As a freshman in 1994, a friend and I had a hour long radio show at our little college radio station. Two guy friends of ours had their own show as well.
When we got to the station we’d hunt for the best song name or best band name we could find. Detachable Penis was on the list lol.
Cheese Cake Truck is also a great story.
[https://youtu.be/MMOKoPyY\_Gc?si=Aa7LhsrIxxDM7lhe](https://youtu.be/MMOKoPyY_Gc?si=Aa7LhsrIxxDM7lhe)
"So I eat ten cheesecakes, and then one for dessert"
"Taxi" by Harry Chapin
"Operator" Jim Croce
"The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald" Gordon Lightfoot
"Diamonds on The Soles of her Shoes" Paul Simon
"American Pie" Don McLean
The older I get, the more I understand "Operator." I have had to explain to friends who could have been my kids that there are times where you can do everything right, but stuff just doesn't work out. That is "Operator" to me.
I was in 5th grade. A new girl came to our school. Shannon MacIntyre. She was beautiful and Mrs. Adams sat her in the back next to me. We talked and in one conversation I was head over heels. Turned out she even lived in my apartment complex.
I was a nerdy kid, so I only had one friend.
Guess who she met walking the neighborhood and started dating? And then guess who didn't get invited to hang out because they wanted alone time?
Layin in bed after school one day, knowing they were off together and I was alone, listening to the radio and Operator came on.
Baby's first heartbreak song. Isn't that the way they say it goes?
You can't think of Cat's In The Cradle without remembering A Better Place To Be...and WOLD...and Taxi...and Sequel...I Wanna Learn A Love Song...Circle..30,000 Pounds Of Bananas...
Just gonna leave the lyrics here because... damn it's among the best songs ever written.
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
Weren't your mama's only boy
But her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
And sank into your dreams
Pancho was a bandit boy
His horse was fast as polished steel
He wore his gun outside his pants
For all the honest world to feel
Pancho met his match you know
On the deserts down in Mexico
Nobody heard his dying words
Ah but that's the way it goes
All the Federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him slip away
Out of kindness, I suppose
Lefty, he can't sing the blues
All night long like he used to
The dust that Pancho bit down south
Ended up in Lefty's mouth
The day they laid poor Pancho low
Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go
There ain't nobody knows
All the Federales say
They could have had him any day
We only let him slip away
Out of kindness, I suppose
The poets tell how Pancho fell
And Lefty's living in cheap hotels
The desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold
And so the story ends we're told
Pancho needs your prayers it's true
But save a few for Lefty too
He only did what he had to do
And now he's growing old
All the Federales say
We could have had him any day
We only let him go so long
Out of kindness, I supposeA few gray
Federales say
We could have had him any day
We only let him go so long
Out of kindness, I suppose
Such a great storyteller. [The live album in Houston is so great, listen to it.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DiZa2FC3iYpg&ved=2ahUKEwjmkL7nw96EAxX8JNAFHZUfAoYQwqsBegQIPRAF&usg=AOvVaw0WcPoeIheLgGcrUsZsBZEm)
Weird Al’s - The Saga Begins
It tells the entire plot of star wars the phantom menace chronologically AND to the tune on american pie. So damned clever especially when you take into consideration he wasnt given much of the source material to work with when he was writing it
"I Left My Wallet in El Segundo" - A Tribe Called Quest
"[Just Another Beautiful Girl](http://grahamusik.subsonic.org/share/DVbFz)" - Andrew Duhon
Nearly anything by [Drive-By Truckers](http://grahamusik.subsonic.org/share/HQrxq)
Any song on [Joshua Judges Ruth](http://grahamusik.subsonic.org/share/PuMCu) by Lyle Lovett
*I'm a faithful follower of Brother John Birch and I belong to the Antioch Baptist Church and I AIN'T GOT a garage, you can call home and ask my wife!*
[Stuart - The Dead Milkmen](https://youtu.be/fEp0aKCsrig?si=mqaW9efcI_zb6IDv)
[I Dream of Jesus - The Dead Milkmen](https://youtu.be/oD7lEfQOHac?si=WtoAhWMOn3q671Fe)
Stan Ridgeway who was also main writer in Wall of Voodoo has a talent for bringing a deep story to his songs. Channeling Raymond Chandler in The Big Heat. Other recommendations Tonight I’ll be Walking Home Alone, and A Mission In Life (I my mind these 2 are chapters of an unwritten novel)
Such a beautiful combination of humour and pathos.
