# Songs About Crime **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 24, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722 "2009-11-24T01:36:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/1 "2009-11-24T01:36:08Z")
**Sexual Assault of a Child** : “Prison Sex” - Tool “Janie’s Got a Gun” - Aerosmith “Jordan, Minnesota” - Big Black (great, scary song) “Kentucky F\*\*\* Daddy”- Brutal Juice (ditto) **Robbery With a Deadly Weapon** : “I Fought the Law” - Sonny Curtis and The Crickets (popularized by the Bobby Fuller Four) **Burglary with Intent to Commit Sexual Assault** : Tyler (I Will Be With Her Tonight) - The Toadies **Seuxal Assault and/or Murder** : “Possum Kingdom” - The Toadies **Serial Murder** : “Dead Skin Mask” - Slayer (about serial killer Ed Gein) **Genocide** : “Angel of Death” - Slayer (about Auschwitz - Birkenau “doctor” Josef Mengele) “Holiday in Cambodia” - Dead Kennedys (about Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge) Others? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/2 "2009-11-24T01:41:17Z")
**Capital Murder** : “I Shot the Sheriff” - Bob Marley and the Wailers “Cop Killer” - Body Count featuring Ice T “Deep Cover (187 on an Undercover Cop)” - Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dog ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/3 "2009-11-24T01:43:15Z")
Mack the Knife ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/4 "2009-11-24T01:57:46Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Mack the Knife Dammit, that’s what I was gonna say. So, I’ll suggest “You’re Always Welcome At Our House” from the Muppets [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DZ-EJNz2AoE/hqdefault.jpg "You're Always Welcome At Our House.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ-EJNz2AoE) ---
**Author:** ![Pray\_for\_peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pray\_for\_peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pray_for_peace)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/5 "2009-11-24T02:02:31Z")
**Rape (possibly gang rape)** “Hold Her Down” - Toad the Wet Sprocket **Cocaine use and dealing** “White Lines” - Grandmaster Flash ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/6 "2009-11-24T02:05:05Z")
**Murder:** Sugar - “[A Good Idea](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyV4j5DQ5Tg)” **Infanticide** /Killing your own child (possibly): PJ Harvey - “[Down By the Water](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me8aQA0VlI8)” ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/7 "2009-11-24T02:06:01Z")
Third Eye Blind’s Semi Charmed Life is about Sex and Crystal Meth. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/8 "2009-11-24T02:20:21Z")
Tom Lehrer. [I Hold Your Hand In Mine.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjPhFSlhOuQ) [The Irish Ballad.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxuLAuVc4qQ) (I’m on dial up so I hope these are the right ones.) ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/9 "2009-11-24T02:22:31Z")
Marijuana usage: “The Chronic” by Dr. Dre, among millions of other songs ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/10 "2009-11-24T02:28:09Z")
Rape and self-mutilation - [Mr. Turnkey,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdJna4JspwM) by the underrated Zager & Evans (known mostly for their hit _In The Year 2525._) It’s a song about a rapist who nails his wrist to the wall of a jail cell. (It’s not clear where he got the hammer, or the nail. And the walls are apparently made of wood.) That version is an edited version for the vinyl single - the original version, on the actual _2525_ album, has a Moog synthesizer part, and the lyrics are slightly different (“there’s been a rape in Wichita Falls” instead of “I forced that girl in Wichita Falls”.) I recommend hearing the actual album version [here](http://serprex.staticfire.co.uk/ZagerEvans/), though you’ll have to download an .ogg file. It’s much better. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/11 "2009-11-24T02:29:15Z")
Statutory Rape (possibly) - Gypsies Tramps and Thieves Theft - In the Ghetto ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/12 "2009-11-24T02:33:28Z")
The Curse of Millhaven, Nick Cave - arson, mass murder. 97 Bonnie and Clyde, Eminem - wife-killing. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/13 "2009-11-24T02:34:57Z")
Bank robbery Scooby Snacks by **FUN LOVIN CRIMINALS** ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/14 "2009-11-24T02:35:34Z")
Lots of quirky crims in [_Fred_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkYj0h8BTfo&feature=related), by Zager & Evans. Among the crimes in the song: [ul] [li]Killing of a frog with a kitchen knife[/li][li]Mutilation of a bird’s wing with a slingshot[/li][li]Killing of a Guinea Hen by wrapping its beak in masking tape so it starves to death[/li][li]Robbery of a local Dairy Queen[/li][li]War crimes committed during military service (possibly)[/li][li]Killing of a man by a punch in the face with a cast on hand[/li][/ul] All at the hands of the title character. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/15 "2009-11-24T02:38:35Z")
Cannibalism and feeding of humans to a dog - [_In My House_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7_Tsj--uN4) by Zager & Evans. ---
**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:** [November 24, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/16 "2009-11-24T02:39:05Z")
I Fought the Law – Bobby Fuller Four Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash (murder) I Don’t Like Mondays – Boomtown Rats (spree killing) Excitable Boy – Warren Zevon (murder, rape) Uncle Ernie – The Who (molestation) Stagger Lee/Stack O’ Lee/Stagolee – traditional (murder) Wrong 'em Boyo – The Clash (murder – based upon “Stagger Lee”) Much of the score for **Sweeney Todd** Psycho Killer – Talking Heads Don’t Take Me Alive – Steely Dan (murder) Guys are Not Proud – the Anemic Boyfriends (bestiality) Maxwell’s Silver Hammer – the Beatles (murder) More Tom Lehrer The Old Dope Peddler (drugs) My Home Town (murder, arson, possible sex crimes) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/17 "2009-11-24T02:39:14Z")
“Murder by Numbers,” The Police ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/18 "2009-11-24T02:41:43Z")
John Wayne Gacy, Jr. - Sufjan Stevens (serial murder) Killer’s Eyes - The Kinks (murder) In the Middle of the Night - Madness (underwear thievery) ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/19 "2009-11-24T02:42:13Z")
Income tax evasion - _Reginald Ludwig_ by Zager & Evans. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722/20 "2009-11-24T02:42:31Z")
_The Night Chicago Died_ - Paper Lace _Johnny_ - Sheena Easton _Trouble In The Shadows_ - Sheena Easton [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-crime/518722.md?page=2)