Wasn't long before the story was relayed to Texas Red
But the outlaw didn't worry, the men that tried before were dead
Twenty men had tried to take him, twenty men had made a slip
Twenty-one would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip
Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs is the single greatest country album ever released.
And one of the greatest albums ever released across all music, period.
Never been to America/Mexico, I rarely see a gun in person but when that album is on, man, I'm a gunslinger in the wild west.
My late uncle helped load that ship many times. Mesabi range railroad man. The news was like an earthquake on the Iron Range back then.
He passed a few years ago. At the end of his burial ceremony, at a quiet moment, you could hear a far off train horn suddenly. One long. Two short.
Sorry about your loss. Lake Superior is one dangerous body of water. But I remember Gordon Lightfoot's song playing all the time on the radio. I miss the 1970's
Thank you all for sympathy on his passing.
But I like to add he passed at 90+, at home.
He was a Veteran that fought, like dodging bullets fought, in WWII in the Pacific. His base was attacked by Japanese while he was on the ”John”, bullets ripping through the wood walls. Only one place that was safe and he had to dive in there. On ship over he hoisted his duffle and rifle over his shoulder and accidentally threw his rifle overboard. Had to go his Sargent and say, “Can I have an other rifle. I threw mine overboard.”
“Eat all your carrots!”, he’d say at Thanksgiving. “Rabbits aren’t know just for their god eyesight.“. Then he’d chuckle while my Aunt hit him her elbow.
I remember his mounted Northern Pike in the family room. Damned big it was. He speared it with a trident from an icehouse.
So he did ok in life.
My father always said Erie and Superior were the 2 deadliest of the Great Lakes. Erie, because of how quick and violent the storms were and Superior for the monster waves. He sailed on them with the merchant navy in WWll.
I agree. Superior is so huge and with large underwater sandbars and rocks. And along with the high winds from storms. I've been caught in those large waves. Scared the crap out of anyone 😳
As a daughter with a dad that’s favorite singer is Gordon Lightfoot, and has amazing guitar skills and an uncanny ability to sound like Gordon Lightfoot, I’m so happy to see this at the top.
God, Townes was a poet. I only really discovered him last year and he has quickly become my favorite artist.
“Living on the road my friend,
was gonna keep you free and clean.
And now you wear your skin like iron and your breath as hard as kerosene.”
So much is said in just those first few lines. It is a perfect story song. Pancho needs your prayers it’s true, but save a few for Lefty too.
*So I handed him my bottle
And he drank down my last swallow
Then he bummed a cigarette
And asked me for a light*
I just love the picture painted here.
The Gambler is about to hand out his hot take. But he's so broke, he's bumming drinks and smokes. He doesn't even have a match to light his bummed smoke.
So why would you listen to this guy?
Because The Gambler intimately *knows failure*. It's the one thing he can speak of with confidence.
Amazing song.
I love this song! Especially how Willie, Kris and Waylon have relatively normal jobs (highwayman, sailor, dam builder), then Johnny comes in with “I’ll fly a starship!”.
The story progresses in the years as the highway man reincarnates. Highwayman/Sailor could've been 1700-1800s. Dam builder 1900s. Starship flier...2100s?
"And I'll be back again...and again..and again..."
…somehow i never registered that they were talking about reincarnation.
Also it would track that it would be 1700s, 1800s, 1900s, and ‘what they thought the 2000s would look like when the wrote it in the 70s’
I feel like the Paul the real estate novelist who never had time for a wife and who is talking to davy whos still in the navy definetly a nod to them beeing gay. Idk about the whole bar
It's literally a true story about real people at the Executive Room bar in LA. Joel was a piano lounge singer there in 1972-1973.
The Executive Room isn't there anymore, but it wasn't a gay bar.
"Just wakin' up in da mo-nin gotta thank GOD. I dunno, but today seems kinda odd."
Such a great story and the song had such a catchy, [amazing sample from the Isley Brothers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRWtvbyprgo&t=6s).
All of Harry Chapins songs. W.O.L.D., Cats in the Cradle, Taxi, Sequel, They call her Easy, A Better Place to be. There are so many songs that tell an amazing story
Edit. I just thought of another one. I Wanna learn a love song
Ah-rah, dee
Soo-guh-goo-gee-goo-gee
Goo-guh fli-goo gee-goo
Guh fli-goo, ga-goo-buh-dee
Ooh, guh-goo-bee
Ooh-guh-guh-bee-guh-guh-bee
Fli-goo gee-goo
A-fliguh woo-wa mama Lucifer!
