Good Story Songs

Graham · Post by **Graham** » 3 Dec 2004 2:40 pm

Shifting, Whispering Sands - Jim Reeves
Five Miles From Home - Bob Luman
Bringing Mary Home - Various artists
Old Shep - Various artists
The Deepening Snow - Various artists
Long Black Veil - Lefty Frizzell
Long Black Limousine - Various artists
Spring - Clay Hart
Picture From Lifes' Other Side - Various artists
The Last Goodbye - Jimmy Dean
To A Sleeping Beauty - Jimmy Dean
The Outlaw's Prayer - Johnny Paycheck
Veil Of White Lace - Mel Tillis
Raggedy Ann - Little Jimmy Dickens
When You're Seventeen - Little Jimmy Dickens
An Old Log Cabin For Sale - Porter Wagoner
Charleys' Picture - Porter Wagoner
Be Careful Of Stones That You Throw - Various artists

and many, many more.

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Chris Lasher · Post by **Chris Lasher** » 3 Dec 2004 2:49 pm

Alices Restaurant

YES!

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 4 Dec 2004 6:09 am

What Have You Got Planned Tonight Dianna?-Merle
The Silent Kind-Porter
Skid Row Joe-Porter
Phantom 309-Red Sovine
You Got To Have A License-Porter(Written by Tommy Collins)

Gregg Galbraith · Post by **Gregg Galbraith** » 4 Dec 2004 6:57 am

"San Francisco Mabel Joy", by Mickey Newberry

Wayne Franco · Post by **Wayne Franco** » 4 Dec 2004 10:33 am

Walter....Your 3rd pick "MR. SHORTY" has been a favorite of mine for a loooong time. I first heard it done by a great bluegrass band in the 60's there in So. Calif called the Joplin Forte sang by a friend of mine named Dennis Coats. Then later of course I heard the origional by Marty Robbings. I always loved that line "when the 44 spoke, instead of letting smoke, 44 inches of flame"

Wayne

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 4 Dec 2004 12:06 pm

Two more of these greattales from the old west just came to my mind:

"Ringo" by Lorne Greene
"The Guns Of Rio Muerto" by Johnny Western, with a great narration by Richard Boone

Kind Regards, Walter

www.lloydgreentribute.com
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

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John Pelz · Post by **John Pelz** » 4 Dec 2004 3:42 pm

Here's vote #4 (or #5?) for "El Paso."

"Pancho & Lefty" by Townes van Zant.

"Black Diamond Bay" by Bob Dylan.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 4 Dec 2004 5:41 pm

Aw, how could I have forgotten? "A Boy named Sue" by that Cash fellow....

Lem Smith · Post by **Lem Smith** » 4 Dec 2004 8:08 pm

Two real tear-jerkers were "I.O.U. by Jimmy Dean and "Roses for Mama", by C.W. McCall and also Red Sovine had a version of it too.

Merle Haggard's "Root's of my raising" and "Mama's hungry eyes" are also two great story songs, IMHO.

Lem

Cal Sharp · Post by **Cal Sharp** » 4 Dec 2004 9:10 pm

Geez, I can't believe nobody's mentioned "That Knoxville Girl". (Unless I missed it.) That's a good 'un. Wilburn Bros., Louvin Bros. etc... That song's got a whole bunch of verses that are left out in some versions. I've heard that it was originally "That Birmingham Girl" - imported from England a century or so ago.

Red Sovine was mentioned a few times. I had the pleasure of playing steel with him for about a year, and he was real good with story songs, and a nice guy. Funny thing, every once in a while he'd forget the words, and when he did he'd have to start the song from the beginning. Always cracked me up. He cut a story song called "The Prettiest Dress" (or something like that) that was the saddest song I've ever heard - about his dead wife lying in her coffin wearing a special dress. I don't think it got much (if any) air play.

C#
www.calsharp.com

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 5 Dec 2004 12:14 pm

Just A Man and His Dog..........by Red Foley.

Another, the title escapes me, about Foley walking past a little Negro Church and he could hear the preacher talking about the little boy that died and how the Lord had only lent him for awhile. Touching story as only Red Foley could sing them.

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 5 Dec 2004 1:04 pm

I think that was "Steal Away", also Hank Williams (as "Luke The Drifter" and George Morgan did that one...

Kind Regards, Walter

www.lloydgreentribute.com
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

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Geoff Cole · Post by **Geoff Cole** » 5 Dec 2004 6:42 pm

"The Man From Snowy River". Written by Banjo Patterson, put to music by Slim Dusty.
"Little Boy Lost". By Johnny Ashcroft.