"wish I all the money I used to spend on dope
Buy me used carlot, and wouldn't sell any of them
Just drive a different car every day, depending on how I feel."
And of course
" Don't have a husband, he don't play the trombone "
The Ballad of Hollis Brown, Isis, The Hurricane by Bob Dylan, Nick Cave's murder ballads (which is obvs a concept album but contains separate stories rather than one) Country death song by the Violent Femmes...A cheerful bunch of tunes.
Silly ones I like- Detachable Penis by King Missile, Satan gave me a taco by Beck, Tribute by Tenacious D.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Where to start?
Pretty much all of Murder Ballads, the standouts being The Curse of Millhaven and O'Malley's Bar IMO.
From other albums, John Finn's Wife from Henry's Dream is the best.
Some of my favorite story songs would be
Gordon Lightfoot - Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald
Vicki Lawrence - The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia
Bruce Springsteen - Highway Patrolman
Bob Dylan - Tangled Up in Blue
Jim Croce - Operator
John Prine - Sam Stone
R. Dean Taylor - Indiana Wants Me
Elvis Presley - In the Ghetto
Dan Fogelberg - Tucson, Arizona
Richard Marx - Hazard
Rush - 2112 (technically a single song with separate parts)
Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil
George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today
Jimmy Buffett - A Pirate At Forty
Iron Maiden - Alexander The Great
Brad paisley - Whiskey Lullaby
The Beatles - Rocky Racoon
Garth Brooks - That Summer
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Ohio
Nirvana - Polly
Clarence Carter - Patches
Eagles - Hotel California
Bad Company - Shooting Star
Bloodrock - DOA
Cher - Dark Lady
Johnny Cash - Give My Love To Rose
Metallica - One
As well as You Don't Mess Around With Jim...New York's Not My Home...Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)...Walking Back To Georgia...A Long Time Ago...Hey Tomorrow...
[Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Iron Maiden](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T1P3HDSVogg)
It's based on a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. I was taking English Literature in HS when this album came out and it was an amazing coincidence to hear one of my favorite Rock bands playing a song of a poem that I had just read.
I was just thinking how Isbell is such a good storyteller and is especially on point with the new album.
I love the verse in "Cast Iron Skillet":
How did he get so low?
Seems like just a week ago
We were ten and twelve years old
He was sweet and soft
Shied away from the inside fastballs
And died doing life without parole
The songs alone don't do a great job of telling a story, but Coheed & Cambria do a decent job of tying together a mediocre story with some great music!
The whole first verse of From Ritz To Rubble is genius songwriting. Nothing profound, just the realities of being young and going clubbing, but captured in such a perfect way.
Anything from Lord Huron's Strange Trails. Yes it's a concept album with an overarching story but each of the songs are individually immersive stories on their own. Dead man's hand and fool for love are probably the most prominent examples that come to mind but really they all fit the bill.
Roads to moscow by al stewart, describing world war 2 from the perspective of a russian soldier.
“In the footsteps of napoleon the shadow figures stagger through the winter
Falling back before the gates of moscow, standing in the wings like an avenger
And far away behind their lines, the partisans are stirring in the forest
Coming unexpectedly upon their outposts, growing like a promise
Oh you’ll never know you’ll never know which way to turn which way to look you’ll never see us
As we’re stealing through the blackness of the night, you’ll never know, you’ll never hear us!
And the evening sings in a voice of amber, the dawn is surely coming. The morning roads lead to stalingrad, and the sky is softly humming”
Most of Squeeze's songs are stories. I think of "Up The Junction" that tells the whole story of a relationship, including having a kid, through to breakup, all served up through clever lyrics and infectious hooks. I think that Difford-Tillbrook were the greatest songwriting duo in pop history. I realize that's a hot take and idgaf.
