LOVE Dire Straits and Telegraph Road - the whole of the Alchemy set is life changing. I’ve got a LOT to give to this one, but I’m in the park with my kid so just quickly: proof positive that you can tell an engaging story in a three and a half minute song. Cave popped The Ballad Of Robert Moore And Betty Coltrane on as a b-side to a single on his Murder Ballads record, his informal farewell to this kind of narrative lyricism. Classic vibe, great groove, and unusually for a murder ballad, great characterisation for both leads.
Great Cave song, thanks for the rec. When it comes to murder ballads, I like the Handsome Family, although their songs don't have the rhythmic drive that this Cave song does.
Okay, I've got a bit more time for this now... on the other end of the conciseness spectrum is Ocean Cloud, by Marillion - the sprawling, 18-minute epic at the heart of their 2004 double album Marbles. It's dedicated to the Ocean Rowers, and specifically Don Allum, the first man to row the Atlantic alone in both directions. It's interspersed with spoken sections that (I believe) are provided by Don's cousin Geoff, another ocean rower.
It's a story about a man whose life has let him down, and who's driven to extraordinary lengths to prove himself to himself: Moby Dick in diary form, one man setting himself in a small row boat against the sea and the sky as a way of grimly facing down his own unconquerable demons.
Radical change of pace - Ruth Theodore's People People. Much of her earlier output exists in the push and pull between Kate Bush and Tom Waits (while singing defiantly in her own soaring voice) but this feels very much more Billy Bragg. It's a firebrand protest song, told as a conversation between two old friends catching up and talking about old times in the job centre queue, and references lyrics from a Greenham Common protest song written by Peggy Seeger, Pete Seeger's sister.
How about How To Build A Time Machine, by the hugely underrated Darren Hayes? Yeah, him out of Savage Garden. After the relative disappointment of his micro-managed first solo album, he decided to go independent and write/release whatever the fuck he liked. The next album sounded and felt like Depeche Mode in therapy - and then the record after that was a prog-pop double album, vastly ambitious and often incredibly moving.
This one's a story about a man who inherits a half finished time machine and, desperate to change the catalysing events of his own past, uses it to travel back to his childhood... only to find that what he really needed to do was come to terms with it. As he returns to the present day again, he doesn't stop, but instead accelerates into the future. It sounds a bit like Rush being covered by Thomas Dolby - or possibly David Byrne, who's to say?
And then there's Ren. The modern day Prince: singer-songwriter, rapper-producer, multi-instrumentalist, and above all storyteller. There's far too much to recommend, and to be honest the man is ubiquitous online these days, so you might have already heard this: but the Jenny & Screech trilogy is a high water mark, released long before he made it big.
Three short stories in one video: Jenny's Tale, Screech's Tale, and Violet's Tale, all one-shot live performances, just him, an acoustic guitar and a single cameraman. He's written better songs since, but this is still visceral, incendiary storytelling from a desperately ill young man who thought, "fuck it. this is the artist I want to be."
Brilliant - thank you so much for these... I'll work through them after work today. I was impressed by Ren when you introduced him to me before. And thanks for the background on the suggestions below, too!
I love this so much. Telegraph Road...one of the only happy memories I have with my dad is listening to that live version in the car, and just sharing that moment with him. Back when he used to have feelings. I still close my eyes when I here Mark Knopfler play.
I'm not sure if they're *quite* the same thing you're talking about here, but I have two suggestions that I feel have a similar vibe.
Up The Junction by Squeeze is a whole short story, or Sunday newspaper experience piece. It really affected me when I first heard it and still brings a lump to my throat. https://youtu.be/RQciegmLPAo?si=pGQ3UReGypttsVjd
Telegraph Road is favorite of mine, for sure. I have two story songs that popped immediately to mind.
The first one is only a little over three minutes but is loaded with prose: "For My Upstairs Neighbor (Mums the Word)" by El-P. It's only two verses, told chronologically in reverse. First verse: the narrator is being interrogated by police. Second verse: we see his earlier interaction with a neighbor, and it's devastating.
The other is Steely Dan's "West of Hollywood," one of their patented elliptical stories that nonetheless comes into sharp focus at the bridge with lines that kill me every time: "She reached out for my hand, while I watched myself lurch across the room. And I almost got there. I almost got there." And then the entire back half of the song is Chris Potter soloing over a particularly punishing set of chord changes, like he's doing penance for someone else's sin.
