When you think about it, song lyrics are pretty much extensions of the human drive to tell stories – an inclination that goes back millennia, all the way to prehistoric man spinning yarns for the rest of the clan around the fire. But narrative songs aren’t so prevalent these days, when proclamations of love, statements of purpose, surreal ruminations, and random gibberish are the usual fare.
Sure, we’ve had “A Boy Named Sue,” “She’s Leaving Home,” “Hurricane,” “Cat’s in the Cradle,” and other anecdotal numbers that were written and recorded during the latter part of the 20th century. So where are today’s tale-spinners whose songs reflect upon or enhance the human condition or simply entertain or amuse? Too complex for modern audiences? Too much info for short-attention spans?
I’ve attached a stream of a favorite story-song to this post. Although it may not be to everyone’s taste, “I Married a Martian” is a novel, funny, disco-flavored rock tune from Ron and Russell Mael - the Los Angeles-spawned, European-acclaimed brother act that has recorded under the name Sparks since their early 1970s glam-rock days. They made waves during the new-wave era with “Cool Places,” a bouncy, synth-pop duet with Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go’s. Ron and Russell also went through a pre-new-wave period that brought them an international hit, “The #1 Song in Heaven,” produced by Euro-disco maven Giorgio Moroder. Soon thereafter, they toughened up their sound again while retaining some of the electronic keyboards that marked their Moroder collaborations. The tongue-in-cheeky, sci-fi-themed “I Married a Martian” is from one of those later Sparks albums: 1981’s Whomp That Sucker. Check it out – and listen to the words. (The singer’s final assessment: “I married a Martian / They’re good in the movies / Dramatic potential / But they’re not so hot in real life.”)
Are there any narrative songs that strike your fancy? They’re out there, and I’m curious to know which ones, if any, you like.
Sparks' Russell and Ron: Interspecies wedlock?
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I'm partial to 'Where's Summer B?' by Ben Folds Five...I can see the story so clearly in my mind.
I always thought he should write a musical...
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waydutch: Hiatt's a giant. I don't hear enough of him - and that track was a tonic.
Misstee: Great call. Ben Folds is uber-talented. I bet you're right, and he does something long-form before long.
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Swervedriver Mezcal Head Satansville Revisited
Maybe it's not exactly a full-blown narrative, but I love the way Adam Franklin owns the lyric. You can almost taste the atmosphere.
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I guess "This Charming Man" by The Smiths is one, right? A pretty fucked up one at that, but I like them that way. ;)
The story of a young man that has a "punctured bicycle" on a "hillside desolate", and along comes this "charming car" with this "charming man". And he gaves the young man a ride. What are your plans? "I would go out tonight, but I haven't got a stitch to wear". Well, it's "gruesome that someone as handsome as you should care."
Now that's one heck of a disturbing story!
Also, Jarvis of Pulp likes to step up as narrator on occassion I believe, like on "The Night That Minnie Timperley Died" (Oh he only did what he did, because you look like one of his kids)
Geez, in what kind of mood am I? :S
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Oh, and as far as new songs are concerned, Olive Eyes by FrYars is one, no? Equally disturbing by the way as the two above, but that's another story. ;)
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Sparks are a hoot!
Here's a narrative song from Knights of Crisis. It's in keeping with the aliens theme: "Aliens Ate My Car"
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Dale: That's the stuff. Caught those guys at an early, crowded club date in London's SoHo district. Talk about atmosphere...
SA: Good call. No denying Morrissey's literary qualities - or Mr. Cocker's. On the hunt for "Olive Eyes"...
redmiller1: Sparks are really something special. Always were. Hadn't heard the Knights of Crisis before, but if that number is any indication, I'm eager to hear more.
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Well it's impossible to beat Chuck Berry for narrative. 'You Never Can Tell', 'Nadine' and 'No Particular Place To Go' say more in 3 verses than some writers do in a whole novel. His influence on Mick Jagger can be pretty obvious. Two less obvious examples - 'Flight 505' is an underrated throw away and 'Factory Girl' is a lovingly observed story. Jagger is a very underrated lyricist.
For right-now narrative, I'm completely in love with 'Let's Pretend' by MGMT - not so much a story of what's been done as what should be done.
And Sparks....On a recent covermount sampler CD was a song of theirs called 'Baby Can I Invade Your Country'. It's a very effective list of pick-up lines, including this: "Who's your favourite Beatle? Mine's Ringo, the apolitical one." Classic.
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Jonh: So true about Berry. And a much deserved nod to Jagger, who was (note "was") a terrific lyricist. "Factory Girl" is a beaut. But I'm also partial to "Backstreet Girl," which implies a short-story while it serves as a finely-drawn character sketch of the singer and the object of his desire. Sparks? Always witty, frequently pithy, often tuneful, and invariably off-the-wall - attributes that might also be assigned to MGMT on the basis of their current blast of creativity. BTW, your name came up at tonight's San Francisco MOG Meet (in a positive way), as did Anna's, Pimp's, and a handful of other notables. Would that you could have all been there in person...