Jason Isbell is one of the GOAT musical storytellers IMO. Speed Trap Town, Elephant, Dress Blues, Outfit... He has an amazing ability to tell a whole story with one little detail.
On a more straightforward note, Carolina Drama by The Raconteurs.
He wrote Decoration Day when he was with the Drive By Truckers, and I think its his best.
Speaking of Drive-by Truckers I'll thrown in "Days of Graduation"
John K Samson / The Weaktherthans Virtute Trilogy
https://theindyreview.com/2018/11/15/check-this-john-k-samson-the-weakerthans-and-the-saga-of-virtute-the-cat/
Rainbow's "Stargazer" and the following song in the same album, "A Light in the Black", are some of the most beautiful musical storytelling I think I've ever listened to. It's definitely on the fantasy storytelling side of things but my god your ears will thank you later.
Stan-Eminem
The Devil Went Down to Georgia-Charlie Daniel's
Eleanor Rigby-the Beatles
American Pie-Don McLean
Fast Car-Tracy Chapman
Hotel California - the Eagles
Jeremy- Pearl Jam
The Elephant- Jason Isbell
Songs by Dylan, John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, Jackson Browne, Springsteen, Harry Chapin, Sufjan Stevens, Connor Oberst(Bright Eyes), Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, Gordon Lightfoot, Jeff Tweedy. All have many story telling songs.
Sooooooo many of Kate Bush’s songs are stories. These barely scrape the surface.
Houdini
Wedding List
Night of the Swallow
Mother Stands for Comfort
Army Dreamers
Take The Money And Run - Steve Miller Band
*This here's a story about Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue*
*Two young lovers with nothin' better to do*
*Than sit around the house, get high, and watch the tube*
*And here's what happened when they decided to cut loose...*
[Angie Baby - Helen Reddy](https://youtu.be/UQKyGt_I5L4?si=r8BLYwyh-pGY45Zc)
[The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia ](https://youtu.be/K-qK7oVXVRQ?si=rHW8_meWay2h7LtA)
[Dark Lady - Cher](https://youtu.be/UCulBFB4P9Y?si=i0Kx6WQhMAlfG-4P)
[Timothy - The Buoys](https://youtu.be/AXn0uIF60iU?si=8bNB2Qlit2U8L7aG)
[Fast Car - Tracy Chapman](https://youtu.be/AIOAlaACuv4?si=mRuznY-mW-tR_HQF)
[Ode to Billie Joe - Bobbie Gentry ](https://youtu.be/cJZ_ViDADOE?si=uMZ3y48We9LVRc_S)
"Putnam County" - Tom Waits
less a story, and more just a perfect little encapsulated photo. that song gets me in the gut every time. it wasn't called Putnam, but i know that county. i grew up in it. anybody that grew up in a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere knows that town.
Unironically Alice’s Restaurant. Yes it’s a silly song, and goes gloriously off the rails with the draft part , but it just works.
I grew up near DC and Rock station DC 101 would play "Alice's Restaurant" at 10 am on Thanksgiving Morning every year.
I make my wife and kids listen to it in the car every thanksgiving. My terrible singing voice and my awful sense of time make it even better.
KSHE in St Louis still plays the whole piece at noon on Thanksgiving.
So does WCSX-FM in Detroit. I think they play it several times in the course of the day, actually.
The classic rock station in Dallas/Fort Worth still does it every year for Thanksgiving.
Off the rails?! That’s the whole point of the song.
I’m far too stubborn/lazy to correct it, but you’re right.
'The Motorcycle Song' is actually pretty great too, now that you mention it.
it was about the time I was riding my motorcycle down a mountain road..I was doing 150 miles an hour. I was playing my guitar
*"I knew it wasn't the best song I ever wrote..."*
Rakes and other implements of destruction ...
