Sing a Song of Murder's Quote of the Day

Probably the toughest time in anyone's life is when you have to murder a loved one because they're the devil

- Emo Philips

Death (Row) in Texas

"Oh, woe is me, the state has put a date on me"

- Puerto Muerto w/ The Pine Valley Cosmonauts, The Hangman's Song

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has a page about their death row. It's a fascinating read, complete with statistics and a list of executed prisoners, and soon to be executed prisoners. What's really interesting is that the list of executions from 1983 onwards has info about their crimes and their last statements:

Tucker, Karla

TDCJ #: 777

Race: White

Age: 38

Offender Information

Last Statement

Pinkerton, Jay

TDCJ #: 686

Race: White

Age: 24

Offender Information

Last Statement

Fuller, Justin

TDCJ# 999266

Race: Black

Age: 27

Offender Information

Last Statement

For their last statement some ask for forgiveness from the families of their victims, some proclaim their innocence, some speak to their own families, and some say absolutely nothing.

There are currently three people with scheduled executions. Peter Cantu, a hispanic male from Harris county is due to be executed on August 17th. So remember, on August 17th, in Texas and possibly another state, justice will be served, or they'll be killing a human to prove that killing is wrong. It's up to you to make the decision.

Miss Otis Regrets

A fine Cole Porter tune. This version, is by the lovely Ella Fitzgerald:








The moment before she died/she lifted up her lovely head and cried

I love that line.

Unlike the previous two songs I've discussed, "Miss Otis Regrets" is told in a third person narrative. A servant (?) telling Miss Otis' friends, oh so politely, that her mistress is unable to fulfill her social obligations because, she's, well, sort of dead. A fallen woman, who can no longer speak for herself. The tragedy of the song, isn't really the murder, it's her downfall.

Another great take on the song:

99 to Life

She was my woman

I thought that she'd be true

Now she's gone and left me

You know her life is through.

- Social Distortion, 99 to Life

A simple age old tale. He loved her, she left him and he killed her "with his knife". Now he's in jail for the rest of his life, tortured by her memory.

While released in the 1990's, Social Distortion's 99 to Life, takes much of it's inspiration from another era. Blues and country ballads of love, broken hearts and murder permeate the song. Yet, the hard style of playing, and Mike Ness' rough vocals give the song a very modern edge. Mickey Spillane meets Johnny Cash meets the Ramones.

Don't try this at home . . .

Knoxville GIrl

I met a little girl in Knoxville

a town we all know well

And every Sunday evening

out in her home I'd dwell

We went to take an evening walk

about a mile from town

I picked a stick up off the ground and

knocked that fair girl down.

- Knoxville Girl, Traditional

She's been from Wexford and Oxford. When the Irish brought her to America she made Knoxville her home. No matter her where she's from, it always ends the same; beaten with a stick (or a fence post), dragged by her hair and tossed in the river.

Why did he do it? Little reason is given, expect for her "dark and rovin' eyes".

While the details are lurid, the music is sweet and haunting. I think that this juxtaposition of music and lyrics is why I find the song so fascinating. Some versions I've heard almost sound like a lullaby.

Arthur Tanner and His Corn Shuckers, who recorded it in 1927, are a good example of this. Tanner's voice is simple, straightforward and sad.

My personal favorite version however is by the Louvin Brothers.

Ira Louvin might have been a violent drunk, but damn he had a good sense of harmony. The high low sound, beautiful.

Other versions worth checking out are Brett Sparks With the Pine Valley Cosmonauts which can be found on The Executioner's Last Song, a fantastic album, containing much of the material that this blog is about, and Nick Cave's version which was a B-Side to "Henry Lee" another great song.

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Knoxville Girl Lyrics

Wexford Girl Lyrics