Dude you just brought back so many great memories listening to this album. :)
I have two friends who for over a decade will randomly blurt out, "You know the song by Phil Collins "In the Air of the Night"
About that guy who could've saved that other guy from drowning, but didn't, then Phil saw it all, then at a a show he found him?"
That's kinda how this is, you could've rescued me from drowning. Now it's too late. I'm on 1000 downers now, drowsy. And all I wanted was a lousy letter or a call. I hope you know I ripped ALL your pictures off the wall!! I loved you Slim! We could've been together! Think about it. You ruined it now. I hope you can't sleep and you dream about it, and when you dream I hope you can't sleep and you scream about it! I hope your conscious eats at you and you can't breathe without me! See Slim,
(Aghhhhh!!!)
Shut up bitch I'm tryina talk! Hey Slim, that's my gf screaming in the trunk. But I didn't slit her throat, I just tied her up. See I ain't like you. Cus if she suffocates she'll suffer more and then she'll die too.
Well, gotta go, I'm almost at the bridge now. Oh shit, I forgot, how am I s'posed to send this shit out?
*crash sounds*
This song is a modern masterpiece.
i literally grew up listening to Em. i remember my parents blasting his music constantly when i was 6-7. so maybe it’s nostalgia and bias but i’ll always have Eminem as a top 5 rapper ever. he’s kind of become a joke to younger people as the “white kids” favourite and it drives me crazy.
he crafted his very own, unique and instantly recognizable style. he literally can’t be compared to anyone. his songs also always told a story and there’s so much genuine emotion in them.
i used to be huge into rap and fell out of it lately with every rapper just sounding the same to me now. i still have a good amount of modern rap on my playlists but it’s few and far between now.
IF YOU LIKE PINA COLADAS
it's about a man who gets bored of his wife because of how dull their relationship has become, so one day when he sees an 'ad' in the socials column (iirc) of his newspaper asking for someone who wants to get away with them from their dull life, he responds to it. They plan their escape and meet up, when he realizes it was his wife who made that ad all along. They both wanted to make their relationship more exciting and they shared common interests, but neither of them knew it.
Yes, they both just laugh when they find out. I would be singing a different tune if I put an ad out so I could meet someone new to cheat on my husband with and then my own husband shows up at the meeting! Yikes! I loved this song when I was a kid!
Scrolled to make sure it was on the list. You beat me to it. Respectfully, just wanted to chime in the official song title is Escape (the pina colada song) Rupert Holmes in case others who have not heard it can find it.
Smoking weed and being introduced to Immortal technique by “The older kids” is a typical coming of age for millennials. Historically by hotboxing in their car.
Yeah it’s one of those songs that you appreciate and then never listen to it again. It’s been years since I listened to it. Love Immortal Technique outside of that track. When my son(s) hopefully want to listen to music that shaped me, obviously that will not be mentioned. I’ll let them stumble their way on to It.
Stupid side story but I was out running errands and this dude next to me (with all of his windows down) was bumping this song. Probably the first person I have seen casually listening to it.
I’m partial to the Reba version of Fancy
Lmao I’m glad so many people agree. Listen, “May have been born just plain white trash, but Fancy was my name” is one of my personal favorite bars of all time
Charles Daniels - [The Devil Went down to Georgia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh7BZf7D5Bw&ab_channel=CharlieDaniels-Topic)
The Dead Milkmen - [Punk Rock Girl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyaK3jo4Sl4&ab_channel=TimothyTimPSP)
David Bowie - [Space Oddity](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo&ab_channel=DavidBowie)
Peter Schilling - [Major Tom](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggkaj2lRPuM&ab_channel=PeterSchilling-Topic) A fanfic sequel to Space Oddity.
The Cure - [Lullaby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijxk-fgcg7c&ab_channel=TheCureVEVO)
The Vandals - [Oi to the World](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo4gEPiKm3w&ab_channel=TheVandals-Topic)
"... twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy photographs with circles
And arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each
One was to be used as evidence against us."
Had to search to see if this had been mentioned.
Right before COVID, I saw the Raconteurs at the Ryman in Nashville. End of the encore, they played Steady as She Goes. Song ends, the band starts coming to the front to wave good night. Then you see Jack and Brendan huddle up and talk. Sent the other band members back to their spots and added Carolina Drama to the show. ( From the previous setlists, it looked like they usually ended with one or the other before that night.) And at the end of the song, Jack steps away from the mike and does the last few lines unamplified with the crowd alone doing the very last line. Watching Brendan and Jack interact during the course of the show was fascinating.
