If the “similar topics” bot is to be believed, the last time someone did a thread like this was 20 years ago. There have been so many songs since then…
I’m looking for recommendations of story-songs you like.
What do I mean by that? Well, although there is music in the background, it’s for the most part a person telling a story. And there’s a chorus that’s actually sung.
I’m looking for examples that are more story than song, so not things like Cat’s in the Cradle by Harry Chapin.
You know, like Alice’s Restaurant. But we all know that one. So what else fits the bill?
One I especially like is Grampa Carl by The Warped 45s. It’s the story of the singer’s grandfather, a prohibition bootlegger. The chorus is catchy as hell, IMHO.
I considered posting that, as well (it’s a better song, and better known), but unlike “One Piece at at Time,” there really isn’t a chorus to “A Boy Named Sue,” which was one of the OP’s requests.
The British band Paper Lace were the Beatles / Dylan / Mozart of story songs. They were about as rock ‘n’ rolly as their name suggests but, man, they could produce a narrative with a beginning, middle and end.
I have dozens of Story Song mp3s.
The most moving one, to me:
“Cold Missouri Waters”
“Cry Cry Cry* sings of the devastation of the Mann Gulch fire of 1949 through the point of view of Dodge, one of the remaining survivors.”
*it’s mostly Richard Shindell, singing a James Keelaghan song.
Read the comments, some from people who had a connection there.