Murder ballads

**John Flynn** · May-22-2007, 1:56pm

"The Wind and Rain" - Traditional
"Goodbye Earl" - Dixie Chicks
"Just a Job to Do" - Genesis

**Satchel** · May-22-2007, 1:58pm

Knoxville Girl and Willow Garden are two of my fav's.

Don Rigsby has a tune out that I think is called "Blood on my Hands", dont quote me on the correct title. But, this is a great murder ballad.

Great topic!

**Katie** · May-22-2007, 2:09pm

The Ballad of Sweeney Todd-That counts right? Maybe I'll have to find a way to make a mando accompaniment for that just to prove that it counts.

The Ballad of Ann Boleyn

Tom Lehrer's Irish Ballad

Matty Groves

The Dark Lady-okay it's a ship doing the murdering, but it was premeditated, so it counts

The Undertaker's Daughter-this is me being a bit self promotional since I wrote that one

*^_^*
Katie

**Cullowheekid** · May-22-2007, 4:16pm

John Hardy

**mandocrucian** · May-22-2007, 4:41pm

Originally Posted by

"Mr. Fox" (Not to be confused with the chipper "Fox Went out on a Snowy Night" or "Daddy Fox." This one is really spooky, although the murder is all the more creepy for being implied rather than explicitly described.)

You're talking about the Bob & Carole Pegg song by their band of the same name? Lopped off hands... Good example of lydian mode (#4) too! #

Interesting group - I've got both of the Mr Fox albums, the Bob & Carole precursor of Trailer, Carolanne's LP on Transatlantic (I transcribed several of the Albert Lee guitar solos off that LP - first place I'd heard Lee, long before Emmylou), and Bob Pegg & Nicks Strutt which had a strange-o song called "King Dog" ("They showed me all the human skins hanging from your door"). Probably written about his by then, ex-wife. She was into witchcraft.

Which reminds me of a classic creeper....."The Werewolf" by Michael Hurley.

And one about a terrorist...(a favorite), "Pavanne" by Richard & Linda Thompson (First Light)

Niles H

**John Rosett** · May-22-2007, 5:06pm

The singer in my old band in Montana wrote a great song that he just called "Murder Ballad". It's a dark, minor-key song that ends up with the guy killing his girlfriend and then runs away with his boyfriend.

**Martin Jonas** · May-22-2007, 5:15pm

Originally Posted by (mandocrucian @ May 22 2007, 17:41)

Originally Posted by

"Mr. Fox" (Not to be confused with the chipper "Fox Went out on a Snowy Night" or "Daddy Fox." This one is really spooky, although the murder is all the more creepy for being implied rather than explicitly described.)

You're talking about the Bob & Carole Pegg song by their band of the same name? Lopped off hands... Good example of lydian mode (#4) too!

I rather like the two Mr Fox albums, especially Aunt Lucy Broadwood which is one of the great folk-rap songs. However, I suspect that the previous poster was referring to the traditional ballad "Mr Fox". As it happens, there's a great version of it by Frankie Armstrong available as a free MP3 download from Amazon here. Frankie is one of my favourite British ballad singers, and her version of Tam Lin is definitely worth looking out for.

Martin

**Paul Kotapish** · May-22-2007, 5:29pm

Originally Posted by (mandocrucian @ May 22 2007, 14:41)

Originally Posted by

"Mr. Fox" (Not to be confused with the chipper "Fox Went out on a Snowy Night" or "Daddy Fox." This one is really spooky, although the murder is all the more creepy for being implied rather than explicitly described.)

You're talking about the Bob & Carole Pegg song by their band of the same name?

I'm not familiar with the band Mr. Fox, but this song is credited to John Pole (lyrics) Terry Yarnell (tune). It is indeed the same one sung by Frankie Armstrong. Claudia Schmidt also recorded it. Both versions can be heard at the iTunes store.

The lyrics were published in Sing Out in 1985.

Lyrics here.

We perform it with Sylvia Herold in our little band Euphonia.