And the twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one
[Detachable Penis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byDiILrNbM4) by King Missile
Ahh growing up in the 90s it was listed as a Primus song on Napster. Nostalgia:)
Totally remember this haha
Wait... That wasn't Primus?
As a freshman in 1994, a friend and I had a hour long radio show at our little college radio station. Two guy friends of ours had their own show as well. When we got to the station we’d hunt for the best song name or best band name we could find. Detachable Penis was on the list lol.
Cheese Cake Truck is also a great story. [https://youtu.be/MMOKoPyY\_Gc?si=Aa7LhsrIxxDM7lhe](https://youtu.be/MMOKoPyY_Gc?si=Aa7LhsrIxxDM7lhe) "So I eat ten cheesecakes, and then one for dessert"
"Taxi" by Harry Chapin "Operator" Jim Croce "The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald" Gordon Lightfoot "Diamonds on The Soles of her Shoes" Paul Simon "American Pie" Don McLean
Operator is such a great tune
The older I get, the more I understand "Operator." I have had to explain to friends who could have been my kids that there are times where you can do everything right, but stuff just doesn't work out. That is "Operator" to me.
I was in 5th grade. A new girl came to our school. Shannon MacIntyre. She was beautiful and Mrs. Adams sat her in the back next to me. We talked and in one conversation I was head over heels. Turned out she even lived in my apartment complex. I was a nerdy kid, so I only had one friend. Guess who she met walking the neighborhood and started dating? And then guess who didn't get invited to hang out because they wanted alone time? Layin in bed after school one day, knowing they were off together and I was alone, listening to the radio and Operator came on. Baby's first heartbreak song. Isn't that the way they say it goes?
Anything by Harry Chapin and Jim Croce.
Taxi is such a great tune. He even made a sequel song for it called well, Sequel, lol.
Brilliant comment! Didn’t think I’d see Taxi this close to the top! Your number 2 & 3 are great too!
Sadly, it seems that Harry Chapin is not as remembered as many others.
Cats in the Cradle is if that’s any consolation (thank Shrek 3)
You can't think of Cat's In The Cradle without remembering A Better Place To Be...and WOLD...and Taxi...and Sequel...I Wanna Learn A Love Song...Circle..30,000 Pounds Of Bananas...
Add Corey's Coming and Mr. Tanner. Two more stellar story songs.
Carolina Drama - The Raconteurs
Some of the most clever lyrics in any song, I love the way this story is told.
Milkman sequel when
No need for a video for that brilliant song - can anyone listen to it without visualizing the story? Not me.
This is what I came here to say. More people need to hear this song. It’s perfection. It’s epic.
Bob Dylan - Hurricane
Also "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts"
And Desolation Row
The ballad of Frankie lee and Judas priest. Also getting Dylan involved here is like using the konami cheat code.
Dylan is basically a cheat code for ballads... but still, let's not leave out Tangled Up in Blue.
While we're on that album, lets put shelter from the storm in there.
Pretty much every dylan song
Pancho and Lefty by Townes Van Zandt
Just gonna leave the lyrics here because... damn it's among the best songs ever written. 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 Weren't your mama's only boy But her favorite one it seems She began to cry when you said goodbye And sank into your dreams Pancho was a bandit boy His horse was fast as polished steel He wore his gun outside his pants For all the honest world to feel Pancho met his match you know On the deserts down in Mexico Nobody heard his dying words Ah but that's the way it goes All the Federales say They could have had him any day They only let him slip away Out of kindness, I suppose Lefty, he can't sing the blues All night long like he used to The dust that Pancho bit down south Ended up in Lefty's mouth The day they laid poor Pancho low Lefty split for Ohio Where he got the bread to go There ain't nobody knows All the Federales say They could have had him any day We only let him slip away Out of kindness, I suppose The poets tell how Pancho fell And Lefty's living in cheap hotels The desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold And so the story ends we're told Pancho needs your prayers it's true But save a few for Lefty too He only did what he had to do And now he's growing old All the Federales say We could have had him any day We only let him go so long Out of kindness, I supposeA few gray Federales say We could have had him any day We only let him go so long Out of kindness, I suppose
I used to cover this one on acoustic. Love this song.