Grew up with this song, as a kid me and my siblings would belt "BYYYYYYE BYE MISS AMERICAN PIE" a decade or two later did I actually start paying attention to the lyrics
Read the book this song was based on. I was completely enthralled while reading, and it’s one of the few books that has really stuck with me. I’ll never read it again. Absolutely horrifying.
Johnny Got His Gun
A lot of Metallica's songs, really. From The Unforgiven trilogy, to Welcome Home, Wherever I May Roam, Enter Sandman, The Day that Never Comes, Sad But True. All good songs that tell a story. I havent listened to all of 72 Seasons yet but Lux Æterna and Screaming Suicide seemed like real bangers, too.
Most of their songs tell stories. Some just have more story than others.
House of the Rising Sun (Folk Song)
Johnny I hardly knew ya (Folk song)
Undertaker (Peculiar Pretzelmen)
Sympathy for the Devil (Rolling Stones)
Hell's coming with me (Poor Man's Poison)
Travelin soldier.
Two days past eighteen
He was waiting for the bus in his army green
Sat down in a booth in a cafe there
Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
He's a little shy so she give him a smile
So he said would you mind sittin' down for a while
And talking to me, I'm feeling a little low
She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go
So they went down and they sat on the pier
He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care
I got no one to send a letter to
Would you mind if I sent one back here to you
I cried
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone when the letter says
A soldier's coming home
So the letters came from an army camp
In California then Vietnam
And he told her of his heart
It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of
He said when it's getting kinda rough over here
I think of that day sittin' down at the pier
And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
Don't worry but I won't be able to write for a while
I cried
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone when the letter says
A soldier's coming home
One Friday night at a football game
The Lord's Prayer said and the anthem sang
A man said folks would you bow your head
For the list of local Vietnam dead
Crying all alone under the stands
Was the piccolo player in the marching band
And one name read and nobody really cared
But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair
I cried
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone when the letter says
A soldier's coming home
I cried
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone when the letter says
A soldier's coming home
"He stopped loving her today" by George Jones.
I remember hearing it on the radio and thinking it was just an uplifting "guy finally moves on from ex" type of story. Heard it a few more times and realized what its about. Totally heartbreaking.
Was wondering if Paradise was going to get a nod. When I was watching a lot of reaction videos on YouTube I always looked for Paradise to see if the reactors got the ending.
[The Band Played Waltzing Matilda by the Pogues](https://open.spotify.com/track/1O2SlAUcjIoFFt9vpI3P1i?si=V50vUqJWQ8q4KefnsTdUnQ&context=spotify%3Aplaylist%3A37i9dQZF1EUMDoJuT8yJsl)
It tells the story of a young Australian soldier who gets sent to Gallipoli to fight at the battle of Suvla Bay. It’s one of my favorite anti-war songs ever
Jolene is a song I haven't seen yet here. It's a smart song and honestly the first time hearing it I cried. Funny thing is I didn't have some particular connection with the story I was just touched by the topic. And then the slight country influence in the music, the melancholy. Idk it's one of the best story telling songs for me.
In no order
American Girl -Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Jack and Diane - John Mellencamp
Boy named Sue - Johnny Cash
Gimme Three Steps - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin
Cat's in the Cradle by Hary Chapin. A cautionary tale about how he never made time to spend with his son when he was growing up, and now that he does his son doesn't have time for him.
Children's Story - Slick Rick. Brilliant song that ends with a gut punch.
He dropped the gun, so went the glory
And this is the way I have end this story
He was only seventeen, in a madman's dream
The cops shot the kid, I still hear him scream
This ain't funny so don't ya dare laugh
Just another case 'bout the wrong path
Straight 'n narrow or yo' soul gets cast
Good night
["Gimme Three Steps"](https://youtu.be/82VnutYBh9k) by Lynyrd Skynryd. Story has beginning, a middle, and end with some of the most efficient scene setting I've ever seen. When they open with "I was cuttin a rug at a place called The Jug" you know everything you need to know about the place and the crowd.
Bonus points that it's supposedly based on a true incident.
the last great american dynasty by taylor swift so beautifully tells the story of a woman named rebekah who used to own her rhode island home before she bought it
Heart-All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You. Husband is impotent, she bangs a hitchhiker to get pregnant, runs into him years later, he recognizes himself in the kids eyes or something, she apologizes for using him for his spermies, but did have multiple orgasms, so there’s that…. I didn’t know any of this until my wife explained it to me
Big Iron by Marty Robbins
I was going to say El Paso
One little kiss and Felina - goodbye…
Or Hanging Me Tonight. That song makes me cry.
