it’s getting late and noone has mentioned it yet, so I will. “The halls of Montezuma and the shores of Tripoli” refer to actual events in Marine history. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/49 "2010-04-09T21:12:42Z")
[I Don’t Like Mondays](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsVbhVEAb-M&feature=fvw) - Boomtown Rats About the school shooting spree of [Brenda Ann Spencer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenda_Ann_Spencer). ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/50 "2010-04-09T21:15:47Z")
_Strange Fruit_ (Billie Holiday); historical in a general sense, about racism and the lynching of Black Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/51 "2010-04-09T21:18:41Z")
The entire album “Harbour of Tears” by Camel is about the experiences of Irish immigrants coming to America, and those they left behind. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/52 "2010-04-09T21:19:38Z")
Arlo Guthrie - Alice’s Restaurant Celtic Thunder - When New York Was Irish Rush - Manhattan Project (Imagine a time when it all began/In the dying days of a war/A weapon that would settle the score) Rush - Countdown (A Shuttle Launch) Sublime - April 29, 1992 (The Rodney King riots) Woody Guthrie - Dust Bowl Refugee (and a 100 others by him) ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/53 "2010-04-09T21:21:33Z")
Crispy - Licky Licky ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/54 "2010-04-09T21:29:08Z")
> [@winterhawk11](#): > > The entire album “Harbour of Tears” by Camel is about the experiences of Irish immigrants coming to America, and those they left behind. Same for “Aliens” by Horslips. ---
**Author:** ![etc\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90ced4/32.png) [@etc\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etc_1)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/55 "2010-04-09T22:56:37Z")
Black Day in July - Gordon Lightfoot ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/56 "2010-04-09T23:19:45Z")
I dont recall anyone mentioning “Battle of New Orleans” They ran through the hills and they ran through the bushes They ran through the brambles where a rabbit couldnt go They ran so fast even we couldn’t catch 'em From the hills of Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/57 "2010-04-09T23:55:24Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I dont recall anyone mentioning “Battle of New Orleans” > > They ran through the hills and they ran through the bushes > They ran through the brambles where a rabbit couldnt go > They ran so fast even we couldn’t catch 'em > From the hills of Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico Re-read the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/58 "2010-04-10T01:48:45Z")
[Here’s seventy of them](http://www.amazon.com/People-Warning-Ballads-Disaster-1913-1938/dp/B000ULQV20), every one of which features untimely death! Depending on your definition of “historical,” some of these might not qualify, but they are all true. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/59 "2010-04-10T05:47:47Z")
I don’t believe anyone has mentioned Gordon Lightfoot’s [Canadian Railroad Trilogy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzo6Otpgj-E) yet… ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532/60 "2010-04-10T06:10:21Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > [Here’s seventy of them](http://www.amazon.com/People-Warning-Ballads-Disaster-1913-1938/dp/B000ULQV20), every one of which features untimely death! > > Depending on your definition of “historical,” some of these might not qualify, but they are all true. Darn it! Late again. I have this box set and it’s pretty good. Just don’t listen to too many songs at one time - a wee bit depressing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-historical-events/535532.md?page=4)