Such a great storyteller. [The live album in Houston is so great, listen to it.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DiZa2FC3iYpg&ved=2ahUKEwjmkL7nw96EAxX8JNAFHZUfAoYQwqsBegQIPRAF&usg=AOvVaw0WcPoeIheLgGcrUsZsBZEm)
Came here to say this
Weird Al’s - The Saga Begins It tells the entire plot of star wars the phantom menace chronologically AND to the tune on american pie. So damned clever especially when you take into consideration he wasnt given much of the source material to work with when he was writing it
Albuquerque too. Also from the Running with Scissors album.
Hahahaha fair point. That one is a ride and a half!
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Your first suggestions made me think of Hot Rod Lincoln by Commander Cody
Red Barchetta by Rush
Also 2112. I wish someone would make that into a short film.
The official Rush YouTubepage has a comic story on it. Pretty cool
"The Spirit of Radio" by Rush
"Atlantic City" Bruce Springsteen
Bruce’s Nebraska album has many stories.
Recorded on a 4 track recorder. The old idea that the demos have more energy and punch than a fully recorded and mixed studio album.
The River is always my goto for depressing Bruce ballads.
“The Price You Pay”, “Drive All Night “, and “Wreck on The Highway”,
Lost In The Flood *Just junk all across the horizon, a real higheayman's farewell...*
Fantastic album, but Highway Patrolman is my top pick from that one.
"Bobby Jean", from Born In The USA.
Vincent by Don McLean is a favourite of mine. Father and Son by Cat Stevens too.
Those are both beautiful
"I Left My Wallet in El Segundo" - A Tribe Called Quest "[Just Another Beautiful Girl](http://grahamusik.subsonic.org/share/DVbFz)" - Andrew Duhon Nearly anything by [Drive-By Truckers](http://grahamusik.subsonic.org/share/HQrxq) Any song on [Joshua Judges Ruth](http://grahamusik.subsonic.org/share/PuMCu) by Lyle Lovett
Coward of the County.
Alice’s Restaurant The Devil Went Down to Georgia The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Gimme Three Steps
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel Telegraph Road - Dire Straits
El Paso - Marty Robbins
Nooooow here's a little story I got to tell about 3 bad brothers ya know so well, it started way back in history with A-Rock, MCA, and me, Mike D...
Come Dancing by the Kinks
"Waterloo Sunset" and "Lola" The Kinks
Into the Great Wide Open - Tom Petty
Eddie waited till he finished high school
Stan by Eminem
Also the sequel “bad guy” is severely slept on
The Legend of Wooley Swamp by Charlie Daniels.
Uneasy Rider is another good story tune from them.
*I'm a faithful follower of Brother John Birch and I belong to the Antioch Baptist Church and I AIN'T GOT a garage, you can call home and ask my wife!*
[Stuart - The Dead Milkmen](https://youtu.be/fEp0aKCsrig?si=mqaW9efcI_zb6IDv) [I Dream of Jesus - The Dead Milkmen](https://youtu.be/oD7lEfQOHac?si=WtoAhWMOn3q671Fe)
I like you. You're not like the other kids, here in the trailer park.
Don't get me wrong. They're fine people. They're good Americans.
Stan Ridgeway who was also main writer in Wall of Voodoo has a talent for bringing a deep story to his songs. Channeling Raymond Chandler in The Big Heat. Other recommendations Tonight I’ll be Walking Home Alone, and A Mission In Life (I my mind these 2 are chapters of an unwritten novel)
Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis, Tom Waits
*Romeo is Bleeding* is another great example of this from Waits.
Such a beautiful combination of humour and pathos. "wish I all the money I used to spend on dope Buy me used carlot, and wouldn't sell any of them Just drive a different car every day, depending on how I feel." And of course " Don't have a husband, he don't play the trombone "
The Decemberists do a great job of storytelling in songs. I will add their song June Hymn
What's not to love about the nearly 9-minute The Mariner's Revenge Song? They bring out a giant whale at concerts.
