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The Best Storytelling Songs

Posted by: Jeff Woods | Nov 17 2009 9:40AM
Updated: Nov 17 2009 10:00AM

So, Legends weekly show is 'In the Groove' this Sunday, then it's '30 years of Pink Floyd' the Wall, and then, another show for which I'm going to want your input - in fact a 2 parter: "The Top 20 Storytelling Songs".

You know, songs that tell a story that has a distinct beginning, middle and end - Maggie May by Rod Stewart is a prime example.

Give me your favourites!

And please send your friends here too, to submit there favourite story telling songs.

Cheers,

Now, a road story from Bob Seger (I'm about to call Rosalie, the Rosalie Bob sang about at the break of the 70's, and later Thin Lizzy covered, to get that story in detail, which I'll be sure to share)

Jeff.

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Filed Under: Legends of Classic Rock

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COMMENTS (47)

Emily
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 29 2009 11:49PM
Sure Reads & Sounds like a Great story song ~ "The Ballad of Curtis Lowe", by Lynyrd Skynyd. Is it? If not... "Castles Made of Sand", by Jimi Hendrix & of course "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple.

Jeff Woods: 3 beauties. cheers.

Samantha
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 26 2009 10:50PM
'Night Moves' by Bob Seger, 'Tangled Up in Blue' by Bob Dylan, and 'Shooting Star' by Bad Company. There are probably more in my head, but I can't retrieve them...

Jeff Woods: great start ... cheers.

Jayne
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 25 2009 12:12PM
What a great song! Where is Bob Seger today?

Jeff Woods: He has said he's the least profilic writer ... has a tough time coming up with songs.

Brian Perry
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 22 2009 12:26PM
Rush baby: Xanadu, 2112. And of course any song from Uriah Heep "Wizard" album.

Jeff Woods: Cheers.

Anthony
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 22 2009 4:59AM
Dylan's the master of fragmented surreal tales like Stuck Inside of Mobile. More linear and already mentioned is Tweeter and the Monkey Man. His buddies in the Band are no slouches either. Long Black Veil.

Jeff Woods: Great one, thx

tonylance
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 21 2009 10:55AM
I have to say Bob SEGER Is my favorite storyteller when it comes to music

Jeff Woods: Cheers Tony

Mexdale
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 20 2009 4:35PM
Not exactly rock and roll but i have to go with Harry Chapin's A BETTER PLACE TO BE

Jeff Woods: Gracias Mex.

Cathy Convery
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 20 2009 7:58AM
Maggie May by Rod Stewart is my all-time favorite!

Jeff Woods: :)

Ateve
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 19 2009 6:09PM
Oasis by Amanda Palmer.

Jeff Woods: Will seek. thanks

Kent
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 19 2009 1:02PM
The Band- The Night they Drove ol'Dixie Down

Jeff Woods: Gracias.

Mary Cassidy
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 19 2009 8:34AM
Jeff, Another great example of a "story song" from Rod would be "Every Picture Tells a Story".

Jeff Woods: thx

Steve Payne
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 18 2009 4:17PM
Bob Dylan- Positivly Fourth Street Billie Joel - Captain Jack

Jeff Woods: cheers.

Leo
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 18 2009 3:35PM
The Ballad of Jed Clampett Joey - Dylan

Jeff Woods: Cheers.

Christina
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 18 2009 1:17PM
Story-telling! Ah, that's the stuff many "songs" in the past decade or two really lack. I'm partial to Beatles songs, so my favourite story-tellers are "She's Leaving Home", "A Day In The Life", "Norwegian Wood", "Eleanor Rigby", "Lovely Rita", "If I Fell", "Maxwell Silver Hammer", "Something", "Penny Lane", "Honey Pie", "This Boy", "Ticket To Ride", "Drive My Car", "Cry Baby Cry", "Dr. Robert", "Fool On The Hill", "L.S. w/Diamonds", and maybe another dozen or two.

Jeff Woods: Cheers!

dawn
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 18 2009 8:21AM
The Ghost of Tom Joad, especially if you can track down the live version with Bruce and Tom Morello.

Jeff Woods: Love it.

Rob
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 18 2009 6:46AM
I think The Killing of Sister Georgie is one incredble story, from Rod Stewart along with Lou Reed's Take a Walk on the Wild Side

Jeff Woods: Nice.

bruce d hickman
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 10:53PM
how about the end by the doors and thick as a brick by jethro tull

Jeff Woods: deep and dark, nice.

