# How many songs have a death in them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 11, 2000, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789 "2000-09-11T17:28:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/779978/32.png) [@Zumba\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zumba_The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2000, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/21 "2000-09-11T22:37:14Z")
Earl Had To Die by the Dixie Chicks. I hope that is the name of the song and not just the first line of the course 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2000, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/22 "2000-09-11T22:49:42Z")
How 'bout some cheesier ones: “Run Joey Run” - David Geddes “Rocky” - Austin Roberts “Honey” - Bobby Goldsboro “(Don’t fear) The Reaper” - Blue Oyster Cult ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2000, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/23 "2000-09-11T23:06:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Punoqllads \* > \*\*“IMHO” by the manhattan transfer. > > Oops, no, sorry, that’s not a song. That’s where this thread belongs. \*\* HAR HAR HAR! Priceless! I suggest : Ethel, by Alice Cooper. ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2000, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/24 "2000-09-11T23:34:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zumba The Cat \* > \*\*Earl Had To Die by the Dixie Chicks. > > I hope that is the name of the song and not just the first line of the course 🙂 \*\* Nope, it’s “Goodbye Earl.” 🙂 As for my picks…most of mine have already been taken! (And I’m surprised to see Moxy Fruvous and “Long Black Veil” on here. Y’all ROCK.) But here’s a couple more… “Water’s Edge,” Seven Mary Three “Dead,” They Might Be Giants ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2000, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/25 "2000-09-11T23:45:20Z")
Here are a few: Misfits - Die die my darling, skulls, astro zombies, mommy can i go out and kill tonight, plus countless others by them Tori Amos - Spark, Maryanne Oingo Boingo - clowns of death, dead man’s party, dead or alive, plus many many more Shriekback - nemesis, this big hush, faded flowers, the bastard sons of enoch, gunning for the buddha i have tons more but no time to post them ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2000, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/26 "2000-09-11T23:55:49Z")
What’s the _Femmes_ song where the lovely daughter got thrown down the well ? Two little Boys by Rolf Harris (A national hero in the U.K. 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/27 "2000-09-12T00:06:56Z")
_Cocaine Blues_ - Johnny Cash Should we specify murder vs. natural death? Heck, we could break murder down into sub categories like crimes of passion and drugs (above), serial murder (_Mack the Kife_), mass murder (_Homecoming Queen’s Got a Gun_), etc. ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/28 "2000-09-12T00:20:05Z")
Probably half the songs Nick Cave has ever recorded - particularly the Murder Ballads record (it includes his duets with Kylie Minogue and PJ Harvey). Also, the Original Seeds record, which is originals of songs Cave has covered, is filled with Murder songs (some have been mentioned before). Dolly Parton also did a few ‘dead babies’ songs - the best known in ‘Down from Dover’, which is covered magnificently by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood. HenrySpencer. ---
**Author:** ![ThisYearsGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThisYearsGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisYearsGirl)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/29 "2000-09-12T01:16:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dolores Claiborne \* > [B > > Last Kiss - ? > > \*\* By J. Frank Wilson and the Caviliers, I believe. And don’t forget. . . Rock and Roll Suicide by David Bowie. ---
**Author:** ![Rock-n-Rolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/22d042/32.png) [@Rock-n-Rolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rock-n-Rolga)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/30 "2000-09-12T01:30:24Z")
**Powderfinger** by Neil Young **Stagger Lee** - all versions, but the traditional ones (such as Nick Cave’s version on the aforementioned ‘Murder Ballads’ album) are by far the rawest! **Emerald** by Thin Lizzy **Freedom Song** also by Thin Lizzy (moderate hijack now in progress): Hey **Opengrave**! Where are you from? Amon Amarth is one of my favorite new Stockholm Death bands! (hijack over, resume normal operations) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/31 "2000-09-12T01:59:25Z")
Well, by far the strangest song about death is “Lullabye of Broadway”. You have to see the movie (_Golddiggers of 1935_) to see why. In the rock genre (mostly): “Nature’s Way” by Spirit “People Who Died” by Jim Carroll “Timothy” by the Buoys “Poor Jud’s Daid” from Oklahoma “Teen Angel” by Mark Denning “Paint it Black” by the Stones ---
