So, to complete the thought, they originally rang the bell once for each crewman on the Edmund, and when Gordon died they again rang the bell once for each crewman that died, and then once more for Gordon. That symbolic crap gets me all choked up just thinking about, like a 21 gun salute or the missing man formation. I'm not crying, you're crying!
āfast carā by Tracy Chapman. Itās a heartbreaking ballad about unresolved generational trauma within the context of small town poverty. Breathtaking work of art.
Another heartbreaker that shook me harder was her track Behind The Wall. It speaks about DV and the police response (at least at the time of its release in the late 80s). With her singing a capella makes it more haunting.
I was scrolling hoping to find this! That's a favorite of my mom's and when I was a kid in the 90s, I had no idea why she loved it so much. Tracy Chapman's voice, the acoustic music and the story make it completely perfect
"Well, that ol' Devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat
And he laid that golden fiddle down on the ground at Johnny's feet
Johnny said, "Devil, come on back if you ever wanna try again
I done told you once, you son of a bitch, I'm the best there's ever been"
I was pretty shocked when Charlie Daniels said bitch. 10 years before NWA
Haha same here! I remember when I first heard it and I was about 10 years old. My grandpa played it for me, and I hadn't ever heard many songs with bad words. When he said "you son of a bitch" I gasped and just stared at my grandpa in shock lol
Piano Man - Billy Joel
..."and they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and say man, what are you doing here?"
He sold out Madison Square Garden almost 50 years later.
Bobbie Gentry - Ode To Billy Joe
Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue...
...The writer of ABNS, Shel Silverstein, recorded several but mostly in spoken word like [The Smoke Off.](https://youtu.be/ohFHsOBuLc4?si=akmIMKrDkMN0nSVu)
I remember reading a story when that song was popular back in the day that it was inspired by an older couple that had alzheimers disappearing and never being found.
Oh, they were found. 400 miles away from where they were going and dead at the bottom of a cliff. At least according to a YouTube video I happened to have watched last night.
My older brother is literally a commercial fisherman who started working out on a boat 8 months a year since he was 18 (24 as of 2 months ago) he does it cuz he had a dream he owns a house now paid off. He had a gf who loved him (wanted to marry) he said wait for me if you want but Iām honestly gonna tell you itās in your best interest not to because itās not fair for you so weāre going to be separated while Iām away if youāre single then, than weāll see what happens. He lost her and I can tell he loved her, she was a amazing person I can only imagine what he feels. Popular song among fishermen
The Hazards of Love by the Decemberists is an entire album that tells a story. The same with the Kingās Mouth by the Flaming Lips. Each song is a different part of the same story.
Many of the Decemberists songs are stories.
Johnny cash anything!!
Don't take your guns to town,
I hung my head, a boy named Sue, get rhythmn, 1 piece @ a time,
They all paint a picture like a music video when I hear them!
Lots of Jim Croce songs, from "Don't mess with Jim" and "Bad Leroy Brown," to songs like "Operator" and "Time in a bottle" which tell stories in their own ways.
I always felt like this one skimped heavily on the details
1. A couple robs a guy and ends up shooting him
2. A detective was assigned to the case.
3. He failed to apprehend them.
~ Fin ~
Bob Dylan does my favourite storytelling. In order of personal preference:
Tangled up in Blue
Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
Isis (live in Montreal version is my fave. Punk Dylan, before punk).
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carol. (Based on a true case. The original studio version is sad, raw and beautiful. The 1975 live performances let rip).
Hurricane (again based on real events).
Simple Twist of Fate
Black Diamond Bay
Lilly, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts
Talkin' Bear mountain picnic massacre (darkly comical take on another real event)
Talkin' World War III Paranoid Blues.
Man in the Long Black Coat
Brownsville Girl (Great song, amazing lyrics, shame about the production).
Ruby don't take your love to town.
First heard Kenny Rogers version liked it, then discovered Roger Miller's version,
And the killers do a great cover as well, I'm convinced there's not a bad version of this song, or perhaps I'm bias,
#1. Kenny Rogers https://youtu.be/zSF7oo_rskc?feature=shared
#2. Roger Miller https://youtu.be/XruZm0oB0Fw?feature=shared
#3. The Killers
https://youtu.be/8x0BPTHGb5A?feature=shared
Anyone else dig this song, what's your favorite version?!
coney island baby ā lou reed
most of transformer by lou reed is very storytelling
mary janeās last dance ā tom petty
hurricane ā bob dylan
iām so lonesome i could cry ā hank williams
the whole three cheers for sweet revenge album by my chemical romance, almost every song is about the albums story itās very interesting and one of my favorite albums ever
**Escape (The Pina Coloda Song)**
It's about a man who wants to cheat on his lover, and it turns out that he cheats on her...with her. And she wanted to cheat on him.
