Songs About Death

[Johnny Canuck3]

Ode To Billy Joe



Richard Corey

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Ode To Billy Joe

I think the best version is the Bobbie Gentry one. I remember when it came out. Really haunting....and it was Bobbie Gentry that wrote it, after all.

 

[twistedAM]

I think the best version is the Bobbie Gentry one. I remember when it came out. Really haunting....and it was Bobbie Gentry that wrote it, after all.

Definitely.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

'Tell Laura I love Her'

The world would be a far better place without that song having been written. It's officially trite shite.


However this song is a classic...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4L1cxypyYM

 

[Meltingpot]

I think the best version is the Bobbie Gentry one. I remember when it came out. Really haunting....and it was Bobbie Gentry that wrote it, after all.

I remember it too and agree, it's a great song.

Just thought of another one; Bobby Goldsboro's "Honey."

 

[MightyAphrodite]

Dr. Ralph Stanley - O Death

jesus....thats the same song i posted but didnt name...


like i said my uncles used to scare the hell out of me with that song


it gives me chills right now listening

 

[Maggot]

Pale Blue Eyes by the Velvet Underground.


Written by Lou Reed about a friend who'd died.

 

[cybertect]

Tempted to suggest Shine On You Crazy Diamond which is effectively a eulogy, except that Syd wasn't actually dead at the time it was written, just, er, gone to another place (in his head).

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I think the best version is the Bobbie Gentry one. I remember when it came out. Really haunting....and it was Bobbie Gentry that wrote it, after all.

I know, but the youtube versions I was getting, were really murky sounding.

There's a nice rendition done by Sinead O'Connor.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Just thought of another one; Bobby Goldsboro's "Honey."

Oh God noooooo! It's even worse than 'Tell Laura I love her'


*vomits*

 

[stavros]

that isn't about death! and certainly not untimely death of a loved one


dave

Suppose not, just did a word-association brain storm.

 

[Pickman's model]

alien sex fiend - dead and buried

alien sex fiend - r.i.p.

 

[Pickman's model]

alien sex fiend - acid bath

 

[Tacita]

Richard Thompson
1952 Vincent Black Lightning

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Two great songs about death. Almost unbearably sad but not mawkish. Sorry the second isn't great quality recording-wise, but it's still a great song.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiXINuf5nbI


www.youtube.com/watch?v=361JhdTGznI

 

[Mrs Magpie]

alien sex fiend - dead and buried

alien sex fiend - r.i.p.

Pip was conceived after an Alien Sex Fiend gig....

 

[Pickman's model]

 

[Pickman's model]

Pip was conceived after an Alien Sex Fiend gig....

i think i must have missed that gig unless it was the one at the camden underworld but i forget which year that was

 

[Meltingpot]

Oh God noooooo! It's even worse than 'Tell Laura I love her'

*vomits*

It seems a lot of people agree with you, according to the wiki;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_(Bobby_Goldsboro_song)

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/04/19/eye.ent.worstsong/?section=cnn_mostpopular/

It also gets a mention here;

http://www.cs.umd.edu/~gasarch/HUMOR/worstsongs.html

"Tell Laura I love Her" is fun if you know a girl called Laura.

 

[MightyAphrodite]

Country music is your friend here.

One of my favourites is Dark As a Dungeon by Merle Travis

thats a good one...ive been watching videos fromthis thread and youre right country music is your friend when it comes to death

kenny does it pretty good....


'who you'd be today'



as does brad...

'when i get where im going'




brad AND dolly

'whiskey lullaby'



tim

'please remember me'




johnny paycheck

'old violin' (sorta,but amazing song...)



the highwaymen (aka Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson...)

'highwayman'



Willie & Ray

'seven spanish angels'




AMAZING SONG ^^^^^....

hell, i could go on and on and on really

 

[purplex]

The Smiths

Death of a Disco Dancer
There is a light that never goes out - "and if a double decker bus crashes into us, to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die"

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Rod Stewart: The Killing of Georgie

 

[D'wards]

Various artists - Warfaring Stranger, i think this is close to the OP wistfullness

Last Caress by The Misfits - not romantic or wistful at all.

I am a poor wayfaring stranger
Traveling through this world alone
There is no sickness, toil nor danger
In that fair land to which I go

I'm going home
To see my mother
I'm going home
No more to roam
I am just going over Jordan
I am just going over home

I know dark clouds will hover on me,
I know my pathway is rough and steep
But golden fields lie out before me
Where weary eyes no more will weep
I'm going home to see my father
I'm going home no more to roam
I am just going over Jordan
I am just going over home

I'll soon be free from every trial
This form shall rest beneath the sun
I'll drop the cross of self-denial
And enter in that home with God
I'm going home to see my savior
I'm going home no more to roam
I am just going over Jordan
I am just going over home

 

[Fictionist]

Roxanne Is Dead (She died of too much Rap)

 

[SpookyFrank]

Pale Blue Eyes by the Velvet Underground.


Written by Lou Reed about a friend who'd died.

I didn't know that. Such a gorgeous song though.

 

[Meltingpot]

Back in the 70's, Kenny Everett used to play a song on Capital Radio called "I Want My Baby Back" by Jimmy Cross;

http://www.dustbury.com/music/cross.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Cross

You'll probably either think it's hilarious or in the worst taste ever.

 

[stavros]

Carter USM - "My Second To Last Will And Testament"

 

[articul8]

Has to be Nick Cave's "Lay me low"

 

[Sunspots]

Pale Blue Eyes by the Velvet Underground.


Written by Lou Reed about a friend who'd died.

I believe it was inspired by an old university girlfriend of his.

It's not a 'song about death' though, surely? I've certainly never thought of it as anything other than a love song.

Whatever it's about, it's always sounded so beautiful.