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 6 Dec 2004 9:51 am

Here's one of my favorites...I first heard it by the Louvin Bros. and later on an album by Jim Reeves. It's called "Trouble in the Amen Corner" (Thanks to Gregg Galbraith for the correct title)

It was a stylish congregation, you could see they'd been around,
And they had the biggest pipe organ of any church in town.
but over in the Amen corner sat old brother Ira,
And he insisted every Sunday on singing in the choir.

His voice was cracked and broken, age had touched his vocal cords.
And nearly every Sunday he'd get behind and miss the words.
Well the choir got so flustered and the church was told in fine,
That Brother Ira must stop his singin' or the choir would resign.

So the pastor appointed a committee, I think it was 3 or 4,
And they got in their big fine car and drove up to Ira's door.
They found the choir's great trouble sitting there in an old arm chair,
The summer's golden sunbeams glowing in his snow white hair.

Said York...We're here dear brother, with the vestry's apravation,
To discuss a little matter that affects the congregation.
Now it seems that your voice has interfered with the choir,
So if you'll just lay out...Are you listening brother Ira?

The old man raised his head as a sign that he did hear,
And on his cheek the men caught the glitter of a tear.
His feeble hand pushed back the locks as white as silky snow,
And he answered them back in a voice soft and low.

I wonder if beyond the tide that's breaking at my feet,
In that far off heavenly temple where my Master and I shall meet.
Yes, I wonder if when I try to sing the songs of God and higher,
I wonder if they'll kick me out up there for singing in the choir.

A silence filled up the room, the old man bowed his head,
The committee went on back to town but brother Ira was dead.
The choir missed him for a while but he was soon forgot,
A few churchgoers watched the door but the old man entered not.

Far away his voice is sweet and he sings his hearts desire,
Where there are no church committees and fashionable choirs........

While this is being recited, they play "Rock of Ages" in the background. It's a very touching thing..........JH

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 07 December 2004 at 11:46 AM.]

Dave Burr · Post by **Dave Burr** » 6 Dec 2004 10:14 am

"Breakfast in Hell" by Slaid Cleaves.

Breakfast In Hell
by Slaid Cleaves
From Broke Down
(Slaid Cleaves)

Chords transcribed by Warren Owen ( wozza@altcountrytab.com )
From the AltCountryTab.com website which rather surprisingly
can be found at www.altcountrytab.com

In the [Bm]melting snows of [D]Ontario where the [A]wind'll make you [Bm]shiver
'Twas the [Bm]month of May up in [D]Georgian Bay near the [A]mouth of the Musquash [Bm]River
Where the [D]bears prowl and the [A]coyotes howl and you can [D]hear the osprey [Bm]scream
Back in [A]'99 we were cutting pine and [D]sending it down the [Bm]stream

Young [Bm]Sandy Gray came to [D]Go Home Bay all the [A]way from P.E.[Bm]I
Where the [Bm]weather's rough and it [D]makes you tough, no [A]man's afraid to [Bm]die
Sandy [D]came a smilin', thirty [A]thousand Islands was the [D]place to claim his [Bm]glory
Now [A]Sandy's gone but his name lives on [D]this is Sandy's [Bm]story

Young [D]Sandy Gray lives [Bm]on today in the [D]echoes of a mighty [Bm]yell
[A]Listen close and you'll hear a ghost in this [D]story that I [Bm]tell, boys
This [D]story that I [Bm]tell

{verse and chorus same for rest of song}

Now Sandy Gray was boss of the men who'd toss the trees onto the shore
They'd come and go til they'd built a floe 100,000 logs or more
And he'd ride 'em down toward Severn Sound to cut 'em 'up in the mills for timber
And ships would haul spring summer and fall til the ice came in December

One Sabbath Day big Sandy Gray came into camp with a peavey on his shoulder
With a thundercrack he dropped his axe and the room got a little bit colder
Said "Come on all you. We got work to do. We gotta give 'er all we can give 'er"
"There's a jam of logs at the little jog near the mouth of the Musquash River"

With no time to pray on the Lord's day, they were hoping for God's forgiveness
But the jam was high in a troubled sky and they set out about their business
They poked with poles and ran with the rolls and tried to stay on their feet
Every trick they tried and one man cried "This log jam's got us beat!"

But Sandy Gray was not afraid and he let out a mighty yell.
"I'll be damned, we'll break this jam, or it's breakfast in Hell, boys"
"Breakfast in Hell!"

Now every one of the men did the work of ten and Sandy scrambled up to the top
He's working like a dog heaving 30 foot logs and it looked like he'd never stop
They struggled on these men so strong til the jam began to sway
Then they dove for cover to the banks of the river all except for Sandy Gray

Now with thoughts of death they held their breath as they saw their friend go down
They all knew in a second or two he'd be crushed or frozen or drowned
They saw him fall and they heard him call, just once and then it was over
Young Sandy Gray gave his life that day near the mouth of the Musquash River

But Sandy Gray was not afraid and he let out a mighty yell.
"I'll be damned, we'll break this jam, or it's breakfast in Hell, boys"
"Breakfast in Hell!"

