# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Enkidu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8c91f0/32.png) [@Enkidu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkidu)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/21 "2002-11-10T14:55:45Z")
John Finn’s Wife – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/22 "2002-11-10T15:15:36Z")
**The Way** by Fastball. BTW, is the **Patches** in the OP referring to the Clarence Carter one or the other one by, I think, Bobby Goldsboro? I don’t mind the Bobby one too much, but the Clarence one is an abomination of all that is good in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Merejane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@Merejane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merejane)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/23 "2002-11-10T17:18:31Z")
Not country, but my favorite “story song”: [**The Frozen Man**](http://www.james-taylor.com/albums/frozen.shtml), by James Taylor. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/24 "2002-11-10T17:32:08Z")
“The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota,” by “Weird Al” Yankovic. The story of a father taking his family to see the greatest landmark in the world. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Minor\_Irritant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Minor\_Irritant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minor_Irritant)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/25 "2002-11-10T18:53:15Z")
Definitely not country, but mine’s “Red Barchetta”, by Rush. Best song about a future where automobiles are banned, ever! ---
**Author:** ![Slartibartfastt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5e9695/32.png) [@Slartibartfastt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slartibartfastt)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/26 "2002-11-10T19:00:49Z")
How could Alice’s Restaurant not been brought up yet. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/27 "2002-11-10T20:58:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bean\_shadow \* > \*\*“The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota,” by “Weird Al” Yankovic. The story of a father taking his family to see the greatest landmark in the world. 😃 \*\* _ding ding ding ding!_ Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. I’d probably say this is one of the best all-around songs in the world as well 😉 _Okay, maybe not, but I do really like it!_ ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/28 "2002-11-10T20:59:35Z")
Right now, “Money Becomes King,” by Tom Petty/Heartbreakers. ---
**Author:** ![Homer\_J](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c37758/32.png) [@Homer\_J](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer_J)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/29 "2002-11-10T21:16:30Z")
‘Date Rape’ by sublime is an absolute classic, very funny, you really should here this. ---
**Author:** ![Aitara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aitara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aitara)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/30 "2002-11-10T21:36:51Z")
I couldn’t pick out just one favourite song or even one artist, it depends too much on my mood. These are just the three that immediately popped into my head: **Stan Rogers** He is simply amazing, but the songs that fit this category are: 1. Bluenose 2. The Field Behind the Plow 3. Night Guard 4. The Mary Ellen Carter 5. Barret’s Privateers 6. Harris and the Mare **Big Country** They are a Scottish group that didn’t seem to get to much airplay, in the States at least 1. Steeltown 2. East of Eden 3. Just a Shadow **Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies** An english folk group. 1. Spares or Repair 2. Spitting Cousins 3. Tenterhooks I am sure with a bit more thought that I could come up with many more. Country, folk, traditional, rock music are all filled with stories. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/31 "2002-11-10T21:56:07Z")
No mention of Johnny Cash anywhere in this thread? The man is the patron saint of story songs. You people should be ashamed (wait – NardoPollo mentions _Ghost Riders in the Sky_; you get a pass). **xash** correctly also mentions Kenny Rogers, but fails to mention _Ruby_ and, inexplicably, _The Gambler_. Words to live by in that last one. 🙂 I should also note _Big John_ (artist escapes me right now) and _Fancy_, last done by Reba McIntyre (the latter also noted by **fizgig** ). Getting away from country, Tom Petty’s _Into the Great Wide Open_ deserves note, as do any number of Steve Miller Band songs (e.g., _Take the Money and Run_) and Lynyrd Skynyrd songs (e.g., _Gimme Three Steps_). Also Jim Croce’s _Bad, Bad Leroy Brown_. Finally, _The Devil Went Down to Georgia_ is easily the best story song ever. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/32 "2002-11-10T21:59:35Z")
\*\* Warren Zevon\*\* songs: \*Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner Lawyers, Guns, and Money Jeannie Needs a Shooter Seminole Bingo The Hockey Song (Hit Somebody) Desperadoes Under the Eaves Frank and Jesse James \* **Rush** - _Red Barchetta_ **John Prine** \*Sam Stone - \*Best story song EVER \*Donald and Lydia Hello in There The Great Compromise Paradise Angel From Montomery Six O’Clock News Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone The Accident \* ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/33 "2002-11-10T22:04:33Z")
I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned Harry Chapin’s “Taxi.” God, what a great song. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/34 "2002-11-10T22:07:48Z")
Or “Cat’s in the Cradle” ---
**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, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/35 "2002-11-10T22:44:54Z")
And this thread would also be incomplete if we didn’t mention **2nu**. Those story songs are very different from the rest, though. You may remember their hit from the late 80’s: _Ponderous_: _I had this dream the other night I went to work, and nobody remembered who I was. So, I decided to take the day off. … Then all of a sudden, I’m standing on a beach in some tropical part of the world. and there’s a sign that says: “Hey! Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”_ They came out with another album a year or two ago. Some of the songs can be downloaded [here](http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/83/2nu.html). One of my recent favorites from them is **Submarine** , which has the rather odd beginning: _One night I found a bunch of empty beer cans in my backyard. I decided to build a submarine. I’d call her, **The Big Adventure**. I’d need a periscope, a change of party clothes, and my own mysterious little language…_🆒 ---
**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, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/36 "2002-11-10T23:08:03Z")
**Dewey** , if you’re talking about _The Ballad of Big John_, about the heroic coal miner, that’s Jimmy Dean, he of pork shaushage fame. Otherwise, it’s probably someone else. ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/37 "2002-11-10T23:37:20Z")
I love Leonard Cohen’s “Story of Isaac.” Especially the Roy Buchanan/Charlie Daniels version. Oh, and “William Wants A Doll,” sung by Alan Alda on “Free to Be You and Me.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![krazy\_kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b2d939/32.png) [@krazy\_kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krazy_kat)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/38 "2002-11-10T23:55:23Z")
no way, all of your opinions are wrong. “jack of hearts” mr. dylan ---
**Author:** ![AzRaek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/azraek/32/16739_2.png) [@AzRaek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzRaek)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2002, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/39 "2002-11-11T00:27:26Z")
Nardo Polo, thankyou thankyou! Ive been trying to find that song. No one I talk to has ever heard it, and I thought I was hallucinating it, but I recalled a car dealership in Denver parodied it for a radio ad. …and then the horns kicked in…and my shoes started squeaking…and the girl who could talk with her eyes… ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2002, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107/40 "2002-11-11T01:30:58Z")
I don’t remember the exact title, but Richard Marx had a song about two young lovers in Nebraska who dreamed of leaving the sticks and chasing adventures in a big city. Their dream ended when the female was strangled down by the river and her boyfriend was arrested (mistakenly?) for murder. Maybe mid '80’s? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-story-song/136107.md?page=3)