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There's something about a great story song. A song like Bad Leroy Brown used to get all ages singing along. Not many could resist "you don't tug on Superman's cape, you don't spit in the wind, you don't pull the mask off that ole lone ranger and you don't mess around with Jim."
So I was thinking about all the great story songs that were radio hits and I came up with more than a few but I'd like to know the ones that really resonated with you and made you want to sing or play along. Or when you think hit story song - what pops in your head? Care to share???
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In no particular order Smokey Mountain Rain Blue Bayou Seems almost any 'country' song. A lot of Jim Croce's stuff. Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Little Old Lady from Pasadena! LOL And, I thought the line was from 'You Don't Mess Around With Jim', not Bad, bad, Leroy Brown.  Gary
I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
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Hi Sundance,
The first title that popped into my head was "The Boxer" by Simon and Garfunkle. Then, a microsecond later, I could hear my mind humming Johnny Horton's "Battle Of New Orleans".
Noel
MY SONGS...Audiophile BIAB 2026
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I did a singles folkie act through the 60s and 70s
Alot of these songs were manageable with just acoustic guitar - I also
used a 12 string for the bigger sounding ones like American Pie
here are four more that would get attention.
Taxi
Cat's In The Cradle
The Gambler
The City of New Orleans
Thanks for memory lane trip, Sundance - Ian
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Battle of New Orleans was number one for 36 weeks in this neck of the woods - it never went away for the pub crowd.
I'd have to add Piano Man and The Reverend Mr. Black (Kingston Trio)
Cheers - Ian
Last edited by Ian Fraser; 05/15/10 04:00 PM.
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Ian, If you like Battle of New Orleans, you'll love this one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0mGFjAySTwGary
I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
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Big Bad John - even has it own Wikipedia to carry the legend on  : The song tells the story of a mysterious and quiet miner who earned the nickname Big John because of his height, weight and muscular physique ("He stood six foot six and weighed two forty-five"). He supposedly came from New Orleans, where he killed a man over a Cajun woman. One day, a support timber cracked at the mine where John worked. The situation looked hopeless until John "grabbed a saggin' timber, gave out with a groan / and like a giant oak tree just stood there alone", then "gave a mighty shove", opening a passage and allowing the other miners to escape the mine. Although the miners were about to reenter the mine with the equipment necessary to save John, the mine fully collapsed and John died in the depths of the mine. The mine itself was never reopened, but a marble stand was placed in front of it, with the words "At the bottom of this mine lies one hell of a man - Big John" written on it. (Some versions of the song change the last line to "lies a big, big man" to replace what was at the time considered to be borderline profane language.)
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That Homer and Jethro is funny. LOL. Always loved the Battle Of New Orleans. Ya'll have thought of some great ones. Makes me wanna go listen to some gems I didn't think of like Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Big Bad John and the Reverend Mr. Black.
Gary, dog gone it, I got the Croce titles mixed up. LOL.
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Here are some of my favourites. Its so hard to pick. Anything by Harry Chapin was a good story. Marty Robbins - El Paso; Big Iron Kingston Trio - Tom Dooley; MTA Gordon Lightfoot - The Pony Man; Early Morning Rain Harry Chapin - Story Of A Life, Shooting Star Arlo Guthrie - Alice's Restaurant; Motorcycle Song Woodie Guthrie - Deportee John Hartford - Gentle On My Mind Tim Hardin - If I Were A Carpenter Jimmy Webb - By The Time I Get To Phoenix Pete Seeger - Waist Deep In The Big Muddy, Where Have All The Flowers Gone Jimmy Buffet - A Pirate Looks At 40; He Went To Paris Joni Mitchell - The Circle Game Ralph McTell - The Streets Of London Anonymous - The Gypsy Rover Andrew
Andrew Lloyd
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Mr. Bojangles by Jerry Jeff Walker 1968
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Don't forget Bobbie Gentry, Ode to Billie Joe
I like John Prine songs for stories (some wrapped in melancholy).
-Ron
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I guess from a somewhat personal reason I also liked Mr. Bojangles as I was privileged to know a true New Orleans French Quarter street dancer, even worked with him a few times who lived a very similar life as Mr. Robinson. Sadly there is not much about this wonderful person on the net. He was an exceptional tap dancer with some of the fastest feet I have ever witnessed. This photo of Pork Chop 2nd from right is 1950 era I am guessing when he was in his fifties. He danced well on into his early 70's. I relocated about that time and lost track of him for awhile, he passed not to much longer after. And also The Piano Man, even though I don't play paino, I like everyone who has ever played in clubs and bars can relate to the lyric. Fun Topic Josie!
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I believe Bojangles Robinson danced in a Shirley Temple movie but the name escapes me.
I sang Piano Man with my 12 and harmonica - great lyrics of bar life. Used to be able to work six nights a week back in the 70s and 80s - man the things you'd see when the weekend crowd wasn't there.
Ian
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Mr. Bojangles is so pretty but it's sooo sad. I can't hardly stand it when "the dog up and died" makes me cry. In The Ghetto is another sad one.
I thought of a couple more last night that I haven't heard in years.
Frankie and Johnny (I don't know how to spell it - Johnnie, Johnny)
Harper Valley PTA
Andrew, Tom Dooley was the first song I learned to play when I was 12. It was pitiful not the song me then. LOL.
I think the interesting thing about Ode To Billie Joe is how she injected food into it, "pass the biscuits".
Last edited by Sundance; 05/16/10 10:12 AM.
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Quote:
I think the interesting thing about Ode To Billie Joe is how she injected food into it, "pass the biscuits".
Yup. You can just see the family sitting round the table. The line that gives me chills, Josie, is how the young preacher had seen
"....a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge
And she and Billy Joe was throwing somethin' off the Tallahatchie Bridge"
-Ron
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Marty Robbins - Ballad of the Alamo
And even though not a song as such. Henry Guerra recorded the historic 13 days of the Battle of the Alamo, (which I believe is available at the Alamo gift shop in San Antonio) and is read in such a way it will hit you like a Requiem Mass.
Each year a SA radio station plays each day in turn for the full 13 days.
Wyndham
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I've never heard that one. When I think of Marty Robbins, I always think of El Paso.
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Tom T. Hall is high on my list.
I particularly like Clayton Delaney and The Ballad of 40 Dollars.
and as the Blooze mentioned, I think the lyrics to Gentle on My Mind are very clever.
In the Early Morning Rain lyrics are also somewhat haunting.
When you hear most of the songs mentioned in this thread doesn't it make you think
"I wish I had written that?"
Last edited by Old Ed; 05/17/10 06:29 PM.
Old Ed
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