East of Giant's Tomb there's plenty of room, there's no fences and no walls
And if you listen close you'll hear a ghost down by Sandy Gray Falls
Through the tops of the trees you'll hear in the breeze the echoes of a mighty yell
"I'll be damned, we'll break this jam, or it's breakfast in Hell"

But Sandy Gray was not afraid and he let out a mighty yell.
"I'll be damned, we'll break this jam, or it's breakfast in Hell, boys"
"Breakfast in Hell!"

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 6 Dec 2004 5:43 pm

It's hard to top El Paso for a great story song but I think my favorite and most moving story song is Kilkelly Ireland by Peter Jones. Jones found a bundle of letters sent to his great-grandfather by his father in Ireland. The letters continued from 1860
until the old man's death in 1892. Peter Jones used his great-great-Grandfather's letters to write the song.

Lyrics:

Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and sixty, my dear and lovin' son John
Your good friend the Schoolmaster Pat McNamara, so good as to write these words down.
Your brothers have all gone to find work in England, the house is so empty and sad,
The crop of potatoes is sorely affected, a third to a half of them bad.
And your sister Bridget and Patrick O'Donnell, are goin' to be married in June,
Your mother says not to work on the railroad, and be sure to come on home soon.
Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and seventy, my dear and lovin' son John
Hello to your missus and to your four children, that they may grow healthy and strong
Michael has got in a wee bit of trouble, I suppose he never will learn
Because of the dampness there's no turf to speak of and now we have nothing to burn.
And Bridget is happy you named the child for her, although she's got six of her own
You say you've found work, but you don't say what kind, or when you'll be comin' home.
Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and eighty, dear Michael and John my sons
I'm sorry to give you the very sad news that your dear old mother has gone.
We buried her down at the church in Kilkelly, your brothers and Bridget were there,
You don't have to worry, she died very quickly, remember her in your prayers.
And it's so good to hear that Michael's returning with money he's sure to buy land
For the crop has been poor and the people are selling, for any price that they can.
Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and ninety, my dear and lovin' son John
I suppose that I must be close on eighty, it's thirty years since you've gone
Because of all of the money you sent me, I'm still living' out of my own
Michael has built himself a fine house, and Bridget's daughters have grown
And thank you for sendin' your family picture, they're lovely young women and men
You say you might even come for a visit, what a joy to see you again.
Kilkelly Ireland, eighteen and ninety two, my dear brother John,
I'm sorry I didn't write sooner, to tell you that father has gone.
He was living with Brigid, she said he was cheerful and healthy right down to the end
And you should have seen him play with the grandchildren, of Pat McNamara your friend.
And we buried him alongside of mother, down at Kilkelly churchyard
He was a strong and a feisty old man, considering that life is so hard.
And it's funny the way he kept talkin' about you, he called for you at the end
And why don't you think about comin' to visit, we'd all love to see you again.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 8 Dec 2004 1:53 am

For great story songs I would have to say my favorite songwriters would be Tom Russell, Ian Tyson, Dave Alvin, Joe Ely, Steve Earl and a few from Robert Earl Keen.

"The Sky Above, the Mud Below " by Tom Russell -is a great story about two horse thieves(twin brothers with long black hair) that stumble into the wrong bar and try to trade a horse hair bridle for drinks. The bartender (also the deacon) recognizes the horse hair as being from his prized race horse stolen just weeks before. When the twins tell the bartender that hair was from some old nag that they had killed and eaten, he tells them it was his horse and that he is also the town judge. He has a quick trial, finds them guilty and make them cut off and braid their hair into a noose and hangs them with it.

"Gallo del Cielo" by Tom Russell- about a guy that's steals a one eyed fighting rooster and goes from cock fight to cock fight trying to when enough money to get the families land back that Poncho Villa stole.

Sonoras Death Row by Kevin Blackie Farrell- this is just a great song that has been recorded by many.

Claude Dallas by Ian Tyson & Tom Russell- A true story song about the guy that lived as a "mountain man" in the Owyee Range north of Winnemucca, NV. He killed two game wardens and when they put him in jail he broke out and it took fifteen months to find him.

"Road Goes on Forever" by Robert Earl Keen- this is still a great song even though he puts it on every other album he makes.

[This message was edited by Alvin Blaine on 08 December 2004 at 01:58 AM.]

Mark Metdker · Post by **Mark Metdker** » 8 Dec 2004 4:17 am

Alvin, I will agree with you about Tom Russell. The guy is a genius story teller.

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