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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 3 responses by larryi

larryi
3,742 posts
 

“Cold Missouri Waters,” which is a telling about a real forest fire crew that got trapped by a fast moving fire is pretty good.

The story about Australian soldiers at Gallipoli in WW 1–“And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda” is another one I like.

larryi
3,742 posts
 

"And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" was written by a Scottish-born song writer who moved to Australia when he was young, so he is primarily Australian.  There are several good covers of the song.  I particularly like the one by the Pogues.

larryi
3,742 posts
 

While the thread is supposedly about retelling of actual historical events, a lot of the fictional storytellers mentioned above, such as James McMurtry (son of novelist Larry McMurtry) are fantastic.  His stories are funny and touching.  I would add to this list of fictional storytellers Greg Brown.  His "Poet Games" album has some terrific lyrics, particularly the title track and a track called "Brand New '64 Dodge" (a story about childhood innocence just before the assassination of President Kennedy).   

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