[incanus77]

What a song — chills me every time. I can’t think of another historical and/or tragedy song that grips me as much as this one.

[swader999]

Iron Maiden's adaptation of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner comes close. You have to get into the original work and perhaps have similar life experiences to appreciate it I suppose.

The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is more accessible.

http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1696/brief-review-t...

[deadlyllama]

As it's listing similar songs time, Genesis' Driving the last spike https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_the_Last_Spike fits in the historical(ish) story as ten minute long popular song territory.

Arguably you could also include Telegraph Road (Dire Straits, 1982) although its story is even more generic.

[wging]

Hellsongs' cover of "Run to the Hills" (originally by Iron Maiden) is worth a listen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AguuHDW42OQ

(Since Iron Maiden got another mention for Rime of the Ancient Mariner, I'd bet they have more to offer, but I'm not that knowledgeable about their work.)

[quesera]

On a less historical, more personal tragedy level, "Cat's in the Cradle" has always hit me way harder than I would expect (both as a kid and an adult):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat%27s_in_the_Cradle

... gotta make a phone call now ... :-/

[kQq9oHeAz6wLLS]

Well, if we're listing songs that hit ya in the feels, J Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers "Last Kiss" is right there

https://youtu.be/bh4se9YMV3A

[TedDoesntTalk]

Extremely overplayed, "American Pie" by Don McLean is about the plane crash that killed 4 American rock stars all at the same time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_the_Music_Died

[incanus77]

That song was always more about the narrator of the song, to me.