"Step It Out, Mary" is a song that has popped up many times during the years I spent digging through Celtic folk songs. I first heard it in high school when a family friend gave my mother a CD which had the version by Hair of the Dog (a CD I quickly tried to claim for my own--keyword is "tried"). So given how familiar I was with the song, imagine how surprised I was to discover that Mary changed her name to Nancy, moved to America, and grew a backbone. I had no idea that "Step it Out, Nancy" even existed until earlier this month when I found the song while searching for murder ballads. How did I miss this until now?
The two songs are practically the same, having the same melody, tempo, and most of the same lyrics. However there are some key differences between the two songs. Most of them are flavor; the Nancy versions have more a country sound and instrumentation to them, which the Mary version are definitely more Celtic. They lyrical differences follow the same themes as well with Nancy's American Western setting and the imagery of the cattleman (as opposed to Mary's countryman) and the cowboy lover (instead of Mary's soldier). The biggest difference between the two songs, however, is the ending. Mild-Mannered-Mary and her soldier boy decide to recreate Romeo and Juliet, but Tough-As-Nails-Nancy would never take the easy way out. Oh no, Nancy takes an extra two verses and gets her revenge. Take a look at the two songs below:
"Step It Out, Mary" by Hair of the Dog (Youtube video is here)
"Step It Out, Nancy" by Holly Near (Youtube video is here)
In the village of Kilgory, there’s a maiden young and fair
Near Cheyenne in Wyoming there's a maiden fine and fair,
Her eyes they shone like diamonds, she had long and golden hair
Oh, her eyes they shone like diamonds, she had long and golden hair
Then a countryman came riding, he came to her daddy's gate
When the cattleman came riding he came to her father's door,
Mounted on a milk-white stallion, he came at the stroke of eight
Mounted on a milk white pony, he came at the stroke of four
Chorus:
Chorus:
Step it out, Mary, my fine daughter
Step it out Nancy, pretty darlin'
Step it out, Mary, if you can
Step it out Nancy, if you can
Step it out, Mary, my fine daughter
Step it out Nancy, pretty darlin',
Show your legs to the country man (x2)
Show your legs to the wealthy man.
"I have come to court your daughter, Mary of the golden hair"
" I have come to court your daughter, Nancy of the golden hair,"
"I have gold and I have silver, I have lands beyond compare"
"I have wealth and I have money, I have goods beyond compare."
"I will buy her silks and satin and a gold ring for her hand"
"And I will buy her silks and satins, and a gold ring for her hand."
"I will build for her a mansion, she'll have servants to command"
"I will build for her a mansion, she'll have servants to command."
Chorus
"Kind sir I love a soldier, I have pledged to him my hands"
"Can't you see I love a cowboy and I've promised him my hand,
"I don't want your house or money, I don't want your gold nor land"
"I don't want your house and money, I don't want your goods and land."
Mary’s father spoke up sharply, "You will do as you are told"
Nancy's father spoke up sharply, said, "You'll do as you are told."
"You will marry him on Sunday and you will wear the ring of gold"
"You'll be married on a Sunday, you will wear that ring of gold."
Chorus
Chorus
Near the village of Kilgory there's a deep stream running by
It was there that they found Mary, she had drowned with her soldier boy
In the cottage there is music, you can hear her daddy say
Step it out Mary, my fine daughter, Sunday is your wedding day.
Well, the cattleman spoke with fury, said, "You will not have that man,"
And he rode from town in anger with his rifle in his hand.
He came back from Colorado; on his pony was a sack,
Deep red with the blood of the cowboy slung across his back.
Pretty Nancy cried in anguish, she wept and tore her hair,
She slipped into her father's room and found a pistol lying there.
On the Sunday came the wedding, the town folks gathered at noon,
They saw Nancy pull the pistol and shoot down that wealthy groom.
Chorus
Nancy said, "I am not sorry," when the jury heard the tale,
Though he rots beneath the filthy ground and I shall rot in jail."
There in the crowded courtroom twelve good folks took their stand,
Said, "We will not hold you, Nancy, for killing that wealthy man."
Chorus
(Note: this next verse is not typically included in "Step it Out, Nancy," but I am including it here because Holly Near includes it in her version, which is the one I chose to use for comparison").
Well I hope you get my meaning, It's not that murder pays
But that women must not be bought or sold, either then or now-a-days
We will choose our lovers, we will live out our own lives
We'll love who we please with a passion and a sparkle in our eyes
Chorus
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Country Murder Ballads
I am continuing with the murder ballad theme this week, and bringing you a set of country murder ballads, along with a few shoot-the-outlaw songs, and one interesting song that ponders whether or not a hangman is a murderer.
