John Finn’s Wife – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
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.
Not country, but my favorite “story song”: The Frozen Man, by James Taylor.
“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. 
Definitely not country, but mine’s “Red Barchetta”, by Rush. Best song about a future where automobiles are banned, ever!
How could Alice’s Restaurant not been brought up yet.
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!
Right now, “Money Becomes King,” by Tom Petty/Heartbreakers.
‘Date Rape’ by sublime is an absolute classic, very funny, you really should here this.
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:
- Bluenose
- The Field Behind the Plow
- Night Guard
- The Mary Ellen Carter
- Barret’s Privateers
- 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
- Steeltown
- East of Eden
- Just a Shadow
Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies
An english folk group.
- Spares or Repair
- Spitting Cousins
- 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.
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.
** 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
*
I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned Harry Chapin’s “Taxi.” God, what a great song.
Or “Cat’s in the Cradle”
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.
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… 
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.
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.”
no way, all of your opinions are wrong.
“jack of hearts” mr. dylan
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…
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?