Co-sign on the Louvin Brothers - you can find murder ballads on a number of their albums, and they all have that vocal style in the tradition of "In the Pines."
One to look for:
Also major co-sign on the Nick Cave "Murder Ballads" - even for non-Nick-Cave-fans that is a great album, an obvious labor of love for the genre.
The version of "Stagger Lee" on there is and includes the immortally disturbing line:
"I'm a bad motherfucker, don't you know And I'll crawl over fifty good pussies just to get one fat boy's asshole" Said Stagger Lee
Co-sign on the Louvin Brothers - you can find murder ballads on a number of their albums, and they all have that vocal style in the tradition of "In the Pines."
One to look for:
I've never found the really good Louvin Stuff, just early 60s gospel on Capitol. I have that Porter Wagnor cover laying around some where, but I've never listened to it.
if you can get your hands on any rev. gary davis (sometimes blind gary davis) he's also a winner, i don't recall any murder ballads per se but "you've got to go down" is a killer.
Hey Chzz good to see you back.
Gary Davis does a haunting version of Death Come Creeping In The Room the title might be Soon One Morning. He also does a great version of Sampson & Delilah which may not be haunting but It is about a mass murderer who destroys a building and kills everyone inside including himself because he was betrayed by a woman. Kinda biblical really.
Well Delilah, she was a woman fine and fair She had good looks, God knows and coal black hair Delilah, she came to Samson's mind The first he saw this woman that looked so fine Delilah, she set down on Samson's knee Said tell me where your strength lies if you please She spoke so kind, God knows, she talked so fair 'til Samson said "Delilah, you can cut off my hair You can shave my head, clean as my hand And my strength 'come as natural as any a man" If I had my way If I had my way In this wicked world If I had my way I would tear this old building down
Dan
hey Dan! long time no see man. I'm doing a night now that might not be too late for you and you could meet another vinyl obsessive. i succeeded in robbing the east of my buddy haim, who runs longtallsimon.com. i'm sure some of these cats know him, i know marco does. anyhow from 8pm-12am friday and saturday nights at the 820 lounge. 820 n russell between mint and the white eagle. i'll buy you a drink. when's the next night owl? i got hit up by so many people i owed money at the last one i couldn't cop anything!
And here's a list of some more I've collected: Sanford Clark - Better Go Home (Throw That Blade Away) Chuck Wells - Down And Out Porter Wagoner - The First Mrs Jones Harry Johnson - It's Nothing To Me Lee Hazlewood - Pour Man Tim Rose - Long Time Man Everly Brothers - Down In The Willow Garden Wynn Stewart - I'm Gonna Kill You Charlie Feathers - Cold Dark Night Johnny Cash - The Sound Of Laughter Jerry Lee Lewis - The Ballad Of Billy Joe Frankie Laine - Bowie Knife Marty Robbins - They're Hanging Me Tonight Hal Willis - Dig Me A Hole Lefty Frizzell - The Long Black Veil Porter Wagoner - Julie Louvin Brothers - Katie Dear Marty Robbins- I've Got No Use For The Women The Stanley Brothers- Pretty Polly The Blue Sky Boys - Down on the Banks of the Ohio Albert DeSalvo & The Bugs - Strangler In The Night Eddie Noack - Psycho Lonnie Donegan - Frankie And Johnny Tex Ritter - Blood On The Saddle Roy Hogsed - Cocaine Blues
some NYC area headz put out a comp awhile back called God Less America (b in bless missing from motel sign)
17 cuts on wax, 16 on cd pure loser loner murder death drug c&w many dyi prvt prs stuff along with the earlier sited eddie noack & such hi-lites include :
chuck wells - down & out harry johnson - it's nothing to me (both sound like more messed up johnny cash numbers the label would've refused to issue)
and hardcore inbred f-d up stuff like grand pa joe - the drunken driver (messed up infaticide) country johnnt mathis - carl chessman (sticking up for snuffed serial rapist) hi fi guys - rock & roll killed my mother (messed up hick novelty)
Sanford Clark - Better Go Home (Throw That Blade Away)
Chuck Wells - Down And Out
Porter Wagoner - The First Mrs Jones
Harry Johnson - It's Nothing To Me
Lee Hazlewood - Pour Man
Tim Rose - Long Time Man
Everly Brothers - Down In The Willow Garden
Wynn Stewart - I'm Gonna Kill You
Charlie Feathers - Cold Dark Night
Johnny Cash - The Sound Of Laughter
Jerry Lee Lewis - The Ballad Of Billy Joe
Frankie Laine - Bowie Knife
Marty Robbins - They're Hanging Me Tonight
Hal Willis - Dig Me A Hole
Lefty Frizzell - The Long Black Veil
Porter Wagoner - Julie
Louvin Brothers - Katie Dear
Marty Robbins- I've Got No Use For The Women
The Stanley Brothers- Pretty Polly
The Blue Sky Boys - Down on the Banks of the Ohio
Albert DeSalvo & The Bugs - Strangler In The Night
Eddie Noack - Psycho
Lonnie Donegan - Frankie And Johnny
Tex Ritter - Blood On The Saddle
Roy Hogsed - Cocaine Blues
wow these are really excellent, especially the ones with pedal steel. thanks for sharing these. i know of 'cocaine blues' from fred neil. i'll check out these other tracks, since the titles alone sound up my alley.
