OT: Songs that reference historical events

[meyers7]

These guys actually do a lot of songs about events (historical??). In this instance a real person anyway.

John Mooring was a pretty popular fiddler player in Canada back in the 60's. Won some competitions, put out quite a few records. Anyway he was killed after one of his shows, for "flirting" with a girl in the audience. (supposedly anyway)

Death of Johnny Mooring - Enter the Haggis

 

[Kaizen]

Bee Gee's version (different song)

 

[Aluminny69]

Original song and story of Tom Dula (Dooley)

 

[bantamlaker]

 

[bantamlaker]

Fotheringay by Fairport Convention
You get some history with this one. Fotheringay was the final place of imprisonment for Mary Queen of Scots who was executed there in 1587. As a bonus you get the beautiful voice of Sandy Denny.

 

[Hoops66]

Written by Julia Ward Howe while watching the campfires of both the North and South from her room at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC.

 

[Hoops66]

 

[SVCBeercats]

 

[SVCBeercats]

 

[SVCBeercats]

 

[Aluminny69]

Johnny Horton sang many "historical" songs. The unofficial Kiing of History. ( Yes, I made that up.)

 

[Aluminny69]

The Alaska Gold Rush

 

[Aluminny69]

Hope this isn't a repeat. Can't believe no one posted it.

 

[Aluminny69]

Canadian Railroad History. Beautiful Song!

 

[Aluminny69]

Tom Rush performs "Galveston Flood" live, with a great introduction. Tom sounds as good in 2012 as he did back in 1963. This is a fun video, song about arguably the greatest tragedy n American history.

 

[Happydad745]

3:18

Country Joe & the Fish -- Vietnam song​

 

[hard2please]

 

[Bigboote]

Great topic, Ozi! I was literally going to start a thread like this when the music threads died down a little.

The Michael, Andrew, and James of this song were Schwerner, Goodman, and Chaney, the civil-rights workers who went down to Mississippi to register blacks to vote. This is a song whose dark music goes well with the dark lyrics.

 

[Bigboote]

I'd remembered this one being entirely about Idi Amin, but the Mighty Sparrow cites many late-70's dictators in it. I haven't heard it in 40 years, but I may just have to go out and get the album.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Beethoven - Symphony No. 3 "Eroica" - charting the rise (and eventual fall) of Napoleon Bonaparte

 

[Bigboote]

This is about the Battle of Culloden, which was one of the uprisings after England and Scotland were united. Deanta were a Norn Iron group who were only together for a few years; I think they all (or most) had day jobs. They made three albums, all of which are wonderful if you like that style of music.

 

[Ozimoto]

Kind of surprised this one hasn't shown up yet. Maybe I missed it. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

 

[BrianUC]

From Wikipedia: John Luther "Casey" Jones (March 14, 1863 – April 30, 1900) was an American railroader who was killed when his passenger train collided with a stalled freight train at Vaughan, Mississippi.

 

[BrianUC]

 

[64Zcode]

You get a like for MSB. Saw them open for Foreigner way back in the day.

Well, much appreciated..sure beats a big red anti-like because its The Michael Stanley Band.
I have a couple of their albums and they're in rotation on the iPod.
Also, I have a couple CDs from the Cherry Poppin' Daddies and had heard about that particular song, but had forgotten.
Pretty sure they were a bunch of folks out of Eugene, OR... Univ of Oregon??