**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/32 "2000-09-12T02:03:53Z")
Well, everything I could think of has been named. Well, except Tom Dooley I know the Kingsman trio did that little ditty. So hang down your head tom… Your gonna die. Osip ---
**Author:** ![Qwisp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qwisp/32/397_2.png) [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/33 "2000-09-12T02:11:39Z")
What about that old song “Patches” don’t know who it’s by. _Though it may not be right I’ll join you tonight Patches I’m coming to you_ ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/34 "2000-09-12T02:24:31Z")
_Johnny Angel Tell Laura I Love Her Frankie and Johnnie Dead Man’s Curve_ Wasn’t there some tune about the Sex Pistols idiot bass player and his darling G/F? ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/35 "2000-09-12T02:28:17Z")
And in the mid-'80s some guy did something like “These are people who are dead - dead” - Anybody recall? ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/36 "2000-09-12T02:49:36Z")
“Country Death Song” by the Violent Femmes “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” by the Beatles “Dead Man’s Curve” by Jan & Dean “The Kids Aren’t Alright” by the Offspring ---
**Author:** ![Silvio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Silvio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvio)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/37 "2000-09-12T02:57:39Z")
“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” by The Band (Virgil’s brother) “The Late Great Johnny Ace” by Paul Simon “Tonights the Night” by Neil Young “Nebraska” by Bruce Springsteen “Heartbreaker” by the Rolling Stones “Mother” by John Lennon, also “My Mummy’s Dead” “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol” and “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” by Bob Dylan “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor, at least about suicide “Tweeter and the Monkey Man” by the Traveling Willburys “Woman hold her head and cry” (?) by Bob Marley ---
**Author:** ![Silvio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Silvio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvio)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/38 "2000-09-12T03:10:27Z")
Can’t believe I forgot “Hurricane” and “Joey”, both from Dylan’s DESIRE. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/39 "2000-09-12T03:13:49Z")
As I was perusing MPSIMS, my eye caught this thread as I was cueing up the latest Johnny Cash box set, “Love, God, Murder.” It’s a 3 CD set, with one CD devoted to his love songs, one devoted to his gospel songs, and one devoted to his murder ballads. Guess which one I was listening to. So, at the risk of duplicating a couple, here’s the playlist: _Folsom Prison Blues, Delia’s Gone, Mister Garfield, Orleans Parish Prison, When It’s Springtime in Alaska (It’s Forty Below), The Sound of Laughter, Cocaine Blues, Hardin Wouldn’t Run, The Long Black Veil, Austin Prison, Joe Bean, Going to Memphis, Don’t Take Your Guns to Town, Highway Patrolman, Jacob Green, The Wall._ As was mentioned before, Nick Cave’s whole body of music is rife with murders, suicides, serial killings, stupid accidents, and the like. It’d be hard to find a Cave album that didn’t have somebody kicking the bucket. Also, Tom Waits (_Murder in the Red Barn, In the Colosseum, The Earth Died Screaming, Frank’s Wild Years_, and on and on) writes a lot of death songs. Also look at the Cowboy Junkies, Willie Nelson, Steve Earle, AC/DC, and the Cure. Just off the top of my head… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2000, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789/40 "2000-09-12T03:19:16Z")
“Honey” by Bobby Goldsboro “The Ballad of Thunder Road” by Robert Mitchum: _He left the road at 90, that’s all there is to say The devil got the moonshine and the mountain boy that day_ “P. T. 109” by Jimmy Dean “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” by Rolf Harris “Delaware” by Perry Como (puns of state names): _How did Wiscon-sin, boy? He stole a Ne-brass-key. To bad that Arkan-saw, boy, And so did Tenne-see. It made poor Flori-die, boy, It made poor Flori-die, you see, She died in Missouri, boy, She died in Missouri._ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-songs-have-a-death-in-them/32789.md?page=3)