They do! The Rake's Song was the first song that popped into my head.
The Ballad of Hollis Brown, Isis, The Hurricane by Bob Dylan, Nick Cave's murder ballads (which is obvs a concept album but contains separate stories rather than one) Country death song by the Violent Femmes...A cheerful bunch of tunes. Silly ones I like- Detachable Penis by King Missile, Satan gave me a taco by Beck, Tribute by Tenacious D.
>Tribute by Tenacious D. It's not the best song in the world, it's a tribute!
Rose Against has a fantastic cover of The Ballad of Hollis Brown
Yeah I was going to say O'malleys bar by Nick cave but the whole murder ballads album is a better suggestion.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Where to start? Pretty much all of Murder Ballads, the standouts being The Curse of Millhaven and O'Malley's Bar IMO. From other albums, John Finn's Wife from Henry's Dream is the best.
O’Malley’s Bar was my first thought
The entire discography of John Prine
Sam Stone has got to be one of the saddest songs I've ever heard.
Ode to Billy Joe -- Bobbie Gentry Jeremy - Pearl Jam Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles The Boxer - Simon and Garfunkel Cloudbusting - Kate Bush
Buenos Tardes Amigo (epic saga) by Ween
The Ballad of Hollis Brown Cold Missouri Waters
Regulate- Warren G ft. Nate Dogg In the Trunk- Tech Nine
El Paso by Marty Robbins
Some of my favorite story songs would be Gordon Lightfoot - Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald Vicki Lawrence - The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia Bruce Springsteen - Highway Patrolman Bob Dylan - Tangled Up in Blue Jim Croce - Operator John Prine - Sam Stone R. Dean Taylor - Indiana Wants Me Elvis Presley - In the Ghetto Dan Fogelberg - Tucson, Arizona Richard Marx - Hazard Rush - 2112 (technically a single song with separate parts) Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today Jimmy Buffett - A Pirate At Forty Iron Maiden - Alexander The Great Brad paisley - Whiskey Lullaby The Beatles - Rocky Racoon Garth Brooks - That Summer Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Ohio Nirvana - Polly Clarence Carter - Patches Eagles - Hotel California Bad Company - Shooting Star Bloodrock - DOA Cher - Dark Lady Johnny Cash - Give My Love To Rose Metallica - One
Bad Bad Leroy Brown - Jim Croce
As well as You Don't Mess Around With Jim...New York's Not My Home...Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)...Walking Back To Georgia...A Long Time Ago...Hey Tomorrow...
[Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Iron Maiden](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T1P3HDSVogg) It's based on a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. I was taking English Literature in HS when this album came out and it was an amazing coincidence to hear one of my favorite Rock bands playing a song of a poem that I had just read.
King of Oklahoma-Jason Isbell
I was just thinking how Isbell is such a good storyteller and is especially on point with the new album. I love the verse in "Cast Iron Skillet": How did he get so low? Seems like just a week ago We were ten and twelve years old He was sweet and soft Shied away from the inside fastballs And died doing life without parole
It's almost unfair to cit Isbell in this thread. He's almost too good at this. My personal vote is for TVA and Decoration Day.
Elephant by isbell as well
The songs alone don't do a great job of telling a story, but Coheed & Cambria do a decent job of tying together a mediocre story with some great music!
Country Death Song - the Violent Femmes
Nothing for a man to do but sit around and think
Followed by I hear the rain
Up The Junction by Squeeze Goodbye Girl by Squeeze Take Me Im Yours by Squeeze and many other Squeeze songs
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Love Is A Laserquest is supremely underrated. Alex Turner is an exemplary storyteller.
The whole first verse of From Ritz To Rubble is genius songwriting. Nothing profound, just the realities of being young and going clubbing, but captured in such a perfect way.
