i like songs that tell a little story, like the piña colada song, Stan by Eminem or STORY by NF!
Edit: i will put a ✅ once i listened to the song, and put a rating !!
also i did not anticipate THIS many responses so it will be a while lol!!
looking for songs that tell a story!
Rec.Me: rock/metal/punk...or "Piano Man."
Harper Valley PTA
Ode to Billie Joe
Love Harper Valley!
Freaking awesome. And true man. From everything I’ve heard from people actually involved in that organization spot on. Freaking awesome as hell.
Hilarious song. I remember it caused a bit of a stir back then.
Ode to Billie Joe is a kick in the gut!
Jungleland- Bruce Springsteen
Hurricane- Bob Dylan
Jeremy- Pearl Jam
Just wanted to add Tweeter And The Monkeyman with Bob Dylan and the Travelling Wilburys to this list. Bob Dylan has some great story song. Hurricane is another great one.
Hurricane is amazing
Excellent.
Hurricane is the best. To tell a true story, tell the story well, and make the music so good you want to listen over and over, until the listeners ready to protest racial inequality… I mean that’s why he’s a genius.
Joey is pretty good too. Not 100% factual but a great mob story.
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30d
Cocaine Blues - Johnny Cash
A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash
Big River - Johnny Cash
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, by Gordon Lightfoot. The Killing of Georgie, by Rod Stewart. Two Gunslingers, by Tom Petty. Smoke on the Water, by Deep Purple. Shooting Star, by Bad Company. Juke Box Hero, by Foreigner.
Had to scroll down waaaaay too far to find Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
"Killing of Georgie" Excellent call!
Privileged to have heard Lightfoot sing Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald live in a small venue. It was amazing.
John Prine is my favorite story teller. He has tons. Paradise, Donald & Lydia, Sam Stone, Jesus The Missing Years, Lake Marie, Hello In There.
Other favorites are Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Springsteen, Paul Simon, Tom T Hall, Jackson Browne, Conor Oberst.
A few songs:
Lua- Bright Eyes
In The Woods Somewhere- Hozier
The Ballad of Curtis Lowe- Lynyrd Skynyrd
The Killing of Georgie i & ii- Rod Steward
Down From Dover- Dolly Parton
Wreck On The Highway- Springsteen
For A Dancer- Jackson Browne
John Prine has my heart forever.
An A1 list
The Ballad of Curtis Lowe- Lynyrd Skynyrd
I remember when I first heard that song in 2012 and it was the best song with that band I had ever heard. I haven’t thought of it in years. I’m gonna go listen to it thank you.
Yes I agree one of their best that doesn’t get a lot of attention.
I’m melting over here!!! John prine! Hands down best story teller!! So simple and sooo good! That’s the secret in my book K.I.S.S. Keep it simple stupid…😂 How about souvenirs??👍
Prine is the GOAT.
Alice's restaurant.
“This song is called Alice’s restaurant. It’s about Alice, and the restaurant. But Alice’s restaurant isn’t the name of the restaurant. It’s just the name of the song and that’s why I called the song Alice’s restaurant.…”
I literally have the whole song memorized, all 19 point something minutes. But if I wrote it here, it would probably break some sort of copyright lol 😂
I was just about to fill in the blanks but realised how long it would take so here’s some highlights … we’re both jumping up and down yelling , kill , kiilll , kiiiillll…. And the biggest meanest father raper of them all… another case of American blind justice…
...sittin' here on the group W bench...
Didn't Jefferson airplane have a song called to ask Alice that's a kick-ass grove song too
Yes, the song is actually called white rabbit. It is totally awesome also
Great song! Esp. the incredible vocal by Grace Slick.
Remember Alice? This is a song about Alice.
Officer Obie, I cannot tell a lie. I put that envelope under that half-a-ton of garbage
After speaking to Obie for about fourty-five minutes on the telephone we finally arrived at the truth of the matter and said that we had to go down and pick up the garbage, and also had to go down and speak to him at the police officer's station. So we got in the red VW microbus with the shovels and rakes and implements of destruction and headed on toward the police officer's station. Now friends, there was only one or two things that Obie could’ve done at the police officer’s station, and the first was he could have given us a medal for being so brave and honest on the telephone, which wasn't very likely, and we didn't expect it, and the other thing was he could have bawled us out and told us never to be see driving garbage around the vicinity again, which is what we expected, but when we got to the police officer's station there was a third possibility that we hadn't even counted upon, and we was both immediately arrested.
This is such an unbelievably excellent answer.