i checked out some of the artists mentioned earlier in the thread this weekend. i discovered that the louvin brothers had a lot of the songs i already liked such as knoville girl and the christian life. yeah that nick cave murder ballads is , was the only album i felt i had to listen to in the headphones for fear of freaking the roommates out, ESPECIALLY 'Stagger Lee', just all kinds of of wrong.
as usual, thanks again to SS for for its infinite music wisdom.
I'd suggest "Blood Red And Goin' Down" (C. Putnam).
You can find it easily and inexpensively on Tanya Tucker's Greatest Hits record, along with other great songs.
"Blood Red And Goin' Down" is a story told from a young girl's perspective, about how her father goes to a honky-tonk, with daughter in tow, and murders his cheating wife (and the other man too, I think). There's a line about mopping up the blood with the sawdust on the floor.
I've hung out with Charlie Louvin. He gave me the willies.
Charlie Louvin yelled at me with his smoker's breath backstage at the Grand Ole Opry for "illegally" filming with my super 8 camera. Unfortunately, I didn't know it was him until he went onstage to perform, so I neglected to film him yelling at me.
I've hung out with Charlie Louvin. He gave me the willies.
Charlie Louvin yelled at me with his smoker's breath backstage at the Grand Ole Opry for "illegally" filming with my super 8 camera. Unfortunately, I didn't know it was him until he went onstage to perform, so I neglected to film him yelling at me.
Yeah, he's a freak. I'm surprised he didn't try to "get at you."
This was about 10 years ago, when my ex was working for the small Texas label he was on. She asked him why he wasn't travelling with Mrs. Louvin. He replied, "Bringin' your wife on tour? That's like bringin' a ham sammich to a picnic!"
He then went on to regale us of stories of how his sons are "pussies" 'cause they can't chop as much wood as him, and also hit on everything without a Y chromosome.
I've hung out with Charlie Louvin. He gave me the willies.
Charlie Louvin yelled at me with his smoker's breath backstage at the Grand Ole Opry for "illegally" filming with my super 8 camera. Unfortunately, I didn't know it was him until he went onstage to perform, so I neglected to film him yelling at me.
Yeah, he's a freak. I'm surprised he didn't try to "get at you."
This was about 10 years ago, when my ex was working for the small Texas label he was on. She asked him why he wasn't travelling with Mrs. Louvin. He replied, "Bringin' your wife on tour? That's like bringin' a ham sammich to a picnic!"
He then went on to regale us of stories of how his sons are "pussies" 'cause they can't chop as much wood as him, and also hit on everything without a Y chromosome.
Volume I: Ballads of Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music is almost a mix of murder songs. Dick Justice: "Henry Lee" G.B. Brayson: "Ommie Wise" Edward Crain: "Bandit Cole Younger" Kelly Harrel: "Charles Giteau" Carter Family: "John Hardy was a Desperate Little Man" Williamson Brothers and Curry: "Gonna Die with my Hammer in My Hand" Frank Hutchison: "Stackalee" Charlie Poole & the North Carolina Ramblers: "White House Blues" Mississippi John Hurt: "Frankie"
The scariest "post-modern" country murder ballad is "Country Death Song" by the Violent Femmes. That shit fucked me up when I was going to a Christian college in the mid-80s.
The scariest "post-modern" country murder ballad is "Country Death Song" by the Violent Femmes. That shit fucked me up when I was going to a Christian college in the mid-80s.
So I guess you don't like the Nick Cave?
lol
I dig the Violent Femmes track, specially when it kicks in all loud for the guitar solo after he is whispering the lyrics...but it ain't so much different than the Nick Cave that I can see how you could love one and hate the other...pretty much the same approach.
The scariest "post-modern" country murder ballad is "Country Death Song" by the Violent Femmes. That shit fucked me up when I was going to a Christian college in the mid-80s.
So I guess you don't like the Nick Cave?
lol
I dig the Violent Femmes track, specially when it kicks in all loud for the guitar solo after he is whispering the lyrics...but it ain't so much different than the Nick Cave that I can see how you could love one and hate the other...pretty much the same approach.
