# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/61 "2021-10-20T12:30:20Z")
Tom Jones “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6WvVyk9DA6s/maxresdefault.jpg "Tom Jones - I'll Never Fall In Love Again (1967)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WvVyk9DA6s) Tom Jones “Delilah” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BvRUblJ_hqM/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDfUp6lG6lH1uODqSl8QRDmoVrBDQ "Tom Jones - Delilah - 1967-68") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvRUblJ_hqM) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/62 "2021-10-20T12:41:49Z")
Two more that I haven’t seen mentioned yet, as sung by Red Sovine: Tear-jerker trucker songs _Phantom 309_ and _Ballad of Teddy Bear_: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Mye3aikHBjc/hqdefault.jpg "Phantom 309 Red Sovine") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mye3aikHBjc) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5zoTLwrm9QE/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBVApZ0SGwaCjeKqQpmcmHPlpNuRg "Sad Song Teddy Bear by Red Sovine") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zoTLwrm9QE) “Teddy Bear” had two follow-up sequels, one by Red Sovine. In one, Teddy Bear gets the medical treatment he needs and recovers. In the other, he gets steadily sicker and dies. ---
**Author:** ![gnagtcha1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@gnagtcha1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnagtcha1)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/63 "2021-10-20T12:45:41Z")
Here’s a song that’s guaranteed to bring a tear to your eye: Ballad of a Dog Named Stains by Red Peters. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/64 "2021-10-20T12:49:13Z")
My high school band teacher said that a ballad is a song in which the lyrics tell a story. As for the music:words ratio or having a chorus, that varies. Not sure if this fits but it’s a fave. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0kbgjmmr5vw/hqdefault.jpg "Andrew Gold - Lonely Boy") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kbgjmmr5vw) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/65 "2021-10-20T12:53:30Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > 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. I got the impression that @elfkin477 was looking for songs where the storytelling part was **spoken** , not sung. Am I wrong? Many of the examples that have been offered don’t fit that criterion. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/66 "2021-10-20T12:55:47Z")
Boney M “Rasputin” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Nl_Eo2QzqU4/maxresdefault.jpg "Boney M. - Rasputin (Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl_Eo2QzqU4) Boney M “Ma Baker” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/f3XcNskAxp0/maxresdefault.jpg "Ma Baker") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3XcNskAxp0) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/67 "2021-10-20T12:57:30Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > songs where the storytelling part was **spoken** , not sung. Am I wrong? Many of the examples that have been offered don’t fit that criterion. A lot of the tracks mentioned here, I think, fall into the “kinda-sorta” group. How exactly does a song have to fit OP’s rules? The two that I just posted, _Phantom 309_ and _Ballad of Teddy Bear_, are spoken, but don’t have any sung chorus. Does that work? ---
**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, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/68 "2021-10-20T13:02:48Z")
Dark Lady - Cher ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/69 "2021-10-20T13:07:06Z")
Maybe more like Lou Reed? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0_8-Fm1vfw0/hqdefault.jpg "Lou Reed - Romeo Had Juliette - New York Album + Index") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_8-Fm1vfw0) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/70 "2021-10-20T13:10:26Z")
There’s “spoken,” and then there’s “spoken”: Lorne Greene “Ringo” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Q-rsTAD0B78/maxresdefault.jpg "Ringo") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-rsTAD0B78) William Shatner “Rocket Man” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8wI4jMxveyI/maxresdefault.jpg "(AUDIO RESTORED) William Shatner "Sings" 'Rocket Man' 1978") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wI4jMxveyI) ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/71 "2021-10-20T13:21:29Z")
Ghost riders in the sky: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Mynzbmrtp9I/hqdefault.jpg "Ghost Riders in the Sky - Johnny Cash - Full Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mynzbmrtp9I) There are several versions. I like Johnny Cash’s. It’s not a complex story, but a great song. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/72 "2021-10-20T13:26:25Z")
A few I don’t think have been mentioned yet: Jimmy Dean – Big Bad John [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KnnHprUGKF0/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCcVUQFRzH-459LivTdgPeTI7qyVw "BIG BAD JOHN ~ Jimmy Dean (1961)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnnHprUGKF0) Bob Dylan – Hurricane [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bpZvg_FjL3Q/maxresdefault.jpg "Bob Dylan - Hurricane (Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpZvg_FjL3Q) Michael Martin Murphey – Wildfire [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gl4Y4FWWkn0/hqdefault.jpg "Michael Martin Murphey & the Rio Grande Band - "Wildfire"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl4Y4FWWkn0) Dolly Parton – Me and Little Andy [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xRriGGC68A8/hqdefault.jpg "Dolly Parton - Me And Little Andy") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRriGGC68A8) Dolly Parton – Coat of Many Colors [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/w_-YbWHs6DE/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGH8gOyhEMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAr5-I9MyjqhTx38oO2DRWCrcwmlA "Dolly Parton - Coat Of Many Colors") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_-YbWHs6DE) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/73 "2021-10-20T13:31:12Z")
Teen Angel, Where Oh Where Can My Baby Be, Dead Man’s Curve…OH! Bloodrock – D.O.A. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XhtoRlVUPo0/maxresdefault.jpg "Bloodrock D.O.A.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhtoRlVUPo0) ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/74 "2021-10-20T13:37:29Z")
The sensational Alex Harvey Band talk/sing about the Boston tea party… [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0JvHroG3u5E/hqdefault.jpg "Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Boston Tea Party") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JvHroG3u5E) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/75 "2021-10-20T13:49:06Z")
Coven - One Tin Soldier [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HKx0tdlxMfY/hqdefault.jpg "One Tin Soldier - Lyrics - Coven") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKx0tdlxMfY) I love this shit. 🙂 ---
**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, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/76 "2021-10-20T14:04:33Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Two more that I haven’t seen mentioned yet, as sung by Red Sovine: Tear-jerker trucker songs _Phantom 309_ and _Ballad of Teddy Bear_ : I thought about “Teddy Bear” (one of the first 45s I ever bought), but it has no chorus (as the OP described), and really no singing at all – just Sovine talking over a music bed. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/77 "2021-10-20T14:15:04Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > lol ninja’ed so I’ll post this version I was shocked it hadn’t been put up already. Everybody knows that song, don’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/78 "2021-10-20T14:17:19Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Another great story song of course is Neil Young’s “Powderfinger”: One of the best songs on one of his best album, for sure! I was thrilled when Zeke came along and even happier the first time I heard this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/CnSSfx_IPrk/hqdefault.jpg "Zeke - Runnin' Shine") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnSSfx_IPrk) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/79 "2021-10-20T14:17:59Z")
I found out about this one from the Dope! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5Sw61oITuts/hqdefault.jpg "The Decemberists - "The Mariner's Revenge Song"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Sw61oITuts) ---
**Author:** ![Stana\_Claus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stana_claus/32/13874_2.png) [@Stana\_Claus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stana_Claus)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/80 "2021-10-20T14:20:13Z")
God’s Own Drunk, by Jimmy Buffet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802.md?page=5)