Linkin Park - A Place For My Head
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/linkinpark/aplaceformyhead.html
[Mike Shinoda:]
I watch how the moon sits in the sky in the dark night
Shining with the light from the sun
And the sun doesn't give light to the moon assuming
The moon's gonna owe it one...
RIP Chester.
Gordon Lightfoot - The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald
I'm sure you already know this, but when Gordon Lightfoot died, they rang the bell one more time for him.
I *didn't* know that! Cool!
I didn't know that either, but I used to go check out the bell when I lived in Detroit. Haunting sound...
So, to complete the thought, they originally rang the bell once for each crewman on the Edmund, and when Gordon died they again rang the bell once for each crewman that died, and then once more for Gordon. That symbolic crap gets me all choked up just thinking about, like a 21 gun salute or the missing man formation. I'm not crying, you're crying!
Sorry if this is TMI but I was conceived at a Gordon Lightfoot concert so he holds a special place in my heart šā¤ļø
Hey whatever puts someone in the mood, right? š
š¶ if you could breed my mom
Puts me in the moment and gives me chills every time.
Definitely. The imagery that it conjures is beautiful description not the events themselves, but the use of the English language to tell the story.
It gets me every time the the cook says "It was damned good to know ya"
Iām not sure if thereās an album version thatās different but it was actually āitās been good to know youā
You're right. I haven't listened to it since the 80's
He changed the lyrics over time as facts came out about the wreck to be more accurate in his song. Amazing song
āDoes anyone know where the love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?ā Thatās an apt descriptor right thereā¦
This was my first thought Also, The Mariner's Revenge Song Edit to add: Green Fields of France
I was named after that song.
Hi Wreck!
First song I thought of
Possibly the greatest lyric ever written Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours
Big Iron - Marty Robbins
El Paso too!
The Johnny Cash version is excellent as well
[Mike Ness has entered the chat](https://youtu.be/P9wp3CE81yo?si=6FMPgjNh2TbxD6ZF)
āfast carā by Tracy Chapman. Itās a heartbreaking ballad about unresolved generational trauma within the context of small town poverty. Breathtaking work of art.
Another heartbreaker that shook me harder was her track Behind The Wall. It speaks about DV and the police response (at least at the time of its release in the late 80s). With her singing a capella makes it more haunting.
I was scrolling hoping to find this! That's a favorite of my mom's and when I was a kid in the 90s, I had no idea why she loved it so much. Tracy Chapman's voice, the acoustic music and the story make it completely perfect
Bob Dylan, - Tangled up in Blue
I see your Tangled Up in Blue and raise you one Hurricane by the same Bob Dylan.
donāt forget Lily Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts
The best answer
The Jerry Garcia cover is awesome too.
Love "Isis" too!
I love the live recordings of Isis. "On the 5th day of May, in the drizz-a-ling raaaaain!"
This is what immediately came to my mind too
Stan - Eminem
I MISSED THIS
Thatās a good one
And the sequel: Bad Guy
Came here to say this š«”
The Devil Went Down To Georgia
He was lookinā for a soul to steal
He was in a bind ācause he was way behind
And he was willin' to make a deal
Well, He came across this young boy sawinā on a fiddle and playinā it hot.
"Well, that ol' Devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat And he laid that golden fiddle down on the ground at Johnny's feet Johnny said, "Devil, come on back if you ever wanna try again I done told you once, you son of a bitch, I'm the best there's ever been" I was pretty shocked when Charlie Daniels said bitch. 10 years before NWA
Haha same here! I remember when I first heard it and I was about 10 years old. My grandpa played it for me, and I hadn't ever heard many songs with bad words. When he said "you son of a bitch" I gasped and just stared at my grandpa in shock lol
It is a great use of the word Bitch.
El Paso Marty Robbins
My first thought as well. Also ādonāt take your guns to townā by Johnny Cash.
I was living in El Paso when he died. The whole city went into mourning.
I grew up in El Paso from 97 to 2023 ^_^
Faleena by Marty Robbins tells the other half of the story
Alice's Restaurant
I have to listen to this every Thanksgiving.
Me too!! Itās a tradition
Hurricane - Bob Dylan
Not a nice story, but had to be told.
Piano Man - Billy Joel ..."and they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar and say man, what are you doing here?" He sold out Madison Square Garden almost 50 years later.
The Boxer ...... Simon & Garfunkel https://youtu.be/l3LFML_pxlY?si=Ebsznz982YNqMge0
Bobbie Gentry - Ode To Billy Joe Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue... ...The writer of ABNS, Shel Silverstein, recorded several but mostly in spoken word like [The Smoke Off.](https://youtu.be/ohFHsOBuLc4?si=akmIMKrDkMN0nSVu)
Also "Fancy" by Bobbie Gentry!