Wow, yes — both those count: cutting lyrics in both. And thank you for sharing them, as neither is the kind of thing I generally listen to. Love that description of the solo at the end of the second song ;-)
"Jungleland" by Springsteen, "Mariner's Song" by the Decemberists, and a lesser known song "Haunted House" by Treetop Flyers are three that immediately come to mind.
Just so you know, I've spent the whole morning listening to nothing but John Prine songs. He's been one of my heroes since his first album came out. And every song I hear just makes him more heroic in my eyes and ears. THANKS, MAN!!!
LOVE Dire Straits and Telegraph Road - the whole of the Alchemy set is life changing. I’ve got a LOT to give to this one, but I’m in the park with my kid so just quickly: proof positive that you can tell an engaging story in a three and a half minute song. Cave popped The Ballad Of Robert Moore And Betty Coltrane on as a b-side to a single on his Murder Ballads record, his informal farewell to this kind of narrative lyricism. Classic vibe, great groove, and unusually for a murder ballad, great characterisation for both leads.
https://youtu.be/wrjmcyaBYoY?si=zEOU1ddcmZv1xMAa
Wow - that's quite something! I must listen to more Cave...
I still think this song is probably the best one from that album, and it's not even on the album.
Great Cave song, thanks for the rec. When it comes to murder ballads, I like the Handsome Family, although their songs don't have the rhythmic drive that this Cave song does.
Okay, I've got a bit more time for this now... on the other end of the conciseness spectrum is Ocean Cloud, by Marillion - the sprawling, 18-minute epic at the heart of their 2004 double album Marbles. It's dedicated to the Ocean Rowers, and specifically Don Allum, the first man to row the Atlantic alone in both directions. It's interspersed with spoken sections that (I believe) are provided by Don's cousin Geoff, another ocean rower.
It's a story about a man whose life has let him down, and who's driven to extraordinary lengths to prove himself to himself: Moby Dick in diary form, one man setting himself in a small row boat against the sea and the sky as a way of grimly facing down his own unconquerable demons.
https://youtu.be/Qx5dzaYrcoQ?si=nkXLpDxxrBm1DJMk
Radical change of pace - Ruth Theodore's People People. Much of her earlier output exists in the push and pull between Kate Bush and Tom Waits (while singing defiantly in her own soaring voice) but this feels very much more Billy Bragg. It's a firebrand protest song, told as a conversation between two old friends catching up and talking about old times in the job centre queue, and references lyrics from a Greenham Common protest song written by Peggy Seeger, Pete Seeger's sister.
https://youtu.be/JWXs4IkYBTc?si=XICM4XNFlPaN8Pne
How about How To Build A Time Machine, by the hugely underrated Darren Hayes? Yeah, him out of Savage Garden. After the relative disappointment of his micro-managed first solo album, he decided to go independent and write/release whatever the fuck he liked. The next album sounded and felt like Depeche Mode in therapy - and then the record after that was a prog-pop double album, vastly ambitious and often incredibly moving.
This one's a story about a man who inherits a half finished time machine and, desperate to change the catalysing events of his own past, uses it to travel back to his childhood... only to find that what he really needed to do was come to terms with it. As he returns to the present day again, he doesn't stop, but instead accelerates into the future. It sounds a bit like Rush being covered by Thomas Dolby - or possibly David Byrne, who's to say?
https://youtu.be/I00tfkTaOw0?si=cfQpapeIXBSTzpxn
And then there's Ren. The modern day Prince: singer-songwriter, rapper-producer, multi-instrumentalist, and above all storyteller. There's far too much to recommend, and to be honest the man is ubiquitous online these days, so you might have already heard this: but the Jenny & Screech trilogy is a high water mark, released long before he made it big.
Three short stories in one video: Jenny's Tale, Screech's Tale, and Violet's Tale, all one-shot live performances, just him, an acoustic guitar and a single cameraman. He's written better songs since, but this is still visceral, incendiary storytelling from a desperately ill young man who thought, "fuck it. this is the artist I want to be."
https://youtu.be/TYAnqQ--KX0?si=3x05wky-WyUJHPQv
Brilliant - thank you so much for these... I'll work through them after work today. I was impressed by Ren when you introduced him to me before. And thanks for the background on the suggestions below, too!
