# Your Favorite "Story" Song?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 28, 2006, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024 "2006-11-28T03:19:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/61 "2006-11-29T20:19:08Z")
Three more Dylan ones
Black Diamond Bay from Desire. Ends with a volcano erupting. Hilarious.
Tweeter and the Monkey Man on the first Traveling Wilburys album - Dylan out Springsteens Springsteen.
Best of all, if it counts, is Talking World War III Blues.
Lit a cigarette on a parking meter and walked on down the road
Just a normal day
Also the best science fiction song ever - covers just about every after the war cliche in a verse each.
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### Author:  [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2006, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/62 "2006-11-29T20:53:01Z")
Oh, also forgot to add: “The Thunder Rolls”, by Garth Brooks. It’s not so much a great song, it’s what’s -not- in the song that I love. Y’see, the first time I heard it, I heard the live version. Liked it. Then I heard the radio edit… There’s an entire verse missing. The final verse. The reaction of the cheated-upon-wife. It drives such an image into my head I find it a pity it’s not on the radio edit… But given what it is, I can understand why radio stations might be a tad jittery about playing it.
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### Author:  [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/63 "2006-11-29T21:07:27Z")
Two great ones that have been covered by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem deserve mention:
[The Mary Ellen Carter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mary_Ellen_Carter) and
[The Band Played Waltzing Matilda](http://www.commongroundcommonsense.org/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t64120.html) .
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### Author:  [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2006, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/64 "2006-11-29T21:20:08Z")
Fairytale of New York.
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### Author:  [@Rebecca\_DiMwitter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebecca_DiMwitter)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2006, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/65 "2006-11-29T23:26:20Z")
A couple from the Eagles:
**Lyin’ Eyes
Life In The Fast Lane**
And a more recent entry from Steely Dan:
**Cousin Dupree**
Or how about:
**Aqualung** by Tull?
(talk about a world-class visual from a song that’s really more allegory than tale: Jethro Tull’s **Mother Goose** with the line “Walked down by the bathing pond to try and catch some sun–Saw at least a hundred school girls sobbing into handkerchiefs as one–” Can you picture a sun-dappled hillside slopng gently to a small lake with 100 schoolgirls in plaid skirts & white kneesocks milling about on the slope, all sobbing into handkerchiefs simultaneously? Just squicks me, in a surreal way, every time. Can’t imagine why I thought of that…)
–Beck
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### Author:  [@Elysium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysium)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/66 "2006-11-30T01:29:53Z")
I love hearing a good Nick Cave story song, so I second O’Malley’s Bar. It’s so good!
I haven’t heard most of these songs. I need to get out more.
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### Author:  [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/67 "2006-11-30T02:54:44Z")
Somebody ought to mention **“A Boy Named Sue,”** as performed by Johnny Cash.
Hey look, I just did!
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### Author:  [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/68 "2006-11-30T03:23:00Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-]
Somebody ought to mention **“A Boy Named Sue,”** as performed by Johnny Cash.
Hey look, I just did!
[/QUOTE]
Hey, look at post #26:
[QUOTE=Made in Macau]
And 'Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song) by Warren Zevon
And of course ‘Boy Named Sue’
MiM
[/QUOTE]
😃
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### Author:  [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/69 "2006-11-30T03:25:48Z")
_“Billy the Mountain”_ by Zappa and The Mothers.
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### Author:  [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/70 "2006-11-30T03:25:59Z")
[QUOTE=Oakminster]
Hey, look at post #26
[/QUOTE]
Ooop. Missed that one, **Oaky**. Good call.
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### Author:  [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/71 "2006-11-30T18:35:00Z")
There used to be this ban called the Beatles. They had a song called “Rocky Raccoon” you may have heard of.
On a more obscure note, Bill Monroe recorded a couple of songs that I think fall into the Traditional category.
“Midnight on the Stormy Deep” which either he or Doc Watson ironically introduced as a Love Ballad. (The estranged lover intones: I’d rather make my home upon some icy lake – Where the southern sun refuses to shine than to trust a love so false as thine.)
