On Monday, Canadian folk legend Gordon Lightfoot died at age 84 of natural causes. Besides his warm baritone voice, Lightfoot was known for his songs with themes of loss, longing and nostalgia. In his lyrics, Lightfoot was deftly able to create a scene. For example, Lightfoot’s song, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” helps us imagine and empathize with the experiences and thoughts of the crew aboard the iron ore ship that sank in Lake Superior in 1975.

Lightfoot is part of a grand tradition of singer-songwriters known for their storytelling ability — their knack for setting a scene, creating characters and taking us through a tale from start to finish.

So in light of that, let’s celebrate music in the tradition of Gordon Lightfoot and many others before and since. For today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs by music’s great storytellers do you want to hear?

Respond with your song ideas in the comments below.

Have an idea for a Coffee Break topic? Submit your idea for a future theme and browse past Coffee Breaks in our archive.

Songs Played
Gordon Lightfoot - The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
The Decemberists - The Mariner's Revenge Song
Johnny Cash - A Boy Named Sue
Suzanne Vega - Luka
Loretta Lynn - Coal Miner's Daughter
Tracy Chapman - Fast Car (bonus)