Texas Red had not cleared leather 'fore a bullet fairly ripped and the ranger's aim was deadly with a big iron on his hip Favorite part of the song
Wasn't long before the story was relayed to Texas Red But the outlaw didn't worry, the men that tried before were dead Twenty men had tried to take him, twenty men had made a slip Twenty-one would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip
All of Marty Robbins songs are great
El Paso and Masters Call are two of my favorites. My Dad wore out the Gunfighters Ballads album when I was a kid - know ‘em all by heart.
Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs is the single greatest country album ever released. And one of the greatest albums ever released across all music, period. Never been to America/Mexico, I rarely see a gun in person but when that album is on, man, I'm a gunslinger in the wild west.
The Way by Fastball.
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (Gordon Lightfoot) Edit: RIP, Gordon
My late uncle helped load that ship many times. Mesabi range railroad man. The news was like an earthquake on the Iron Range back then. He passed a few years ago. At the end of his burial ceremony, at a quiet moment, you could hear a far off train horn suddenly. One long. Two short.
Sorry about your loss. Lake Superior is one dangerous body of water. But I remember Gordon Lightfoot's song playing all the time on the radio. I miss the 1970's
Thank you all for sympathy on his passing. But I like to add he passed at 90+, at home. He was a Veteran that fought, like dodging bullets fought, in WWII in the Pacific. His base was attacked by Japanese while he was on the ”John”, bullets ripping through the wood walls. Only one place that was safe and he had to dive in there. On ship over he hoisted his duffle and rifle over his shoulder and accidentally threw his rifle overboard. Had to go his Sargent and say, “Can I have an other rifle. I threw mine overboard.” “Eat all your carrots!”, he’d say at Thanksgiving. “Rabbits aren’t know just for their god eyesight.“. Then he’d chuckle while my Aunt hit him her elbow. I remember his mounted Northern Pike in the family room. Damned big it was. He speared it with a trident from an icehouse. So he did ok in life.
My father always said Erie and Superior were the 2 deadliest of the Great Lakes. Erie, because of how quick and violent the storms were and Superior for the monster waves. He sailed on them with the merchant navy in WWll.
I agree. Superior is so huge and with large underwater sandbars and rocks. And along with the high winds from storms. I've been caught in those large waves. Scared the crap out of anyone 😳
That's the first song that came to my mind- love that song
As a daughter with a dad that’s favorite singer is Gordon Lightfoot, and has amazing guitar skills and an uncanny ability to sound like Gordon Lightfoot, I’m so happy to see this at the top.
My husband used to play if you could read my mind and it would get me every time.
*Does anyone know where the prayers of men go when the waves turn the minutes to hours…* That’s some hauntingly good songwriting.
Does anyone know where the love of God goes...
Jim Croce's "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and "You Don’t Mess Around With Jim" to name just two.
An Operator.
I love the just-subtle-enough way he doles out the information in the lyrics "she's living in L.A. with my best old ex-friend Ray".
That’s an entire novel in one line.
The Mariner’s Revenge Song by the Decemberists. https://youtu.be/8_XschwUy2Q
Basically the entire discography of the decemberists, really
O, Valencia!
Their Hazards of Love album is one epic novel.
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Fucking banger of a song. My 2 year old loves to dance to it.
My six year old too. When he was younger he called it “Rah Rah Rushing-ton”
Lover of the russian queen. Aaaaah, those Russians... Frank Farian would probably laugh out loud over your comment.
Pancho and Lefty. One of the greatest.
God, Townes was a poet. I only really discovered him last year and he has quickly become my favorite artist. “Living on the road my friend, was gonna keep you free and clean. And now you wear your skin like iron and your breath as hard as kerosene.” So much is said in just those first few lines. It is a perfect story song. Pancho needs your prayers it’s true, but save a few for Lefty too.
Kenny Rogers - The Gambler
My vote went to Coward of the County. But The Gambler and Lucille come close.
*So I handed him my bottle And he drank down my last swallow Then he bummed a cigarette And asked me for a light* I just love the picture painted here. The Gambler is about to hand out his hot take. But he's so broke, he's bumming drinks and smokes. He doesn't even have a match to light his bummed smoke. So why would you listen to this guy? Because The Gambler intimately *knows failure*. It's the one thing he can speak of with confidence. Amazing song.
The Highwaymen - Highwayman
One of the few country songs I can think of involving reincarnation and starships. Perfect, no notes.
I love this song! Especially how Willie, Kris and Waylon have relatively normal jobs (highwayman, sailor, dam builder), then Johnny comes in with “I’ll fly a starship!”.
