UKC

So what songs to you think tell a great story?

I'll start...

Up the Junction by Squeeze
youtube.com/watch?v=c3635AFfu0s&

...I was reminded of this song yesterday via a Radio 4 feature.

It was one of those 7" singles that no sooner had it ended you'd want to play it again (and again and again).

In reply to JLS:

"Tweeter and the Monkey Man" by The Travelling Willburys.

In reply to JLS: Houdini, by Kate Bush. A tad ambitious to try and tell his story in less than four minutes, but excellently done nevertheless.

T.

In reply to JLS: Loads of Bob...
Tangled up in blue.
Hurricane
Isis.
Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts

and lots more!

In reply to JLS:

Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)

In reply to JLS: a boy named sue by johnny cash

In reply to JLS:
The coward of the county, Kenny rodgers

Has to be "Shine on you crazy diamond" Pink Floyd or pretty much anything by Frank Zappa and The Smiths!!

In reply to JLS:

The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song - Jeffrey Lewis

In reply to nufkin:

What's that about then?

In reply to JLS: Matty Groves by Fairport Convention..."He struck his wife right through the heart and pinned her against the wall".

In reply to JLS:

Anything by Stompin' Tom Connors.

In reply to JLS: Hollowpoint by Chris Wood.

In reply to toad: or Next - Alex Harvey channelling Brel

youtube.com/watch?v=zqx5j-FuqeI&

In reply to toad:
>


I was listening to that t' other night. What a performance. He was just to damn strange to live.

In reply to JLS:
Country Death Song by The Violent Femmes
Where the Wild Roses Grow - Nick Cave and Kylie - actually every track on Murder Ballads
The Ballad of Climie Fisher - Half Man Half Biscuit

In reply to JLS:

the man who couldnt cry - Jonny Cash

youtube.com/watch?v=rgK-1mpSljI&

In reply to JLS:

Lola by the Kinks
Vincent Black Lightning by Richard Thomson
Susan's House by the Eels
The Mary Ellen Carter by Stan Rogers
By the Time I get to Phoenix by Glen Campbell
Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis by Tom Waites

Most folk songs really!

In reply to JLS:



One of the best
The Racounters - Carolina Drama

youtube.com/watch?v=hqp12b61pFo&

In reply to JLS:

Kevin Barry

In reply to DaveHK: a pedant writes A lot of songs made famous by Glen Cambell (like by the time I get to Phoenix) are Jimmy Webb songs

speaking of which:

Witchita Linesman
Macarthur Park
Rhinestone Cowboy
Highwayman

And in a similar vein

the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Gordon Lightfoot


youtube.com/watch?v=hgI8bta-7aw&

In reply to toad:

Another pedant writes back: Yes I know but Campbells versions are the best known and many of them were released by Campbell first.

In reply to JLS:
Some great ones on Bruce's 'ghost of tom joad', especially:
Sinaloa Cowboys
The New Timer
Galveston Bay

In reply to JLS: To save time, can I refer you to each of the posts I made on yesterday's thread concerning songs about gods?

Jolly good.

T.

In reply to JLS:
Uncle Muncie by Otis Lee Crenshaw. Killer last verse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbTu_hBKekg&feature=results_video&pl...

OR

Tom Ames' Prayer by Steve Earl

In reply to JLS:

Can't believe no-one's mentioned house of the rising sun...

In reply to John_Hat:
>

Great song, but what is the story behind it?

In reply to PaulHermes:

The clue to the OP request is in the words 'great story'! 'Anything by Frank Zappa'.....like Zombie Woof?

In reply to JLS:

The Battle of Epping Forest - Genesis!
youtube.com/watch?v=9k6zwMw_Jjo&

In reply to JLS:
Jack of hearts - Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks

In reply to JLS: Anything done by Eminem

In reply to JLS:

youtube.com/watch?v=t_Snd54c04Y&

Morrissey - Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself

Isis, by Bob Dylan.

Also Bob Dylan's Isis.

Oh, and did I mention the Bob Dylan song, Isis?


"Well she told me that one day we would meet up again
And things would be different the next time we wed
If I only coulda hung on and just been her friend
I still cain't remember all the best things she said."

Autobloodybiographical or what? When I was 19... there was this girl...

no, you don't want to hear this, so I'll stop.

<sigh>

In reply to pamph:

I was just clicking on this to say Hurricane!

