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Greatest Song with a Story . . .


Nirvana2k4

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"El Capitan" by Idlewild! tis from their new album "Warnings/Promises" and it's about a place that was famous in the 80s,twas a mountain in California and it became a glamourous place to kill yourself in the 70's,Roddy Woomble wrote the song because he always wondered what people were thinking when the climbed the hill to go and jump off, "Stand up,stand up and i'll climb El Capitan and jump of to cheers from the crowd"

I like it because it's something most people tend to wonder "why do it?" it's just a really great,deep song! and it isn't even an unhappy song either..it just makes ya think!

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Lehua Kalima's story-song unfolds here:

Go down a rocky road, take a left at the stream

Three houses down under old Mango trees

There's a little old shack made of metal and wood

and way, way back if you look real good

You'll see a little old man in the morning mist

and he's doing the taro patch twist

He gets up every morning while his rooster still dreams

and he cooks his breakfast fresh caught from the stream

Takes a look in the mirror that's cracked and worn

and he laughs to himself 'cause there's no one around

Well he's seen about everything, nothing he's missed

but he lives to do the taro patch twist

He jumps into the Lo'i right up to his knees

and with no one around he can do what he please

With the cool mountain water rushing right through his hands

He can't help but start moving, see him dance, dance, dance

Up and down and round and round he's doing the taro patch twist

Yeah up and down and round and round see him twist, twist, twist

Well he's seen about everything, nothing he's missed but he lives everyday to do the taro patch twist

So if you've go the time and you're ever that way

Stop and see my friend 'cause he's there every day

It's a long, long ride, but it's worth every mile

and I do guarantee, you'll be met with a smile

Just be ready for fun, you don't know what

you've missed 'til you've done the taro patch twist

*Taro, an aquatic Rhizome plant, is grown for leaves and corms in water-filled, shallow ponds called Lo'i. From this one gets Lau Lau from the leaves and Poi from the boilec corms.

**The actions described refer to the Waipio Valley, which can be reached via a narrow, winding dirt road, where rivers and streams flow in abundance.

Information taken from Na Leo Pilimehana's 1997 "Colours" CD. :coolio:

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Henry

by

the New Riders of the Purple Sage

Henry

Lyrics: John Dawson

Music: John Dawson

Every year along about this time it all goes dry

Nothing round for love or money that'll get you high

Henry got pissed off and said he?d run to Mexico

See if he could come back holdin' 20 keys of gold

Now the road to Acapulco is very hard indeed

And it isn't any better if you haven't any weed

Henry?s drivin? hard and straight on twisty mountain roads

Fifty people waitin' back at home for Henry's load

Chorus

Now he's rolling down the mountain goin' fast, fast, fast

And if he blows it this one's going to be his last

Run to Acapulco to turn the golden keys

Henry keeps the brakes on for this corner if you please

Henry got to Mexico and he turned his truck around

He's talkin' to the man who has it growin' from the ground

Henry tasted, he got wasted, couldn't even see

How he's going to drive like that is not clear to me

[chorus]

Sunday afternoon, Tijuana is a lovely town

Bullfights bring the tourists and their money flowing down

The border guards are much too busy there at five o'clock

Henry?s truckin' right on through, he hardly even stopped

[chorus]

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most songs tell a story. This is usaully discludes rap and hip hop and pop songs. all sex and people complaining that they don't get any or enough for that matter. pathetic.

Songs that tell a story:

Mr. Brightside ~ killers

BOHEMIAN RHASODY - queen

piano man -billy joel

long and winding road - beatles

annie - vanessa carlton

get back -Beatles

another one bites dust - queen

and several more

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I've always liked songs based in history. Tom Dooley is one of those songs. Tom Dooley is based on a true story. Laura Foster was murdered in 1866 in North Carolina. Local legend tells that both she and Annie Melton were in love with Tom, and further that Sheriff Grayson, the man who took him in custody and also drove the horses from beneath him when he was hanged, was jealous of Tom. Some believe that he either committed the murder or helped Ann Melton who is reputed to have murdered Laura Foster out of jealousy.

Here is the song.

Tom Dooley

Kingston Trio.

[intro:]

Throughout history

There've been many songs written about the eternal triangle

This next one tells the story of a Mr Grayson, a beautiful woman

And a condemned man named Tom Dooley...

When the sun rises tomorrow, Tom Dooley... must hang...

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Hang down your head and cry

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Poor boy, you're bound to die

I met her on the mountain

There I took her life

Met her on the mountain

Stabbed her with my knife

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Hang down your head and cry

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Poor boy, you're bound to die

This time tomorrow

Reckon where I'll be

Hadn't a-been for Grayson

I'd a-been in Tennessee

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Hang down your head and cry

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Poor boy, you're bound to die

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Hang down your head and cry

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Poor boy, you're bound to die

This time tomorrow

Reckon where I'll be

Down in some lonesome valley

Hangin' from a white oak tree

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Hang down your head and cry

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Poor boy, you're bound to die

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Hang down your head and cry

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley

Poor boy, you're bound to die

Poor boy, you're bound to die

Poor boy you're bound to die

Poor boy, you're bound to die...

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  • 2 weeks later...

I always liked this song 'cause it mentions my hometown, Pittsburgh.

Silkworm - "Miracle Mile"

I was caught in a bad dream; I was locked out on love.

I got stuck in the slipstream until I lucked out for once.

In the sky behind this club I saw her face high-rise.

(I) didn't want to lose it on that miracle mile.

But we played at CBGB on a 4th of July at 3 a.m.

The soundman wanted to kill us then.

He was strung out on Ex-Lax. He was f***ed in his lungs.

He got shot out on "Avenue A"

while sucking on some slut's tongue.

He would dress up like a whore

just to get lucky once in a while.

I didn't want to lose it on that miracle mile.

Then we played at the Knitting Factory for fifteen people,

thirty bucks, and someone broke into the godd**n truck.

He had s**t in his pants. He had a needle in his arm.

He just stole a couple sleeping bags

that he needed to stay warm.

But he couldn't even walk.

We found him crawling in a garbage pile.

Yeah, I didn't want to lose it on that miracle mile.

But we met with even greater misfortune

in the "Armpit of the Americas" - four dumb hicks from hunger.

We got ripped off by these assh***s at a Fort Lee garage.

They didn't weld that motherf*****g leaf spring.

No, those sparks were a mirage.

Yeah, we hallucinated freely huddled shivering on the tile.

And I didn't want to lose it on that miracle mile.

But six hundred dollars later we were still drinking bad coffee.

Couldn't sleep. Our stomachs were full of pizza grease.

Well I called her up long-distance.

There was freezing on the line.

Did she trust me?

Could she throw me with a strong breeze from behind?

Oh no and no again. No f*****g s**t, a crazy smile.

And I didn't want to lose it on that miracle mile.

But the stage was set for tension so I cried and I spit.

I drooled and wept, and I hit the gas for Pittsburgh.

Guitar Solo

I was caught in a bad dream; I was out on the nod.

I got stuck in the slipstream until I blacked out,

until I blacked out. Thank God.

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  • 1 month later...

"Every picture tells a story don't it?" ~ Every Picture Tells A Story ~ Rod Stewart :thumbsup:

Same with songs I think. ;)

I don't really agree, actually. A lot of songs don't tell a story, many are just the singer's opinions, or feelings on a subject. And then there are instrumentals but thats a whole other story.

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