The Napster playlist is here.
The Youtube playlist is here.
The Spotify playlist is here.
1. "Amos Moses" by Jerry Reed
2. "Arkansas Murder Ballad No. 1" by Angela Easterling
3. "The Ballad of Charles Whitman" by Kinky Friedman
4. "The Ballad of Louise" by Jeannie C Riley
5. "The Banks of the Ohio" by Olivia Newton-John (Not on Spotify playlist)
6. "Big Iron" by Marty Robbins
7. "Billy the Kid" by Marty Robbins
8. "The Box it Came In" by Wanda Jackson
9. "The Bramble Briar" by Martin Simpson
10. "Cedartown Georgia" by Waylon Jennings
11. "Charles Guiteau" by Loman Cansler (Not on Youtube playlist)
12. "Child Owlet" by Steeleye Span
13. "Cocaine Blues" by Johnny Cash
14. "The Cold Hard Facts of Life" by Porter Wagoner
15. "Delia's Gone" by Johnny Cash
16. "Don't Take Your Guns to Town" by Johnny Cash
17. "Dragging the River" by Idgy Vaughn
18. "El Paso" by Marty Robbins
19. "Far From Any Road" by The Handsome Family
20. "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash
21. "Frankie and Johnnie" by Jimmie Rodgers
22. "Goodbye Earl" by Dixie Chicks
23. "Gunpowder and Lead" by Miranda Lambert
24. "Hangman" by Marty Stuart
25. "Highwayman" by The Highwaymen
26. "House Carpenter" by The Handsome Family
27. "I Hung My Head" by Johnny Cash
28. "I Just Can't Let you Say Goodbye" by Willie Nelson
29. "I'm Gonna Kill You" by Casey James Prestwood
30. "Independence Day" Martina McBride
31. "Jesse With the Long Hair" by Robert Earl Keen
32. "John Hardy" by Bobby Bare
33. "The Killing of Billy Lee" by Mike Whitley
34. "The Killing of Me" by Jemma Nicole
35. "L.A. County" by Lyle Lovett
36. "The Legend of Wooley Swamp" by Charlie Daniels
37. "The Lighthouse's Tale" by Nickel Creek
38. "Lilli Schull" by Uncle Tupelo
39. "Little Delia" by Blind Willie McTell
40. "Little Omie Wise" by Doc Watson
41. "Looking Back Now" by Maggie Rose
42. "The Long Black Veil" by Lefty Frizzell
43. "Louis Collins" by Larry Perkins
44. "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" by Gene Pitney
45. "Marie Laveau" by Bobby Bare
46. "Mary Danced with Soldiers" by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Emmylou Harris
47. "Matamoros" by Billy Walker
48. "Me and Billy the Kid" by Joe Ely
49. "Miller's Cave" by Bobby Bare
50. "Murder of Crows" by Lindi Ortega
51. "The Murder of the Blue Eyed Man from Galveston Bay" by Blue Diamond Shine
52. "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" by Reba McEntire
53. "Ol' Red" by Blake Shelton
54. "Open Pit Mine" by George Jones
55. "Papa Loved Mama" by Garth Brooks (The Napster and Spotify Playlists have cover bands)
56. "Pardon Me (I've Got Someone to Kill)" by Johnny Paycheck
57. "Philadelphia Lawyer" by Willie Nelson
58. "Pretty Boy Floyd" by Rosanne Cash (Not on Spotify Playlist)
59. "Red Georgia Clay" by John Anderson
60. "Red Headed Stranger" by Willie Nelson
61. "Roving Gambler" by Jerry Reed
62. "Sam Hall" by Johnny Cash
63. "Seven Spanish Angels" by Ray Charles and Willie Nelson
64. "Silver Dagger" by Dolly Parton
65. "Sonora's Death Row" by Robert Earl Keen
66. "The Story Behind the Story" by Big Al Downing
67. "They're Hanging Me Tonight" by Marty Robbins
68. "Two Black Cadillacs" by Carrie Underwood
69. "Veil of White Lace" by Vernon Oxford
70. "When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's forty Below)" by Johnny Horton
71. "When You Leave That Way You Can Never Go Back" by Confederate Railroad
72. "Where the Wild Roses Grow" by Thomas Cory Myers
73. "Whiskey in my Whiskey" by The Felice Brothers
74. "Williamson County" by Gary Stewart
75. "Yvette" by Jason Isbell
I will continue to add songs to this list as I find them, but the songs beyond this point will not be in alphabetical order.