Also “Banks of the Ohio” which carries the important message to prospective brides to wait to turn down a proposal until you’re at least twenty yards away from a major body of water.
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### Author:  [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/72 "2006-11-30T19:27:39Z")
My other favs have already been mentioned so I’ll add **Supper’s Ready** by Genesis.
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### Author:  [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/73 "2006-11-30T19:52:57Z")
I have a few, several already mentioned but also practically anything by Red Sovine. Teddy Bear and Giddy-up Go are the sort to bring a tear to my eye, as does Daddy’s Girl. Another excellent one by him is Phantom 309.
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### Author:  [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/74 "2006-11-30T21:08:55Z")
[QUOTE=zamboniracer]
[The Mary Ellen Carter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mary_Ellen_Carter)
[/QUOTE]
Oh gosh, if we’re talking Stan Rogers there’s too many to mention!
Barrett’s Privateers
Athens Queen
Maid on the Shore
White Squall
Woodbridge Dog Disaster
Lies [most brilliant song evah!]
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### Author:  [@Chew\_Barker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chew_Barker)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/75 "2006-11-30T22:04:24Z")
It has to be “The JCB Song” by Nizlopi. It is a story of how Luke, 5, likes to escape the bullies by riding in his Dad’s JCB.
> **[JCBSONG by Nizlopi: Monkeehub presents a music video to the single 'JCB' by...](http://jcbsong.co.uk/jcbvideo.asp)**
>
> JCB is a single by Nizlopi, and this site features the animated music video accompanying the song. On the site you can watch the JCB music video, listen to the full JCB song and find out information about the band Nizlopi
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/76 "2006-11-30T22:16:20Z")
[QUOTE=SiXSwordS]
There used to be this ban called the Beatles. They had a song called “Rocky Raccoon” you may have heard of.
[/QUOTE]
That’s such a good story song, that when I was in high school the junior play was based on it.
For Zappa, besides Billy the Mountain I’d add Yellow Snow.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/77 "2006-11-30T22:37:40Z")
I like [The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood](http://www.contemplator.com/england/pedlar.html). Robin Hood accosts a travelling salesman, who shows defiance despite Robin’s reputation. They duel, and during the duel realise they are cousins, so they put their weapons away and go and get drunk instead. It dates from 1684, but the version I know is a rousing but haunting one Steeleye Span did in the 1970s.
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### Author:  [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/78 "2006-11-30T22:41:55Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm]
I like [The Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood](http://www.contemplator.com/england/pedlar.html). Robin Hood accosts a travelling salesman, who shows defiance despite Robin’s reputation. They duel, and during the duel realise they are cousins, so they put their weapons away and go and get drunk instead. It dates from 1684, but the version I know is a rousing but haunting one Steeleye Span did in the 1970s.
[/QUOTE]
Steeleye did it under the title [“Gamble Gold.”](http://www.uppercutmusic.com/artist_s/steeleye_span_lyrics/gamble_gold_lyrics.html)
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2006, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/79 "2006-11-30T22:47:36Z")
Ah yes.
Another one with a story _arc_, even though it’s actually a “realtime” monologue, is Tom Waits’s _Martha_, which I find very moving.
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### Author:  [@ryobserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryobserver)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2006, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-story-song/382024/80 "2006-12-01T02:19:00Z")
Some of my traditional favorites have been mentioned (also “Kilkelly”, which I really did not like). Some more:
Springhill Mining Disaster (Seeger & MacColl) (not the U2 version; they cut out so many verses it hardly remains a story)
Hey Johnny Cope (trad.)
The Haughs of Cromdale (trad.)
Little Musgrave (trad.)
Whiskey in the Jar (trad.)
If you haven’t heard Tom Smith’s “Seven Drunken Nights in Space”, you should. He not only updates the old tune, he gives it an ending, making it a story song as well as a joke song.
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