Comments | angevin2: and from the department of non-Oxford links

angevin2

and from the department of non-Oxford links

Oct 27, 2011 13:02

eMusic has an article up called The 13 Grisliest Murder Ballads of All Time.

Now, this includes both traditional songs and not (Eminem's "Stan" is on there), But seriously, any list of the grisliest murder ballads that includes legitimate folk songs but not Long Lankin or Child Owlet -- possibly the most violent of the Child canon -- is not to be ( Read more... )

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Comments 28

kip_w October 27 2011, 18:21:07 UTC

The Seegers have an album of American folk music for children, which includes "As I Walked Out One Holiday." This is the one where a child chases a ball into his neighbor's garden, and the neighbor's daughter invites him inside, feeds him, treats him nicely, then slays him like a sheep, after which he becomes the song's voice and gives his last wishes.

In the original, she was no doubt a Jew's daughter, because they were the go-to race for blaming things on back in the day.

I wouldn't put it on a list of the most extreme or anything, but it's worth mention, coming as it does in the middle of a CD of songs about Old Mister Rabbit and the like. It must have opened the eyes of a few kids - and parents.

angevin2 October 27 2011, 18:25:47 UTC

In the original, she was no doubt a Jew's daughter, because they were the go-to race for blaming things on back in the day.

That's exactly the case -- the English version of the song is called "Little Sir Hugh," which clarifies its basis in the legend of Hugh of Lincoln.

ancarett October 27 2011, 18:31:43 UTC

So many songs in the Steeleye Span canon fit the bill, don't they? Hrm, what else? Hrm, there's "Edwin" (an absolutely ghostly and ghastly murder story) "King Henry" (mostly animal slaughter, there, but grisly), "Edward", and even "Sir James the Rose" is pretty nasty. Also the haunting murder of "Sheath and Knife" always creeps me the heck out.

angevin2 October 27 2011, 18:41:10 UTC

"King Henry" is an old favorite of mine! It was the first Steeleye Span song I heard, in my tenth-grade English class, and I loved it so much I went out and found the album.

Have you ever heard Ewan MacColl's version of "Sheath and Knife"? It's one of the most chilling things I've ever heard.

ancarett October 27 2011, 18:48:06 UTC

I've loved that version of "Sheath and Knife", yes. Right now, I'm keen on Maddy Prior's version from one of her solo albums. It starts so sweetly. . . .

kindkit October 27 2011, 18:35:29 UTC

The Decemberists have a good line in original creepy murder ballads. "The Island/Come and See" (which is a bit hard to figure out but seems to be about an island cursed because of the rape and murder of a woman there) and "We Both Go Down Together" (which I read as being about a rape followed by murder/suicide) both managed to be catchy yet disturbing as hell.

I don't know if it's technically a murder ballad, but "Fair Helen of Kirkconnell" is wonderfully creepy: a man's lover is shot by his enemies and then she haunts him, trying to get him to die and join her.

angevin2 October 27 2011, 18:39:32 UTC

Yeah, I was really shocked that there were no Decemberists songs on there! "The Rake's Song" is another one that would fit quite well...

kindkit October 27 2011, 19:34:40 UTC

Oh, I forgot about "The Rake's Song"! Yes, that one's perfect. So. Incredibly. Creeptastic.

vocal_bard October 27 2011, 22:19:25 UTC

That's what I immediately thought of, as well. There's also ANY version of "Stagger Lee."

Thread 5

capriuni October 27 2011, 19:09:41 UTC

I'll have to think about this... I'm not sure it's the grisliest (by a long shot), but I find the tone of "Pretty Polly" to be chilling.

In the meantime, I have lots of DreamWidth invite codes.... (I'd miss you if I parted ways with LJ completely)

angevin2 October 27 2011, 19:18:49 UTC

I already have a Dreamwidth -- I just don't really use it, because I paid for a permanent lj account and I still have three years before it pays off...

knowledgequeen October 27 2011, 19:12:48 UTC

RE: The Decemberists. "Shankill Butchers" is my go-to song for that kind of thing. Love it.

My two favorite murder ballads are "The Curse of Millhaven" (as you said, 'Wild Roses' is totally not the grisliest song on that album) and a song called "Neighbour Boy" by a Norwegian singer called Janove Ottesen. It's not technically a murder ballad, if only because the murder is only hinted at, but still. It's about a man who rapes & kills a woman he knew as a child, and then hangs himself for it. Lyrics - http://bit.ly/tcRZU0