76. "Kevin Barry" by Stompin' Tom Conors
77. "The Everglades" by Waylon Jennings
78. "Westfall" by Okkervil River
79. "Buenas Noches From a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses)" by Dwight Yoakam
80. "Louisiana Stripes" by Hank Williams III
81. "Down the River" by Chris Knight
82. "Living on the Run" by David Allan Coe
83. "Hardin Wouldn't Run" by Johnny Cash
84. "Country Death Song" by Violent Femmes
85. "Della and the Dealer" by Hoyt Axton (not on Spotify playlist)
86. "Room 205" by Chase Rice
87. "Mr. Wolf and Mamabear" by Robert Earl Keen
88. "Mr. Shorty" by Marty Robbins
89. "Church Bells" by Carrie Underwood
90. "The Bones of Benny Gray" by Dave Stamey
91. "25 to Life" by Mountain Deer Revival
92. "50 Acres" by Big Range
93. "Where'd You Hide the Body" by James McMurtry
94. "Geraldine" by Daniel Dye
95. "Julie" by Porter Wagoner
96. "Verlaine Shot Rimbaud" by Lydia Loveless
97. "Arkansas Dave" by George Strait
98. "The Ballad of William Kellor" by Tin and the Toad
The Napster playlist is here.
The Youtube playlist is here.
The Spotify playlist is here.
1. "Amos Moses" by Jerry Reed
2. "Arkansas Murder Ballad No. 1" by Angela Easterling
3. "The Ballad of Charles Whitman" by Kinky Friedman
4. "The Ballad of Louise" by Jeannie C Riley
5. "The Banks of the Ohio" by Olivia Newton-John (Not on Spotify playlist)
6. "Big Iron" by Marty Robbins
7. "Billy the Kid" by Marty Robbins
8. "The Box it Came In" by Wanda Jackson
9. "The Bramble Briar" by Martin Simpson
10. "Cedartown Georgia" by Waylon Jennings
11. "Charles Guiteau" by Loman Cansler (Not on Youtube playlist)
12. "Child Owlet" by Steeleye Span
13. "Cocaine Blues" by Johnny Cash
14. "The Cold Hard Facts of Life" by Porter Wagoner
15. "Delia's Gone" by Johnny Cash
16. "Don't Take Your Guns to Town" by Johnny Cash
17. "Dragging the River" by Idgy Vaughn
18. "El Paso" by Marty Robbins
19. "Far From Any Road" by The Handsome Family
20. "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash
21. "Frankie and Johnnie" by Jimmie Rodgers
22. "Goodbye Earl" by Dixie Chicks
23. "Gunpowder and Lead" by Miranda Lambert
24. "Hangman" by Marty Stuart
25. "Highwayman" by The Highwaymen
26. "House Carpenter" by The Handsome Family
27. "I Hung My Head" by Johnny Cash
28. "I Just Can't Let you Say Goodbye" by Willie Nelson
29. "I'm Gonna Kill You" by Casey James Prestwood
30. "Independence Day" Martina McBride
31. "Jesse With the Long Hair" by Robert Earl Keen
32. "John Hardy" by Bobby Bare
33. "The Killing of Billy Lee" by Mike Whitley
34. "The Killing of Me" by Jemma Nicole
35. "L.A. County" by Lyle Lovett
36. "The Legend of Wooley Swamp" by Charlie Daniels
37. "The Lighthouse's Tale" by Nickel Creek
38. "Lilli Schull" by Uncle Tupelo
39. "Little Delia" by Blind Willie McTell
40. "Little Omie Wise" by Doc Watson
41. "Looking Back Now" by Maggie Rose
42. "The Long Black Veil" by Lefty Frizzell
43. "Louis Collins" by Larry Perkins
44. "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" by Gene Pitney
45. "Marie Laveau" by Bobby Bare
46. "Mary Danced with Soldiers" by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Emmylou Harris
47. "Matamoros" by Billy Walker
48. "Me and Billy the Kid" by Joe Ely
49. "Miller's Cave" by Bobby Bare
50. "Murder of Crows" by Lindi Ortega
51. "The Murder of the Blue Eyed Man from Galveston Bay" by Blue Diamond Shine
52. "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" by Reba McEntire
53. "Ol' Red" by Blake Shelton
54. "Open Pit Mine" by George Jones
55. "Papa Loved Mama" by Garth Brooks (The Napster and Spotify Playlists have cover bands)
56. "Pardon Me (I've Got Someone to Kill)" by Johnny Paycheck
57. "Philadelphia Lawyer" by Willie Nelson
58. "Pretty Boy Floyd" by Rosanne Cash (Not on Spotify Playlist)
59. "Red Georgia Clay" by John Anderson
60. "Red Headed Stranger" by Willie Nelson
61. "Roving Gambler" by Jerry Reed
62. "Sam Hall" by Johnny Cash
63. "Seven Spanish Angels" by Ray Charles and Willie Nelson
64. "Silver Dagger" by Dolly Parton
65. "Sonora's Death Row" by Robert Earl Keen
66. "The Story Behind the Story" by Big Al Downing
67. "They're Hanging Me Tonight" by Marty Robbins
68. "Two Black Cadillacs" by Carrie Underwood
69. "Veil of White Lace" by Vernon Oxford
70. "When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's forty Below)" by Johnny Horton
71. "When You Leave That Way You Can Never Go Back" by Confederate Railroad
72. "Where the Wild Roses Grow" by Thomas Cory Myers
73. "Whiskey in my Whiskey" by The Felice Brothers
74. "Williamson County" by Gary Stewart
75. "Yvette" by Jason Isbell
I will continue to add songs to this list as I find them, but the songs beyond this point will not be in alphabetical order.
