# What are your top two story songs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676 "2005-02-12T00:48:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2005, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/101 "2005-02-13T23:38:03Z")
Ian is a tremendously gifted songwriter – it is unfortunate that there isn’t room for her in todays recording culture. Or Tracy Chapman Or any number of talented people who tell stories in song. The format isn’t designed to engage so much as it is to fill the silence with unobtrusive noise. > [@picunurse](#): > > I have more. > _At Seventeen, Bright Lights and Promises , Page Nine, Dance With Me, and Thank Yous_ Janis Ian > Dance With Me is a Viet Nam war protest song. It always makes me sad and angry. > One stanza : > " I heard of a plan in the president’s mansion, high up in the sky, > And it called for a sacrifice and my brother paid the price. > Sent him home in a bag the American flag was draped around the box, > And the coffin lid was locked, and the note said “Thanks a Lot.” ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/102 "2005-02-14T00:09:44Z")
I’ll echo others who have said: **Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Cat in the Cradle** and add the “dead animal” songs that always made me cry: **Wildfire** by Michael Martin Murphy - “she’s coming for me I know and on Wildfire we’re both going to go…” **Shannon** by Henry Gross - “Shannon has gone away, he’s drifted out to sea” Oh, and **Puff the Magic Dragon** by Peter, Paul and Mary who didn’t exactly die, but slinked into his cave. Damn that Jackie Paper. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/103 "2005-02-14T13:18:01Z")
Let’s not forget Kinky Friedman’s [b[They Ain’t Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/104 "2005-02-14T16:26:51Z")
> [@vl\_mungo](#): > > **One Piece At A Time** - Johnny Cash And his Psycho Billy Cadillac. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/105 "2005-02-14T17:12:38Z")
> [@Tracy Lord](#): > > “Fairytale of New York,” by the Pogues and that lovely female vocalist whose name escapes me. > > “Walking in Memphis,” of which I like the Cher version best, and of course a few dance classics: Kirsty Macoll. ‘Papa won’t leave you Henry’ by Nick Cave (take any NC song really, most of them are story songs) ‘Then She Did…’ by Janes Addiction. ---
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/106 "2005-02-14T19:25:20Z")
The Art Teacher - **Rufus Wainwright** The Captain and the Kid - **Jimmy Buffett** Beercan - **Beck** 🆒 Waiting for My Real Life to Begin - **Colin Hay** Banditos - **The Refreshments** Keep Me In Your Heart - **Warren Zevon** ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/107 "2005-02-14T19:39:02Z")
All these posts and no mention of: **The Way** by _Fastball_ ??? 😕 ??? _“They just drove off, and left it all behind them. Where were they going without ever knowing the way?”_ Also, any of you heard _The Levellers_’ version of **Devil Went Down To Georgia**? That’s my second one. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/108 "2005-02-14T21:19:10Z")
Lots of great music mentioned in this thread! - many of my favorites too - from traditional ballads (“Tam Lin” - Fairport Convention) to new folk classics (“And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda” - I like Priscilla Herdman’s version best’; “Mary Ellen Carter” - Stan Rogers") and fun pop stuff (“Brandy”) Some I like which haven’t been listed: “Aragon Mill” - written by Si Kahn “Penny Evans” - Steve Goodman “He went to Paris” - Jimmy Buffett “Paradise” - John Prine “Coal Tattoo” - [by that guy who’s name I’ve forgotten & can’t look up right now] Tom Paxton has written so many good story songs (“Born on the Fourth of July”, “Steven Biko”), I can’t choose just one. ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/109 "2005-02-15T01:41:55Z")
Man, so many good ones! I’m glad there were some late Springsteen mentions, but I’ve gotta throw in **Incident on 57th Street** , one of my all time favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/110 "2005-02-15T02:10:27Z")
For governor! To bad I don’t live in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/111 "2005-02-15T02:21:47Z")
On second thought, I’ll take back “Sink the Bismarck” and replace it with [Kevin Johnson](http://www.rocknrolligaveyou.com/)’s “Rock & Roll I Gave You the Best Years of My Life”. ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/112 "2005-02-15T02:30:51Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > For governor! > > To bad I don’t live in Texas. Another Kinky Friedman song…Asshole from El Paso My two Carefree highway and Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald-Gorden Lightfoot ---
**Author:** ![Berserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Berserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berserker)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/113 "2005-02-15T02:33:12Z")
\*\*Bobby Brown Goes Down \*\* and **The Yellow Snow Suite** by Frank Zappa **2112** by Rush \*\*Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver \*\* by Primus ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/114 "2005-02-15T03:24:42Z")
Someone mentioned Ray Stevens but forgot a classic - The Streak! “Don’t look, Ethyl!” :eek: How about some of the great truck songs? Red Sovine had a pile of 'em - “Teddy Bear”, “Phantom 309”, “Little Rosa” and “Giddy-up Go” come to mind. There’s also Dave Dudley’s 'Six Days On the Road" plus a bunch who’s performers I forget. “The Girl On the Billboard”, “Convoy”, “CB Savage” and so on. Oh, and another Alice Cooper, of course - “Dead Babies” which continues into “Killer”. Forgot “Ballad Of Dwight Frye” too. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/115 "2005-02-15T03:35:49Z")
**The Ballad of Curtis Loew** do I have to say who did it? **The Ballad of Ira Hayes** by **Johhny Cash** I can’t believe this one hasn’t been mentioned… _**Bonnie and Clyde were pretty lookin’ people But I can tell you people They were the devil’s children, Bonnie and Clyde began their evil doin’ One lazy afternoon down Savannah way, They robbed a store, and high-tailed outa that town Got clean away in a stolen car, And waited till the heat died down, Bonnie and Clyde advanced their reputation And made the graduation Into the banking business.**_ ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/116 "2005-02-15T04:00:53Z")
_**Hang down your head Tom Dooley… Hang down your head and cry Hang down your Tom Dooley Poor boy you’re bound to die…**_ His name was actually Tom Dula. The story took place ritght here in NC. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/117 "2005-02-15T04:09:28Z")
[QUOTE=zoogirlAnd finally, my obligatory Alice Cooper offering, “Crazy Little Child”. Very unexpected, sort of a cross between **“Bonnie and Clyde”** and “The Night Chicago Died” A tale of the bad old days and a small time hood’s last run in with the “Sherriff’s bullets”[/QUOTE] I sorta did! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/118 "2005-02-15T04:10:49Z")
And I have NO idea what happened there! I meant to bold “Bonnie and Clyde”! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/119 "2005-02-15T04:32:23Z")
> [@zoogirl](#): > > And I have NO idea what happened there! I meant to bold “Bonnie and Clyde”! :eek: My apologies. I missed it. The recomendation looks good on you. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676/120 "2005-02-15T11:49:47Z")
Another good one just popped into my head: Blue Oyster Cult’s “Then Came The Last Days Of May” about a drug deal gone bad. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-two-story-songs/289676.md?page=7)