**Martin Jonas** · May-22-2007, 5:43pm

Thanks for the correction, Paul: I hadn't realised that the song recorded by Frankie was not traditional (I only have the MP3, which has no songwriting credits). The group Mr Fox was originally the brain child of Bob & Carole Pegg with Ashley Hutchings (fresh out of Fairport Convention) in 1970, but Hutchings absconded to join Steeleye Span instead. All songs on their two albums were self-penned, the second album contained a song by the same name as the group. I have the albums on CD, but have always considered that they were a good idea rather than a good band. In particular, their instrumental ability didn't match the ambition and originality of the songwriting.

Martin

**Mandojulie** · May-22-2007, 5:48pm

I wasn't reading with my magnifiers but I don't think Whitehouse Blues has been mentioned. #Assasination, not murder - like there's a difference if it's you!

Also love Little Glass of Wine.

Mandopete, Psycho Killer is the best! Same as it ever was. (wrong song, right album)

**Leevon DeCourley** · May-22-2007, 5:59pm

Larry Stephenson does his share of murder tunes. Some of my favorites that he alone has done is:
Clinch Mountain Mystery
Knoxville Girl
The Knoxville Boy
Veil of White Lace

Maybe not all murder but along the same lines.

**Stanley Cox** · May-22-2007, 6:32pm

Sally Ann,the Mark O'Conner version.

Stanley

**mandocrucian** · May-22-2007, 7:28pm

Mr. Fox / The Gipsy

More executions ---

"Gallows Pole" - Led Zeppelin (III)
"Geordie" - trad. (Martin Carthy does it, but I liked the version by Trees on the On The Shore album)

<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>(Spooky Hipgnosis cover....call the exorcist!)</span>

NH

**8STRINGR** · May-22-2007, 7:35pm

Just a few come to mind. Good thread by the way!

"Footsteps So Near" HotRize: (kind of a murder/ghost story)

"Another Day" Mountain Heart: (father's revenge for daughters abuse and murder)

"The Perfume, The Powder, and The Lead" Lonesome River Band: (jealous husband shoots wife and Sheriff's Son found in bed together)

"Harvest Time" The Lost and Found & recently released by the Lonesome River Band:

(Homer shot Mountain Joe for just one ear of corn and laughed the day they laid him in the ground) #

Well, with exception to "Footsteps So Near" these aren't exactly "Ballads" but the lyrics in these tunes kind of stood out there. #

#

**Brady Smith** · May-22-2007, 8:49pm

Red Velvet Dress - Cherryholmes
Bubba Shot the Jukebox - Mark Chestnutt
(well no one actually died in that one)

**pathfinder** · May-22-2007, 8:58pm

"Rock Salt and Nails" by the Bluegrass Cardinals.

**Duc Vu** · May-22-2007, 11:13pm

Mary Hamilton. Infanticide and execution.

**mikeomando** · May-22-2007, 11:53pm

Teen angel
Tell Laura I Love Her
The Night Chicago Died (I'm gagging as I type that one)
The Devil's Right Hand
Leader Of The Pack
Murder In The Trailer Park
I Hung My Head
Don't Fear The Reaper

**LateBloomer** · May-23-2007, 5:08am

The Martins and the Coys (Hatfield/McCoy feud) "When they found him on the mountain he was bleeding like a fountain...."

**Klaus Wutscher** · May-23-2007, 6:24am

Three pages and no mention of "Frankie and Johnny/Albert"

**hokelore** · May-23-2007, 6:44am

"Pearl Bryan" (a true story, too!).

**MadMax** · May-23-2007, 9:35am

I'm partial to "Banks of the Ohio."

**mandopete** · May-23-2007, 9:37am

Originally Posted by (pathfinder @ May 22 2007, 19:58)

"Rock Salt and Nails" by the Bluegrass Cardinals.

I think that song was written by Utah Phillips if I'm not mistaken.

**Chris Cantergiani** · May-23-2007, 10:56am

"Blackjack County Chains"... There are at least 2 good versions - Doc Watson and Willie Nelson.

Song about a prisoner with a bounty on his head... gets caught and has '35 pounds of Blackjack County Chain' locked on his ankle.

One night he creeps up on the Sheriff (who was a-sleepin') and beats him to death with the chain.

Stickin' it to the man, Bluegrass style.

Chris