76. "Kevin Barry" by Stompin' Tom Conors
77. "The Everglades" by Waylon Jennings
78. "Westfall" by Okkervil River
79. "Buenas Noches From a Lonely Room (She Wore Red Dresses)" by Dwight Yoakam
80. "Louisiana Stripes" by Hank Williams III
81. "Down the River" by Chris Knight
82. "Living on the Run" by David Allan Coe
83. "Hardin Wouldn't Run" by Johnny Cash
84. "Country Death Song" by Violent Femmes
85. "Della and the Dealer" by Hoyt Axton (not on Spotify playlist)
86. "Room 205" by Chase Rice
87. "Mr. Wolf and Mamabear" by Robert Earl Keen
88. "Mr. Shorty" by Marty Robbins
89. "Church Bells" by Carrie Underwood
90. "The Bones of Benny Gray" by Dave Stamey
91. "25 to Life" by Mountain Deer Revival
92. "50 Acres" by Big Range
93. "Where'd You Hide the Body" by James McMurtry
94. "Geraldine" by Daniel Dye
95. "Julie" by Porter Wagoner
96. "Verlaine Shot Rimbaud" by Lydia Loveless
97. "Arkansas Dave" by George Strait
98. "The Ballad of William Kellor" by Tin and the Toad
Sunday, October 9, 2016
Celtic Murder Ballads
Since it is still October, I am continuing with even more creepy murder ballads. The tradition of the murder ballad originated with traditional Celtic folk music, so with this playlist we are going back to the roots of the murder ballad. As a side note, you may notice that a lot of these songs are not on the Youtube or Spotify playlists, however many other version by other artists are available on both locations.
The Napster playlist is here.
The Spotify playlist is here.
The Youtube playlist is here.
1. "Banks of the Ohio" by Zoe Conway (the same recording is also attributed to Noriana Kennedy)
2. "The Banks of Red Roses" by Hanz Araki
3. "Bedlam Boys" by The Glengarry Bhoys
4. "Binnorie" by Christina Stewart
5. "Bold Poachers" by Martin Carthy
6. "The Bonny Earl O' Moray" by Jim Malcolm
7. "Bonnie Susie Cleland" by Sheena Wellington (Not on Youtube playlist)
8. "The Bonnie Banks O' Airdrie" by Adam McCulloch
9. "Border Widow's Lament" by Isla St. Clair
10. "The Bramble Briar" by Ewan MacColl
11. "Caleb Meyer" by Jessica Haines (Not on Spotify playlist)
12. "Child Owlet- Erskine's Folly" by John Falkner
13. "Clerk Saunders" by Christine Kydd (Not on Youtube playlist)
14. "The Cobbler's Daughter" by Craic in the Stone
15. "Crazy Man Michael" by Firkin
16. "The Cruel Brother" by Dick Gaughan (Not on Youtube playlist)
17. "The Cruel Mother" by Lothlorien (Not on Youtube playlist)
18. "The Dowie Dens of Yarrow" by LabGraal (Not on Youtube playlist)
19. "Down in the Willow Garden" by The Chieftains (Not on Youtube playlist)
20. "Edward" by Old Blind Dogs (Not on Spotify playlist)
21. "Eggs and Marrowbones" by Kick Up The Dust
22. "Famous Flower of Serving Men" by Morag (Not on Youtube playlist)
23. "Fair Margaret & Sweet William" by Craic in the Stone
24. "The Farmer Michael Hayes" by Seamus Stout
25. "Fine Flowers in the Valley" by Christina Stewart
26. "The Fowler" by Martin Carthy
27. "Harris and the Mare" by Stan Rogers
28. "Helen of Kirkconnell" by Hanz Araki
29. "The House Carpenter" by Cara
30. "The Irish Ballad (Rickety Tin Tin)" by Tom Lehrer
31. "Jack Orion/Rusty Jack" by Nancy Kerr
32. "Lady Isobel" by Lauren mcCormick
