# Story-songs (other than Alice's Restaurant) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [October 20, 2021, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802 "2021-10-20T01:34:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/1 "2021-10-20T01:34:44Z")
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](https://youtu.be/GI0_mOO7jjE) 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 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/2 "2021-10-20T01:37:07Z")
Weird Al-[Albuquerque](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE37e1eK2mY) Weird Al- [The Biggest Ball Of Twine In Minnesota](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcw326PJuDw) Oh, and [Alice’s Restaurant](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m57gzA2JCcM). ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/3 "2021-10-20T01:39:25Z")
[Convoy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87r0CPQbFds), by C.W. McCall. [One Piece at a Time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uErKI0zWgjg), by Johnny Cash. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/4 "2021-10-20T01:40:58Z")
Swamp Witch Wildwood Weed A Real Good Time - Jim Stafford ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/5 "2021-10-20T01:48:48Z")
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.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1YFSLnK_Z4Q/maxresdefault.jpg "The Story of Reuben Clamzo and His Strange Daughter in the Key of A (Live)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YFSLnK_Z4Q) ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/6 "2021-10-20T01:48:51Z")
Pete Seeger, Abiyoyo. ---
**Author:** ![lum\_s\_husband](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lum_s_husband/32/3698_2.png) [@lum\_s\_husband](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lum_s_husband)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/7 "2021-10-20T01:49:03Z")
The Day Before You Came — ABBA ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/8 "2021-10-20T01:49:22Z")
Tweeter and The Monkey Man–The Traveling Wilburys ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/9 "2021-10-20T01:50:06Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > [One Piece at a Time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uErKI0zWgjg), by Johnny Cash. You mean A Boy Named Sue, of course. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WOHPuY88Ry4/maxresdefault.jpg "Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue (Live at San Quentin, 1969)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHPuY88Ry4) Jim Stafford did a bunch of these, for example, Wildwood Weed [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vdlRnWXZ19Q/hqdefault.jpg "Wildwood Weed - Jim Stafford") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdlRnWXZ19Q) My Girl Bill [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/yHGV3PhEg5c/hqdefault.jpg "Jim Stafford - My Girl Bill") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHGV3PhEg5c) and Cow Patti [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OpapdB-bCFI/hqdefault.jpg "Jim Stafford Sings Cow Patti Branson, MO") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpapdB-bCFI) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/10 "2021-10-20T01:53:50Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > You mean A Boy Named Sue, of course. 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. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/11 "2021-10-20T01:56:52Z")
Mr. Bojangles - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (Jim Stafford has a nice version, too.) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/12 "2021-10-20T02:01:27Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > [Convoy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87r0CPQbFds), by C.W. McCall. No, no, no! The classic C.W. story song is: [Wolf Creek Pass](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6LzWZYWpOU) > 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 ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/13 "2021-10-20T02:02:57Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YGFo0xn4JeY/maxresdefault.jpg "The Highway Man") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGFo0xn4JeY) ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/14 "2021-10-20T02:03:48Z")
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](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-L0NpaErkk) [Billy don’t be a hero](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RvG5bJsu5Q) ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/15 "2021-10-20T02:05:57Z")
The Man Who Never Returned [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Dh994JcEfkI/maxresdefault.jpg "Kingston Trio - Man who never returned (M.T.A.)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh994JcEfkI) ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/16 "2021-10-20T02:10:58Z")
I got your Bob Dylan right here: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/agdoeRpTfHg/maxresdefault.jpg "Bob Dylan - Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts (Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agdoeRpTfHg) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/17 "2021-10-20T02:11:49Z")
Given Bob Dylan’s unique vocal talents, the line between talking and singing gets blurry, but how about Subterranean Homesick Blues? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MGxjIBEZvx0/maxresdefault.jpg "Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (Official HD Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGxjIBEZvx0) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/18 "2021-10-20T02:16:44Z")
The greatest story song, “Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts” has been posted, so I post the second best: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nvKoWMX9gmU/hqdefault.jpg "Townes Van Zandt - Pancho And Lefty") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvKoWMX9gmU) Another great story song of course is Neil Young’s “Powderfinger”: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tdPs5YXQTSw/maxresdefault.jpg "Powderfinger (2016 Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdPs5YXQTSw) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/19 "2021-10-20T02:22:29Z")
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. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KgQNeGPJdcQ/hqdefault.jpg "Cold Missouri Waters - Cry Cry Cry") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgQNeGPJdcQ) ---
**Author:** ![lum\_s\_husband](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lum_s_husband/32/3698_2.png) [@lum\_s\_husband](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lum_s_husband)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/20 "2021-10-20T02:23:19Z")
Timothy by The Buoys [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802.md?page=2)