Murder Ballads, Part I: The Canon
| Murder Ballads, Part I: The Canon | |
| Created by: | KimMathers |
| Tracks: | 12 |
| Length: | 00:40:46 |
| Keywords |
1. eerie 2. haunting 3. absorbing |
| Created on | 2/13/08 9:37am |
| Level | 5 |
| Points | 2325 |
| Total visitors | 53 |
| Unique visitors | 29 |
description:
For the last few years I've been collecting murder ballads, and thought it would be cool to organize them into a kind of "library" -- so here goes Part I. I suppose I'd call these the essentials of the genre, the ballads that best define this very old, perverse, and oddly beautiful tradition. More to come...
tracklist
| 1 | Grayson & Whittier : I'll Never Be Yours |
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One of the most popular and widely-covered murder ballads, also known as "Banks of the Ohio." Grayson & Whittier recorded this in 1927.
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Track 1 from The Recordings of Grayson & Whittier
Length: 00:03:04 |
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One of the most popular and widely-covered murder ballads, also known as "Banks of the Ohio." Grayson & Whittier recorded this in 1927. SHOW LESS
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| 2 | Blue Sky Boys : Down on the Banks of the Ohio |
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This is the one that started it all for me -- and I'd argue it's the spookiest, strangest, most hypnotic of them all. But that's just me. 1933.
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Track 2 from Anthology of American Folk Music, Vol. 4
Length: 00:03:23 |
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This is the one that started it all for me -- and I'd argue it's the spookiest, strangest, most hypnotic of them all. But that's just me. 1933. SHOW LESS
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| 3 | Dock Boggs : Pretty Polly |
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Oh, man, that voice! It's what I imagine the Grim Reaper sounds like. Also check out his "Oh Death," which is awesome, too. 1927.
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Track 3 from Old-Time Music from Southwest Virginia
Length: 00:03:04 |
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Oh, man, that voice! It's what I imagine the Grim Reaper sounds like. Also check out his "Oh Death," which is awesome, too. 1927. SHOW LESS
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| 4 | Roscoe Holcomb : Omie Wise |
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Poor Omie Wise. This one really gets under the skin. For some reason, I love the combination of her name with his. 1961.
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Track 4 from The High Lonesome Sound
Length: 00:04:35 |
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Poor Omie Wise. This one really gets under the skin. For some reason, I love the combination of her name with his. 1961. SHOW LESS
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| 5 | Blind Willie McTell : Delia |
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So many murder ballads have this creepy tension -- between the chirpy rhythm of the guitar and the macabre lyrics. 20s.
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Track 5 from The Devil Can't Hide from Me
Length: 00:02:33 |
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So many murder ballads have this creepy tension -- between the chirpy rhythm of the guitar and the macabre lyrics. 20s. SHOW LESS
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| 6 | Johnny Cash : Cocaine Blues |
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All the more creepy (and exhilarating) for the cheering of the murderers in the audience at Folsom Prison. This is Johnny Cash's version of the classic murder ballad "Little Sadie." 1968.
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Track 6 from At Folsom Prison and San Quentin
Length: 00:03:01 |
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All the more creepy (and exhilarating) for the cheering of the murderers in the audience at Folsom Prison. This is Johnny Cash's version of the classic murder ballad "Little Sadie." 1968. SHOW LESS
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| 7 | Fairport Convention : Matty Groves |
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Epic and amazing. I like Hedy West's version better, but this is pretty great. One of the more elaborate stories, but none the worse for that. Fairport Convention's "Tam Lin" is another good one. 1969.
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Track 7 from Liege & Lief
Length: 00:08:12 Year: 1967 |
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Epic and amazing. I like Hedy West's version better, but this is pretty great. One of the more elaborate stories, but none the worse for that. Fairport Convention's "Tam Lin" is another good one. 1969. SHOW LESS
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| 8 | Mississippi John Hurt : Frankie and Johnny |
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Another one based on a true story. Elvis and Johnny Cash did versions of this too, as did - ahem - Lindsay Lohan (she sang it in "A Prairie Home Companion"). When he sings "dark was the night and cold was on the ground," oh, yes, it is. 1928.
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Track 8 from 1928 Sessions
Length: 00:03:30 |
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Track Description:
Another one based on a true story. Elvis and Johnny Cash did versions of this too, as did - ahem - Lindsay Lohan (she sang it in "A Prairie Home Companion"). When he sings "dark was the night and cold was on the ground," oh, yes, it is. 1928. SHOW LESS
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| 9 | doc watson : Lawson Family Murders |
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This story is all over the place in folklore -- it's kind of a pioneer-era "The Shining." Doc Watson's recording is from 1967, but there's a great one by the Blue Sky Boys from the 20s.
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Track 9 from Ballads from Deep Gap
Length: 00:02:43 |
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Track Description:
This story is all over the place in folklore -- it's kind of a pioneer-era "The Shining." Doc Watson's recording is from 1967, but there's a great one by the Blue Sky Boys from the 20s. SHOW LESS
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| 10 | Hedy West : The Cruel Mother |
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A cruelly underrated folk singer from the 60s, best known for her unique interpretations of traditional ballads. She also wrote "500 Miles," which is widely covered. Everything's been out of print for ages, but iTunes finally put some of her stuff on there. Check her out. You won't be disappointed. This recording is from 1961, but transcriptions of the ballad go back to Old English.
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Track 10 from Ballads
Length: 00:02:05 |
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Track Description:
A cruelly underrated folk singer from the 60s, best known for her unique interpretations of traditional ballads. She also wrote "500 Miles," which is widely covered. Everything's been out of print for ages, but iTunes finally put some of her stuff on there. Check her out. You won't be disappointed. This recording is from 1961, but transcriptions of the ballad go back to Old English. SHOW LESS
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| 11 | Ben Mandel : The Two Brothers |
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This ballad is super-old. Not much is known about the singer, except that he told the folklorist for whom he recorded the ballad that he learned it as a little boy in a Hebrew orphanage in NYC. The last verse is breathtaking. 1964.
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Track 11 from Brave Boys: New England Traditions in Folk Music
Length: 00:01:36 |
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Track Description:
This ballad is super-old. Not much is known about the singer, except that he told the folklorist for whom he recorded the ballad that he learned it as a little boy in a Hebrew orphanage in NYC. The last verse is breathtaking. 1964. SHOW LESS
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| 12 | Nelstone's Hawaiians : Fatal Flower Garden |
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This is one of the strangest, most compelling, and oddly beautiful recordings I've ever heard. What planet does this come from? Well, it was compiled by Harry Smith on his Folkways Anthology. I'd kill to hear anything more from these guys. 1930.
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Track 12 from Folkways Anthology of American Folk Music
Length: 00:03:00 |
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Track Description:
This is one of the strangest, most compelling, and oddly beautiful recordings I've ever heard. What planet does this come from? Well, it was compiled by Harry Smith on his Folkways Anthology. I'd kill to hear anything more from these guys. 1930. SHOW LESS
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Team Robot Member
Very wonderful. I actually do love the Fairport Matty Groves, but need to check out Hedy West. I had a go at a murder ballads mix myself here last year with 'Some Killer Tunes' which you may like to have a look at. This is totally great!
2/20/08 9:04am
The One Year Anniversary Badge
You should check out the Assassins soundtracks.
2/14/08 7:45pm
Mixtape Contest XVII -- Third Place
Murder Ballads! Awesomeness! I want this.
2/13/08 9:58am
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