In reply to Trangia:
'Story' = Narrative structure (beginning/middle/ending - not necessarily presented in that order!) + narrative persona (often fictional) + characters engaged within the narrative?

'Shine on you crazy diamond' referenced in this thread is surely 15 minutes or whatever of saying 'you're a really nice bloke and we really miss you': possibly a nice poem but not a 'story'. 'House of the rising sun' might stretch to a short story; man sits in bar and reminisces on what brought him here (and that is NOT to decry the varied performances of that song by the great Eric Burdon) but it doesn't really have a true narrative sweep.

Check out 'Taneytown' by Steve Earl for a lyric narrative that could be expanded to a novel on a par with 'To kill a mockingbird'.

Sorry. Got a bit serious there.....

In reply to JLS:

Pretty much every folk song.

In reply to Southern Man:

youtube.com/watch?v=sKf8Bi0ggi4&

In reply to Tim Chappell:
Bob Dylan can't write your autobloodybiography. Only his own.

He rote a universal pome you related to. Not a 'great story'.

And that's not to belittle your experience. If only I could have had the courage to hang on to that woman five years ago...!

In reply to Southern Man:

Especially any written by Shane McGowen. Though this by Half Man Half Biscuit is fantasticly good too

youtube.com/watch?v=Zr8D1XScCgM&

In reply to andyathome:

ANYTHING by Steve Earle is a good story. My faves being Copperhead Road and Johnny Come Lately.

In reply to JLS:

In the Ghetto - Elvis

In reply to JLS: youtube.com/watch?v=hpUlhoS4zLA&

In reply to JLS:
shipbuilding by elvis costello (but sung by robert wyatt)
levi stubbs' tears by billy bragg
national shite day by half man half biscuit

In reply to Dom Whillans:
oh... and the jazz discharge party hats by frank zappa

In reply to JLS: Actually, my three definitive best songs that tell a story ;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsVgi8hoFFc&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hVQJ9rtr_k&feature=related

youtube.com/watch?v=lL4L4Uv5rf0&

In reply to JLS:


Jungleland - Bruce Springsteen.

In reply to JLS: The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde by Georgie Fame. One of my fave songs.

In reply to Ade Lane: Oh. And 'Transvestite' by Peter and the Test Tube Babies.....pure class.

In reply to JLS:

Jarvis:
"She came from Greece she had a thirst for knowledge..."
"Oh, we were born within an hour of each other..."

Lots by Bob:
"Your breath is sweet, your eyes like two jewels in the sky..."

In reply to JLS:

Almost anything by Phil Ochs.....

James Dean of Indiana

That was the President

The Highwayman

etc etc.

Vastly underrated and in danger of becoming forgotten.

In reply to John Ww: Georgie by Rod Stewart, most things by Dylan, Are we talking only about true stories? If not Ziggy Stardust by Bowie.

In reply to JLS: Just about anything by Johnny Cash

In reply to Cypher:

There were Roses - here by Cara Dillon but not the original I beleive

youtube.com/watch?v=bGMPUYfVw20&

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC):

Oooh, that's reminded me, "John Condon" by Cara's sister - a song about the (supposed) youngest British / Irish soldier to die in WW1.

In reply to JLS:

lady Eleanor - Lindisfarne
Forsaken - Dream Theater
a Nightmare to remember - dream theater
Jacob's Dream - Allison Krauss (written by Julie Lee)

In reply to graeme jackson: and the band played Waltzing Matilda by Eric Bogle (although I prefer June Tabor's version)

Does the Book of Invasions by Horslips count ?

In reply to JLS:

Gruff Rhys - Skylon youtube.com/watch?v=7q1RVILuc74& About an off duty bomb disposal expert on a flight which turns out to have a bomb on board. he's been sitting next to an irritating TV presenter who won't shut up and can't decide wether to disarm the bomb or let it go off just to take her out.

God Damn the Sun - Swans
John Wayne Gacy, Jnr - Sufjan Stevens
22 going on 23 - Butthole Surfers

In reply to JLS:
spanish train- chris de burgh

In reply to JLS:

The Beatles
She's Leaving Home & Eleanor Rigby

In reply to Doug:


Does in my book. Splendid record, one which I played only the other day.

T.

In reply to JLS:

"41 shots" by Mr Springsteen

In reply to JLS: Cows With Guns.

