re: What are your fave storysongs?

That taxi cab song and cats in the cradle by Harry Chapin.

Jim Croce: Leroy Brown and don't mess around with Jim, though they're both basically the same song.

Tucson, Arizona
Auld Lang Syne

Both Dan Fogelberg

quote:

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The Ride

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Great call.

And yes, that line is a chill moment.

He Went to Paris - Jimmy Buffett

He went to Paris looking for answers
To questions that bothered him so
He was impressive, young and aggressive
Saving the world on his own
But the warm summer breezes
The French wines and cheeses
Put his ambition at bay
Summers and winters scattered like splinters
And four or five years slipped away
Then he went to England, played the piano
And married an actress named Kim
They had a fine life, she was a good wife
And bore him a young son named Jim
And all of the answers and all of the questions
He locked in his attic one day
'Cause he liked the quiet, clean country living
And 20 more years slipped away
Well, the war took his baby, the bombs killed his lady
And left him with only one eye
His body was battered, his world was shattered
And all he could do was just cry
While the tears were falling, he was recalling
Answers he never found
So he hopped on a freighter, skidded the ocean
And left England without a sound
Now he lives in the islands, fishes the pilin's
And drinks his green label each day
Writing his memoirs, losing his hearing
But he don't care what most people say
Through 86 years of perpetual motion
If he likes you he'll smile, then he'll say
"Jimmy, some of it's magic, some of it's tragic
But I had a good life all the way"
And he went to Paris looking for answers
To questions that bother him so

I do like Edmund Fitzgerald and Paradise by the Dashboard light for the category, but Billy Joel has some absolute gems - Piano Man and Allentown, obviously, but I'll offer maybe an underrated one:

Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

(ETA: Joel also has Captain Jack and Miami 2017 as great story songs.)

Gods Own Drunk - Jimmy Buffett
LINK

Damn Can’t find the version I’m looking for.

Spoilers: the bear stole the still.

Hurricane - Bob Dylan
Let him roll - Guy Clark

Ice Cube - Today Was a Good Day

Todd Snider - Talking Seattle
LINK

Big Iron

quote:

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To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day
Hardly spoke to folks around him, didn't have too much to say
No one dared to ask his business, no one dared to make a slip
For the stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip
Big iron on his hip
It was early in the morning when he rode into the town
He came riding from the south side slowly lookin' all around
He's an outlaw loose and running, came the whisper from each lip
And he's here to do some business with the big iron on his hip
Big iron on his hip
In this town there lived an outlaw by the name of Texas Red
Many men had tried to take him and that many men were dead
He was vicious and a killer though a youth of 24
And the notches on his pistol numbered one and 19 more
One and 19 more
Now the stranger started talking, made it plain to folks around
Was an Arizona ranger, wouldn't be too long in town
He came here to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead
And he said it didn't matter he was after Texas Red
After Texas Red
Wasn't long before the story was relayed to Texas Red
But the outlaw didn't worry men that tried before were dead
20 men had tried to take him, 20 men had made a slip
21 would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip
Big iron on his hip
The morning passed so quickly, it was time for them to meet
It was 20 past 11 when they walked out in the street
Folks were watching from the windows, everybody held their breath
They knew this handsome ranger was about to meet his death
About to meet his death
There was 40 feet between them when they stopped to make their play
And the swiftness of the ranger is still talked about today
Texas Red had not cleared leather 'fore a bullet fairly ripped
And the ranger's aim was deadly with the big iron on his hip
Big iron on his hip
It was over in a moment and the folks had gathered round
There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground
Oh, he might have went on living but he made one fatal slip
When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip
Big iron on his hip
Big iron, big iron
When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip
Big iron on his hip

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Old Dogs and Children and Watermelon Wine

quote:

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"How old do you think I am?", he said
I said, "Well, I didn't know"
He said, "I turned 65 about 11 months ago"
I was sittin' in Miami pourin' blended whiskey down
When this old gray Black gentleman was cleanin' up the lounge
There wasn't anyone around 'cept this old man and me
The guy who ran the bar was watchin' "Ironsides" on TV
Uninvited, he sat down and opened up his mind
On old dogs and children, and watermelon wine
"Ever had a drink of watermelon wine?", he asked
He told me all about it, though I didn't answer back
"Ain't but three things in this world that's worth a solitary dime
But old dogs and children, and watermelon wine"
He said, "Women think about they-selves, when menfolk ain't around
And friends are hard to find when they discover that you're down"
He said, "I tried it all when I was young and in my natural prime
Now it's old dogs and children and watermelon wine"
"Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes
God bless little children while they're still too young to hate"
When he moved away, I found my pen and copied down that line
'Bout old dogs and children, and watermelon wine
I had to catch a plane up to Atlanta that next day
As I left for my room, I saw him pickin' up my change
That night I dreamed in peaceful sleep of shady summertime
Of old dogs and children and watermelon wine

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