Actually, I love Nick Cave. Especially the Birthday Party stuff. Junkyard is one of my fave albums of all time and From Her To Eternity is stone classic. Actually his first 3 solo albums are pretty sick and a smattering of his later stuff is good too. "Long Black Veil" off Pricks is spot on.
I just find that "Murder Ballads" album super affected. It's almost like Ween doing Nick Cave, but if it was Ween they would do it way better. I think Nick basically became a parody of himself from that album on. Haven't picked up an album of his in years.
I posted a sound clip of Judy Collins doing Pretty Polly a few weeks ago
.
Leon Russell does a haunting version of Hollis Brown.
The Staple Singers do a version of Bob Dylan's John Brown. Very Relevant today, about a soldier who steps on a mine and has to rethink the meaning of life. It was first released on Epic I believe.
The Stanley Brothers were the kings of this stuff. All the bluegrass greats would slow things down for a murder ballad. I remember seeing Jim & Jesse once, thye did a version of Banks Of The Ohio where the murderer dragged the girl through town by her hair.
Here are some traditional titles: Pretty Polly By The Banks Of The Ohio The House Carpenter Barbara Allen Wind And The Rain Golden Vanity The Cuckoo Rose Connelly Omie Wise Tom Dula
Artists to look for: Doc Boggs (as mentioned above) Stanley Brothers Bill Monroe Hazel (Dickens) And Alice (Gerrard) Doc Watson Sister Cunningham
There are few songs more haunting than Leadbelly's version of In The Pines, but I think the Leon Russell one and the Staple Singers one I mentioned are goose bump raising.
Comments
One to look for:
Also major co-sign on the Nick Cave "Murder Ballads" - even for non-Nick-Cave-fans that is a great album, an obvious labor of love for the genre.
The version of "Stagger Lee" on there is
yikes.
I've never found the really good Louvin Stuff, just early 60s gospel on Capitol. I have that Porter Wagnor cover laying around some where, but I've never listened to it.
Here is another great Louvin cover.
I'll try to drop down.
The next Night Owl Record Show is October 8th.
Dan
Mance Lipscomb=
(Pardon Me) I've Got Someone To Kill - Johnny Paycheck
http://s38.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0H68DY75LDXTP3OTFDNBZ783KI
Dolores - Eddie Noack
http://s50.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2M6Y0RI6ON0WX04JU18P6LQS1Y
The Box It Came In - Wanda Jackson
http://s42.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0DUWANBJC7KBT1VQDUQZ8SRDVF
The Snakes Crawl At Night - Charlie Pride
http://s51.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2MX3B70TSIGTU0LVP6I3P0BD8M
And here's a list of some more I've collected:
Sanford Clark - Better Go Home (Throw That Blade Away)
Chuck Wells - Down And Out
Porter Wagoner - The First Mrs Jones
Harry Johnson - It's Nothing To Me
Lee Hazlewood - Pour Man
Tim Rose - Long Time Man
Everly Brothers - Down In The Willow Garden
Wynn Stewart - I'm Gonna Kill You
Charlie Feathers - Cold Dark Night
Johnny Cash - The Sound Of Laughter
Jerry Lee Lewis - The Ballad Of Billy Joe
Frankie Laine - Bowie Knife
Marty Robbins - They're Hanging Me Tonight
Hal Willis - Dig Me A Hole
Lefty Frizzell - The Long Black Veil
Porter Wagoner - Julie
Louvin Brothers - Katie Dear
Marty Robbins- I've Got No Use For The Women
The Stanley Brothers- Pretty Polly
The Blue Sky Boys - Down on the Banks of the Ohio
Albert DeSalvo & The Bugs - Strangler In The Night
Eddie Noack - Psycho
Lonnie Donegan - Frankie And Johnny
Tex Ritter - Blood On The Saddle
Roy Hogsed - Cocaine Blues
God Less America (b in bless missing from motel sign)
17 cuts on wax, 16 on cd
pure loser loner murder death drug c&w many dyi prvt prs stuff
along with the earlier sited eddie noack & such
hi-lites include :
chuck wells - down & out
harry johnson - it's nothing to me
(both sound like more messed up johnny cash numbers the label would've refused to issue)
and hardcore inbred f-d up stuff like
grand pa joe - the drunken driver (messed up infaticide)
country johnnt mathis - carl chessman (sticking up for snuffed serial rapist)
hi fi guys - rock & roll killed my mother (messed up hick novelty)
great comp, 80% + killers ....or.....murderers !
Yodeling Ghost - Patsy Montana
Phantom 309 - Red Sovine
http://www.drmysterian.com/archive/2005_06_01_blogarchive
They're not murder ballads, but they're great.