In reply to JLS:

Coldplay - Viva la Vida.

In reply to JLS: here's my ten pence,
youtube.com/watch?v=VA8hzUDXvtk&
most complete story of growing up i know

In reply to Levains_Alive: and getting older.......

In reply to andyathome: well, carrying on your serious stroke; how about these for stories that fit your model?
7 Drunken Nights - The Dubliners
Irish Rover - The Pogues with The Dubliners
Andy (now removing tongue from cheek)

In reply to Hannah S:

jeez thats an awful album.

In reply to JLS: I just thought Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks

In reply to JLS: Quite a lot by Rod Stewart - Maggie May (obviously), You wear it well, Every Picture Tells a Story...Sometimes I think I've lived my life trying to live his lyrics.

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Iron Maiden - Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner

WASP - Crimson Idol (whole album)

Queensryche - Operation Mindcrime (again, an album)

In reply to JLS:
Paul Brady "The Lakes of Pontchartrain" and "Arthur McBride"

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Were you successful with the Maggie May story?

In reply to JLS:

A lot of hymns and Christmas Carols tell a story (relics from the days when putting a story into song was the best way to remember it)

Y.

In reply to JLS:

39 by Queen.

Even better when you know what the lyrics refer to: -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A733619

In reply to JLS:

I Don't Like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats

Y.

In reply to JLS:
Hazard Richard Marx

Luka Suzanne Vega

In reply to JLS:

Learning to Fly by Pink Floyd

In reply to JLS:

The ladies of the harem of the court of king caractacus by Rolf Harris

In reply to JLS:

Delia's Gone by Johnny Cash

youtube.com/watch?v=Y1iKEPzF1Js&

In reply to JLS:

Cocaine Blues by Johnny Cash

youtube.com/watch?v=Aq344ks1ieg&

In reply to JLS:

Don't take your guns to town by Johnny Cash.

youtube.com/watch?v=raXKeQ5qFwo&

In reply to JLS: World turned upside down - Billy Bragg, OysterBand (but Leon Rosselon's song)

youtube.com/watch?v=stmiyeLsErw&

In reply to JLS:

this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEcjgJSqSRU&ob=av3e

In reply to JLS:

Powderfinger by Neil Young

youtube.com/watch?v=FMvjfBdeiKw&

In reply to John Ww:


...outside a small circle of friends!

In reply to JLS:

'Waltzing Matilda' by The Pogues. Stunning.

'Next' by Alex Harvey has been mentioned.

What about 'A Hard Rains Gonna Fall', 'Ballad of Hollis Brown', 'The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll' and 'Bob Dylan's 115th Dream', all Dylan.

Finally, I give you 'Miss Otis Regrets', by Cole Porter, and also performed by Kirsty MacColl with the Pogues.

In reply to JLS: benedictus-strawbs?

In reply to JLS: Raconteurs - Carolina Drama

In reply to JLS: "Best of Times" by Sage Francis immediately springs to mind. It's like performance poetry mixed with rap - a lot better than my description makes it sound!!

In reply to JLS:
don't want to be repetitive, but Dylan is king in this area. But I'll throw in Rocky Racoon by the Beatles too

In reply to JLS:

bob of course. all along the watchtower. end of story. f u ck the hendrix version - and i love hendrix.

led zep get a few in ther with no quarter, ramble on, misty mountain hop etc. all hippy viking stuff.

rod and the faces as someone mentioned. great stuff. every picture tells a story, maggie may and italian girls - ballads of the hooligan.
i have no idea how rod became so unpopular - the faces were the shit.

jazzy jeff and the fresh prince - google their stuff. amazing.

In reply to ice.solo:

slightly embarassing but still good:

youtube.com/watch?v=yAIG_DPIPao&

In reply to ice.solo:

and tim buckley

In reply to ice.solo:

Have you heard the version by XTC?

In reply to aln:

youtube.com/watch?v=EnRaVa7J5Rg&

As young Nigel said after he killed his overbearing parents, "I think, I'll stick with the Dylan and Hendrix versions thanks..."

In reply to JLS:

I love it, big XTC fan. You obviously can't tell from a cover but Andy Partridge is one of the most under-rated songwriters of all time.

In reply to aln:

all good and well but nah, not for me.

i like the gloomy dangerous feel to it - all these atempts to brighten it up and complicate it miss the point in my opinion.