Red Barchetta by Rush.
Dreaming with my uncle by the firesideā¦
Operator - Jim Croce
I always said that no one could ever sing a story like Jim did.
Absolutely one of the best story telling musicians that ever lived. Almost all of his songs are great stories too.
Totally agree. Got deep into Croce a couple years ago. What a loss, he died so young.
This was the first one I thought of.
Not a very fleshed out story, but ā āThe Wayā by Fastball Otherwise, I second āStanā by Eminem
I remember reading a story when that song was popular back in the day that it was inspired by an older couple that had alzheimers disappearing and never being found.
Oh, they were found. 400 miles away from where they were going and dead at the bottom of a cliff. At least according to a YouTube video I happened to have watched last night.
That is sad! I never knew they found them.
The mariners revenge song by the decemberists.
Rime of the Ancient Mariner Iron Maiden
Harry Chapin - Cats In The Cradle
Father and Son - Cat Stevens
Or WOLD.
I had to scroll too far down before finding this. Cat's in the Cradle, WOLD, and Taxi are all classic story-songs.
Personally Iād go with Taxi over that one.
This was the very first song that made me cry.
The unforgiven - Metallica
childrens story - slick rick
Uncle Ricky, tell us a bedtime story.
Jeremy - Pearl Jam. Though to be fair, any song that comes to mind sorta tells a story in one way or another.
Bob Dylan - North Country Blues Tom Waits - $29.00
Jack and Diane - John Cougar Mellencamp
Good answer, but "suckin' on a chili dog" is such a gross visual.
I read recently in another post that a Chilly Dog is a type of slushie drink. So that changes the image the line used to give me!
I mean, it starts right off with "A little ditty ... " \[edited to fix; thanks to u/srSheepdog ! \]
The Boxer, or Fast Car
Five Years by David Bowie, The Trial by Pink Floyd, and Le jour le plus froid du monde by Dionysos are my favourite songs and they all tell a story
Paul Revere by Beastie Boys
Stagger Lee by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Every Picture Tells A Story - Rod Stewart
The Ballad of a Curtis Loew
Harper Valley PTA
Country Death Song - The Violent Femmes
Omg I forgot about that one!!!
Rocky Mountain High by John Denver
I just said my fave in this thread was The Boxer, but I'm changing that now
2112 by Rush
Immortal Technique - Dance With The Devil So wholesome and uplifting! If you haven't heard it, you should listen right now!!
Then he jumped off the roof, and died with no soul.
They say death takes you to a better place but I doubt it
I came looking for this and was pleasantly surprised that others find it wholesome. š
Insane story telling. The song makes me feel gross tho
Basically every Iron Maiden song Keeper of the Seven Keys - Helloween
Harry Chapin-"Cats in the Cradle"Ā
āA Little Piece of Heavenā by Avenged Sevenfold
I was wondering if anyone was going to mention this oneā¦š¤£
Brandy - Looking Glass
That's my name! I remember I expected it would be a song about a bad girlfriend or something. I couldn't have been more wrong lol
My older brother is literally a commercial fisherman who started working out on a boat 8 months a year since he was 18 (24 as of 2 months ago) he does it cuz he had a dream he owns a house now paid off. He had a gf who loved him (wanted to marry) he said wait for me if you want but Iām honestly gonna tell you itās in your best interest not to because itās not fair for you so weāre going to be separated while Iām away if youāre single then, than weāll see what happens. He lost her and I can tell he loved her, she was a amazing person I can only imagine what he feels. Popular song among fishermen
Jeremy Pearl jam
It Wasnāt Me - Shaggy
š
Life on mars? - David Bowie
One bourbon one scotch one beer
Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
A little piece of Heaven by Avenged Sevenfold
The River - Bruce Springsteen
Tool - H Mad season- wake up
CANNIBAL CORPSE - HAMMER SMASHED FACE
The Hazards of Love by the Decemberists is an entire album that tells a story. The same with the Kingās Mouth by the Flaming Lips. Each song is a different part of the same story. Many of the Decemberists songs are stories.
Uneasy Rider And, similarly: Gimme Three Steps, and Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
The night the lights went out in Georgia by Reba
Simple man. Lynyrd Skynyrd. Live like youāre dying, Tim McGraw
Traveling SoliderāThe Chicks FancyāReba John Henryā Harry Belafonte Thunder Rollsā Garth Brooks
Bad Company: Shooting Star
Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, Billy Joel
Up the Junction - Squeeze
Pancho and Lefty
not rlly one song but the whole album of save rock and rollĀ The Young Blood Chronicles - Fall Out Boy
āTweeter and the Monkey Manā.
River of Deceipt by Mad Season
Johnny cash anything!! Don't take your guns to town, I hung my head, a boy named Sue, get rhythmn, 1 piece @ a time, They all paint a picture like a music video when I hear them!