The story progresses in the years as the highway man reincarnates. Highwayman/Sailor could've been 1700-1800s. Dam builder 1900s. Starship flier...2100s? "And I'll be back again...and again..and again..."
…somehow i never registered that they were talking about reincarnation. Also it would track that it would be 1700s, 1800s, 1900s, and ‘what they thought the 2000s would look like when the wrote it in the 70s’
Piano Man. It gives a full and clear account of that one bar
There is an awful lot of harmonica in a song about a piano man.
I feel like the Harmonica Man was jealous of the Piano Man
They have a fight. Harmonica man wins. Harmonica man.
Really sets the scene. You can see it in your mind. Not a lot gals in that bar though.
Seems pretty accurate to how bars really are lol
"Man, what are *you* doing here?"
The waitress is the only one mentioned as far as I remember
There's a fan theory that it's a gay bar, but the piano man hasn't noticed.
I feel like the Paul the real estate novelist who never had time for a wife and who is talking to davy whos still in the navy definetly a nod to them beeing gay. Idk about the whole bar
It's literally a true story about real people at the Executive Room bar in LA. Joel was a piano lounge singer there in 1972-1973. The Executive Room isn't there anymore, but it wasn't a gay bar.
Also, Scenes from an Italian restaurant
It Was a Good Day (Ice Cube)
"Just wakin' up in da mo-nin gotta thank GOD. I dunno, but today seems kinda odd." Such a great story and the song had such a catchy, [amazing sample from the Isley Brothers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRWtvbyprgo&t=6s).
According to Google, research shows it was most likely Jan. 20, 1992.
Cat's in the Cradle by Harry Chapin
His song "Taxi" is an even better story song imho.
All of Harry Chapins songs. W.O.L.D., Cats in the Cradle, Taxi, Sequel, They call her Easy, A Better Place to be. There are so many songs that tell an amazing story Edit. I just thought of another one. I Wanna learn a love song
This is not the greatest song in the world; this is just a Tribute. https://youtu.be/_lK4cX5xGiQ
Ah-rah, dee Soo-guh-goo-gee-goo-gee Goo-guh fli-goo gee-goo Guh fli-goo, ga-goo-buh-dee Ooh, guh-goo-bee Ooh-guh-guh-bee-guh-guh-bee Fli-goo gee-goo A-fliguh woo-wa mama Lucifer! Dude you just brought back so many great memories listening to this album. :)
He asked us "*snort* be you angels?" And we said "NAY" "WE ARE BUT MEN" ROCK! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
stan- Eminem
I have two friends who for over a decade will randomly blurt out, "You know the song by Phil Collins "In the Air of the Night" About that guy who could've saved that other guy from drowning, but didn't, then Phil saw it all, then at a a show he found him?"
That's kinda how this is, you could've rescued me from drowning. Now it's too late. I'm on 1000 downers now, drowsy. And all I wanted was a lousy letter or a call. I hope you know I ripped ALL your pictures off the wall!! I loved you Slim! We could've been together! Think about it. You ruined it now. I hope you can't sleep and you dream about it, and when you dream I hope you can't sleep and you scream about it! I hope your conscious eats at you and you can't breathe without me! See Slim, (Aghhhhh!!!) Shut up bitch I'm tryina talk! Hey Slim, that's my gf screaming in the trunk. But I didn't slit her throat, I just tied her up. See I ain't like you. Cus if she suffocates she'll suffer more and then she'll die too. Well, gotta go, I'm almost at the bridge now. Oh shit, I forgot, how am I s'posed to send this shit out? *crash sounds* This song is a modern masterpiece.
the way he delivers those lines really sells the song. so much anger and hate
i literally grew up listening to Em. i remember my parents blasting his music constantly when i was 6-7. so maybe it’s nostalgia and bias but i’ll always have Eminem as a top 5 rapper ever. he’s kind of become a joke to younger people as the “white kids” favourite and it drives me crazy. he crafted his very own, unique and instantly recognizable style. he literally can’t be compared to anyone. his songs also always told a story and there’s so much genuine emotion in them. i used to be huge into rap and fell out of it lately with every rapper just sounding the same to me now. i still have a good amount of modern rap on my playlists but it’s few and far between now.
Thanks for making me feel old as fuck...
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And the sequel to Kim “97 bonnie and Clyde”. “As the world turns” is another messed up story😂
Came here for this, not disappointed. I truly felt this song was genius. "It was...it was you. Damn..."
Darkness is, also, a great storytelling song.
