# 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:** 5
**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, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/81 "2021-10-20T14:21:21Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > 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. So, I wonder if this is good enough for @elfkin477 . Maybe **elfkin477** will review every single song mentioned in this thread, and come back to tell us which ones he’s happy with for the purposes of this thread. ---
**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, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/82 "2021-10-20T14:40:45Z")
I think this one fits the OP’s criteria: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5FuC5-vmgRs/maxresdefault.jpg "The Smothers Brothers - The Saga of John Henry") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FuC5-vmgRs) ---
**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, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/83 "2021-10-20T15:01:22Z")
> [@Stana\_Claus](#): > > God’s Own Drunk, by Jimmy Buffet. Yeah, for the posters who thought we should only have spoken songs in here, this is a good one. And when [he does it live,](https://youtu.be/vy-HokYVm8Q?t=39) he gives Lord Buckley credit… and it’s such a nice break from his usual concert fare. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/i_3yfyhmNc8/maxresdefault.jpg "God's Own Drunk") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_3yfyhmNc8) ---
**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, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/84 "2021-10-20T15:43:18Z")
Early Paul Revere and the Raiders wrote their own music. They had great talent with bass lines, but not so much with a full melody, so they did a few story songs where they basically talked through the lyrics. https://www.youtube.com/embed/1lohb-4Gc-I?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=RD1lohb-4Gc-I [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/j_B-lDavGF4/maxresdefault.jpg "The Great Airplane Strike (Mono Version)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_B-lDavGF4) ---
**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, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/85 "2021-10-20T16:15:05Z")
female drummer [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/f9KtF9xIlBw/hqdefault.jpg "'Female Drummer' - Steeleye Span [AUDIO]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9KtF9xIlBw) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/86 "2021-10-20T16:30:43Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > William Shatner “Rocket Man” [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi8MI7jjpSY) ---
**Author:** ![Hatchie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hatchie/32/3983_2.png) [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/87 "2021-10-20T16:30:46Z")
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, “912 Greens” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/45LLOUTLcNs/maxresdefault.jpg "912 Greens") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45LLOUTLcNs) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/88 "2021-10-20T16:48:21Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Oh, and how could I forget, maybe the two best story songs ever, maybe even better than Dylan, both by Richard Thompson. I’m often driven to tears when hearing them: My two favorite Richard Thompson songs! Great choices. ---
**Author:** ![SailorHG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@SailorHG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SailorHG)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/89 "2021-10-20T17:06:34Z")
If having spoken lyrics is part of the criteria, there’s always this one: [King Missile - Detachable Penis - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byDiILrNbM4) ---
**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, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/90 "2021-10-20T17:37:39Z")
I’ve never not clicked on a link faster… ---
**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, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/91 "2021-10-20T17:43:03Z")
…and so you are missing out on hearing one of the greatest, funniest songs of the '90s. Here’s something: https://www.youtube.com/embed/Hk9uevsHvAE?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=OLAK5uy_lPp3yWsULUy0inyGDQu8yBM4ccDE2Oecc ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/92 "2021-10-20T17:46:24Z")
Perhaps I missed it but has no one mentioned **El Paso** by **Marty Robbins**? And from the same classic album (“Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs”), **Big Iron.** I think **Taxi** by **Harry Chapin** qualifies. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/93 "2021-10-20T18:08:25Z")
I’m not sure if it counts but what about ‘The Friends of Mr. Cairo’ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/SldMjZSHyKs/maxresdefault.jpg "The Friends Of Mr. Cairo (Remastered)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SldMjZSHyKs) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/94 "2021-10-20T18:12:00Z")
Another REK number [Merry Christmas from the Family](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqN483jm6JE), although the chorus lyrics change each time. And a more somber Christmas song - [Christmas in the Trenches](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJi41RWaTCs) by John McCutcheon Two from the late, great Stan Rogers - [Barrett’s Privateers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIwzRkjn86w) - [Mary Ellen Carter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhop5VuLDIQ) ---
**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, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/95 "2021-10-20T18:29:19Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > ‘The Friends of Mr. Cairo’ Recognize the vocals? It’s from an album that Vangelis did with Jon Anderson (YES). Watch out, once you listen to this, it’ll get stuck in your head (especially the bass line) … or skip to the soft half, starting at 7:07. . Oh, and you can’t beat Stan Rogers for stories. ‘The Mary Carter’ is uplifting, which he spells out in the last verse. A friend helped raise a wreck in the Great Lakes and this was their anthem. ---
**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, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/96 "2021-10-20T18:50:35Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Recognize the vocals? It’s from an album that Vangelis did with Jon Anderson (YES). I remember “I’ll Find My Way Home” from the same Jon And Vangelis album, which was quite a hit, at least in Germany (#6 here): [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2oANV6SQhwI/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCB9tVmj0lL05ACny17RXxXc74YNg "Jon and Vangelis - I'll Find My Way Home (with lyrics)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oANV6SQhwI) ETA: and boy, I’m listening to it now after many years, how it’s dated! Those were the “all you can do with synthesizers and pack it all in one song” days. ---
**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, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/97 "2021-10-20T19:00:49Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > 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 You are correct. But people seem happy enough so… ---
**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, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/98 "2021-10-20T19:00:54Z")
Here is one with a true story. 18 minutes! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6M3nMe6UozU/hqdefault.jpg "Iron Maiden - Empire of the Clouds") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M3nMe6UozU) ETA OK, he is definitely singing… ---
**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, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/99 "2021-10-20T19:10:36Z")
Here you go: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PIU07K_28ck/maxresdefault.jpg "Eazy E - Boyz-n-the-Hood (Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIU07K_28ck) ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802/100 "2021-10-20T19:25:15Z")
The Uninvited- Too High For the Supermarket https://www.youtube.com/embed/CUjhbeiJddo?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=RDCUjhbeiJddo Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen - Hot Rod Lincoln [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/868DSi85odQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Hot Rod Lincoln") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=868DSi85odQ) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/story-songs-other-than-alices-restaurant/952802.md?page=6)