Alright, hopefully this will be a good thread. I wanted to get your opinions on songs which are about crime and also tell a story. Could be about gansters, or outlaws, or people down on their luck, any combination thereof.

So, for example Springsteen's "Johnny 99" from Nebraska or Biggie's "Niggas Bleed" from Life After Death.

Marty Robbin's "El Paso" is more story than crime. It's really a love story. Ween's "Buenas Tardes Amigo" from Chocolate & Cheese is a bit more crime-y.

Also: "Children's Story" (the Slick Rick, Tricky, or Black Star versions all work).

"Mack the Knife" - Bobby Darin

"Scooby Snacks" - Fun Loving Criminals (maybe not *great*, but fun)
"Criminal" - Eminem (at least part of the song; hell, a lot of his songs are about illegal doings)

I need to get some Marty Robbins. Whenever I hear "El Paso" I think of Steve Martin's early 80s "Comedy Is Not Pretty" special, with all of the chimps. Hilarious. (That NEEDS to be on DVD.)

"The City Sleeps" - MC 900 Ft. Jesus

Suicide- Frankie Teardrop
More of a descent into insanity, but I guess what's depicted is illegal. Somewhat.

The Jam- Down in the Tube Station at Midnight
Victim's account of being mugged.

Husker Du- Diane
Perpetrator's account of the rape and murder of a young girl.

Big Black- Jordan, Minnesota
Child Molestation. Hell, probably half their songs were about a crime of some sort.

I'll probably think of more later when I get a chance to think about it.

I'm not sure if I consider it a great song but I enjoy it: "Possum Kingdom" by the Toadies.

Date Rape - Sublime instantly sprang to mind.

"Great"? Nah... But it's what came up first.

"Alice's Restaurant"

i fought the law

"Been Caught Stealing" by Jane's Addiction

Kid Charlemagne- Steely Dan
Excitable Boy- Warren Zevon
To Catch a Thief- Lovage
Intruder- Peter Gabriel

Desperado-Alice Cooper
Take The Money And Run-Steve Miller
I Shot The Sheriff-Clapton
Folsom Prison Blues-J.C.
Renegade-Styx
Then Came The Last Days Of May-Blue Oyster Cult
The Pusher-Steppenwolf
30 Days In The Hole-Humble Pie
Two Hangmen-Mason Profitt
The Ballad of Danny Bailey-Elton John
Jailbreak-Thin Lizzy
Band On The Run-Wings
Gimme Your Money Please-Bachman Turner Overdrive
Chain Gang-Sam Cooke

Warren Zevon - Frank and Jesse James
Baader Meinhof - There's Gonna Be an Accident
Lorne Greene - Ringo

Sleep Come Free Me - James Taylor
I'm Bad Like Jesse James - John Lee Hooker
Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price

Biggie - Story To Tell.

= J

I Hung My Head - Sting (tho I prefer Johnny Cash cover version)

Jailbreak - AC/DC

The Killing of Georgie, part 1 & 2 - Rod Stewart

watch me kill- gg allin

Tweeter and the Monkeyman- Traveling Wilburys

It's an okay song. "Tyler" by the Toadies is a much better song about crime. If you listen to the lyrics the main character is stalking a girl before breaking into her house and abducting her to take her to Mexico.

Robert Earl Keen has some in the Marty Robbins vein as well. Definitely check out "Sonora's Death Row" and "The Road Goes On Forever".

Cocaine Blues - Johnny Cash

Really any number of Johnny Cash songs will work

Bank Robber - The Clash

Queen - Stone Cold Crazy

"Six O'Clock News" by Kathleen Edwards

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"The Long Black Veil" by Johnny Cash or The Band
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"Banks of the Hudson" by Black 47

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