Amanda has been fascinated with murder ballads for many years, so in this episode she's telling you (and Ben and Mike) all about them! This isn't an exhaustive overview of the genre, just the backstories behind a few great songs. From a couple of murdered girls in 18th-century England to a stolen hat in 20th-century America, these tragic stories have been transformed into compelling songs that we're still singing today.
Some notes:
- Mike wishes to note that the phonograph era was well underway in 1911; he just meant there weren't exactly DJs yet.
- You really must read Paul Slade's book Unprepared To Die if you want the full stories, plus more! At the very least, check out his website.
- We'd really like to hear Skyclad or somebody similar do a cover of "Pretty Polly."
- Turns out "Matty Groves" isn't based on any real events, it's just a great story.
- Nick Cave did not include "Stagger Lee" in the shows Amanda and Mike saw, but Kylie Minogue did sing "Where the Wild Roses Grow" when Rich saw her at Madison Square Garden!
The songs:
- The Louvin Brothers - Knoxville Girl
- Sandy Denny - Pretty Polly
- Lloyd Price/Nick Cave - Stagger Lee
- Sam Cooke - Frankie & Johnny
- Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Where the Wild Roses Grow
Intro: Nazareth - The Ballad of Hollis Brown (of course)
Outro: A bit of dialogue from David Rawlings & Gillian Welch after their excellent rendition of "Pretty Polly"
Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, Ben Marlin, Mike DeFabio
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