Stan from Eminem is a great story but sad
✅love this song im glad someone brought it up (also edited it into my original post credit to you!)
“Paradise By the Dashboard Light” by Meat Loaf
“Chasing Dragons” by DJ Down3r
“3rd Rock From the Sun” by Joe Diffie
“That Summer,” “Beaches of Cheyenne,” and “Belleau Wood” by Garth Brooks
“Hurricane” by Bob Dylan
Belleau Wood makes me cry every time, and not just because it's about an actual event.
As for Paradise by the Dashboard Light...well, up until I was maybe 16 or 18, every time I heard the 'baseball commentary' section of the song, I just thought it was the girl sitting at a baseball game, trying to decide whether or not her star player boyfriend was worth staying with. Never once, before that time, did I hear the guy moan at the beginning of that section.
Same Old Lang Syne- Dan Fogleberg
Shannon - Henry Gross https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon_(song)
Wildfire - Michael Martin Murphey
Angie Baby - Helen Reddy
"She ran calling wiiiiiildd fire..., haven't heard this in years, nice.
Shannon always made me cry when I was little.
I just put Shannon and Wildfire on a ‘70’s playlist!
Taxi by Harry Chapin
I came to say that any song by Harry Chapin will tell a great story. I'd start with Harry's "Greatest Stories Live" album.
He missed a sign that he should have seen, "trucks use lower gear" "GOD, Make it a dream" as he rode his last ride down.
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30d
And the party never ends
Did not expect to see Robert earl keen mentioned here 👀
Copperhead Road
Down In The Gulley by Brent Cobb is a similar story
Thanks!
"Never Again" - Nickelback "Cat's in the cradle" - Harry Chapin "The devil went down to Georgia" - The Charlie Daniels Band "Space Odyssey" - David Bowie Most Johnny Cash songs Many Taylor Swift songs
Hey! An unironic old school Nickelback recommendation! I love it!
"Space Odyssey" - David Bowie
You mean Space Oddity.
And all Harry Chapin songs. I don't think you can find a song of his that isn't a lyrical narration.
Hotel California.
Lonesome Rider by Volbeat.
The Thunder Rolls by Garth Brooks.
Goodbye Earl by The Chicks.
So many Eagles songs tell a story.
Lying Eyes
Take it Easy
A boy named Sue Johnny Cash The gambler. Kenny Rogers Coat of many colors. Dolly Faleena. Marty Robbins
100s of other older country songs
Randomly this morning at six in the morning, somebody was playing code of many colours on full volume outside my window for no reason at all. It was weird. Amazing but weird.
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Gordon Lightfoot
Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald
Coat of many colors, by Dolly Parton
Ween - Buenas Tardes Amigo
Excellent pull.
Also, Cold Blows the Wind.
I’d argue Tale of Jenny and Screech is a better storytelling song. Either way Ren is the best!
Also, Money Game, Pt. 3. Let me tell you a story about a boy named Jimmy...
Best answer
Empty Garden by Elton John is about the death of John Lennon.
Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner by Warren Zevon
Me and Bobby McGee.
Lots of Billy Joel songs tell a story, especially Piano Man and the restaurant song
String of Pearls - Soul Asylum
Talk about a story being told
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh8mzj_7xto
One tin soldier. Song gives me chills to this day.
if you like heavier stuff, Still Life by Opeth is a great concept album that goes through a pretty tragic story. it's probably in the pantheon of all progressive death metal albums out there.
That is an excellent album.
Tweeter and the monkey man - I prefer the Headstones version over the traveling willburries. Dylan wrote it.
String of pearls by soul asylum
Love that version
Operator - Jim Croce
Or anything by Jim Croce. 🤔😅
Stagger Lee - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Boy named Sue - Johnny Cash
Up the Junction - Squeeze
Stagger Lee - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
The entire Murder Ballads album
Stagger Lee is a really really old blues song originally.
Devil went down to Georgia
An absolute classic
Common People- Pulp
Also, check out the Shatner version.
Ob la di by the Beatles x
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
"Whiskey Lullaby" by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss - A tragic tale of two lost souls.
"Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen - A profound exploration of love, loss, and spirituality.
"The Ballad of Curtis Loew" by Lynyrd Skynyrd - A nostalgic recounting of a young boy's relationship with an elderly blues player.
"Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie - A lengthy, winding narrative about a Thanksgiving gone awry.
"Hurricane" by Bob Dylan - A powerful retelling of the wrongful conviction of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter.