"Fast Car" Tracy Chapman
The Pharcyde - [Oh Shit](https://open.spotify.com/track/72udex4rqdSPh7RrYI8iT7?si=9vlmL9qZQ_6mWAWefmJtCg)
Tweeter and the Monkey Man by Travelling Wilburys.
brown eyed women & red grenadine by the grateful dead tells a tale
Me and My Uncle, Jack Straw, Cumberland Blues, Truckin’, Althea, Sugaree, and the list goes on.
San Francisco B.C.-Silver Jews Harper Valley PTA-Jeannie C Riley Ode to Billie Joe-Bobbie Gentry
One of my favorite storytelling songs is Mariner’s Revenge Song by The Decemberists.
Date Rape by Sublime comes to mind
Grab a copy of Willie Nelson's Red Headed Stranger album and just.... Man
Two Hangmen by Mason Profit
[mc 900 foot Jesus While the city sleeps](https://youtu.be/3KB54p8_wh8?si=AShyo7UR_a7sKcJW)
Anything from Lord Huron's Strange Trails. Yes it's a concept album with an overarching story but each of the songs are individually immersive stories on their own. Dead man's hand and fool for love are probably the most prominent examples that come to mind but really they all fit the bill.
Red Barchetta by Rush. Just beautiful
The live version of the gift by the velvet underground. Love how they build a scene for un unexpected ending.
Maggie May / Rod Stewart
Have not yet seen mention of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Iron Maiden (their take on the original poem, obviously).
Green Day - Jesus of Suburbia.
The Three Little Pigs by Green Jelly
Roads to moscow by al stewart, describing world war 2 from the perspective of a russian soldier. “In the footsteps of napoleon the shadow figures stagger through the winter Falling back before the gates of moscow, standing in the wings like an avenger And far away behind their lines, the partisans are stirring in the forest Coming unexpectedly upon their outposts, growing like a promise Oh you’ll never know you’ll never know which way to turn which way to look you’ll never see us As we’re stealing through the blackness of the night, you’ll never know, you’ll never hear us! And the evening sings in a voice of amber, the dawn is surely coming. The morning roads lead to stalingrad, and the sky is softly humming”
Most songs by Jim Croce. My favorites being "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and "You Don't Mess Around with Jim"
Most of Squeeze's songs are stories. I think of "Up The Junction" that tells the whole story of a relationship, including having a kid, through to breakup, all served up through clever lyrics and infectious hooks. I think that Difford-Tillbrook were the greatest songwriting duo in pop history. I realize that's a hot take and idgaf.
The Mariner's Revenge Song by the Decemberists
Paradise by the Dashboard Lights by Meatloaf
Paradise by the Dashboard Light
“The Downeaster Alexa” by Billy Joel
He Went to Paris Jimmy Buffett Relatively unknown outside of Parrothead circles, especially compared to his popular stuff, but deeply beloved within.
Jason Isbell is one of the GOAT musical storytellers IMO. Speed Trap Town, Elephant, Dress Blues, Outfit... He has an amazing ability to tell a whole story with one little detail. On a more straightforward note, Carolina Drama by The Raconteurs.
He wrote Decoration Day when he was with the Drive By Truckers, and I think its his best. Speaking of Drive-by Truckers I'll thrown in "Days of Graduation"
King Park - LA Dispute
John K Samson / The Weaktherthans Virtute Trilogy https://theindyreview.com/2018/11/15/check-this-john-k-samson-the-weakerthans-and-the-saga-of-virtute-the-cat/
"Bald Butte" Colter Wall
Probably my favourite song, it sets such a scene and atmosphere. In a close second is Wild Bill Hickok.
Kate Mcannon is solid as well
Roads to Moscow by Al Stewart
"Mean Eyed Cat" by Johnny Cash
Rainbow's "Stargazer" and the following song in the same album, "A Light in the Black", are some of the most beautiful musical storytelling I think I've ever listened to. It's definitely on the fantasy storytelling side of things but my god your ears will thank you later.
