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Songs from the view of a killer


cyberjudge

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Heard the song "Wake Up Call" by Maroon 5 on my way home from work today, and it made me think about other songs written from the perspective of someone who confesses to a killing in the lyrics. Ones I came up with off the top of my head are:

Wake Up Call-Maroon 5

The Night the Lights Went Down in Georgia-Vicki Lawrence

Dark Lady-Cher

I Shot the Sheriff-Eric Clapton

Bohemian Rhapsody-Queen

Coward of the County-Kenny Rogers

and one based on a real life killing:

I Don't Like Mondays-Boomtown Rats

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that's a coincidence :laughing:

I was just listening to The Adverts: Gary Gilmore's Eyes

I'm lying in a hospital,

I'm pinned against the bed.

A stethoscope upon my heart,

A hand against my head.

They're peeling off the bandages.

I'm wincing in the light.

The nurse is looking anxious,

And she's quivering in fright...

I'm looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes.

looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes.

looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes.

:grin:

Edited by Guest
typo
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I Don't Like Mondays-Boomtown Rats

that song's not really from the killer's perspective, but that's probably just my nitpicking self ;)

(nobody's gonna go to school today / she's gonna make them stay at home)

and if that's okay with you then this one will be too:

Jeremy ~ Pearl Jam

:)

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"Leeds United" by Luke Haines, is not actually about the football club I support: they are used as a cipher for the grimness of the 1970s, when serial killer Peter Sutcliffe (aka "The Yorkshire Ripper") stalked the streets. This song, released as a single and featuring on the "Off My Rocker At The Art School Bop" album, imagines Sutcliffe as its narrator. It changes from 1st person(sing.)to 3rd person, then to 1st person plural in the course of the narrative. But then again, Sutcliffe did claim paranoid schizophrenia as his defence in court.

Listen to it here: second track down

The lyrics

"When I get home my wife will kill me

She's so house proud, so don't tread dirt into the carpet

Stop for a pint in Chapeltown

Lights turn to red and then they go out

And for the price of five pounds

It's what the seventies were about

Baby

Leeds United, Leeds United

From Wakefield to the Ridings

To the ground at Elland Road

At Leeds United they're chanting vengeance, it's a 13-0 defeat on the front page of the Post

A last minute substitution but we didn't have the talent

I was beaten, we were gutted, I was as sick as a parrot

Leeds United

Leeds United

Every Saturday night at the Teddy Boys' disco

It's good to be young, leave the wife at home now

Propping up the bar, World Of Sport, then fixing the car

You're on a mission from God: It's what the weekend's all about

It's good to be young now

Leeds United Leeds United

Mark II Ford Cortina, Vauxhall Viva, Ford Corsair

On the terraces of Leeds United

One voice is silent, he's the man with jet black hair

And come to bed eyes, that's what he had

It's just another wet Saturday afternoon with the lads

Leeds United (times 4)

Little monsters run and roam

Little blighters in the carpet

They're hidden in the walls

In the attic and in the cupboards

And in the house of Lords

The chamber of horrors at Madame Tussauds

Out with the old we've got to make room for them all

Now the chorus

Leeds United Leeds United

There but for the grace of God we go

Leeds United Leeds United

Bad season after season at Elland Road

Leeds United Leeds United

No leads for the West Yorkshire police

In Victorian Leeds concrete Leeds

There's a killer on the terraces better call in Doris Stokes

The devil came to Yorkshire in the silver Jubilee

It could be Kendo Nagasaki Jimmy Savile or the Queen

Leeds United (times 4)

The North, the North

Where we do what we want

The North the North

Where we do what we like

The North, the North

Where we do what we want

The North the North

Where we do what we like

Edited by Guest
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"The Hand of Fate" - The Rolling Stones

The hand of fate is on me now

It pick me up and knock me down

I'm on the run, I'm prison bound

The hand of fate is heavy now

I killed a man, I'm highway bound

The wheel of fortune keeps turning round

Turning round, turning round

I should have known it was a one horse town

My sweet girl was once his wife

He had papers the judge had signed

The wind blew hard, it was stormy night

He shot me once, but I shot him twice

The hand of fate is on me now

It pick me up and it kicked me right down

Kicked me right down

Kicked me right down

I had to save her life

Yeah, I gunned him twice

Yeah, and I watched him die, watch out boy

Yeah, I watched him die

He was a barroom man, the violent kind

He had no love for that gal of mine

Then one day in a drinking bout

He swore he'd throw me right of town

The hand of fate is on me now

I shot that man I put him underground

I put him underground

Yes I did

I'm on the run, I hear the hounds

My luck is up, my chips are down

So goodbye baby, so long now

Wish me luck, I'm going to need it child

The hand of fate is on me now

Yeah it's too late

Too late baby, too late now

The hand of fate is on me now

The hand of fate is heavy now

It pick you up and knock you down

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*The Doors - Riders on the Storm* (Jim Morrison is the hitchhiker)

"Theres a killer on the road

His brain is squirmin like a toad

Take a long holiday

Let your children play

If ya give this man a ride

Sweet memory will die

Killer on the road, yeah"

*Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues*

"But I shot a man in Reno,

Just to watch him die"

*Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe*

"Hey Joe, where you goin' with that gun in your hand

Hey Joe, I said where you goin' with that gun in your hand

I'm going down to shoot my old lady

You know, I've caught her messin' around with another man

I'm going down to shoot my old lady

You know, I've caught her messin' around with another man

And that ain't too cool

Hey Joe, I've heard you shot your woman down,

shot her down, now

I said I've heard you shot your old lady down,

You shot her down to the ground

Yes I did, I shot her

You know, I caught her messin' round, messin' round town

Yes I did, I shot her

You know, I caught my old lady messin' around town

And I gave her the gun

I SHOT HER!