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A Mog meet in Baghdad By The Bay would be a happening night indeed. Maybe one day.
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i remember the Sparks.
among the new-ish, Mark Kozelek and Ida can really tell stories.
among the really new, she didn't do bad at all: Paris Is Burning by St. Vincent.
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Jonh: You're always welcome, man...
poebegone: Kozelek and St. Vincent are both high on my list. Good'uns!
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Hey Mike - Narrative lyrics...I can think of none other that Fountains of Wayne...in every song the seem to put on a different turtleneck to accompany its' different persona. They are under heavy rotation in our house at the moment.
Artist: Fountains Of Wayne Album: Traffic And Weather Track: Strapped For CashIt was absolutely cool to meet you last night. To be able to put the person to the eloquent writer. I am just sorry I had to duck out early...hope I didn't miss to many shenanigans. I look forward to reading your post of the meet up and to see the pictures...I know I just couldn't describe the evening as well as I know you will. You really are the sweet soul I knew you to be.
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annieander: First off, Fountains of Wayne! Truly! Secondly, you're being way too kind, but the feeling is mutual.
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There's the Beatles' "No Reply," Bob Dylan's "Bob Dylan's Dream" and "Hurricane," plus old rock 'n' roll hits like "Dead Man's Curve," "The Last Kiss" and "Silhouettes," plus the whole "Hot Rod Lincoln"-type songs from days of yore.
Famous 20th Century painting and poetry was way less narrative than from earlier centuries.
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Spike: I'm interested in impressions and expressions, but there's something about a good story, whether a literal, linear account or something more abstracted, that is very satisfying. Re: "Dead Man's Curve" - Someone told me that the actual spot is on Sunset as you travel West past Bel Air on the way to the beach.
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Those Texans spin some pretty good yarns. "El Paso" is one of the obvious ones from the olden days (along with just about anything Johnny Horton ever recorded). Nowadays a song like Doug Sahm's "I Can't Go Back To Austin Any More" (because he was screwing the wife of one of his bandmates) does the trick.
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ivy: Marty Robbins and Johnny Horton were golden. Although the title escapes me, I'm recalling a Lyle Lovett number about lovers on the rocks that may not be Updike, but is quite a slice of real life. Speaking of hearts in flux, there's Sammy Kershaw's composition "Third Rate Romance," made famous by the Amazing Rhythm Aces. And the Eagles burnished and modernized the country & western tradition of bleak tale-tellin' with "Hotel California" and went into hyper-drive with "Life in the Fast Lane."
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And while we're mining this vein, any number of John Prine songs would also meet your criteria...
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Prine's "Sam Stone" being a prime example: "There's a hole in Daddy's arm where all the money goes..."
Cheery!
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Dead Man's Curve was - as far as I could ever work out - at the point where Sunset leaves Beverly Hills and starts winding into the "country" to Bel Air. I once met Dean Torrance and of course asked him where it was - he wasn't too exact. It was reworked into a much smoother bend about 1970 or so.
Which of course brings up the Brian Wilson ouvre: 'Fun, Fun, Fun' and the sublime "Don't Worry Baby" spring to mind.
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Jonh: "Fun Fun Fun" works for me, even if it's a fragment/slice-of-teenage-life rather than a fully realized tale. Which brings issues of degree and semantics to mind. I tend to think that ballads - in the truest or strictest sense - are story-songs or accounts of lives and deeds, although the most banal and sketchy of love songs can be mislabeled as a ballad nowadays. Still, I'm almost inclined to consider "All Summer Long" as a narrative about a summer romance despite its lack of resolution. In ways, it's more of a sketch. But damn! Whatever you call it, it's one of the crucial, most resonant and beautiful rock and roll songs ever.
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Mike, I was just hit by a thought: How could we forget Ray Davies? "Lola" is the most obvious example, but his catalog is studded with great story songs. I admit to being partial to the "Face To Face"/"Something Else" era of his output, with songs such as "Situation Vacant" and "Mister Pleasant."
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And of course, Ray's story of how he became a star: "Top Of The Pops"
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So true, ivy. "Waterloo Sunset" and "Come Dancing" stand out for me. And his character profiles - "David Watts," "20th Century Man," "Dandy," "Two Sisters," "Dedicated Follower of Fashion," and so on - are beyond compare.
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I'm a cheeseball because my favs are picturebook, people take pictures and do you remember walter.
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Embrace the cheese! ("Picture Book" is top-shelf, man!)