I love this so much. Telegraph Road...one of the only happy memories I have with my dad is listening to that live version in the car, and just sharing that moment with him. Back when he used to have feelings. I still close my eyes when I here Mark Knopfler play.
I'm not sure if they're *quite* the same thing you're talking about here, but I have two suggestions that I feel have a similar vibe.
To The Teeth, by Ani Difranco
Round Here, by Counting Crows.
I shall go check those out... thank you. And I'm glad TR has happy memories attached, even if — by the sound of it — very complicated.
Good shout with Round here. Must give that album a listen to again!
Such an amazing album. I hope you enjoy revisiting it.
Up The Junction by Squeeze is a whole short story, or Sunday newspaper experience piece. It really affected me when I first heard it and still brings a lump to my throat. https://youtu.be/RQciegmLPAo?si=pGQ3UReGypttsVjd
Yep, absolute classic. Either short story or Kitchen Sink novel, for me...
"Fourteen minutes!", said Keith Emerson to Greg Lake, and Carl Palmer burst out laughing …
ELPs "Memoirs of an Officer and a Gentleman" is to be beaten. 20:19.
Ha, fair point ;-)
Telegraph Road is favorite of mine, for sure. I have two story songs that popped immediately to mind.
The first one is only a little over three minutes but is loaded with prose: "For My Upstairs Neighbor (Mums the Word)" by El-P. It's only two verses, told chronologically in reverse. First verse: the narrator is being interrogated by police. Second verse: we see his earlier interaction with a neighbor, and it's devastating.
https://youtu.be/vW0W9rcQ3kU?si=mtMKemzswRugAtDZ
The other is Steely Dan's "West of Hollywood," one of their patented elliptical stories that nonetheless comes into sharp focus at the bridge with lines that kill me every time: "She reached out for my hand, while I watched myself lurch across the room. And I almost got there. I almost got there." And then the entire back half of the song is Chris Potter soloing over a particularly punishing set of chord changes, like he's doing penance for someone else's sin.
https://youtu.be/7ES0OdVB8Yo?si=x6RWmmUnCtUALRoN
Wow, yes — both those count: cutting lyrics in both. And thank you for sharing them, as neither is the kind of thing I generally listen to. Love that description of the solo at the end of the second song ;-)
Ray Wylie Hubbard is a recent discovery for me. Here's a great example.
https://youtu.be/rIQVG0Bcu6w?si=SG-nBpxPqeZDaiEr
Listening now and loving i...
And then, of course, there's the Master of this, Tom Waits.
https://youtu.be/Pv8IM_-Bam0?si=TrkLzMGBt_-AhiIl
Oh yeah, he's the man.
"Jungleland" by Springsteen, "Mariner's Song" by the Decemberists, and a lesser known song "Haunted House" by Treetop Flyers are three that immediately come to mind.
Excellent, thank you — I'll go have a listen!
Just so you know, I've spent the whole morning listening to nothing but John Prine songs. He's been one of my heroes since his first album came out. And every song I hear just makes him more heroic in my eyes and ears. THANKS, MAN!!!
Hey there! Lord that guy could write a song... and you're right, their power simply doesn't fade.
My brother introduced me to Prine a few years ago, when he played him on his radio show and it was like being washed in a rainbow... Love him.
He was so good.
Because you knew I had to...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTUcoR8_pyE
(Really - what other musical artist has re-created a scifi/horror movie so well in song?)
Yeah, that is pretty amazing to be fair :-)
I've long thought that James McMurtry tells stories every bit as rich as his dad Larry did, he just keeps them much shorter. E.g:
https://youtu.be/lQI_lI0vC6Y?si=ZnHl6dTGA7wzxxzR
Wow. Listening to it now and loving it. Thank you!
Dire Straits LOVE THEM. Come, sit on my lawn, there are adult beverages.
I'LL BE THERE IN TEN MINUTES
awesome!! we also have those fancy haagen dasz cornettos!!
Your lawn sounds excellent.
Italians know how to treat a guest! and themselves.
Tommy the cat-primus
The hole-townes van zandt
A grand don't come for free-lp,the streets.
I see the light-scott h biram.
Thank you — will check them out!
Judge bouche-Alvin Youngblood Hart.
Life-jeffrey lewis.
Oof, too many things I want to add, but I'll be idle and drop this gem from my favourite artist.
https://youtu.be/AIatvXPRrqk?si=7UJeidhS7YQ_VWD6
Wow, playing now and loving it.