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Mar 12, 2024 · Whether you're looking for heartbreak songs, tales of vengeance or something a little more lighthearted, country music has the perfect story song for you.
- "Philadelphia Lawyer," Maddox Brothers and Rose
- "El Paso," Marty Robbins
- "Ode to Billie Joe," Bobbie Gentry
- "A Boy Named Sue," Johnny Cash
- "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town," Kenny Rogers & The First Edition
- "The Carroll County Accident," Porter Wagoner
- "The Year That Clayton Delaney Died," Tom T. Hall
- "Coat of Many Colors," Dolly Parton
- "Uneasy Rider," Charlie Daniels
- "Golden Ring," George Jones and Tammy Wynette
Early country and rock influencers Maddox Brothers and Rose pushed the murder ballad tradition that predates recorded popular music into the future with this recording of a Woody Guthrie standard. Note that the murder ballad and fractured love story combo has persisted throughout country music history, from Lefty Frizzell's "Long Black Veil" in 195...
This epic story of a gun-slinging cowboy became a No. 1 country and pop hit— an unlikely feat at a time when four-plus minute songs from any genre weren't considered radio or jukebox friendly. Over 60 years later, "El Paso" remains the quintessential country story-song that's tied to a specific place. It's a trend that's continued with Blake Shelto...
Gentry's debut single famously knocked the Beatles' "All You Need is Love" off top of the all-genre Billboard Hot 100. Beyond being a gorgeous blend of orchestral country instrumentation and Gentry's rich vocals, it's an arresting story with still-unanswered questions about its deeper meaning. Listen here.
Songwriter and children's author Shel Silverstein penned this humorous yet poignant tale that's a better-known example of Cash's silly side than the entirety of 1966 novelty album Everybody Loves a Nut. Silverstein wrote numerous story-songs of note, many of which were cut by Bobby Bare. In the grand scheme of Cash's career, it represents one of ma...
Rogers was an ace storyteller, as heard on "The Gambler," "Lucille" and "The Coward of the County." Before his run as a solo country sensation, Rogers and country-rock band the First Edition brought to life this Mel Tillis-penned tale of a person with disabilities and Vietnam veteran who's begging for grace from a cheating wife. Listen here.
Wagoner's main contribution to story-songs tells of a single-car accident in which two reputable peoples' cheating ways get exposed to their neighbors and spouses. It's part disaster song in line with formative folk tune "Wreck of the Old 97," part old fashioned cheating song. It won the CMA Song of the Year trophy in 1969. Listen here.
Before Dennis Linde, Brandy Clark and Ashley McBryde, Hall set the bar high for story-songs that create more than vivid characters— they paint a portrait of an entire small town. "The Year That Clayton Delaney Died" is one of several Hall songs that back this up, with "The Little Old Lady Preacher" being another. In each case, it's easy to picture ...
Just like her peer Loretta Lynn, Parton inserted real-life experiences into story-songs that connected on a personal level with everyday folks. The autobiographical element in early Parton songs often pointed back to her humble upbringing in East Tennessee. Take for instance "Coat of Many Colors," which spoke to anyone who'd ever been ridiculed for...
Before Hank Williams Jr. found his own voice through similar tales, Daniels poked good-natured fun at the tension between rednecks and outsiders. In this case, Daniels gives a sympathetic take on a hippie who's stepped into the wrong rural Mississippi bar. More famously, musical morality play "Devil Went Down to Georgia" paints as vivid a picture a...
A No. 1 hit and all-time great country duet, "Golden Ring" follows a cheap engagement band from being a priceless symbol of a marriage to the meaningless relic of a divorce. Notably, Jones and Wynette were freshly divorced at the time of the single's release. It's the type of fractured love song that few ever sang better than Jones ("He Stopped Lov...
- 30 sec
- When It Rains It Pours – Luke Combs. A somber tale of misfortune and woe this is not. Luke Combs’ When It Rains It Pours is a funny twist on the old saying, telling the story of a man’s three-week good luck strike after his girlfriend leaves him.
- You’re Gonna Miss This – Trace Adkins. A reminder that life is a fleeting moment, You’re Gonna Miss This by Trace Adkins asks us not to take the present for granted while yearning for the future.
- She Got The Best of Me – Luke Combs. A tale of heartbreak and newfound passion, Luke Combs’ She Got The Best of Me tells the story of the singer’s first love and heartbreak and the resulting pain from giving his all to a failed relationship.
- Warning – Morgan Wallen. Morgan Wallen’s Warning narrates a wistful story told from the privilege of hindsight. As the singer reflects on the ill-fated encounter with a woman in a bar and dwells on his heartbreak, he laments that the various locations and items he saw on his way should have come with a warning.
- “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. From the album Jolene released in 1974 under RCA Records, “Jolene” tells the tale of a woman pleading with another to not take her man.
- “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” by Vicki Lawrence. Released in 1972 under Bell Records, this song comes from Vicki Lawrence’s album of the same name.
- “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” by The Charlie Daniels Band. This high-energy song from the 1979 album Million Mile Reflections (Epic Records), features a fiddle duel between the devil and a young man named Johnny.
- “Fancy” by Reba McEntire. A rendition of Bobbie Gentry’s original, Reba McEntire’s “Fancy” is from her 1990 album Rumor Has It (MCA Records). It narrates the rags-to-riches story of a young woman whose mother encourages her to use her looks to escape poverty.
- 6 min
- poppiesandjasmine
- "Fancy" by Reba McEntire. Reba McEntire / Via Youtube. This song is so amazing, and you really have to listen to get the full story (and track down the complete song — one verse is cut in the radio version).
- "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" by Reba McEntire. Reba McEntire / Via Youtube. Reba's an amazing storyteller. In this song, she tells the story of a murder, a wrongful conviction, and a killer who was never caught.
- "Two Black Cadillacs" by Carrie Underwood. Carrie Underwood / Via Youtube. Don't ever mess with Carrie Underwood — she will take you all the way out.
- "Alyssa Lies" by Jason Michael Carroll. Jason Michael Carroll / i40films / Via Youtube. You'll need a box of tissues for this song.
Country Songs That Tell A Story · Playlist · 93 songs · 1.3K likes.
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Country has been a narrative art form since it was founded on hymns and cowboy ballads. The tracks here aren’t that old, but they represent a continuation of the kind of storytelling that has made country a comfort and teacher to anyone willing to listen.
