The Death Story Playlist

I’m a writer; I love story. So when I think of a playlist, I love songs that have stories in them. And when I look for a playlist that, during COVID, helps me to relax, and realize that things really could be worse--I like a playlist of songs that include stories of death.

So here’s my entry in the Zen Playlist challenge; songs that include a story about death.

1. Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash (1955)

This was one of Johnny Cash’s first songs, and first hits. It’s a powerful song of regret, written in the first person. The narrator describes hearing a train passing by the window of his cell in Folsom prison, and imagines the wealthy exotic lifestyle of those riding on the train, while he’s stuck in Folsom Prison, because he shot a man, “just to watch him die…” It leads to the common impression that Johnny Cash spent time as an inmate; but that actually wasn’t true, although he had served occasional one-night stints for public drunkenness.

2. In the Ghetto by Mac Davis, recorded by Elvis Presley. (1969)

This was Presley’s first top ten hit after his come-back album in 1968, reaching number two in the US and number one in many countries of the world. It has been covered by many artists since.

The story is of a young single mother in the Chicago ghetto, who gives birth to a son, and cries because she doesn’t have enough to feed the children she already has. The song goes on to chronicle the life of the young boy who grows up learning to steal and to fight, joins a gang, and then is killed in a shoot-out with the police. The song ends, “and his mother cries…”

3. El Paso by Marty Robins (1959)

Marty Robbins claimed he wrote this song in one session during a frenzied passion of creation. It became one of his biggest hits and most requested songs, even though it ran over four and a half minutes, which is long for air play. The story is of a young cowboy who attends Rosa’s cantina in El Paso, and becomes enamored by “wicked Feleena”, a beautiful Mexican girl, who is a terrible flirt. He ends up shooting the man Feleena is flirting with, and then flees for his life. But he can’t resist Feleena; when he returns to the cantina, he is shot by the posse sent to capture him.

Marty Robbins later wrote two sequels to this song, “Feleena” in 1966, and “El Paso City” in 1971.

4. Ode to Billy Joe by Bobbi Gentry (1967)

Bobbi Gentry wrote this song about the unconscious cruelty of people. The narrator describes the conversation at a family dinner table, during which the mother mentions that “Billy Joe McAlister jumped off the Tallahassie Bridge”. The other family members comment briefly on their memories Billy Joe, but are more concerned with their dinner, and apparently unconcerned about the narrator’s connection with Billy Joe, and her grief.

Getting the song produced, and published by Capital records was a challenge for Bobbi Gentry, but worth it. The song became a number one hit, sold over 3 million copies, and has been voted one of the 100 best country songs of all time. A novel and film were later made based on this song.

(Note: I wasn’t able to find the Bobbi Gentry version on Spotify, so there’s another artist on my playlist)

5. When it’s Springtime in Alaska (It’s forty below). By Johnny Horton ( 1959)

This song became a number one hit for Johnny Horton in the country charts in 1959. It was released by Columbia Records, and spent 23 weeks on the charts. The story is a first person narration, of a man who comes out of the Alaskan bush after two years, and goes to a saloon, where he hears “red-headed Lil” singing the title song. He dances with Lil all evening, unaware that she’s engaged to Big Ed. Big Ed is not impressed, and throws a knife at the narrator, who ends the song, “when it’s Spring-time in Alaska, I’ll be six feet below.”

6. Bohemian Rhapsody by Freddy Mercury of Queen (1975)

This song, an over six minute rock-opera masterpiece has been called the greatest rock song of the twentieth century. It starts with an accapella section, moves on into a ballad, then from an instrumental bridge into an operatic section, and ends with a reflective coda. The song took three weeks of ten to twelve hour days for the artists to record, and has, in places, up to 180 overdubs.

The ballad section is about a young man, who confesses to his mother that he has killed a man, and is overcome with guilt. The song then moves into a massive choral operatic section during which seemingly demons and angels fight for his soul.

7. The night the lights went out in Georgia by Bobby Russell, sung by Vicki Lawrence (1973)

This murder ballad, first recorded by Vicki Lawrence, and later by Reba McIntyre, reached number one on the charts. Vicki Lawrence, who at that time was an ensemble member on the Carol Burnett comedy show, was presented her gold record by Carol Burnett during one of her shows.

The song is about a man who comes home from a business trip, and finds out that his wife has been cheating, with Andy Walloe. He goes to Andy’s house, with a rifle, seeing some little footprints in the snow, and finds the man dead. He then is tried, and executed for the murder. At the end of the song, we discover that it is the narrator’s little sister who has killed both the adulterous Andy, and the cheating wife.

(The only version I was able to find on Spotify was Reba McIntyre’s, so that’s the one here.)

8. The Carrol County Accident by Bob Ferguson. Performed by Porter Wagoner. (1968)

This song, written by Bob Ferguson, during a trip from Nashville, became a hit for Porter Wagoner, and became one of his signature songs. It won CMA “song of the year” for 1969.

The narrator tells of a single car accident in Carrol county, in which a respected man of the community, Walter Browning is killed. Later, Mary Ellen Jones, also a respected woman of the community testifies in court that she’d given Walter Browning a lift, in an errand of mercy. But the narrator discovers Browning’s wedding ring hidden in a matchbox behind the dash, and vows to keep silent about his discovery, because the deceased was the narrator’s father.

9. Goodbye Earl by Dennis Linde, recorded by the Dixie Chicks (1999)

This song is a revenge ballad about a woman and her friend who poison Earl, her husband who has been abusing her, and “walked right through the restraining order”. It was originally recorded by Sons of the Desert, but their record label refused to allow it on their next album, and by the time they were ready for a new album, the rights had been taken by the Dixie Chicks.

The song was controversial, because it seemed to justify violence as a response to spousal abuse, and at first many radio stations refused to play it. Eventually a compromise was found; stations played the song, followed by a plug for women’s shelters and other resources for domestic violence victims, and the song went to number 13 on the charts.

10. Travelin’Soldier by Bruce Robison (1996)

This song was covered by the Dixie Chicks in (2002) in an album that went to number one on the country charts.

Its the story of a relationship between a young soldier who meets a waitress as hes waiting for his bus, having just enlisted for the Vietnam War. He and the waitress, both lonely, correspond, and develop a long-distance relationship. He notes its “getting kind of rough over here,” and he “wont be able to write for awhile.” The song then skips to a football game back in the US, which starts with a reading out of the names of those local whove fallen in the war. The only one who notices and cares, is the waitress, who recognizes the name of her travelling soldier.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my playlist. If you did, please consider giving me a heart or a tip.