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Better story teller than Edmund Fitzgerald?

There was a thread on A'gon about the most perfect song.  We had reasons for picking various, but for me it was Gordong Lightfoot's Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Perhaps it featured an aspect of song writing that no one else much cared for:  A deep and detailed story in the song.

So I ask you, A'goners, what songs are as good or better at telling a story of a historical event? 

erik_squires

Showing 2 responses by erik_squires

erik_squires OP
15,842 posts
 

I think for the purpose of this discussion fictional stories are fine as well.

They have to have a beginning, middle and end though.  So Cats in the Cradle and Ode to Billy Joe certainly qualify.  Songs which are descriptive without a time element though are different.

Interesting how far back in time we have to go for these songs, and how many are western themed.

Lastly, I can't think of any solid jazz songs that qualify.

erik_squires OP
15,842 posts
 

Strange Fruit, while a very important song, is not a great story teller.

It is taken from a poem which sets up an allegorical scene and is about a general subject (horrible as it was).

To be a truly great story-telling song it has to have details, be about a specific person or event, and tell us things we might not otherwise know.

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