33. "Lady Margaret" by Pamela Morgan
34. "Lily of the West" by Matt and Shannon Heaton
35. "Little Musgrave" by Christy Moore
36. "Little Sir William" by John Kirkpatrick
37. "The Long Black Veil" by Siobhan O'Brien
38. "Long Lankin" by Long Lankin (Not on Youtube playlist)
39. "Lord Randall" by Rud Eile
40. "Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender" by Pamela Hunt
41. "Love Henry" by Martin Simpson
42. "Lovely Willie" by Cathie Ryan
43. "Lucy Wan" by Margaret Nelson and Phil Cooper
44. "The Maid of Cabra West" by Frank Harte (Not on Youtube playlist)
45. "Mary Hamilton" by Finn MacCuill (Not on Youtube playlist)
46. "Matty Groves" by Morag (Not on Youtube playlist)
47. "Mill O' Tifty" by Old Blind Dogs (Not on Spotify playlist)
48. "Molly Ban" by The Selkie Girls
49. "Omie Wise" by Poitin
50. "Outlandish Knight" by Danu
51. "Poor Murdered Woman" by Martin Carthy
52. "Pretty Polly" by Darol Anger
53. "Prince Heathen" by Martin Carthy
54. "Sam Hall" by Dubliners
55. "Seven Yellow Gypsies" by Nancy Kerr
56. "Sheath & Knife" by Christine Kydd
57. "The Silver Dagger" by Solas
58. "Step it Out Nancy" by Holly Near
59. "Streets of Forbes" by June Tabor
60. "Sweet William's Ghost" by Cara
61. "Twa Sisters" by Emily Smith
62. "Two Butchers" by Martin Carthy
63. "The Well Below the Valley" by Pol Mac Adaim
64. "William Bloat" by Bootless and Unhorsed (Not on Youtube or Spotify playlists)
65. "William Taylor" by The House Band
66. "The Wind the Shakes the Corn" by Irish Rovers
67. "Young Emily/Sophie's Jig" by Mike Vass
68. "Young Hunting" by Phil Cooper
I will continue to add songs to this playlist as I find them, but songs beyond this point will not be in alphabetical order
69. "Kevin Barry" by Declan Hunt
70. "Willie's Lady" by Ray Fisher (also attributed to Johnny Cunningham)
71. "The Murder of Maria Marten" by Ela Stiles
72. "Lucy Wan" by Martin Carthy
73. "Will the Weaver" by Atwater-Donnelly Trio
The Napster playlist is here.
The Spotify playlist is here.
The Youtube playlist is here.
1. "Banks of the Ohio" by Zoe Conway (the same recording is also attributed to Noriana Kennedy)
2. "The Banks of Red Roses" by Hanz Araki
3. "Bedlam Boys" by The Glengarry Bhoys
4. "Binnorie" by Christina Stewart
5. "Bold Poachers" by Martin Carthy
6. "The Bonny Earl O' Moray" by Jim Malcolm
7. "Bonnie Susie Cleland" by Sheena Wellington (Not on Youtube playlist)
8. "The Bonnie Banks O' Airdrie" by Adam McCulloch
9. "Border Widow's Lament" by Isla St. Clair
10. "The Bramble Briar" by Ewan MacColl
11. "Caleb Meyer" by Jessica Haines (Not on Spotify playlist)
12. "Child Owlet- Erskine's Folly" by John Falkner
13. "Clerk Saunders" by Christine Kydd (Not on Youtube playlist)
14. "The Cobbler's Daughter" by Craic in the Stone
15. "Crazy Man Michael" by Firkin
16. "The Cruel Brother" by Dick Gaughan (Not on Youtube playlist)
17. "The Cruel Mother" by Lothlorien (Not on Youtube playlist)
18. "The Dowie Dens of Yarrow" by LabGraal (Not on Youtube playlist)
19. "Down in the Willow Garden" by The Chieftains (Not on Youtube playlist)
20. "Edward" by Old Blind Dogs (Not on Spotify playlist)
21. "Eggs and Marrowbones" by Kick Up The Dust