"Vincent" by Don McLean - A poetic tribute to the life and work of artist Vincent van Gogh.
"The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" by Vicki Lawrence - A southern Gothic tale of murder and revenge.
"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" by The Band - A heartbreaking account of the final days of the Confederacy.
Strange fruit
Katatonia Omerta
Miss Otis Regrets, as sung by Elle Fitzgerald.
Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts, by Bob Dylan. It's an eight-minute nouveau Western about a bank robbery and a love triangle.
A Fine Fine Day. Tony Carey.
Charlie Daniels Band - The Devil Went Down to Georgia.
The highwayman by Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, and Willy Nelson
Harvest moon and I love the night by The Blue oyster cult
Last dance with Mary Jane by Tom Petty
Every song by Al Stewart
Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream
The decemberists - mariners revenge song
John Prine - Sam Stone
Tons of Primus songs are written in story form... Last salmon man, my name is mud, Jerry was a racecar driver, Ms. Blaileen... just off the top of my head. Most of their songs are little stories come to think of it... They're far from pop music though.
What would you do? By city high
Anything and everything by Jim Croce!
I’ve got a name
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll - Bob Dylan
Hurricane - Bob Dylan
Alice’s Restaurant - Arlo Guthrie
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Bobcaygeon.
Cat Stevens. Father and son
Wildfire by Michael Martin Murphy
Gilligan's Island theme song? "Just sit right back and hear a tale, a tale of a ship....."
Country Death Song - Violent Femmes
Alone Again, Naturally - Gilbert O'Sullivan
Operator - Jim Croce
up the junction by squeeze
Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum
Owl City - Be Brave
Owl City - This Isn’t the End
Slick Rick - Children’s Story
Lowkey - I've got a story to tell parts 1 2 + 3
Longleaf Palestine part one and two as well.
Demolition lovers - MCR
The " a tear in the fabric of life" ep from knocked loose tells the story of a man losing his wife in a car crash and spiralling. It has a full 20 odd minute stop motion video on youtube
Copperhead Road
love that song
Red Headed Stranger - Willie Nelson. The entire album tells a story.
- The Hockey Song (Hit Somebody!), by Warren Zevon.
- The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, by Gordon Lightfoot (bonus points because it’s a true story)
- Trashman Shoes, by Shoulders
if you like heavier stuff, Still Life by Opeth is a great concept album that goes through a pretty tragic story. it's probably in the pantheon of all progressive death metal albums out there.
Almost everything by the decemberists tells a story, at least in their early work.
They did an entire concept album called the hazards of love that was based on a book of poems(if I remember right)
The Decemberists - Eli the barrow boy is one of my favorites.
The Story of the Paper Boy / so long by Powfu
Headlights by Eminem ft. Nate Reuss
My Mind is Playing Tricks on Me by The Geto Boys
Thugz Mansion by Tupac (go for the original acoustic version)
Luven Me by Nelly
Grand Hoodoo by The Moss (I'm partial to the live June Audio recording)
Car Radio by twenty one pilots
3-4 Tango by Polar Bear Club
No Particular Place to Go by Chuck Berry
Rehab - Red Water. Pretty dark, but a story nonetheless
Look up the Canadian metal band Unleash the Archers. Some of their albums are a complete story, and each song is a small story.
Shel Silverstein songs usually have a story. Sylvia’s Mother, Marie LeVeau, Boy Named Sue, Pour Me Another Tequila Sheila, The Winner
Alice's Resturaunt
Tangled Up in Blue
Carolus Rex
Rubin and Cherise
Orlando's
Shia LaBeouf by Rob Cantor
Cats In the Cradle - Harry Chapin
Taxi - Harry Chapin
Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad - Meatloaf
El Paso - Marty Robbins
The Devil Went Down To Georgia - The Charlie Daniels Band
Iron maiden - stranger in a strange land
Jesus Of Suburbia - Green Day
Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot
Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Iron Maiden
The entire album of Operation Mindcrime - Queensryche
Grateful Dead-Peggy O, Loser, Black Peter, me and my Uncle, Mexicali Blues, Wharf Rat and so many more
Very self promotional, but I've just released an album with a few songs that fit the bill here! So from the album Dad Bod by Southside Willy...
Wifey - the story part is more verse 1 up to the chorus, telling the story of how I met my wife with a bit of cheekiness. 2nd verse is more just about how great she is in general.
2007 (Take Me Back) - the story of my band back in the day, from forming to going on tour to losing members and fizzling out
This Family - more of a loose story, but actually written in 2 parts...verse 1 is about my son coming in to our lives. Then verse 2 was written when my daughter was born.
