# Songs that tell a good story? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 24, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390 "2007-04-24T00:56:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/41 "2007-04-25T07:33:36Z")
_Smackwater Jack_ by Carole King is a bizarre, Jim Croce-esque tune about a guy who murders his church congregation with a shotgun and is then hunted down and lynched by a posse. It’s a very upbeat, major and cheerful song despite the subject. _My Old School_ by Steely Dan tells a terrific story, although I’m not exactly sure what the hell it’s about. But that’s part of the mystique of Dan lyrics. _California tumbles into the sea That’ll be the day I go Back to Annandale Tried to warn you About Chino and Daddy Gee But I can’t seem to get to you Through the U.S. Mail Well I hear the whistle but I can’t go I’m gonna take her down to Mexico She said oh no Guadalajara won’t do_ Likewise for _West of Hollywood:_ \*Swingin’ so hard We burned right through the summer Till the axis of pain/pleasure sheared the arc of desire From the Rebus affair To the streets of Culver City Places and events slip below the horizon line Now at this time Into our pretty story The truth compels us To bring a certain name Meet if you will Doctor Warren Kruger \* A lot of Steely Dan songs are like this. They tell a complex story, but the lyrics are so cryptic that it’s a complete mystery what the story’s about. There’s a great Steely Dan lyrics interpretation site [here.](http://cordmeyer.spymac.com/) If you’re as big of a fan as I am, you can waste hours and hours on that site. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/42 "2007-04-25T08:14:41Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] Devil Went Down to Georgia - Charlie Daniels Band Coward of the County - Kenny Rogers [/QUOTE] Mentioned in posts #13 and #29. The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia - Vicki Lawrence Lyin’ Eyes - The Eagles ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/43 "2007-04-25T10:08:19Z")
A few Dylan songs have been mentioned, most notably “Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts” which has long been one of my favorites. Dylan had plenty more. Another two of his are “Tangled Up In Blue”, and “Tweeter and the Monkeyman” off the first Wilburys album. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/44 "2007-04-25T14:07:18Z")
“The Road Goes on Forever” by Robert Earl Keen, Jr, tells a pretty interesting story. I first heard Joe Ely’s version, so it’s seared into my brain. Joe has a way of taking other people’s songs & making them his own, but he’s written some good ones. “Me & Billy the Kid” & “Indian Cowboy” are story songs. Townes van Zandt sang “Indian Cowboy.” “The Ballad of Pancho & Lefty” & “Tecumseh Valley” are among the wonderful stories he told. Many years ago at Sand Mountain Coffee House, I heard him debut his first “serious” song: “Waitin’ Round to Die.” Which leads to “Long Black Cadillac” by Dave Alvin. (About Hank Williams, a big influence on Townes. They both died on New Years’ Day.) ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/45 "2007-04-25T14:20:54Z")
[QUOTE=DudleyGarrett] I miss songs that told us little stories. It has been a very long time (that I know of) since one’s been released. Below are a few of my favorites… what are some of yours? **Coven** - One Tin Solider \*\*Gordon Lightfoot \*\*- Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald [/QUOTE] Try Harry Chapin. His career was practically built on this kind of songwriting. I particularly like _Sniper and Other Love Songs_. (Warning: the title song is based on the Charles Whitman tragedy.) _Taxi_ is good, too. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/46 "2007-04-25T14:24:28Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] Jim Croce Operator [/QUOTE] “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” and “You Don’t Mess Around with Slim” are story songs, too. Should we include “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron” by the Royal Guardsmen? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Constant\_Reader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8edcca/32.png) [@Constant\_Reader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Constant_Reader)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/47 "2007-04-25T14:25:21Z")
Christians and the Pagans - Dar Williams ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/48 "2007-04-25T14:40:20Z")
Warren Zevon - **Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song)** ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/49 "2007-04-25T14:52:24Z")
“Deathbed” by Relient K tells an interesting story about a middle-aged man remembering his wasted life as he’s dying of lung cancer. “In State” and “Six O’Clock News” by Kathleen Edwards tell a continuing story between them. Maybe “John the Fisherman” by Primus? ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/50 "2007-04-25T15:14:02Z")
[QUOTE=Sublight] Warren Zevon - **Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song)** [/QUOTE] Dang, how did I forget Zevon? “Excitable Boy,” “Long Arm of the Law,” “Turbulence,” “Send Lawyers, Guns and Money,” “Seminole Bingo” and “Mr. Bad Example” are great storytelling songs. I suppose “Leave My Monkey Alone” could be considered a story telling song, too, though admittedly it’s a bit of a stretch. Another classic is Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson singing “Pancho and Lefty.” And Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Named Sue,” of course. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/51 "2007-04-26T01:04:05Z")
How about **Ode to Billy Joe** and **Fancy** , by Bobbie Gentry? ---
**Author:** ![moes\_lotion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@moes\_lotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moes_lotion)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/52 "2007-04-26T02:06:09Z")
While I haven’t heard a lot of his material, nearly every song on **Richard Thompson** ’s compilation CD, _Action Packed - The Best of the Capitol Years_ qualifies as a story song. Off the top of my head we have: 1952 Vincent Black Lightning Cooksferry Queen Turning Of The Tide I Feel So Good Beeswing Granted, his material tends very much towards the dysfunctional love story, but great stories they are and extremely well told/sung/played ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/53 "2007-04-26T03:43:15Z")
[QUOTE=LonesomePolecat] “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” and “You Don’t Mess Around with Slim” are story songs, too. Should we include “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron” by the Royal Guardsmen? 😃 [/QUOTE] “You Don’t Mess Around With **Jim** ” I loved Jim Croce and was a fan of his before that plane crash took his life. Music was the better for him and his death was a keenly felt loss. ---
**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:** [April 26, 2007, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/54 "2007-04-26T12:16:34Z")
I cannot find the lyrics on line but Tom Paxton’s [Bobbit](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Paxton) tells the story about…well, about what you’d think it was about. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/55 "2007-04-26T15:12:49Z")
[QUOTE=cochrane] “You Don’t Mess Around With **Jim** ” [/QUOTE] :smack: I stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![krisolov](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krisolov/32/3724_2.png) [@krisolov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krisolov)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2007, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390/56 "2007-04-26T16:01:42Z")
Stan Ridgeway has a ton of story telling songs: The Big Heat Camouflage Peg and Pete and Me Goin’ Southbound Drive, She Said He had some great stories! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-tell-a-good-story/401390.md?page=2)