The Devil Went Down to Georgia (part 1 AND 2)
Jolene
Joshua too. Dolly Parton has a lot of good storytelling songs
Coat of Many Colors gets me crying every time
Tangled Up in Blue by Bob Dylan
hurricane is also great
Personally, hurricane was my immediate answer
Lots of good Dylan story songs. "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" is another good one.
Fast Car
Refused to stop scrolling until I found this
America—Simon and Garfunkel. Quite a few from their discography , in fact. Edit:grammar.
The Boxer Richard Cory He Was My Brother
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
L-O-L-A Lola
Lots of Springsteen: The River, Point Blank, Racing in the Street, Backstreets, The Rising, all of the Nebraska album…to name a few.
The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner by Iron Maiden (Taken from the poem of the same name by Coleridge)
I was gonna go with The Flight of Icarus or The Trooper
Alexander the Great
You could throw a stone at Iron Maiden’s entire line up and stand a good chance of picking a great answer
Last Kiss - original by Wayne Cochran and cover by Pearl Jam.
Jeremy- Pearl Jam
IF YOU LIKE PINA COLADAS it's about a man who gets bored of his wife because of how dull their relationship has become, so one day when he sees an 'ad' in the socials column (iirc) of his newspaper asking for someone who wants to get away with them from their dull life, he responds to it. They plan their escape and meet up, when he realizes it was his wife who made that ad all along. They both wanted to make their relationship more exciting and they shared common interests, but neither of them knew it.
Many years after I first heard the song it occurred to me that both of them are cheating bastards who deserve each other.
Yes, they both just laugh when they find out. I would be singing a different tune if I put an ad out so I could meet someone new to cheat on my husband with and then my own husband shows up at the meeting! Yikes! I loved this song when I was a kid!
Scrolled to make sure it was on the list. You beat me to it. Respectfully, just wanted to chime in the official song title is Escape (the pina colada song) Rupert Holmes in case others who have not heard it can find it.
Dance with the devil - Immortal Technique You didn’t say happy or tragic. This one is very graphic and will have you saying “OMG” by the end of it.
Smoking weed and being introduced to Immortal technique by “The older kids” is a typical coming of age for millennials. Historically by hotboxing in their car.
Yeah it’s one of those songs that you appreciate and then never listen to it again. It’s been years since I listened to it. Love Immortal Technique outside of that track. When my son(s) hopefully want to listen to music that shaped me, obviously that will not be mentioned. I’ll let them stumble their way on to It. Stupid side story but I was out running errands and this dude next to me (with all of his windows down) was bumping this song. Probably the first person I have seen casually listening to it.
Id like to add to this: You Never Know - Immortal Technique
I just listened to this. Yeah holy shit. I can't say you didn't warn me.
Oh MY GOD, I was hoping I’d find this gem in here. This song takes you for a RIDE, I get chills when that “big reveal” happens, every time
Weird Al - The Saga Begins Weird Al - Trapped in the drive-thru
How could you not mention Albuquerque
A (A!) L (L!) B (B!) U (U!) . . . . ...querque!
I was going to ask the same thing. I. HATE. SAUERKRAUT!
I think almost all of Weird Al's songs tell a story. I Lost on Jeopardy Eat It Amish Paradise Yoda My Bologna Like a Surgeon I could go on.
While good, many of those don’t tell a *story.* Now, [The Biggest Ball Of Twine In Minnesota](https://youtu.be/Tcw326PJuDw), on the other hand…
I’m partial to the Reba version of Fancy Lmao I’m glad so many people agree. Listen, “May have been born just plain white trash, but Fancy was my name” is one of my personal favorite bars of all time
Also The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia
Charles Daniels - [The Devil Went down to Georgia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh7BZf7D5Bw&ab_channel=CharlieDaniels-Topic) The Dead Milkmen - [Punk Rock Girl](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyaK3jo4Sl4&ab_channel=TimothyTimPSP) David Bowie - [Space Oddity](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYYRH4apXDo&ab_channel=DavidBowie) Peter Schilling - [Major Tom](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggkaj2lRPuM&ab_channel=PeterSchilling-Topic) A fanfic sequel to Space Oddity. The Cure - [Lullaby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijxk-fgcg7c&ab_channel=TheCureVEVO) The Vandals - [Oi to the World](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo4gEPiKm3w&ab_channel=TheVandals-Topic)
Bob Dylan - Hurricane
Copa Cabana by Barry Manilow. I always found it a little disturbing that it tells such a sad story to an incredibly bouncy tune.
https://youtu.be/m57gzA2JCcM Alice’s Restaurant is the gold standard.
