Murder Ballads

Murder Ballads were a popular genre in traditional country and folk music. It was brought to the US by European settlers, and became especially popular in the Southern states. While its popularity has waned over the past decades, several contemporary artists covered some of the best ones. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds actually recorded an entire album full of popular Murder Ballads. 

My favorite is Banks of the Ohio, a 19th century murder ballad by an uknown author. Many recordings have been made of this song, by such greats as Johnny Cash, Joan Baez, and The Carter Family.  I especially love the rendition below, performed by Doc Watson, and accompanied by the amazing Earl Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs and Alison Krauss. 

Take a minute to read the lyrics before watching the video, it will make you shiver....

Banks of the Ohio 

I asked my love to take a walk
Just a little ways with me
And as we walked and we would talk
All about our weddingday

Darling say that you'll be mine
In our home we'll happy be
Down beside where the waters flow
On the banks of the Ohio
I took her by her pretty white hand
I let her down that bank of sand
I pushed her in where she would drown
Lord, I saw her as she floated down

Returning home about twelve or one
Thinking "Lord, what a deed I've done?"
I killed the girl I love, you see
Because she would not marry me

The very next day at half past four
The sherrif walked right to my door
And he says "Young man, don't you try to run
You must pay for this awful crime you've done"

  

You may also like: 

- Best Bob Dylan Covers

- Folk Song Collectors

- Where Did You Sleep Last Night

Robert Schumann Loves His Wife

One of my personal favorite lovesongs is "Der Nussbaum" (The Walnut Tree) by German composor Robert Schumann.  He wrote this song in 1840 for his soon to be wife Clara, and presented it to her on their wedding day.  Clara and Robert met each other through her father, who was Robert's piano teacher at the time. Clara, who was a very gifted piano player was her father's favorite. In fact, her father considered her too precious to marry Robert, who hadn't achieved his fame yet. Her father forbid them from seeing each other, and it took several years and a court trial to eventually be able to marry each other.

The lyrics for "Der Nussbaum" were taken from Julius Mosen's poem with the same title. Schumann wrote the song while he was away from his fiancee, and it focuses on their seperation. The song talks about two walnut trees that softly whisper to eachother. They whisper about a young woman who is seperated from her lover, whom she will marry the following year.

"Der Nussbaum" is one of 26 other (beautiful) songs Schumann wrote for their wedding day. The collection called "Myrthen, Op. 25" all focus on the various feelings and emotions that come along with being in love. "Die Lotusblume" and my other favorits "Aus den Östlichten Rosen" and "Widmung" are also included in this bundle. 

"Der Nussbaum" is the third song on "Myrthen" and became one of Schumann's most popular songs. It is much appreciated for its splendid integration of the voice and accompanying piano. Many opera singers gave their own rendition of the song, but my favorite by far is this version by Victoria de Los Angeles with Manuel Garcia-Morante on the piano: "Der Nussbaum". A YouTube version of the song, sung by Victoria de Los Angeles but with a different pianist can be found here.

Robert Schumann with his wife Clara,
 somewhere between 1840 and 1856

You may also like:
- A Beautiful Voice
- One of the Most Covered Songs in History
- The Sound of America

The Queen of Rock: Freddy Mercury

Freddy Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar (East Africa) and moved to India with his parents as a baby. At a young age he discovered his interest in the arts, and in music in particular. He started playing piano at age 7, and by age 12 he had formed his own band. At age 17 the entire family  moved to England, where Farrokh was able to further develop his interests in music and joined different bands. A few years after he received his degree in art, he met Brian May and Roger Taylor. Together they founded Queen. At about the same time Farrokh Bulsara changed his name to Freddy Mercury.

In 1975 Queen released Bohemian Rapsody, which earned them their first number one hit in several countries. It's about "a young man who has accidentally killed someone and, like Faust, sold his soul to the devil. On the night before his execution, he calls for God in Arabic, "Bismillah", and with the help of angels, regains his soul from Shaitan".

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody   

Queen was very popular in Europe, but somehow never were really able to make it in America. While they had one album (The Game) in 1980 that made it to the number one position on the American Billboard Chart, their popularity in the US soon dwindled. The band, however, soon conquered several other continents. They got very big in Africa, Asia and in Latin America. While Mercury was a shy and reserved man in his private live, many fans admired him because of his flamboyant behavior on stage.

Queen - Don't Stop Me Now 

Even though Freddy Mercury didn't like to openly talk about his sexual preferences, it was widely known that he was interested in women and in men. Like a lot of other gay and bisexual men in the 1980's, Mercury was infected with the HIV-virus.  Once diagnosed he continued to make music and recorded an entire album with his favorite female vocalist - Montserrat Cabballe. Their most popular song was "Barcelona", which later became the anthem of the 1992 summer olympics in Spain.

Freddy Mercury & Montserrat Cabballe - Barcelona

While Mercury released several albums once diagnosed, no one was told that he had AIDS. He died at age 45 on november 24, 1991, the very next day after he publicly announced he had AIDS.

You may also like:
The Evolution of Rock Music 
Where Did You Sleep Last Night
A Few Very Surprising Duets