IG
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 7:51PM
Along with Lisa, Chris De Burg's Spanish Train (and Patricia the stripper) is good but I would also have to say 'Cats in the Craddle' - Harry Chapin.

Jeff Woods: Brilliant. Cheers.

Rat Fink
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 6:31PM
This is a two part story, Lesley Gore - It's My Party and Judy's Turn To Cry.

Jeff Woods: You've got a way-back machine even older than mine ;) Cheers.

Theresa
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 6:21PM
Tons of Beatles, like Get Back, Eleanor Rigby, or Ballad of John and Yoko. The Stones Sympathy for the Devil is good too, and Bad Company Shooting Star. Its gonna be rockin'!

Jeff Woods: It will be a fun two parter. Thank you!

Ian
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 6:04PM
Better place to by Harry Chapin

Jeff Woods: Cheers.

Mike Stringer
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 5:53PM
Ziggy Stardust - Bowie One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer - Thorogood

Jeff Woods: Love 'em. Thanks

Mike Stringer
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 5:39PM
OK, here's your most eclectic list and while not all classic rock, they are all epic tales; Anything by Townes Van Zant. Johnny Be Good by Chuck Berry Run to The Hills by Iron Maiden Mr. President by Pink Far Too Canadian by Spirit of the West Rooster by Alice in Chains and the Number 1... Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Lightfoot!

Jeff Woods: Wow, Wreck is a beauty of the highest order.

VME
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 2:19PM
My fav is "Dynamo Hum". I think that was a true story....sounds good to me. Ok how about "House of the rising sun"....do I detect a theme here???

Jeff Woods: Dirty boy.

Stinger503
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 1:45PM
Supertramp: School is probably my favourite. Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water is a classic of course. So is Roy Orbison's Pretty Woman. Another favourite of mine is CCR's Down on the Corner. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da is one of my favourite Beatles songs. Also Fletcher Memorial Home & When the Tigers Broke Free are the best songs on Pink Floyd's the Final Cut (also Young Lust from the Wall is great). So many more, I'll just do song titles: Band on the Run, Crocodile Rock, Glory Days, Solsbury Hill, Jack & Diane, Voodoo Chile, I Shot the Sheriff, Take The Money and Run. And of course one of the best story songs, American Pie.

Jeff Woods: thanks!

Phil Allard
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 1:34PM
-Bye Bye American Pie -Needle and the Damage Done -Take a Walk on the Wild Side -Down on the Bayou

Jeff Woods: Cheers Phil

Jim K
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 1:19PM
Bruce-The River- Live=along with Vietnam draft story. Actually almost all Bruce tunes!

Jeff Woods: So true.

Mike
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 1:12PM
Off the top of my head, Jeff, I'd go with the following: 'Supper's Ready' by Genesis, "Jungleland" by Springsteen & "Sniper" by Harry Chapin.

Jeff Woods: Gracias.

Christian
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 1:08PM
Pink Floyd: Shine On You Crazy Diamond. Very instrumental, but a story nonetheless.

Jeff Woods: Wot a song!

Sean
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 12:58PM
One of them has gotta be "Shine on You Crazy Diamond Parts I - IX".

Jeff Woods: A favourite. Cheers.

jennifer
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 12:57PM
Pink Floyd: Time, Not only does it tell the story of how fast time passes; it is also a 'timeless' song and is just as relevant today as it was when it was written 30 odd years ago. Brilliant!

Jeff Woods: "Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day ...". Nice.

chris_
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 12:42PM
It's a little new, so I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for exactly; but if you're up for a listen anyways, "Carolina Drama" by the Raconteurs is one of the best songs that tells a story that I've heard in a long time. As for something older; definately have to go with either "The Hurricane", or "Powderfinger"

Jeff Woods: Cheers Chris. We'll go older, but I'm going to go listen to that Raconteurs track.

Steve-o
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 12:18PM
A few more off the top of my head: 'Night Moves', '7 Spanish Angels', 'Pancho & Lefty', 'Cat's In The Cradle', 'Lyin' Eyes', 'Eleanor Rigby', 'Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald', 'Lola'. Lots of Bruce, Johnny Cash, etc.

Jeff Woods: Perfect, thx.

james
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 12:03PM
Frank's Wild Years, Tom Waits. "Well, Frank settled down in the valley and he hung his wild years on a nail he drove through his wife's forehead." Nice lead line!

Jeff Woods: Leave it to T.W. eh. Cheers.