And while you're there, take a listen to Mysterious Mose by Ted Weems. Spooky!
wow these are really excellent, especially the ones with pedal steel. thanks for sharing these. i know of 'cocaine blues' from fred neil. i'll check out these other tracks, since the titles alone sound up my alley.
i checked out some of the artists mentioned earlier in the thread this weekend. i discovered that the louvin brothers had a lot of the songs i already liked such as knoville girl and the christian life. yeah that nick cave murder ballads is
as usual, thanks again to SS for for its infinite music wisdom.
Here's the original, by Long Cleve Reed:
http://s36.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1F3M44V4GSAPC29YZ3RFSC4E4Z
And here's Beck's take on it:
http://s36.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2G2YVBPGHFBG231KOQ4T8369YF
You can find it easily and inexpensively on Tanya Tucker's Greatest Hits record, along with other great songs.
"Blood Red And Goin' Down" is a story told from a young girl's perspective, about how her father goes to a honky-tonk, with daughter in tow, and murders his cheating wife (and the other man too, I think).
There's a line about mopping up the blood with the sawdust on the floor.
Charlie Louvin yelled at me with his smoker's breath backstage at the Grand Ole Opry for "illegally" filming with my super 8 camera. Unfortunately, I didn't know it was him until he went onstage to perform, so I neglected to film him yelling at me.
Yeah, he's a freak. I'm surprised he didn't try to "get at you."
This was about 10 years ago, when my ex was working for the small Texas label he was on. She asked him why he wasn't travelling with Mrs. Louvin. He replied, "Bringin' your wife on tour? That's like bringin' a ham sammich to a picnic!"
He then went on to regale us of stories of how his sons are "pussies" 'cause they can't chop as much wood as him, and also hit on everything without a Y chromosome.
You gotta love the Christian life.
Here are some gangster lyrics:
There was blood on the saddle
and blood on the ground
and a great big puddle of blood all around
The cowboy laid in it
all covered in gore
he wont go riding
broncos no more
Oh, pity the cowboy
all bloody and red
his bronco fell on him
and mashed in his head
I grew up with that.
Dan
of murder songs.
Dick Justice: "Henry Lee"
G.B. Brayson: "Ommie Wise"
Edward Crain: "Bandit Cole Younger"
Kelly Harrel: "Charles Giteau"
Carter Family: "John Hardy was a Desperate Little Man"
Williamson Brothers and Curry: "Gonna Die with my Hammer in My Hand"
Frank Hutchison: "Stackalee"
Charlie Poole & the North Carolina Ramblers: "White House Blues"
Mississippi John Hurt: "Frankie"
The scariest "post-modern" country murder ballad is "Country Death Song" by the Violent Femmes. That shit fucked me up when I was going to a Christian college in the mid-80s.
So I guess you don't like the Nick Cave?
lol
I dig the Violent Femmes track, specially when it kicks in all loud for the guitar solo after he is whispering the lyrics...but it ain't so much different than the Nick Cave that I can see how you could love one and hate the other...pretty much the same approach.
Actually, I love Nick Cave. Especially the Birthday Party stuff. Junkyard is one of my fave albums of all time and From Her To Eternity is stone classic. Actually his first 3 solo albums are pretty sick and a smattering of his later stuff is good too. "Long Black Veil" off Pricks is spot on.
I just find that "Murder Ballads" album super affected. It's almost like Ween doing Nick Cave, but if it was Ween they would do it way better. I think Nick basically became a parody of himself from that album on. Haven't picked up an album of his in years.
violent femmes - country death song
Caleb Meyer, he lived alone
In them hollarin' pines
He made a little whiskey for himself
Said it helped to pass the time
On one evening in back of my house,
Caleb came around
And he called my name 'til I came out
with no one else around
Caleb Meyer, your ghost is gonna
wear them rattlin' chains.
but when I go to sleep at night,
Don't you call my name
Where's your husband, Nellie Kane
Where's your darling gone?
Did he go on down the mountain side
and leave you all alone?
Yes, my husband's gone to Bowlin' Green
to do some business there.
Then Caleb threw that bottle down
and grabbed me by my hair.
Caleb Meyer, your ghost is gonna
wear them rattlin' chains.
but when I go to sleep at night,
Don't you call my name
He threw me on the needle bed,
and on my dress he lay
he held my hands above my head
and I commenced to pray.
I cried My God, I am your child
send your angels down
Then feelin' with my fingertips,
the bottle neck I found
I pulled that glass across his neck
as fine as any blade,
and I felt his blood run fast and hot
around me where I laid.
Caleb Meyer, your ghost is gonna
wear them rattlin' chains.
But when I go to sleep at night,
Don't you call my name
Caleb Meyer, your ghost is gonna
wear them rattlin' chains.
But when I go to sleep at night,
Don't you call my name