# Name that '80's song

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-80s-song/46606>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 20, 2000, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-80s-song/46606 "2000-12-20T23:47:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![xicanorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a88e57/32.png) [@xicanorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xicanorex)\
**Post date:** [December 20, 2000, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-80s-song/46606/1 "2000-12-20T23:47:37Z")

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OK, I give up on my brain’s capacity to store information . .Teeming SDopers, here is my song query:

Punk or New wave song made by one hit wonder in early '80s or so. Basically the lyrics is a list of how various of the singer’s friends passed away. I am not sure how it goes, but it goes something like (and these are NOT the lyrics just an example):

Laurie hanged herself  
Marty took valium  
Jimmy cut his veins

etc.  
etc.

Pretty catchy melody with morbid lyrics. I know that after listening to that song 10 years laters, I found a “Great Hits of (Forgotten Name of Singer)” which surprised me since I only remember him as a one hit wonder.

Any guesses?

XicanoreX

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**Author:** ![jeyen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a4c791/32.png) [@jeyen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeyen)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2000, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-80s-song/46606/2 "2000-12-21T00:02:30Z")

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Could it be “People Who Died” by Jim Carroll?

See [http://jimcarroll.forbin.com/cblyrics.asp#people](http://jimcarroll.forbin.com/cblyrics.asp#people) .

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**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2000, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-80s-song/46606/3 "2000-12-21T00:17:46Z")

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And, from Amazon… [A World Without Gravity : The Best Of The Jim Carroll Band](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000003327)

And yes, Jim Carroll is the same guy who wrote _The Basketball Diaries_ back in the 70’s.

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**Author:** ![xicanorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a88e57/32.png) [@xicanorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xicanorex)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2000, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-80s-song/46606/4 "2000-12-21T06:02:21Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Could it be “People Who Died” by Jim Carroll?

YES, THAT’S IT! Thanks jeyen and smackfu!

XicanoreX