Lisa Knapp
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 11:55AM
Spanish Train...Chris De Burgh

Jeff Woods: :)

Steve-o
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 11:55AM
Gotta agree with Andrew that Tweeter... is definitely one of the best 'story' songs. What about "the Night they drove old Dixie down?" Probably the most famous song about the American Civil War, not bad for a bunch of Canucks. (Well, 80% Canucks).

Jeff Woods: Indeed. Thanks Steve-O

Meissa
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 11:51AM
I would have to say pretty much anything from Bruce or how about Billy Joel's Piano Man and also Scenes From An Italian Restaurant!

Jeff Woods: Cheers!

Andy
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 11:49AM
Bob Dylan - the hurricane

Jeff Woods: Nice.

gmcnally
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 11:34AM
Tangled Up In Blue (even if it ends a little vaguely) Ballad of Hollis Brown My Hometown by Bruce Springsteen

Jeff Woods: Gracias

Harvey
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 11:23AM
yeah, Maggie May was the 1st song I thought of! How about: Paradise by the Dashboard Light- Meatloaf Bohemian Rhapsody- Queen Comfortably Numb or Wish you were Here- Pink Floyd Someone Saved my Life Tonight- Elton John A little bit of variety there, eh?!

Jeff Woods: Beautiful.

Doug
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 11:23AM
"Green Green Grass of Home" originally by Claude "Curly" Putman Jr., and later covered by many others...my favorite...Johnny Cash... "Ode To Billy Joe" by Bobbie Gentry.... "Memory Hotel" by the Rolling Stones... "Early Morning Rain" originally by Gordon Lightfoot, however the Elvis version is my favorite...

Jeff Woods: Great stuff. Cheers.

Aimz
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 11:23AM
I love story songs. "Pancho and Lefty" - Townes Van Zandt "A Boy Named Sue" - Johnny Cash "Alice's Restaurant" - Arlo Guthrie "Devil Went Down to Georgia" - Charlie Daniels Band "The Gambler" - Kenny Rogers "El Paso" - Marty Robbins Tons more in country and folk music. Rock: "Come Dancing" - The Kinks "Tangled Up in Blue" - Bob Dylan (tons more by Dylan too) "Pinball Wizard" - The Who "Space Oddity" - David Bowie "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" - Meatloaf Pop: "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson "Copacabana" - Barry Manilow. LOL! "Papa Don't Preach" - Madonna

Jeff Woods: We're gonna need a third episode to fit Arlo! Cheers.

Adria
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 11:02AM
I love "A Horse With No Name" by America; Woodstock by Joni Mitchell-but-pick-your-performer; and The Beatles have a number to choose from...Maxwell's Silver Hammer, Rocky Raccoon, and Norwegian Wood come to mind.

Jeff Woods: Great! Rocky Raccoon esp!

Lori
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 10:52AM
I really like Harry Chapin - Taxi and Don McLean - American Pie but my favorite storytelling song is Long John Baldry - Don't Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie On The King of Rock and Roll.

Jeff Woods: Beauties. Cheers.

debbie m/over 25yrslistner
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 10:42AM
Hi Jeff, I would say 1 of my fav. vocalists Paul Rogers singing "Seagull" or "Shooting Star" cheers

Jeff Woods: Oh yes! Seagull has to be the best Bad Co. song to me. Shooting Star is a fantastic story-teller. Thanks D.

Ira Haberman
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 10:32AM
Jack Straw - Grateful Dead.

Jeff Woods: Cheers!

andrew
RE:The Best Storytelling Songs
Nov 17 2009 10:21AM
3 great story songs come to mind. Powderfinger (Neil Young), Tweeter and the Monkeyman (Travelling Wilburys, awesomely covered by the Headstones), and From Small Things (an obscure little tune by Bruce Springsteen).

Jeff Woods: Nice, thanks.



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Since 2001, Jeff Woods has given classic rock fans the stories behind the music that defined a generation. Combining a mix of album tracks and hits, rarities and live recordings, Legends brings you the colour and content that will bring back tons of memories and deepen your appreciation for the greatest music of the past 40 years. The Legends of Classic Rock debuted in 2001 on radio station Classic Rock Q107 Toronto. Since then it's taken a life of its own. Consider: More than 270 different one hour episodes have been produced, making it the premiere Classic Rock documentary produced in Canada. More than 1,000 one-minute daily features have been written and produced. Legends of Classic Rock is syndicated on virtually every major Classic Rock station and website in Canada.
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