Murder Ballads & Death Songs

A blog devoted to the long tradition of songs about horrible, awful things.

[murderousballads]

The History of Murder Ballads and the Women Who Flipped the Script

Originally, murder ballads focused exclusively on homicide—and often that of women. We dig into the history of the subgenre, and the women who reclaimed it.

I love it when women flip the traditional murder ballad script.

[murderousballads]

Frankie and Johnny were lovers...

[murderousballads]

R.I.P. Conway Savage, long time keyboardist of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds who died yesterday at age 58. His vocals are featured on this traditional murder ballad.

[murderousballads]

“This dreadful, dark and dismal day Has swept my glories all away, My sun goes down, my days are past, And I must leave this world at last.

Oh! Lord, what will become of me? I am condemned you all now see, To heaven or hell my soul must fly All in a moment when I die.”

The Ballad of Frankie Silver is a traditional murder ballad that originated in North Carolina. This version is from 1962.

In 1831 teenage bride Frankie Silver murdered and dismembered her heavy-drinking husband Charlie with an axe, for reasons she took to her grave since she was not allowed to testify at her own trial. There were whispers of family conspiracy since the Silver family was wealthy, but members of the jury supposedly regretted sending Frankie to the gallows, which makes one think perhaps it was self-defense. She was buried a few miles out of town in a grave unmarked until 1952. Because they found different pieces of Charlie at different times, they buried him in three separate graves.

Local folklore holds that she spoke the words quoted above before they hanged her, but some think the ballad was more likely penned by a man named Thomas Scott sometime between her conviction and her execution.

[murderousballads]

You know when that shark bites With its teeth, babe Scarlet billows Start to spread

A jaunty number about murder originally composed and written by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht for their brilliant production The Threepenny Opera, this is one of those songs that has been covered by tons of artists. Louis Armstrong’s version was the first to hit the radar in America and is my personal fav. There’s even a recording of him singing it with Lotte Lenya, who was married to Kurt Weill. Bobby Darin’s was the first one to be widely popular. Sinatra as well as Ella Fitzgerald (w/ Duke Ellington) also did well received versions.

And lastly, Nick Cave’s more appropriately sinister (but very fun) take on it for the film tribute to Kurt Weill called September Songs:

[murderousballads]

Loving the acoustic mix of this tale of a seriously dysfunctional family.

I'm not sure if there's a point to this story But I'm going to tell it again So many other people try to tell the tale Not one of them knows the end

[thegeekedgod]

In the Pines: 5 Murder Ballads-Advanced Review - The Geeked Gods

In the Pines: 5 Murder Ballads-Advanced Review by Rachel Bellwoar @ZiggyStarlog The popularity of murder ballads isn’t contingent on who sings them, but it’s true that many of music’s greats have—Johnny Cash, Nick Cave. America’s strained relationship with true crime continues. Sickened by the statistics, mesmerized by the stories, murder ballads ask listeners to pay attention to lyrics that aren’t elusive about their subject matter. Maybe you get caught up in the repetition and haunted undertones, but the minute the song registers as murder you can’t un-hear the words. But say you do manage to block out the meaning, or are uncomfortable with enjoying a song about slaughter. What music sometimes gets away with can’t hide on the page, and Erik …

[nevar23]

[murderousballads]

This is a good - if lyrically sparse - version of this oft covered classic. A man named Cecil Sharp wrote 4 lines of it and a melody back in 1917, and it grew and evolved from there. Leadbelly’s amazing version is generally accepted as the first recording. I’ve posted Mark Lanegan’s powerful version before. There’s a brief history of some of the different versions of the song over on Wikipedia, and there’s an interesting article that centers around Nirvana’s famous cover here. Excerpt:

The basic elements of the song remain similar from version to version, but the context can be altered with a few words. It may be a husband, a wife or even a parent whose head is "found in the driver's wheel" and whose "body has never been found." Men, women and sometimes confused adolescents flee into the sordid pines, which serve as a metaphor for everything from sex to loneliness and death. The "longest" train can kill or give one's love the means to run away or leave an itinerant worker stranded far from his home.          

[americanmurdersong]

If'n you like what ye see and hear, how ‘bout purchasing the full EP? http://AmericanMurderSong.com/music

[narkolatorre]

Been scratching this itch for a while, but it’s done. It’s an 8-page comic of a song by musician Feral Foster!

Listen to the song on his webpage!

Watch my crappy video of him performing it here.

[murderousballads]

While searching for the source of the “In the Pines” cover used in the new American Gods trailer, I stumbled across this excellent version. Really glad I did. By the way, if anyone knows who did the trailer version, hmu please? Found!

[murderousballads]

One of my favorite Nick Cave songs. This one tells the epic story of how Betty Coltrane decides she’s had enough.

[americanmurdersong]

Will you be the hunter? Or the hunted?

Order the complete album at www.americanmurdersongs.com/music

[murderousballads]

This is a really intriguing project! There are some tasty song snippets on their website and youtube channel.

[cbjustmusic]

10 of the most disturbing folk songs in history - BBC Music

Sex, murder and dastardly politics combine in the annals of folk music

[seebeckysaw]

Contexts of “Omie Wise”

Here is a link to download an incredibly insightful podcast by Julia Popham. It’s about the historical contexts of the murder ballad “Omie Wise”. Eileen’s version, “Omie Homage” is featured and I answer a few questions. It’s smart and stuff! I say a swear word towards the end! Forehead slap. http://tinyurl.com/hxg8983

[murderousballads]

Speaking of, here’s a great version of The Banks of the Ohio from Gangstagrass. Love the animation, too.