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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.
- Jeff Buckley – “Hallelujah”
- Coldplay – “Viva La Vida”
- Amy Winehouse – “Valerie”
- Taylor Swift – “Love Song”
- Bob Dylan – “Hurricane”
- Suzanne Vega – “Luka”
- Pearl Jam – “Jeremy”
- Rupert Holmes – “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)”
- The Beatles – “Eleanor Rigby”
- Brandie Carlile – “The Story”
I’m starting with an absolute all-time classic. Originally written and recorded by Leonard Cohen in 1984, “Hallelujah” was covered by many artists, but Jeff Buckley’s version stands out. It’s a beautiful, delicate ballad that tells a story of a broken love, told through Bible-inspired stories. And as Leonard Cohen said about writing the song: “Ther...
Released in 2008, “Viva La Vida” is one of the best Coldplay songs. And if you pay attention to its lyrics, you’ll see it’s also one of the greatest songs that tell a story. In fact, “Viva La Vida” is written from King Louis’ point of view and contains many historical references, mostly tackling the French Revolution. “I used to roll the dice Feel ...
“Well sometimes I go out by myself And I look across the water And I think of all the things, what you’re doing And in my head I paint a picture.” “Valerie” is originally a song by English indie rock bandThe Zutons, but it became a worldwide hit after Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson covered it in 2007. The Zutons frontman Dave McCabe allegedly wrote ...
Taylor Swift is known for telling stories about her past relationships. “Love Song” is her oldie but goldie, featuring the most popular love story of all time: Romeo and Juliet. The singer used the famous story to talk about real-life experiences. She was blindly in love with the (wrong) guy, or at least she taught at the time, and her father didn’...
I included this classic in my list of songs about storms, and I can’t skip it now – “Hurricane” by Bob Dylan is one of the best songs that tell a story. The song is about the boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter who was charged with a triple murder. Dylan described it as a false conviction and an act of racism. Therefore, it’s a song with a strong, impor...
The popular song “Luka” by Suzanne Vega tackles the issue of child abuse. The singer based the song on a boy named Luka who was playing in front of her building, although she doesn’t believe he was an abused child. Although this is a tough topic, it’s an important one, and songs can be a good way to point out relevant problems in our society. “My n...
Another amazing song with a painful but powerful story is “Jeremy” by Pearl Jam. The suicide songis based on the true story of Jeremy Dale, who committed suicide in front of his English class in Texas. “Jeremy” is one of Pearl Jam’s greatest hits, and the story it tells gives it depth and emotion, besides being a musical masterpiece. “Daddy didn’t ...
“Escape” by Rupert Holmes will instantly cheer you up. Released back in 1979, the song was featured in the film “Guardians of the Galaxy”, and many other movies and TV shows (Taub’s ringtone in “House M.D.” also comes to mind). In a nutshell, the song is about a man wanting to leave his wife, only to accidentally find out she might have been thinki...
Written by Paul McCartney, this Beatles classic is about two lonely people – Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie. Eleanor Rigby is described as a lonely woman who goes to church, and Father McKenzie is the pastor who is writing sermons that no one will hear. Although this story comes from Paul’s imagination, it’s what makes this song so memorable. “E...
“The Story” was Brandie Carlile’s breakthrough song. It’s an emotional, personal song that can be about many things. The different ways that stories in music can be interpreted is what Brandie Carlile likes about songwriting, as she said in one of the interviews. And seems completely right – sometimes everyone will find their meaning in a song. “Al...
- 18 and Life by Skid Row. This iconic song tells the story of a young man who is sentenced to 18 years in prison for accidentally killing his best friend.
- 7 Years by Lukas Graham. 7 Years is a song by Lukas Graham, released in 2015. It tells the story of growing up, going through life’s trials and tribulations, and ultimately finding peace with who you have become.
- A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash. This iconic song tells the story of a young boy who was given an unusual name by his father. The story follows Sue’s journey as he embarks on a quest to find his father and confront him about why he gave him such an odd name.
- A Day In the Life by The Beatles. This classic 1967 tune is the sound of a day in the life. The song’s lyrics capture the hustle and bustle of everyday life, with references to news headlines, people rushing about their business, and all sorts of other mundane activities that make up a typical day.
- "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot.
- Alannah Myles Black Velvet.
- Wildfire by Michael Martin Murphy.
- America by Simon and Garfunkel.
- So Long, Marianne (Leonard Cohen) Leonard Cohen’s song “So Long, Marianne” referred to his long-time lover Marianne Christine Stang Ihlen, who shared a passionate romance with Cohen on the Greek island of Hydra in the 1960s.
- Jolene (Dolly Parton) Jolene tells a tale of a woman begging her husband’s potential mistress not to take her man. Dolly claims that the song was inspired by a redheaded bank clerk who flirted with Dolly’s husband when they were first married.
- These Boots Are Made for Walking (Nancy Sinatra) This song is about a scorned woman’s fury at her two-timing spouse, who she plans to leave. Funnily enough, the song was written by a man, Lee Hazlewood, who was planning to sing himself about a cheating woman!
- You’re So Vain (Carol King) Carol King’s iconic song tells of a younger woman being seduced by a rich, jet-setting womanizer who he then jilted. King finally confessed that the song was about her affair with Warren Beatty long after the world had already suspected that since the 70s.
Mar 24, 2022 · Top Songs That Tell a Story, Final Thoughts. Songs with powerful stories are transcendental, timeless from generation to generation, able to capture the imagination of every listener.
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May 16, 2024 · In the current research, we provide the first direct test of the Arc of Narrative in song lyrics. Additionally, we examine whether there are differences in the narrative structure across musical genres and between segments (i.e., the beginning, middle, and end of the song).
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