Story-songs (other than Alice's Restaurant)

Cafe Society
1

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.

What else fits that format?

Remember, don’t say Alice’s Restaurant

2

Weird Al-Albuquerque
Weird Al- The Biggest Ball Of Twine In Minnesota

Oh, and Alice’s Restaurant.

3

Convoy, by C.W. McCall.

One Piece at a Time, by Johnny Cash.

4

Swamp Witch
Wildwood Weed
A Real Good Time - Jim Stafford

5

While I cannot suggest the AR song by this gentleman, I present “The Story of Reuben Clamzo and His Strange Daughter in the Key of A.”

6

Pete Seeger, Abiyoyo.

7

The Day Before You Came — ABBA

8

Tweeter and The Monkey Man–The Traveling Wilburys

9

You mean A Boy Named Sue, of course.

Jim Stafford did a bunch of these, for example, Wildwood Weed

My Girl Bill

and Cow Patti

10

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.

11

Mr. Bojangles - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

(Jim Stafford has a nice version, too.)

12

No, no, no! The classic C.W. story song is:

Wolf Creek Pass

It just wasn’t real pretty
It was hairpin county
And switchback city
One of 'em looked like a can full’a worms
Another one looked like malaria germs

13
14

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.

Feast your earworms on:

The night Chicago died

Billy don’t be a hero

15

The Man Who Never Returned

16

I got your Bob Dylan right here:

17

Given Bob Dylan’s unique vocal talents, the line between talking and singing gets blurry, but how about Subterranean Homesick Blues?

18

The greatest story song, “Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts” has been posted, so I post the second best:

Another great story song of course is Neil Young’s “Powderfinger”:

19

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.

20

Timothy by The Buoys