Videos

Murder Ballad of the Week, 5/25/15: The Red-Headed Stranger

This week’s murder ballad is the Red-Headed Stranger by Eugene Chadbourne and Shockabilly. Yes, I know it’s originally a Willie Nelson song, and maybe I’ll post Willie’s version later in the year. Shockabilly’s version is the first I was exposed to, due to my unusual musical adolescence. And admit it, it’s fucking great.

Nice attempt at side-stepping the law there.  “You can’t hang a man for shooting a woman who’s trying to steal his horse.”

Shockabilly – The Red Headed Stranger

Murder Ballad of the Week, 5/11/15: Wild Bill Jones

This one’s so good I’m going to post two versions.  Dock Boggs’ version, because he’s Dock Boggs, and the Ralph Stanley (and Ralph Stanley II) version, because I just love Ralph’s unique voice, especially in this song.

This song is first person, in the voice of the murderer. He murders twenty-one year old Wild Bill Jones for getting too close to his woman, then ends up in prison for it.