# What's your favorite "story song"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 10, 2002, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107 "2002-11-10T05:27:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rostfrei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7bcc69/32.png) [@rostfrei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rostfrei)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/1 "2002-11-10T05:27:38Z")
I don’t normally listen to country music, but tonite on my way to work I happened to find a good oldies country station. A particular song caught my attention and even though I’ve only heard it once, it’s my current favorite story song. It’s called, “Opal, You Asked Me” by Tommy Collins. Other good story songs I’ve liked are “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia”, “Patches”, “Mr Bojangles”. etc. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/2 "2002-11-10T05:54:48Z")
Lately, I’m hooked on "Pirates"by Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Makes me want to be a priate! Arr! hehe I also like their Karn Evil 9, First Impression, Part 2, because I want to use it in a play next semester 🙂 Umm…that;s all I can think of right now. If I change the CD, I’ll come back 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/3 "2002-11-10T05:59:23Z")
Fancy, The Devil Went Down to Georgia, I Sang Dixie, Streets of Bakersfield, and North to Alaska are a few of my favorite country “story” songs. ---
**Author:** ![Kalashnikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@Kalashnikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalashnikov)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/4 "2002-11-10T06:00:47Z")
Copperhead Road Roland the Thompson Gunner ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/5 "2002-11-10T06:01:38Z")
I’m kinda fond of “Miss Otis Regrets.” ---
**Author:** ![emolson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5fc32e/32.png) [@emolson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emolson)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/6 "2002-11-10T06:08:03Z")
How about Harry Chapin’s “30,000 pounds of bananas”, based on a true story? ---
**Author:** ![moodtobestewed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@moodtobestewed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moodtobestewed)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/7 "2002-11-10T06:32:37Z")
If we’re sticking to country, I’d have to say Red Sovine’s “Roses for Mama.” Oh, yeah, it’s sentimental schlock with a punch line that can be seen coming a mile away, I’ll be the first to admit, but it still gets to me every time. Marty Robbins recorded too many great story songs to mention. Hank Thompson’s “The Night Miss Nancy Ann’s Hotel for Single Girls Burned Down” is enjoyable too, if nothing else for that improbable title. And who can forget the immortal Harper Valley PTA…no matter how hard they try? 🙂 If we include other genres of music, Richard Thompson has recorded some great story songs, such as “1952 Vincent Black Lightening” and “Beeswing” (two of the best long songs ever, IMHO). ---
**Author:** ![Netbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71e660/32.png) [@Netbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Netbrian)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/8 "2002-11-10T06:35:47Z")
It’s not Country, but my favorite would likely be “Moonlight Shadow”, by Maggie Reilly. ---
**Author:** ![moodtobestewed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@moodtobestewed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moodtobestewed)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/9 "2002-11-10T06:36:01Z")
Eh, forgot to mention Gram Parson’s Streets Of Baltimore, another great song. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/10 "2002-11-10T07:25:21Z")
“V.F.D.” by Michelle-Shocked ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/11 "2002-11-10T08:39:34Z")
“Scenes From An Italian Restaurant” and “Angry Young Man” by Billy Joel ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/12 "2002-11-10T08:40:20Z")
Since you’ve taken a fancy to Country Music, may I introduce you to **Kenny Rogers**. Especially look out for: Coward of the County. Stranger. Extremely touching stories, with the most amazing voice singing them. ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/13 "2002-11-10T09:04:44Z")
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/14 "2002-11-10T12:18:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kalashnikov \* > \*\*Copperhead Road > Roland the Thompson Gunner \*\* Actually it’s “Roland the _Headless_ Thompson Gunner”, by Warren Zevon. Song doesn’t work as well if he still has his head at the end… ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/15 "2002-11-10T13:00:48Z")
I will nominate Death Cab For Cutie’s absolutely stunning **Styrofoam Plates** The complete lyrics are [here](http://www.deathcab.addr.com/photoalbum.htm), (scroll 2/3 way down) but I’ll give you a taste: \*there’s a saltwater film on the jar of your ashes: i threw them to sea but a gust blew them backwards and the sting in my eyes, that you then inflicted was par for the course just as when you were living. … i’ll stand up and scream, if the mourning remain quiet, you can deck out a lie in a suit but i won’t buy it. … and just cause he’s gone it doesn’t change the fact: he was a bastard in life thus a bastard in death.\* Really good stuff. Um, what else? Randy Newman’s **Dixie Flyer** (He and his mother travel from LA to New Orleans while his father is away at war) and **New Orleans Won The War** (His father returns and takes the family back to LA) are well-written story songs. And also The Beastie Boys **Paul Revere** deserves a mention. ---
**Author:** ![Iyamity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/96bed5/32.png) [@Iyamity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iyamity)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/16 "2002-11-10T13:39:35Z")
“Riding with Private Malone” by David Ball, I think, is my favourite. Guy gets out of the service, buys a car from the want ads. Turns out it’s a 66 Corvette (for $1000!) that was owned by Private Malone, who never came back from Vietnam. Shivery song, as the car is haunted. ---
**Author:** ![NardoPolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NardoPolo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NardoPolo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/17 "2002-11-10T14:13:43Z")
There are several good ones mentioned so far in this thread. But I’m still surprised no one brought up the classics: You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me Lucille Roses Cantina Poncho and Lefty Harper Valley PTA Carrol County Accident Ghost Riders in the Sky ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Bannon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Race\_Bannon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Bannon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/18 "2002-11-10T14:30:13Z")
For story songs, you can’t beat Harry Chapin. Emolson mentioned 30,000 lbs, but his whole career was putting stories to music. Some of my favorites: Mail Order Anne Remember when the Music Story of a Life Cory’s Coming Mr. Tanner “for every dream that’s took me high, there’s been a dream that’s took me high - I know it’s so true” ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Bannon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Race\_Bannon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Bannon)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/19 "2002-11-10T14:31:32Z")
Sheesh, how could I screw it up - “for every dream that’s took me high, there’s been a dream that’s passed me by - I know it’s so true” Sorry, Harry ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/20 "2002-11-10T14:44:24Z")
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