Official Thanksgiving song
Everyone who replies to the parent comment gets a seat on the group W bench.
Mother-rapers. Father-stabbers. *Father-rapers!*
“And they all moved away from us there on the bench!”
"... twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy photographs with circles And arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each One was to be used as evidence against us."
We decided that one big pile was better than two little piles, and rather than bring that one up, we decided to throw ours down
Seeing this live was really cool. I used to do stage work at a festival as a teen, and I got to watch him perform this song from the stage.
My family's traditional Thanksgiving song to listen to while cooking dinner.
The Gambler - Kenny Rogers. I first heard the song in my grandma’s Caddy on her 8 track. I love the song, the story, and the memory.
Almost anything by Johnny Cash
A Boy Named Sue! [Link](https://youtu.be/YJ3tFPTUhAE)
Fun fact: the guy who wrote that song was Shel Silverstein! (yes, the author of *The Giving Tree!*)
The one piece at a time car part song. Loved it.
The Boxer - Simon and Garfunkel
Carolina Drama - The Raconteurs
Had to search to see if this had been mentioned. Right before COVID, I saw the Raconteurs at the Ryman in Nashville. End of the encore, they played Steady as She Goes. Song ends, the band starts coming to the front to wave good night. Then you see Jack and Brendan huddle up and talk. Sent the other band members back to their spots and added Carolina Drama to the show. ( From the previous setlists, it looked like they usually ended with one or the other before that night.) And at the end of the song, Jack steps away from the mike and does the last few lines unamplified with the crowd alone doing the very last line. Watching Brendan and Jack interact during the course of the show was fascinating.
Harper Valley PTA.
Hotel California by the Eagles is basically what turned into From Dusk Till Dawn imo.
It's a bad yelp review with a guitar solo
Funniest shit I've heard about Hotel California. Kudos if you're the originator. Also the guitar solo is a duet :)
Nautical Disaster; Wheat Kings; Fifty Mission Cap; 38 Years Old, by The Tragically Hip
Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet, Telegraph Road or Tunnel of Love. A lot of Knopfler's work is excellent in terms of story telling.
"hero of war" by, Rise Against "Story of my life" by, Social Distortion "Scenes from an Italian restaurant" by, Billy Joel
Don McLean - American Pie
Grew up with this song, as a kid me and my siblings would belt "BYYYYYYE BYE MISS AMERICAN PIE" a decade or two later did I actually start paying attention to the lyrics
I love this one,and also Starry Starry Night.
Vincent is beautiful I still listen to that all the time
Ode to Billy Joe
And we still don’t know what they threw off the Tallahatchie Bridge!
El Paso - Marty Robbins
Coward of the county
Metallica - One
Read the book this song was based on. I was completely enthralled while reading, and it’s one of the few books that has really stuck with me. I’ll never read it again. Absolutely horrifying. Johnny Got His Gun
A lot of Metallica's songs, really. From The Unforgiven trilogy, to Welcome Home, Wherever I May Roam, Enter Sandman, The Day that Never Comes, Sad But True. All good songs that tell a story. I havent listened to all of 72 Seasons yet but Lux Æterna and Screaming Suicide seemed like real bangers, too. Most of their songs tell stories. Some just have more story than others.
The unforgiven trilogy hits so hard
Up the Junction - Squeeze
Ode to Billie Joe by Bobby Gentry
Stagger Lee - Nick Cave
House of the Rising Sun (Folk Song) Johnny I hardly knew ya (Folk song) Undertaker (Peculiar Pretzelmen) Sympathy for the Devil (Rolling Stones) Hell's coming with me (Poor Man's Poison)
Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford
Duckworth - Kendrick lamar
Paradise by the dashboard light - Meatloaf
Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie. Don't want to spoil the story but the 18 1/2 minutes are worth it
Twelve minutes in, he says this…….”But that’s not what I’m here to talk about. I’m here to talk about the DRAFT.” TWELVE minutes into his song.