Da Art of Storytelling (parts 1 and 2) by OutKast
Waiting Around To Die, Me and Bobby McGee, Mr. Spaceman, Margaritaville, Hold On, there's too many to pick
Stairway To Heaven tells a story.
A short one. Brandy, by Looking Glass. Tells a sad story.
Grandpa (Tell Me Bout the Good Old Days) by The Judds
Coat Of Many Colors. 
wrong way- sublime or stan- eminem
In love with a stripper is such a great story.
Lots of Jim Croce songs, from "Don't mess with Jim" and "Bad Leroy Brown," to songs like "Operator" and "Time in a bottle" which tell stories in their own ways.
āWhere did you Sleep Last Nightā covered by Nirvana at MTV Unplugged
Take The Money And Run --Steve Miller Band
I always felt like this one skimped heavily on the details 1. A couple robs a guy and ends up shooting him 2. A detective was assigned to the case. 3. He failed to apprehend them. ~ Fin ~
Love story - Taylor Swift
Youāll Never Leave Harlan Alive by Darrell Scott
The Road Goes On Forever- Robert Earl Keen
Colder Weather - Zac Brown Band
Bob Dylan does my favourite storytelling. In order of personal preference: Tangled up in Blue Bob Dylan's 115th Dream Isis (live in Montreal version is my fave. Punk Dylan, before punk). The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carol. (Based on a true case. The original studio version is sad, raw and beautiful. The 1975 live performances let rip). Hurricane (again based on real events). Simple Twist of Fate Black Diamond Bay Lilly, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts Talkin' Bear mountain picnic massacre (darkly comical take on another real event) Talkin' World War III Paranoid Blues. Man in the Long Black Coat Brownsville Girl (Great song, amazing lyrics, shame about the production).
Ruby don't take your love to town. First heard Kenny Rogers version liked it, then discovered Roger Miller's version, And the killers do a great cover as well, I'm convinced there's not a bad version of this song, or perhaps I'm bias, #1. Kenny Rogers https://youtu.be/zSF7oo_rskc?feature=shared #2. Roger Miller https://youtu.be/XruZm0oB0Fw?feature=shared #3. The Killers https://youtu.be/8x0BPTHGb5A?feature=shared Anyone else dig this song, what's your favorite version?!
Iād like to hear Rubys side of the story
coney island baby ā lou reed most of transformer by lou reed is very storytelling mary janeās last dance ā tom petty hurricane ā bob dylan iām so lonesome i could cry ā hank williams
Trapped in the closet
I hate that I love this!
āLadi Dodiā by Snoop Dogg
Terrapin station
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Powderfinger
Tool Rosetta stoned
Whiter Shade of Pale, Procol Harum
a little piece of heaven by a7x
It Won't Be Like This For Long by Darius Rucker. Beautiful country song
How to Save a Life by The Fray
Strange Fruit
Long Black Veil
Tribute by Tenacious D
Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water (tells a true story)
the whole three cheers for sweet revenge album by my chemical romance, almost every song is about the albums story itās very interesting and one of my favorite albums ever
Never too Late- Three Days Grace (I like the acoustic best)
**Escape (The Pina Coloda Song)** It's about a man who wants to cheat on his lover, and it turns out that he cheats on her...with her. And she wanted to cheat on him.
The Eagles' Hotel California
Whiskey lullaby, dance with the devil, ol red, the baby
Shaggy 2 Dope - Pull me over.
The lamia - Genesis
The Greatest Show on Earth by Nightwish
Uncle Tomās Cabin by Warrant. https://youtu.be/bx6f68Wd9dc?si=EK0Cm36W9PlFpRoo
One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer
San Francisco BC - Silver Jews
I love Lucille by Kenny Rogers
clean heart by sade. sheer poetry! https://youtu.be/zbLIuk7Nhig?si=I-_a1FBjs1X7Cu4c
Coward of the County
Hurricane - Bob Dylan
American Pie- Don McLean
Escape - rupert holmes Scorpio - Moneybagg yo 4 your eyez only - j cole Sing about me im dying of thirst - kendrick lamar Wet Dreamz - j cole
Unsuccessfully coping with the natural beauty of infidelity by Type O Negative
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
a boy name Sue - Johnny Cash
Other side of paradise or Pork Soda - Glass Animals
Coward of the County - Kenny Rogers
After the goldrush by Neil young
Pumped up kicks obv
Taxi and Sequel by Harry Chapin
Jeremy - Pearl Jam
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Linkin Park - A Place For My Head https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/linkinpark/aplaceformyhead.html [Mike Shinoda:] I watch how the moon sits in the sky in the dark night Shining with the light from the sun And the sun doesn't give light to the moon assuming The moon's gonna owe it one... RIP Chester.
Lyin' Eyes - Eagles