22. "Famous Flower of Serving Men" by Morag (Not on Youtube playlist)
23. "Fair Margaret & Sweet William" by Craic in the Stone
24. "The Farmer Michael Hayes" by Seamus Stout
25. "Fine Flowers in the Valley" by Christina Stewart
26. "The Fowler" by Martin Carthy
27. "Harris and the Mare" by Stan Rogers
28. "Helen of Kirkconnell" by Hanz Araki
29. "The House Carpenter" by Cara
30. "The Irish Ballad (Rickety Tin Tin)" by Tom Lehrer
31. "Jack Orion/Rusty Jack" by Nancy Kerr
32. "Lady Isobel" by Lauren mcCormick
33. "Lady Margaret" by Pamela Morgan
34. "Lily of the West" by Matt and Shannon Heaton
35. "Little Musgrave" by Christy Moore
36. "Little Sir William" by John Kirkpatrick
37. "The Long Black Veil" by Siobhan O'Brien
38. "Long Lankin" by Long Lankin (Not on Youtube playlist)
39. "Lord Randall" by Rud Eile
40. "Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender" by Pamela Hunt
41. "Love Henry" by Martin Simpson
42. "Lovely Willie" by Cathie Ryan
43. "Lucy Wan" by Margaret Nelson and Phil Cooper
44. "The Maid of Cabra West" by Frank Harte (Not on Youtube playlist)
45. "Mary Hamilton" by Finn MacCuill (Not on Youtube playlist)
46. "Matty Groves" by Morag (Not on Youtube playlist)
47. "Mill O' Tifty" by Old Blind Dogs (Not on Spotify playlist)
48. "Molly Ban" by The Selkie Girls
49. "Omie Wise" by Poitin
50. "Outlandish Knight" by Danu
51. "Poor Murdered Woman" by Martin Carthy
52. "Pretty Polly" by Darol Anger
53. "Prince Heathen" by Martin Carthy
54. "Sam Hall" by Dubliners
55. "Seven Yellow Gypsies" by Nancy Kerr
56. "Sheath & Knife" by Christine Kydd
57. "The Silver Dagger" by Solas
58. "Step it Out Nancy" by Holly Near
59. "Streets of Forbes" by June Tabor
60. "Sweet William's Ghost" by Cara
61. "Twa Sisters" by Emily Smith
62. "Two Butchers" by Martin Carthy
63. "The Well Below the Valley" by Pol Mac Adaim
64. "William Bloat" by Bootless and Unhorsed (Not on Youtube or Spotify playlists)
65. "William Taylor" by The House Band
66. "The Wind the Shakes the Corn" by Irish Rovers
67. "Young Emily/Sophie's Jig" by Mike Vass
68. "Young Hunting" by Phil Cooper
I will continue to add songs to this playlist as I find them, but songs beyond this point will not be in alphabetical order
69. "Kevin Barry" by Declan Hunt
70. "Willie's Lady" by Ray Fisher (also attributed to Johnny Cunningham)
71. "The Murder of Maria Marten" by Ela Stiles
72. "Lucy Wan" by Martin Carthy
73. "Will the Weaver" by Atwater-Donnelly Trio
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Bluegrass Murder Ballads
With October here and Halloween quickly approaching, I began wondering what playlists might be appropriate to post this month. Then it hit me, what could be more chilling than a collection of murder ballads? Some of these songs are seriously disturbing (I'm looking at you, "The Barnyard"), and some of them just sound so dang cheerful it's hard to imagine the dastardly deeds happening in the lyrics. Here are 70 Bluegrass Murder ballads (with a few kill-the-outlaw songs thrown in for good measure). Enjoy! Or, you know, cringe when appropriate.
The Napster playlist is here.
The Spotify playlist is here.
The Youtube playslist is here.
