DS Forums

 
 

songs with stories


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 26-11-2009, 17:38
fafa's girl
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 100

Hi,

I love songs that have lyrics which tell a story - the sadder the better! Things like Coward of the County, The Baron, (actually a lot of them come from Country music) which I love but my music taste is very broad so I'm open to anything.

Just really to see if anyone else shares my love of 'songs with stories' and if you have any others to share so I can listen to them!
fafa's girl is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 26-11-2009, 17:41
Jacko lives!
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: I'll have a half
Posts: 830
The Boiler from Specials AKA is always worth a listen and great for discos!
Jacko lives! is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 17:48
afcbfan
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,288
'Up the junction' by Squeeze: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og2tWP6I6Qc

'Babooshka' by Kate Bush: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot3cVY1JESQ

'Escape (the Pina Colada song)' by Rupert Holmes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HohpvGeLw70

...are three that immediately spring to mind.

Then there's 'Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree' by Dawn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBL2kzKg4nY
afcbfan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 17:49
Carmen Queasy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Middesbrough (via Manchester)
Posts: 37,343
Songs with stories are always great... or songs which create a vision.

I particularly love Bat For Lashes for this reason.
Carmen Queasy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 18:00
Deep Purple
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Deep Within The Chain Of Evil
Posts: 51,342
When The Tigers Broke Free - Pink Floyd.

About the death of Roger Waters dad. Very bitter, but moving too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_the_Tigers_Broke_Free
Deep Purple is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 18:05
Smiley433
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Location: Location
Posts: 4,215
Gary Moore - Over the Hills and Far Away
Smiley433 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 18:33
Radical Joe
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 14,957
The story of a working man...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19wAAyxZhUo
Radical Joe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 18:35
Carmen Queasy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Middesbrough (via Manchester)
Posts: 37,343
You are all forgetting the most famous song to tell a story, ever.... Vengaboys - Up and Down. True lyrical genius in that song!
Carmen Queasy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 18:46
big dan
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,257
When I was a child I loved Hotel California completely due to the story it told!
big dan is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 18:56
.Mimi.
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Rochester, England
Posts: 5,383
I love a lot of Paramore's new album (brand new eyes) because, as a fan, I recognise the stories behind the lyrics (for example, 'Ignorance' was about the struggles and fights within the band last year, 'Looking Up' is about them now, and how they put their troubles aside and about how they are now happy that they did not give up, something that they were very close to doing)

I'm Ok - Christina Aguilera - About her life as a child from a violent family Very sad.

Along with others.
.Mimi. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 19:16
Blah123
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,277
Seth Lakeman's albums are full of story-telling songs - love them all. All based on folklore around Britain.
Blah123 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 20:22
bunnykin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 991
"Hazard" by Richard Marx. I loved that at the time. In fact I haven't listened to it for a long time so off to have a listen now!
bunnykin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 20:38
Timothy Bryce
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,695
Madonna - Oh Father

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CuDvu7qtKY
Timothy Bryce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 21:16
spearmint
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 980
Not particularly sad, but a great story nonetheless.

Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M89c3hWx3RQ
spearmint is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 21:33
jenzie
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: BUDDIETOWN
Posts: 20,385
camouflage - stan ridgeway
under your thumb - godley and creme
jenzie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 21:39
Ezenden
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 3,061
Immortal Technique - Dance with the Devil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M72zVuBNpEA

A story, and perhaps as sad as you can get.
Ezenden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 21:42
Ghost World
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Pawnee Parks Deparment
Posts: 6,951
Most songs by The Decemberists, really. The Mariner's Revenge Song, O Valencia! and the duet with Laura Veirs, Yankee Bayonet, are my favourites.

And of course Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonight is about a fella in a wheelchair.
Ghost World is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 22:08
pumazooma
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,040
Pearl Jam - Jeremy
pumazooma is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 23:28
krazer
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 778
Alot of The Who's lyrics of there songs were wrote to tell you a story as proven by the fact they eventualy became movies.
krazer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26-11-2009, 23:30
silentNate
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Council Estate
Posts: 35,538
The Day I Died - Just Jack
silentNate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-11-2009, 04:30
JoJo2
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Online
Posts: 1,413
Shoulda Woulda Coulda
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bug-hnPxFaY

Musically, it's an amalgamation of country music twinned with some soothing neo-soul vocals which makes for a great combination! Lyrically, it uses great imagery and tells the story from retrospect. It reflects on the love of someone and a love of what you do, how the two aren't compatible and the sacrifices that had to be made.

Verse 1:
People said that together we were both sides of the same coin
That we would shine like venus in a clear night sky
We thought our love could overcome the circumstances
But my ambition wouldn't allow for compromise

I could see in the distance all the dreams that were dear to me
And every choice I had to make left you on your own
Somehow the road we started down had split asunder
Too late to realise how far apart we'd grown

Chorus:
And how I wish I, wish I done a little bit more
Now shoulda woulda coulda means I'm out of time
Shoulda woulda coulda can't change your mind
And I wonder, wonder what I'm gonna do
Shoulda woulda coulda are the last words of a fool

Verse 2:
People ask how it feels to live the kind of life I've always dreamed about
I tell them everybody gotta face their highs and their lows
And in my life there's a love that I put aside coz I was busy loving smething else
And so for every little thing you hold on to you've gotta let something go

Chorus into middle 8:
And how I wish I, wish I done a little bit more
Now shoulda woulda coulda means I'm out of time
Shoulda woulda coulda can't change your mind
And I wonder, wonder what I'm gonna do
Shoulda woulda coulda are the last words of

A fool if I would now forsake
These opportunities are fate
I know I'm right where I belong
But sometimes when I'm not that strong

Chorus:
I wish I, wish I done a little bit more
Now shoulda woulda coulda means I'm out of time
Shoulda woulda coulda can't change your mind
And I wonder, wonder what I'm gonna do
Shoulda woulda are the last words of a fool

x2

My explanation and the lyrics don't stand alone until you actually hear them sang into the story. It pieces together the rhythm and the vocals speak for themselves - she really expresses the song well.
Shoulda woulda coulda are the last words of a fool
JoJo2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-11-2009, 05:01
secretgenie
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 755
This has to be one of the ultimate story songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc86_Weoye0
secretgenie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-11-2009, 05:47
JoJo2
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Online
Posts: 1,413
^ Definitely!

I suppose that to some degree, most songs tell a story but it's the potency of the lyrics coupled with the singer's conviction and personal attribution that truly describe it! Of course, you have some songs that are utter garbage and are made for the sake of shifting units or do tell stories but is totally exclusive of the singer telling it. aka most pop-trash. And you have songs that impart on emotions or thoughts but don't necessarily tell a story.

That's why I prefer singers who write their own music and base it on life experinces and can really interpret and sell you something that is real as opposed to being handed something by a record-label, have it arranged by someone else and produced by yet someone else. Having it written by someone else is passable but when it gets to the point that someone else is arranging your vocals and telling you how to sing, you become some kind of robot.

Eg. "Bleeding is a great song, what is it about?" - "When I first heard it I fell in love with it and it's just one of those songs people can really connect with"

A shame you have absolutely no affiliation with the song, aren't able to express it beyond "hitting notes" and don't know how to colour the song with your voice.
JoJo2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-11-2009, 05:56
Rossall
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 9,433
This immediately jumped into my head:

Godley & Creme - Under Your Thumb

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PV7MZsnyrw
Rossall is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-11-2009, 08:51
Hannah Read
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: right here,right now
Posts: 320
Rock and Roll ( I gave you the best years of my life) Kevin Johnson.

Great story and very very sad
Hannah Read is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 14:40.