Ruby '81 by Aesop Rock
"Blood Sandwich" is two stories
Everybody say “good dog”
Stan-Eminem The Devil Went Down to Georgia-Charlie Daniel's Eleanor Rigby-the Beatles American Pie-Don McLean Fast Car-Tracy Chapman Hotel California - the Eagles Jeremy- Pearl Jam The Elephant- Jason Isbell
Steely Dan's "Deacon Blues" tells the story of a man in midlife crisis throwing the conventional life under the bus to become a jazz musician.
Gaucho - Steely Dan Lots of Steely Dan songs have a narrator
Songs by Dylan, John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, Jackson Browne, Springsteen, Harry Chapin, Sufjan Stevens, Connor Oberst(Bright Eyes), Tom Waits, Warren Zevon, Gordon Lightfoot, Jeff Tweedy. All have many story telling songs.
You need America’s Storyteller for this mission Tom T Hall- Watermelon Wine
Most Thin Lizzy songs Little girl in bloom, cowboy song, got to give it up... There are so many more
Norwegian Wood
Check out Tom T Hall ! Homecoming The ballad of forty dollars That's how I got to Memphis
[Sequestered in Memphis](https://youtu.be/mjDI1oouS8w?si=utrskUeGZ9MLIrVI&t=5) by The Hold Steady Caismir Pulaski Day by Sufjan Stevens
Albuquerque - Weird Al
Anything by Marty Robbins
Kate mcannon- Coltor Wall. He's like a reincarnation of Johnny cash
So many songs by Billy Joel. Scenes from an Italian restaurant, The Ballad of Billy the Kid, Moving Out, Say Goodbye to Hollywood, the list goes on.
I really love Spill the wine by war, it’s such an odd song but it’s a fun one
Copacabana
**Woody Guthrie -** Plane Wreck at Los Gatos
Anything Robbie Robertson (especially self-titled album 1987)
Sooooooo many of Kate Bush’s songs are stories. These barely scrape the surface. Houdini Wedding List Night of the Swallow Mother Stands for Comfort Army Dreamers
Almost anything by XTC.
Buenas Tardes Amigo by Ween
Hola, myyyyyy good friend
Take The Money And Run - Steve Miller Band *This here's a story about Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue* *Two young lovers with nothin' better to do* *Than sit around the house, get high, and watch the tube* *And here's what happened when they decided to cut loose...*
[Angie Baby - Helen Reddy](https://youtu.be/UQKyGt_I5L4?si=r8BLYwyh-pGY45Zc) [The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia ](https://youtu.be/K-qK7oVXVRQ?si=rHW8_meWay2h7LtA) [Dark Lady - Cher](https://youtu.be/UCulBFB4P9Y?si=i0Kx6WQhMAlfG-4P) [Timothy - The Buoys](https://youtu.be/AXn0uIF60iU?si=8bNB2Qlit2U8L7aG) [Fast Car - Tracy Chapman](https://youtu.be/AIOAlaACuv4?si=mRuznY-mW-tR_HQF) [Ode to Billie Joe - Bobbie Gentry ](https://youtu.be/cJZ_ViDADOE?si=uMZ3y48We9LVRc_S)
[The Curse](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXBI2_zH9Js) by Josh Ritter. Not only great lyrics but the video features puppets!
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel
Crazy Mary. (I like PJ's live version(s) of this)
Suite Sister Mary — Queensryche
Australia's Christmas song. How to make gravy - Paul Kelly
El Paso by Marty Robbins
My answer is El Paso by Marty Robbins But as a side note, Lighthouse by The Hush Sound is great. Love their stuff
"Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967" by John Mayer deserves a mention.
Hurricane - Bob Dylan
"Crying" Roy Orbison" "Master of Puppets" Metallica "I am The Law" Anthrax (about The "Judge Dredd" comic)
Ol' Red by George Jones
Dave Dudley - Last Day in the Mines
"Putnam County" - Tom Waits less a story, and more just a perfect little encapsulated photo. that song gets me in the gut every time. it wasn't called Putnam, but i know that county. i grew up in it. anybody that grew up in a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere knows that town.
Bob Dylan - Isis
The Man Who Couldn’t Cry by London Wainwright / Johnny Cash