1. "Banks of the Ohio" by Bill Monroe
2. "The Barnyard" by Rachel Brooke
3. "The Beautiful Hills" by Cody Shuler
4. "Bible By the Bed" by Cadillac Sky
5. "Blackadders Cove" by Newfound Road
6. "Blackbirds and Crows" by Nashville Bluegrass Band
7. "The Bluefield Murders" by The New North Carolina Ramblers
8. "Bounty Hunter" by Mike Cross
9. "Carrie Brown" by Steve Earle
10. "Clinch Mountain Mystery" by Larry Stephenson
11. "Cruel Willie" by James Reams
12. "Darling Cory" by Jubilee Mule
13. "Down In the Willow Garden" by Dave Evans
14. "Dreadful Wind and Rain" by Jerry Garcia
15. "Duncan & Brady (He's Been On the Job Too Long)" by The Johnson Mountain Boys
16. "Fate of Rhoda Sweeten" by Wilmer Watts (Not on Spotify Playlist)
17. "Flowers in the Dell" by James King
18. "Frankie Silvers" by Clarence "Tom" Ashley
19. "The Ghost of Eli Renfro" by Nashville Bluegrass Band
20. "Ghost of the Molly Maguires" by Hair of the Dog
21. "The Ghost of Norma Jean" by Steep Canyon Rangers (The Spotify playlist has this song by the Canucky Bluegrass Boys)
22. "He Cut Her Throat" by Churchfitters (Not on Spotify Playlist)
23. "Hear the Willow Cry" by The SteelDrivers
24. "Henry Walker" by Del McCoury
25. "Hey Joe" by Jerry Douglas
26. "Hills of Roane County" by Tony Rice
27. "Hollis Brown" by Dudley Connell
28. "I Hung My Head" by Blue HIghway
29. "I Killed Sally's Lover" by The Avett Brothers
30. "If It Hadn't Been for Love" by The SteelDrivers
31. "In the Gravel Yard" by Blue Highway
32. "In the Pines" by Bill Monroe
33. "Isabell" by Undertakin' Daddies (Not on Spotify or Youtube Playlists)
34. "It Rained a Mist" by Jeremy Stephens
35. "Jailhouse Blues" by Ronnie Bowman
36. "Kenney Wagner's Surrender" by Ernest Stoneman
37. "Knoxville Girl" by The Louvin Brothers
38. "The Lawson Family Murder" by Doc Watson
39. "The Legend of Jennie Wade" by Lonesome River Band
40. "Lily of the West" by The Company Store
41. "Little Glass of Wine" by Ralph Stanley
42. "The Little Grave in Georgia" by Earl Johnson
43. "Little Henry Lee" by The Virginia Cutups
44. "Little Matty Groves" by Norman Blake
45. "Little Sadie" by Tony Rice
46. "Lester Moore" by Ronnie Bowman
47. "Long Black Veil" by The Seldom Scene
48. "Love for an Angel" by Ronnie Bowman
49. "Ludlow Massacre" by The Dillards (Not on Spotify)
50. "Miller's Cave" by Scot Tackett
51. "My Love Lies In the Ground" by Dirk Powell
52. "Norma Jean" by Steep Canyon Rangers
53. "Nothing But a Whippoorwill" by Blue Highway
54. "Old Time Angels" by Jim Lauderdale
55. "Otto Wood, the Bandit" by Loafer's Glory
56. "The Peddler and His Wife" by Kenny Jackson
57. "Poor Ellen Smith" by Laura Cantrell
58. "Pretty Polly" by Ralph Stanley
59. "Railroad Bill" by Crooked Still (Not on Youtube playlist)
60. "River Bottom" by The Country Gentlemen
61. "Secret of the Waterfall" by The Country Gentlemen
62. "Simon Crutchfield's Grave" by The Rarely Herd
63. "Stack O Lee" by Hylo Brown
64. "Take Me in Chains" by Del McCoury
65. "Tom Dooley" by Doc Watson
66. "Up Falling Rock Hill" by The Handsome Family
67. "Wexford Girl" by Great American String Band
68. "Wild Bill Jones" by Alison Krauss
69. "Who Showed Who" by Del McCoury
70. "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" by Del McCoury
This list will continue to grow from time to time as I find more bluegrass murder ballads. The following songs are new additions, but are not in any particular order
71. "Silver Dagger" by Talon
72. "Veil of White Lace" by Cliff Waldron
73. "The Jealous Lover" by The Stanley Brothers
74. "Open Pit Mine" by Nashville Bluegrass Band
75. "Roving Gambler" by Larry Sparks
76. "Shotgun Slade" by Ralph Stanley
77. "Philadelphia Lawyer" by Rose Maddox
78. "Old Richmond Prison" by Ralph Stanley
79. "John Hardy" by Jerry Reed
80. "Footsteps So Near" by Ralph Stanley (Not on Spotify playlist)
81. "Butcher Boy" by Aubrey Haynie
82. "The House Carpenter" by John Reischman
83. "Perfume, Powder, and Lead" by Lonesome River Band
84. "38 Special" by Wayne Taylor
85. "Will the Weaver" by Mike Seeger
86. "Cold Carolina Snow" by Carolina Road
87. "25 Years" by Yarn
The Napster playlist is here.
The Spotify playlist is here.
The Youtube playslist is here.