Tadpole - probably the closest to a full story, it's about the weeks following a miscarriage
Links to the various places you can listen to the album here if you're interested ;) - linktr.ee/swillyraps
Fancy by Reba McIntire
Patches by Clarence Carter
The Greatest - Kenny Rogers
Hazard by Richard Marx
I don't like Mondays... Boomtown Rats
The Gambler-Kenny Rogers
The Gambler-Kenny Rogers
Them by King Diamond
Jolie Holland - Nothing to Do but Dream
Beck - Guess I'm Doing Fine
Big Pun - Twinz feat. Fat Joe
Puscifer - Momma Sed
Soccer Mommy - Your Dog
Joyner Lucas - I'm Sorry
Kendrick Lamar - We Cry Together feat. Taylour Paige
Wu-Tang Clan - Impossible feat. Tekitha (specifically Ghostface's verse)
Ice Cube - It Was A Good Day
Had to scroll too far for Ice Cube!
70s Cher— Dark Lady; Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves; Carousel Man
"Cold Missouri Waters" by James Keelaghan
"The Christians and the Pagans" by Dar Williams
"The Soldier and the Oak" by Elliot Park
Note - These are all pretty folksy, so if that's not your jam, you can skip 'em!
Hurricane, Bob Dylan. 8 minute epic about a true story
I got a story to tell - Notorious BIG
I use to love her - Common.
Led Zeppelin. Going to California
Me and my uncle by grateful dead tell a nice short story.
Timothy by The Buoys
Pretty much every song off of "Murder Ballads" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
Bon Jovi. Blaze of Glory
Warrant. Uncle Toms Cabin
Bon Jovi Living on a Prayer
Hotel California. Eagles
Notorious B.I.G. I gotta story to tell
And
Sky is the Limit
Powderfinger - Neil Young
Terrible Things by Mayday Parade
Year of the Cat — Al Stewart
Jungleland, Incident on 57th St, Lost in the Flood — Bruce Springsteen
Harry Chapin was great at that. "Taxi", "WOLD", and "Cat's in the Cradle" are examples of as much.......
Brick by Ben Folds Five
Steven's Last Night in Town by Ben Folds Five
Mr. Roboto by Styx
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by The Flaming Lips
Date Rape by Sublime
April 29th, 1992 -- Sublime
Rosetta Stoned by Tool
2112 by RUSH
Red Barchetta by RUSH
The Necromancer by RUSH
Fountain of Lamneth by RUSH
A Passage to Bangkok by RUSH
Operation Mindcrime (whole album) by Queensryche
Dance With The Devil - Immortal Technique
Red Barchetta or The Trees by Rush
Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Iron Maiden
Heilung, krigsgaldr.
Mercyful fate- Melissa
Misery by Green Day
“Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner” WARREN ZEVON “Excitable Boy” Long Player
Coheed and Cambria's catalog.
Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul and Mary
Rhyme of the ancient mariner - Iron Maiden
Jack-a-roe by Grateful Dead
Simple Twist of Fate by Dylan, also by Baez
Abraham’s Daughter (Arcade Fire). Absolutely chilling song from The Hunger Games. While on the topic of THG, The Hanging Tree is also a good story song.
Sylvia’s Mother-Dr Hook. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown-Jim Croce. I think Croce had several.
Cat's In The Cradle - Harry Chapin
Just about anything from Bright Eyes’ discography.
Horse with no name
Spill the wine
I just recommended Bug Hunter on another sub but omg he tells the best stories.
The whole album "Five seconds flat" of Lizzy McAlpine!
Jens Lekman's Life Will See You Now has a bunch of those.
Dir En Grey - Embryo (鬼葬 Ver.)
Aesop Rock - Aggressive Steven
"Visions" - Haken
It's a bit long, but it always brings a tear to my eye at the end
Tucson Arazona (Gazette), Dan Fogelberg
Class of 2013 by Mitski. But more specifically the Audiotree version
Every Picture Tells a Story - Rod Stewart
Casualties of a dice game - Big L
Kitty's Back - Bruce Springsteen
Ticking-Elton John
Crocodile Rock by Elton John. Also Your song.
Magna of Illusion by Albert Bouchard
Dirt - Cody Jinx
David - Cody Jinx
Teddy Bear by Red Sovine
A little piece of heaven - avenged sevenfold
Pretty much any Lord Huron song, but I think the one that most clearly tells a story is “Son of a gun”
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel