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- Allison Rapp
- Bob Dylan, "Hurricane" From: Desire (1976) "Here comes the story of the Hurricane," Bob Dylan sings near the top of this 1976 track co-written with Jacques Levy.
- The Kinks, "Come Dancing" From: State of Confusion(1983) The inspiration behind the Kinks' "Come Dancing" is as tragic as it is personal. In 1957, Ray and Dave Davies' older sister Rene died of a heart attack she suffered while out dancing at the Lyceum Ballroom in London.
- Elton John, "Ticking" From: Caribou (1974) In 1974, when Elton John released "Ticking," mass shootings weren't exactly as mainstream as they've since become, but that was the premise of the fictional song.
- Harry Chapin, "Cat's in the Cradle" From: Verities & Balderdash (1974) Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle" is a short story in the sense that it fits into a song, but it actually spans an entire lifetime.
- “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” – Pink Floyd
- “The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald” – Gordon Lightfoot
- “Stairway to Heaven” – Led Zeppelin
- “Hurricane” – Bob Dylan
- “Stan” – Eminem
- “Viva La Vida” – Coldplay
- “Lovers” – Jackie Evancho
- “A Day in The Life” – The Beatles
- “American Pie” – Don Mclean
- “The Boxer” – Simon and Garfunkel
Shine on You Crazy Diamond is a tribute to one of the original Pink Floyd members, Syd Barrett. If you look closely at the title of the song, you’ll see that it spells out his first name: Shine on You crazy Diamond Barrett was Pink Floyd’s lead guitarist and penned the majority of their early hits. However, he began to have issues with mental healt...
Canadian singer and songwriter Gordon Lightfoot wrote, composed, and performed “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” as a way of commemorating the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, a bulk carrier that sunk on November 10, 1975, on Lake Superior. Lightfoot was inspired by the Newsweek article about the ship’s sinking, which was entitled “The Cruel...
Written by Robert Plant and Jimmy Paige in 1971, this song is easily one of Led Zeppelin’s most well-known recordings. In fact, many people consider it to be the best rock song ever made. “Stairway to Heaven,” tells a story about a greedy woman who is unnaturally optimistic about her very unpromising future. The song is known to resonate with young...
“Hurricane” is a classic Bob Dylan protest song that was written with the help of Jacques Levy. It was released on the album “Desire” in 1976. This is one of the best story-telling songs because it details the imprisonment of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a boxer who was arrested in 1966 with his cousin for alleged triple homicide. Dylan’s masterpiece ...
“Stan” was released in 2000 by rapper Eminem, with backup vocals from singer Dido. The music video and song detail the musings of a young man named Stan who has become obsessed with the rapper. Stan’s obsession with Eminem shows through in a variety of ways, including copying the rapper’s look, confessing to harming himself, and eventually recordin...
“Viva la Vida” is a retelling of the French Revolution and the death of King Louis XVI. The song was written as an interpretation of the king’s final speech prior to his death. It is presented through the point of view of the king himself, as he gives his apologies to his people and accepts his eternal fate.
Since her 2010 appearance on America’s Got Talent, Jackie has released eight albums while touring throughout the world. Her song “Lovers” details a simpler time in her life, growing up in her hometown while immersed in a young love that she’s never forgotten.
“A Day In the Life” is a dispassionate, detached look through the eye of John Lennon’s consciousness during everyday life that he was more content to allow to pass him by. The song was inspired by a disconnected series of events that included: 1. Lennon’s appearance in the film “How I Won the War” from Richard Lester 2. The death of Tara Browne, a ...
Did you know that prior to the release of this song, the term “American Pie” didn’t even exist? Don McLean actually created and coined the term when he released the song in 1971. McClean says the song and chorus are all about America at the time he wrote it. “I saw the implication of America going bye-bye since by 1971 we were a horribly divided co...
“The Boxer” was released as a standalone single on March 21, 1969, then later included on their fifth studio album, Bridge over Troubled Water in 1970. In the song, Simon frequently refers to athletes like Joe DiMaggio. Frank Llyod Wright also garners a mention in the song, who may have been a substitute subject for Garfunkel. After all, he was a s...
From ballads to rap, there are countless songs that tell a story about life in all its complexities. Whether it’s about love, loss, triumph, or hardships, these songs resonate with listeners because they capture the human experience in a way that words alone cannot.
- Buzzfeed Staff
- Allie Hayes
- 4 min
- "Bury a Friend," Billie Eillish. View this video on YouTube. Darkroom/Interscope / Via youtube.com. "It's begging to be turned into a thrilling horror movie."
- "Highwayman," the Highwaymen. View this video on YouTube. Columbia//Liberty / Via youtube.com. "This would be so amazing! You could also make a movie about the 2019 version of the song, 'Highwomen!'
- "Jesus of Suburbia," Green Day. View this video on YouTube. Reprise/Warner Bros. / Via youtube.com. "This would be a fucking epic movie, and the story is all there!"
- "Amos Moses," Jerry Reed. View this video on YouTube. RCA Records / Via youtube.com. "It has one of the most concise plot lines I've ever heard, and it’s only a song!
- “Don’t Stop Believin’” By Journey. Perhaps the quintessential song about living life, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” has been an anthem since its 1981 debut.
- “‘Heroes’” By David Bowie. With his penchant for constantly reinventing himself, David Bowie may be just the guy who lived life well more than anyone else.
- “Let It Be” By The Beatles. From The Beatles’ final album, “Let It Be” runs along similar lines as “‘Heroes’” in that it’s about facing things head-on.
- “Over The Rainbow” By Judy Garland. Written specifically for The Wizard of Oz by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, “Over the Rainbow” won an Oscar. It became the defining song of Judy Garland’s career.
Nov 8, 2023 · Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” weaves a vivid narrative of historical grandeur and personal downfall, striking a chord with its poignant storytelling. Meanwhile, Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie” combines soulful vocals and vivid lyricism, inviting us into a colorful, empathetic portrait of a woman’s life.
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Oct 18, 2019 · 15 Songs That Tell Better Stories Than Your Favorite Novel. by Isabel Carrasco. October 18, 2019. in Music. We all love good stories. A beautifully woven tale is one of the most effective ways to make sense of the world and also the most straightforward means to transmit a deep, complex message.