Hey Joe, alright

Shoot her one more time, baby

Hey Joe, said now

Where you gonna run to now?

Where you gonna run to?

Hey Joe, I said where you gonna run to now?

Where you, where you gonna go?

Well, dig it

I'm goin' way down south,

Way down to Mexico way

Alright!

I'm goin' way down south,

Way down where I can be free

Ain't no one gonna find me

Ain't no hangman gonna,

He ain't gonna put a rope around me

You better believe it right now

I gotta go now

Hey Joe, you better run on down

Good by everybody

Hey Joe, uhh

Run on down"

*Johhny Cash - Cocaine Blues*

"Early one mornin' while makin' the rounds

I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down

I went right home and I went to bed

I stuck that lovin' .44 beneath my head

Got up next mornin' and I grabbed that gun

Took a shot of cocaine and away I run

Made a good run but I ran too slow

They overtook me down in Juarez, Mexico

Late in the hot joints takin' the pills

In walked the sheriff from Jericho Hill

He said Willy Lee your name is not Jack Brown

You're the dirty heck that shot your woman down

Said yes, oh yes my name is Willy Lee

If you've got the warrant just a-read it to me

Shot her down because she made me sore

I thought I was her daddy but she had five more

When I was arrested I was dressed in black

They put me on a train and they took me back

Had no friend for to go my bail

They slapped my dried up carcass in that county jail

Early next mornin' bout a half past nine

I spied the sheriff coming down the line

Ah, and he coughed as he cleared his throat

He said come on you dirty heck into that district court

Into the courtroom my trial began

Where I was handled by twelve honest men

Just before the jury started out

I saw the little judge commence to look about

In about five minutes in walked the man

Holding the verdict in his right hand

The verdict read murder in the first degree

I hollered Lawdy Lawdy, have a mercy on me

The judge he smiled as he picked up his pen

99 years in the Folsom pen

99 years underneath that ground

I can't forget the day I shot that bad bitch down

Come on you've gotta listen unto me

Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be"

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Running Gun Blues

Words and music by David Bowie

I count the corpses on my left, I find I'm not so tidy

So I better get away, better make it today

I've cut twenty-three down since Friday

But I can't control it, my face is drawn

My instinct still emotes it

I slash them cold, I kill them dead

I broke the gooks, I cracked their heads

I'll bomb them out from under the beds

But now I've got the running gun blues

It seems the peacefuls stopped the war

Left generals squashed and stifled

But I'll slip out again tonight

Cause they haven't taken back my rifle

For I promote oblivion

And I'll plug a few civilians

I'll slash them cold, I'll kill them dead

I'll break them gooks, I'll crack their heads

I'll slice them till they're running red

But now I've got the running gun blues

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The most impressive song describing a murder from the killer's view is Delia's gone, by the great Johnny Cash.

I find this his most morbid contribution to music!

:jack:

"Delia's Gone"

Delia, oh, Delia Delia all my life

If I hadn't have shot poor

Delia I'd have had her for my wife

Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone

I went up to Memphis

And I met Delia there Found her in her parlor

And I tied to her chair

Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone

She was low down and trifling

And she was cold and mean

Kind of evil make me want to Grab my sub machine

Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone

First time I shot her I shot her in the side

Hard to watch her suffer

But with the second shot she died

Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone

But jailer, oh, jailer Jailer,

I can't sleep 'Cause all around my bedside

I hear the patter of Delia's feet

Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone

So if you woman's devilish

You can let her run

Or you can bring her down and do her

Like Delia got done

Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone

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Imagine a bunch of high schoolers rubbing zippers to such a song. F'rinstance, Motley Crue's All I Need

The blade of my knife

Faced away from your heart

Those last few nights

It turned and sliced you apart

This love that I tell

Now feels lonely as hell

From this padded prison cell

So many times I said

You'd only be mine

I gave my blood and my tears

And loved you cyanide

When you took my lips

I took your breath

Sometimes loves better off dead

You're all I need, make you only mine

I love you so I set you free

I had to take your life

You're all I need, you're all I need

And I loved you but you didnt love me

Laid out cold

Now were both alone

But killing you helped me keep you home

I guess it was bad

Cause love can be sad

But we finally make the news

Tied up smiling

I thought you were happy

Never opened your eyes

I thought you were napping

I got so much to learn

About love in this world

But we finally made the news

You're all I need, make you only mine

I loved you so, so I put you to sleep.

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  • 3 years later...

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks

you'd better run better run

faster than my bullet

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks

you'd better run better run

outrun my gun.

I'm no Foster the People fan, but pretty strange how a song so dark got so popular, hey?

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