1. "Banks of the Ohio" by Bill Monroe
2. "The Barnyard" by Rachel Brooke
3. "The Beautiful Hills" by Cody Shuler
4. "Bible By the Bed" by Cadillac Sky
5. "Blackadders Cove" by Newfound Road
6. "Blackbirds and Crows" by Nashville Bluegrass Band
7. "The Bluefield Murders" by The New North Carolina Ramblers
8. "Bounty Hunter" by Mike Cross
9. "Carrie Brown" by Steve Earle
10. "Clinch Mountain Mystery" by Larry Stephenson
11. "Cruel Willie" by James Reams
12. "Darling Cory" by Jubilee Mule
13. "Down In the Willow Garden" by Dave Evans
14. "Dreadful Wind and Rain" by Jerry Garcia
15. "Duncan & Brady (He's Been On the Job Too Long)" by The Johnson Mountain Boys
16. "Fate of Rhoda Sweeten" by Wilmer Watts (Not on Spotify Playlist)
17. "Flowers in the Dell" by James King
18. "Frankie Silvers" by Clarence "Tom" Ashley
19. "The Ghost of Eli Renfro" by Nashville Bluegrass Band
20. "Ghost of the Molly Maguires" by Hair of the Dog
21. "The Ghost of Norma Jean" by Steep Canyon Rangers (The Spotify playlist has this song by the Canucky Bluegrass Boys)
22. "He Cut Her Throat" by Churchfitters (Not on Spotify Playlist)
23. "Hear the Willow Cry" by The SteelDrivers
24. "Henry Walker" by Del McCoury
25. "Hey Joe" by Jerry Douglas
26. "Hills of Roane County" by Tony Rice
27. "Hollis Brown" by Dudley Connell
28. "I Hung My Head" by Blue HIghway
29. "I Killed Sally's Lover" by The Avett Brothers
30. "If It Hadn't Been for Love" by The SteelDrivers
31. "In the Gravel Yard" by Blue Highway
32. "In the Pines" by Bill Monroe
33. "Isabell" by Undertakin' Daddies (Not on Spotify or Youtube Playlists)
34. "It Rained a Mist" by Jeremy Stephens
35. "Jailhouse Blues" by Ronnie Bowman
36. "Kenney Wagner's Surrender" by Ernest Stoneman
37. "Knoxville Girl" by The Louvin Brothers
38. "The Lawson Family Murder" by Doc Watson
39. "The Legend of Jennie Wade" by Lonesome River Band
40. "Lily of the West" by The Company Store
41. "Little Glass of Wine" by Ralph Stanley
42. "The Little Grave in Georgia" by Earl Johnson
43. "Little Henry Lee" by The Virginia Cutups
44. "Little Matty Groves" by Norman Blake
45. "Little Sadie" by Tony Rice
46. "Lester Moore" by Ronnie Bowman
47. "Long Black Veil" by The Seldom Scene
48. "Love for an Angel" by Ronnie Bowman
49. "Ludlow Massacre" by The Dillards (Not on Spotify)
50. "Miller's Cave" by Scot Tackett
51. "My Love Lies In the Ground" by Dirk Powell
52. "Norma Jean" by Steep Canyon Rangers
53. "Nothing But a Whippoorwill" by Blue Highway
54. "Old Time Angels" by Jim Lauderdale
55. "Otto Wood, the Bandit" by Loafer's Glory
56. "The Peddler and His Wife" by Kenny Jackson
57. "Poor Ellen Smith" by Laura Cantrell
58. "Pretty Polly" by Ralph Stanley
59. "Railroad Bill" by Crooked Still (Not on Youtube playlist)
60. "River Bottom" by The Country Gentlemen
61. "Secret of the Waterfall" by The Country Gentlemen
62. "Simon Crutchfield's Grave" by The Rarely Herd
63. "Stack O Lee" by Hylo Brown
64. "Take Me in Chains" by Del McCoury
65. "Tom Dooley" by Doc Watson
66. "Up Falling Rock Hill" by The Handsome Family
67. "Wexford Girl" by Great American String Band
68. "Wild Bill Jones" by Alison Krauss
69. "Who Showed Who" by Del McCoury
70. "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" by Del McCoury
This list will continue to grow from time to time as I find more bluegrass murder ballads. The following songs are new additions, but are not in any particular order
71. "Silver Dagger" by Talon
72. "Veil of White Lace" by Cliff Waldron
73. "The Jealous Lover" by The Stanley Brothers
74. "Open Pit Mine" by Nashville Bluegrass Band
75. "Roving Gambler" by Larry Sparks
76. "Shotgun Slade" by Ralph Stanley
77. "Philadelphia Lawyer" by Rose Maddox
78. "Old Richmond Prison" by Ralph Stanley
79. "John Hardy" by Jerry Reed
80. "Footsteps So Near" by Ralph Stanley (Not on Spotify playlist)
81. "Butcher Boy" by Aubrey Haynie
82. "The House Carpenter" by John Reischman
83. "Perfume, Powder, and Lead" by Lonesome River Band
84. "38 Special" by Wayne Taylor
85. "Will the Weaver" by Mike Seeger
86. "Cold Carolina Snow" by Carolina Road
87. "25 Years" by Yarn
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