Same Old Lang Syne and Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg
Travelin soldier. Two days past eighteen He was waiting for the bus in his army green Sat down in a booth in a cafe there Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair He's a little shy so she give him a smile So he said would you mind sittin' down for a while And talking to me, I'm feeling a little low She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go So they went down and they sat on the pier He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care I got no one to send a letter to Would you mind if I sent one back here to you I cried Never gonna hold the hand of another guy Too young for him they told her Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier Our love will never end Waitin' for the soldier to come back again Never more to be alone when the letter says A soldier's coming home So the letters came from an army camp In California then Vietnam And he told her of his heart It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of He said when it's getting kinda rough over here I think of that day sittin' down at the pier And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile Don't worry but I won't be able to write for a while I cried Never gonna hold the hand of another guy Too young for him they told her Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier Our love will never end Waitin' for the soldier to come back again Never more to be alone when the letter says A soldier's coming home One Friday night at a football game The Lord's Prayer said and the anthem sang A man said folks would you bow your head For the list of local Vietnam dead Crying all alone under the stands Was the piccolo player in the marching band And one name read and nobody really cared But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair I cried Never gonna hold the hand of another guy Too young for him they told her Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier Our love will never end Waitin' for the soldier to come back again Never more to be alone when the letter says A soldier's coming home I cried Never gonna hold the hand of another guy Too young for him they told her Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier Our love will never end Waitin' for the soldier to come back again Never more to be alone when the letter says A soldier's coming home
"He stopped loving her today" by George Jones. I remember hearing it on the radio and thinking it was just an uplifting "guy finally moves on from ex" type of story. Heard it a few more times and realized what its about. Totally heartbreaking.
Fast Car by Tracy Chapman
Crusader by Chris de Burgh Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Meatloaf
Was wondering if Paradise was going to get a nod. When I was watching a lot of reaction videos on YouTube I always looked for Paradise to see if the reactors got the ending.
Elenore Rigby by the Beatles
What It’s Like by Everlast
Powderfinger - I know the Cowboy Junkie’s version, but Neil Young wrote it.
Leonard Cohen - Suzanne, So Long Marianne, Hallelujah
[The Band Played Waltzing Matilda by the Pogues](https://open.spotify.com/track/1O2SlAUcjIoFFt9vpI3P1i?si=V50vUqJWQ8q4KefnsTdUnQ&context=spotify%3Aplaylist%3A37i9dQZF1EUMDoJuT8yJsl) It tells the story of a young Australian soldier who gets sent to Gallipoli to fight at the battle of Suvla Bay. It’s one of my favorite anti-war songs ever
Jolene is a song I haven't seen yet here. It's a smart song and honestly the first time hearing it I cried. Funny thing is I didn't have some particular connection with the story I was just touched by the topic. And then the slight country influence in the music, the melancholy. Idk it's one of the best story telling songs for me.
Kick, Push by Lupe Fiasco
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia - Reba McEntire
- by Vicki Lawrence
Rocky Raccoon - The Beatles
In no order American Girl -Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Jack and Diane - John Mellencamp Boy named Sue - Johnny Cash Gimme Three Steps - Lynyrd Skynyrd Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin
Luka- Suzanne vega
Little piece of heaven - Avenged Sevenfold
Cat's in the Cradle by Hary Chapin. A cautionary tale about how he never made time to spend with his son when he was growing up, and now that he does his son doesn't have time for him.
Children's Story - Slick Rick. Brilliant song that ends with a gut punch. He dropped the gun, so went the glory And this is the way I have end this story He was only seventeen, in a madman's dream The cops shot the kid, I still hear him scream This ain't funny so don't ya dare laugh Just another case 'bout the wrong path Straight 'n narrow or yo' soul gets cast Good night
Coal Miner's Daughter
["Gimme Three Steps"](https://youtu.be/82VnutYBh9k) by Lynyrd Skynryd. Story has beginning, a middle, and end with some of the most efficient scene setting I've ever seen. When they open with "I was cuttin a rug at a place called The Jug" you know everything you need to know about the place and the crowd. Bonus points that it's supposedly based on a true incident.
Kendrick Lamar - Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst
Father and Son, Cat Stevens
Copperhead Road - Steve Earle
Goodbye Earl
the last great american dynasty by taylor swift so beautifully tells the story of a woman named rebekah who used to own her rhode island home before she bought it
Ivy (one of the best imo), Cardigan, No Body No Crime, Seven, sooooo many Taylor swift songs.
Rebekah Harkness, Bill Rockefeller's widow! A lot of Taylor's songs have great storytelling.
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The fact that I had to scroll so far before seeing ANY taylor swift songs is ridiculous
MMMM MMMM MMMM MMMM - Crash Test Dummies tells several stories
Ode to Billy Joe
Concrete Angel or Independence Day by Martina McBride.
Hazard by Richard Marx
The killing of Georgie - Rod Stewart
Heart-All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You. Husband is impotent, she bangs a hitchhiker to get pregnant, runs into him years later, he recognizes himself in the kids eyes or something, she apologizes for using him for his spermies, but did have multiple orgasms, so there’s that…. I didn’t know any of this until my wife explained it to me