Narrative songs

[RobertaTheGreat]

They played 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia' by the Charlie Daniels band on the radio the other day, which obviously got me furiously playing my air fiddle, and also got me thinking about other narrative songs, and how songs that tell a story don't seem to be such a thing anymore. They were quite popular back in the day but I can't think of many modern ones. So what are your favourites/least favourites? That's chart songs, not songs from musicals.

Another one I thought of, that became an ear worm yesterday, is the Pina Colada song - which provides a lesson for us all 😄

Blown Away, 2 Black Cadillacs, Before He Cheats, by Carrie Underwood.... actually probably a lot of hers

@JeSuisPrest - Texas 😁

@everyonesmama if we are going Dixie Chicks it has to be Not Ready to make Nice

The last resort - Eagles
The gambler - Kenny Rogers
Ruby don't take your love to town - Kenny Rogers
She's leaving home - the Beatles

Felice brothers - whiskey in my whiskey
Grace Petrie - Ivy

Know You Won't by Carrie Underwood is really powerful too

[quote cravingthelook]@everyonesmama if we are going Dixie Chicks it has to be Not Ready to make Nice[/quote]
Wow one of my all time favourites, so good

I've skimmed through the thread and I can't believe that Hazard (great song) is mentioned several times but The River by Bruce Springsteen isn't mentioned at all!
Stay (Faraway so close) - U2
Famous Blue Raincoat and The Partisan by Leonard Cohen. He's probably got loads more.

Not sure whether anyone has mentioned Show of Hands yet? Pretty much every one of their songs has a great story to tell. A particular favourite is Widecombe Fair.

The ballad of Dorothy Parker, by Prince. A song which I had completely forgotten! And Rasberry Beret maybe counts?

Billy Don't Be a Hero?

Also Cows With Guns by Dana Lyons, for another funny one.

If we're doing Dixie Chicks then Goodbye Earl surely?

Virginia Rose by Midnight Skyracer
Loads of Christy Moore stuff both upbeat and grim like Well Below the Valley
Lots of Josh Ritter- The Curse, Another New World, Folk Bloodbath (which is a mashup of 3 stories it seems), The Temptation of Adam

Older stuff like Stan Rogers Mary Ellen Carter and Barrett's Privateers

Fast Car by Tracy Chapman

Squeeze were brilliant for this

The beatles too - Paul maybe more than John.

Johnny Cash as well - "I hear that train a coming, rolling round the bend"

Loads of Johnny cash songs actually.

Dolly Parton as well - coat of many colours

This thread has brought me joy in a really shitty day, love these songs and memories they bring up

Camouflage by Stan Ridgeway is amazing! The full version over the radio edit any day.

Hazard of course, and Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine by The Killers has a similar feel to that song imo.

The Streets - A Grand Don’t Come For Free - is a narrative album!

Lots of folk songs are narrative, Fairport Convention had lots.

Lots of funny songs. I have been listening to this today: www.youtube.com/results?search_query=drank+too+much+flo+and+joan+

Also, if we are talking Dixie chicks then pretty much all the songs on the new album (Best Friends Weddings in particular)

Harry Chapin did an album called 'greatest stories live'. Mr Tanner used to make me cry as a child and A better place to be is lovely and so sad.

In the ghetto Elvis Presley

Most of the songs by Johnny Cash. Also love the Ode to Billy Joe and Lola by The Kinks
Love all these suggestions.

A couple that I don’t think have been mentioned: what do I do now by Sleeper, Moonlight Shadow (though the 4am in the morning bit annoys me), and Tall Trees of Georgia by Eva Cassidy (beautiful song but guaranteed to make me cry)

When the Sun Goes Down - Arctic Monkeys

Seen Travelling Soldier by Dixie Chicks mentioned, can't hear it without tearing up.

Me and Bobby Mgee

And on a Christmas theme:
A winter’s tale by David Essex
a fairytale of New York by The Pogues
A Spaceman came travelling by a Chris De aburgh

Tall Trees of Georgia by Eva Cassidy (beautiful song but guaranteed to make me cry)

Yep can't listen to that one if I'm going to be out in public (for those who haven't heard it's fairly short but something along the lines of the famous six word story "For sale: baby shoes. Never worn")

The kick inside, Babushka actually most of Kate Bush's early stuff.