Top 10 Best Songs that Tell a Story
How do you tell a good story? Well, one way is through a captivating narrative, vibrant characters, and the emotional journey that it takes you on. Another way? A great song.Songs are like miniature novels or short films, capable of painting vivid pictures in your mind, triggering a whirlpool of emotions, and even transporting you to a different place or time. They're as varied and complex as the human experience itself, tackling themes like love, loss, rebellion, triumph, and everything in between.
Maybe it's a folk ballad that weaves a tale of old, or a rock epic unfolding a saga of rebellion and freedom. Perhaps it's a country song taking you on a journey of heartache and resilience, or a hip-hop track telling a raw, real-life story that mirrors societal struggles. From war to peace, from heartbreak to euphoria, these songs are miniature worlds waiting to be discovered, their stories expressed through the universal language of music.
Every genre has its own unique way of spinning a yarn, and you've likely found yourself swept up in the narrative of a song from one genre or another. Whether you're a fan of the poetic allegories in progressive rock, the vivid imagery in folk music, or the emotive narratives in R&B, there's a wealth of storytelling treasures waiting for your vote.
Jackie first recorded this at the age of 11. Now 15, she has performed it at nearly every concert. Her rendition is nothing short of spectacular.
From the movie "House of Flying Daggers," a tragic story.
How is this not #1? It is simple, yet complex. It is slow, yet fast. It is quiet, yet loud. And overall, it tells one of the best stories in any song.
"... Every blow that laid him down and
Cut him till he cried out, in his anger, in his pain,
I am leaving, I am leaving,
But the Fighter still remains
Yes he still remains."
I saw Gordon Lightfoot perform this live once. The creepy thing was, right at the line "and later that night when his lights went out of sight came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," there was a flash of lightning over a lake nearby. Eerie.
One of the most well-written and "feeling" songs ever written.
I consider this haunting song the best story song ever.
It tells the story of a defining blow to the world of music, where the loss of those three musicians had a huge impact on American culture.
How is this only number 40? It should be number one without question! Stan is also a creative song in that it is written using increasingly aggressive letters from Stan to Eminem. It tells a story good enough to turn into a movie.
There are few songs of any genre that have such deep and complex emotions. If you are really looking for a good version, look for the live version. It gives even more feeling.
Why in hell is this #35? This is storytelling at its finest and these people here fail to recognize it.
Aka Rising Sun Blues. Origins and writers unknown. Many versions and covers. Most popular by The Animals.
"You see, she was gonna be an actress
And I was gonna learn to fly
She took off to find the footlights
And I took off to find the sky."
Life takes some subtle turns and "Taxi" captures the melancholy.
The Newcomers
"... And they say that he went crazy once and he tried to touch the sun, and he lost his hand but kept the memory."
One of the reasons I was compelled to move to and live in Colorado for a while - the song, not the going "crazy" part. Haven't always had to look too far for that.
"He was born in the summer of his twenty-seventh year, going home to a place he'd never been before. He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again, you might say he found the key to every door..."
It tells a story indeed, and one which I never get tired of.
Wrong album cover, but you're right that this is a great song that tells a story.
Jackie's voice soars as she sings of loss and hope.
El Paso tells a great love story of the Old West. No one can tell old western-style stories like Marty Robbins.