Songs Where The Narrator Is Dead or Dies

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by RayS, Jun 11, 2013.

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  1. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower Thread Starter

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    I was listening to the Mick Jagger/Chieftains version of "Long Black Veil" today. Started me wondering how many songs there are that are from the perspective of a narrator who has died or dies during the song. I came up with a few. They seem to be two categories, the bleak ones, like "Long Black Veil":
    "That Day Is Done" - Elvis Costello/Paul McCartney
    "County Yard" - John Mellencamp

    and the "died and went to Heaven" comedy/irony ones:
    "Please Don't Bury Me" - John Prine
    "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" - John Prine
    "God's Comic" - Elvis Costello

    There must be hundreds, especially amongst the old "murder ballads" but I can't come up with more at the moment. I decided to disqualify "imminent death" songs, such as "Powderfinger" (Neil Young).
     
    RayS, Jun 11, 2013
    #1
  2. ParloFax

    ParloFax Senior Member

    Location:
    Montreal North Shore, Quebec, CANADA
    "Flight 505" by The Rolling Stones.
     
    ParloFax, Jun 11, 2013
    #2
  3. Schoolmaster Bones

    Schoolmaster Bones Poe's Lawyer

    Location:
    ‎The Midwest
    "Speedway" - Morrissey (file under "imminent").

    "I Come And Stand At Every Door" - adapted by The Byrds
     
    Schoolmaster Bones, Jun 11, 2013
    #3
  4. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower Thread Starter

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    Good one, and reminds me of another airplane one - "Glow Girl" by The Who.
     
    RayS, Jun 11, 2013
    #4
  5. paradoxguy

    paradoxguy Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tigard, Oregon, USA
    "I Shall Be Released" - Bob Dylan
     
    paradoxguy, Jun 11, 2013
    #5
  6. ljuddpro

    ljuddpro Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fair Oaks, CA, USA
    "El Paso" - Marty Robbins. Might be the most graphic.
     
    ljuddpro, Jun 11, 2013
    #6
    daveidmarx likes this.
  7. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower Thread Starter

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    Geez, how did I miss that one!!! Have been listening to the Dead's "Europe '72" megabox for the last month and that one never popped into my head.
     
    RayS, Jun 11, 2013
    #7
  8. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower Thread Starter

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    If he was dead wouldn't he already BE released?
     
    RayS, Jun 11, 2013
    #8
  9. mcow1

    mcow1 Sommelier Gort

    Location:
    Orange County, CA
    DOA - Bloodrock
     
    mcow1, Jun 11, 2013
    #9
    Vidiot and ssmith3046 like this.
  10. paradoxguy

    paradoxguy Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tigard, Oregon, USA

    I see your point--I didn't consider the death was future tense.
     
    paradoxguy, Jun 11, 2013
    #10
  11. Bender Rodriguez

    Bender Rodriguez RIP Exene, best dog ever. 2005-2016

    Location:
    Great things happen in Philadelphia
    25 Minutes to Go -- Johnny Cash
     
    Bender Rodriguez, Jun 11, 2013
    #11
  12. overdrivethree

    overdrivethree Forum Resident

    All of Jethro Tull "A Passion Play" (I think?).
     
    overdrivethree, Jun 11, 2013
    #12
    ParloFax likes this.
  13. LandHorses

    LandHorses I contain multitudes

    Location:
    New Joisey
    Knockin On Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan
     
    LandHorses, Jun 11, 2013
    #13
    on7green likes this.
  14. ralphb

    ralphb "First they came for..."

    Location:
    Brooklyn, New York
    "The Last Days Of May" - Blue Oyster Cult
     
    ralphb, Jun 11, 2013
    #14
  15. Rufus McDufus

    Rufus McDufus Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Nick Cave - 'The Mercy Seat'

    "I go shuffling out of life
    Just to hide in death awhile"
     
    Rufus McDufus, Jun 11, 2013
    #15
    wolfram likes this.
  16. goodboyfred

    goodboyfred Forum Resident

    Location:
    haddonfield new jersey usa
    Powderfinger Neil young
     
    goodboyfred, Jun 11, 2013
    #16
    sami likes this.
  17. starduster

    starduster Senior Member

    Location:
    Madison County, NC, Jewel of the Blue Ridge
    The Beach Boys - "Carry Me Home"

     
    starduster, Jun 11, 2013
    #17
  18. LandHorses

    LandHorses I contain multitudes

    Location:
    New Joisey
    Daniel and the Sacred Harp - The Band
     
    LandHorses, Jun 11, 2013
    #18
  19. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Gave me nightmares as a kid listening to that. And of course I played it over and over and over.
     
    Steve Hoffman, Jun 11, 2013
    #19
    Vidiot likes this.
  20. c-eling

    c-eling Dinner's In The Microwave Sweety

    Location:
    mt pleasant michigan
    Rotersand's "Hush" sung after he "Rasc" has passed away, a brilliant love song :)
     
    c-eling, Jun 11, 2013
    #20
  21. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    You got "SEASONS IN THE SUN", "TELL LAURA I LOVE HER", etc. ?
     
    Steve Hoffman, Jun 11, 2013
    #21
  22. Digital-G

    Digital-G Senior Member

    Location:
    Dayton, OH
    Try Not To Breathe - REM
     
    Digital-G, Jun 11, 2013
    #22
  23. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    The Ballad of Sweeney Todd
     
    john greenwood, Jun 11, 2013
    #23
  24. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    "Where The Wild Roses Grow" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, guest vocals by Kylie Minogue (she's the dead one here).
     
    wolfram, Jun 11, 2013
    #24
  25. Jayski

    Jayski Forum Resident

    Location:
    Charlotte, NC
    Give My Love To Rose-Johnny Cash
     
    Jayski, Jun 11, 2013
    #25
    struttincool likes this.
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