Songs That Tell Stories

Nothing to post . . . just want to have easier access to this thread, which is one of my all time favorites

One of mine too.

Phil Ochs
No More Songs

The Bus Stop Song - The Hollies.

Very nice choice. I believe London's Graham Gouldman wrote that.
He was a fine lyricist and song writer.
Another song of his with a story well told.

No Milk Today.
Great song....takes me right back to the playground. Sherbet Lemons, Flying Saucers, Civil War cards, Anglo Bubbly gum and England winning the World Cup.

We used to sing....."No milk today, the cow has run away..."

Did you hear Terry Gross’ interview with Graham Nash, broadcast yesterday, 15 October? Nash mentioned performing in black face at minstrel shows. Almost left Terry speechless.

No, but I heard him on Steve Wright's show. Talk about mid atlantic accent mixed with a bit of manc. He did well for himself, didn't he.


Here's one for all those who went dancing every Saturday.....

The Kinks.

Labelled with Love - Squeeze.

She unscrews the top of a new whiskey bottle
And shuffles about in her candle lit hovel,
Like some kind of witch with blue fingers in mittens
She smells like the cat and the neighbours she sickens,
The black and white t.v. has long seen a picture
The cross on the wall is a permanent fixture,
The postman delivers the final reminders
She sells off her silver and poodles in china.

(Chorus:)
Drinks to remember, I me and myself
And winds up the clock
And knocks dust from the shelf
Home is a love that I miss very much
So the past has been bottled and labelled with love.

During the war time an american pilot
Made every air raid a time of excitement,
She moved to his prairie and married the texan
She learnt from a distance how love was a lesson,
He became drinker and she became mother
She knew that one day she'd be one or the other,
He ate himself older, drunk himself dizzy
Proud of her features, she kept herself pretty.

(Chorus)

He like a cowboy died drunk in his slumber
Out on the porch in the middle of summer,
She crossed the ocean back home to her family
But they had retired to roads that were sandy,
She moved home alone without friends or relations
Lived in a world full of age reservation,
On moth eaten armchairs she'd say that say sod all
The friends who had left her to drink from the bottle.

(Chorus)

Difford & Tilbrook - great writers

Speaking of Gouldman and Squeeze, I always thought this was a rather clever song:

I'm not in love, so don't forget it
It's just a silly phase I'm going through
And just because I call you up
Don't get me wrong, don't think you've got it made

I'm not in love, no-no
(It's because)

I like to see you, but then again
That doesn't mean you mean that much to me
So if I call you, don't make a fuss
Don't tell your friends about the two of us

I'm not in love, no-no
(It's because)

Be quiet, big boys don't cry
Big boys don't cry

I keep your picture upon the wall
It hides a nasty stain that's lyin' there
So don't you ask me to give it back
I know you know it doesn't mean that much to me

Ooh, you'll wait a long time for me
Ooh, you'll wait a long time

'm not in love, so don't forget it
It's just a silly phase I'm going through
And just because I call you up
Don't get me wrong, don't think you've got it made, ooh

I'm not in love
I'm not in love

I was just checking out the recent songs added. Good on all of it.

When I was young it seemed
that life was so wonderful
a miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical
And all the birds in the trees
well they'd be singing so happily
joyfully, oh playfully watching me

But then they sent me away
to teach me how to be sensible,
logical, oh responsible, practical
And they showed me a world
where I could be so dependable
clinical, oh intellectual, cynical.

There are times when all the world's asleep
The questions run too deep
for such a simple man
Won't you please,
please tell me what we've learned
I know it sounds absurd
but please tell me who I am

Oh watch what you say
or they'll be calling you a radical,
a liberal, oh fanatical, criminal
Oh won't you sign up your name
we'd like to feel you're acceptable
respectable, presentable - & vegetable!

But at night when all the world's asleep
The questions run too deep
for such a simple man
Won't you please,
please tell me what we've learned
I know it sounds absurd
but please tell me who I am

our shepherd returns to count the flock...

The Bangor Song......

Abba were very good at telling a story....

Here are, in my opinion, their two finest songs. Considering that English was their second language, didn't the lyricist do well!




I don't wanna talk
About the things we've gone through
Though it's hurting me
Now it's history
I've played all my cards
And that's what you've done too
Nothing more to say
No more ace to play

The winner takes it all
The loser standing small
Beside the victory
That's her destiny

I was in your arms
Thinking I belonged there
I figured it made sense
Building me a fence
Building me a home
Thinking I'd be strong there
But I was a fool
Playing by the rules

The gods may throw the dice
Their minds as cold as ice
And someone way down here
Loses someone dear
The winner takes it all
The loser has to fall
It's simple and it's plain
Why should I complain

But tell me does she kiss
Like I used to kiss you?
Does it feel the same
When she calls your name?
Somewhere deep inside
You must know I miss you
But what can I say
Rules must be obeyed

The judges will decide
The likes of me abide
Spectators of the show
Always staying low
The game is on again
A lover or a friend
A big thing or a small
The winner takes it all

I don't wanna talk
If it makes you feel sad
And I understand
You come to shake my hand
I apologize
If it makes you feel bad
Seeing me so tense
No self-confidence
But you see
The winner takes it all
The winner takes it all...



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Must have left my house at eight, because I always do
My train, I'm certain, left the station just when it was due
I must have read the morning paper going into town
And having gotten through the editorial, no doubt I must have frowned

I must have made my desk around a quarter after nine
With letters to be read, and heaps of papers waiting to be signed
I must have gone to lunch at half past twelve or so
The usual place, the usual bunch

And still on top of this I'm pretty sure it must have rained
The day before you came
I must have lit my seventh cigarette at half past two
And at the time I never even noticed I was blue

I must have kept on dragging through the business of the day
Without really knowing anything, I hid a part of me away
At five I must have left, there's no exception to the rule
A matter of routine, I've done it ever since I finished school

The train back home again
Undoubtedly I must have read the evening paper then
Oh yes, I'm sure my life was well within its usual frame
The day before you came

Must have opened my front door at eight o'clock or so
And stopped along the way to buy some chinese food to go
I'm sure I had my dinner watching something on tv
There's not, I think, a single episode of Dallas that I didn't see

I must have gone to bed around a quarter after ten
I need a lot of sleep, and so I like to be in bed by then I must have read a while
The latest one by Marilyn French or something in that style

It's funny, but I had no sense of living without aim
The day before you came
And turning out the light
I must have yawned and cuddled up for yet another night

And rattling on the roof I must have heard the sound of rain
The day before you came.....