Mike Pritchard wrote:
> Thanks again for all the suggestions for 'murder songs'. Id just like to
> mention some points on this theme. Beware of taking the phrase 'hit me'
> to mean violence.
It can certainly be interpreted that way, especially when not talking
about drinking or playing cards. It's the double meaning that is suspect
to me in a song like "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" or "Hit Me Baby
One More Time". Beware of discounting the double meaning.
I may remember this incorrectly, but wasn't you original quest for songs
that reinforce/excuse violence against women? If so, I don't really think
'Delilah' (lyrics below) fits that description. Whereas the killer in
"Hey Joe" is unrepentant:
'yeah, I shot my old lady
I caught her messing around with another man'
the narrator in Delilah has fallen into a jealous rage, and in the
end begs the dead girl for forgiveness "I just couldn't take any
more" and waits without thought of flight for the police to
arrive. It's a confession about a crime of passion and
doesn't offer any excuses or justification. The line "she stood
there laughing" tells about the moment when he totally lost it.
Joe's may have been a crime of passion, too, but he
seems to feel justified for what he did. But even this song can be
seen as a piece of reporting ABOUT a killer and his attitude,
not necessarily condoning the crime.
I don't see anything (nor do I recall having read anything) that
suggests that "Down By the River" is about a car. As someone
said, Young's "Long May You Run" was written for one of his
beloved cars.
RR
Delilah
I saw the light on the night that I passed by her window
I saw the flickering shadow of love on her blind
She was my woman
As she decieved me I watched and went out of my mind
My my my Delilah
Why why why Delilah
I could see, that girl was no good for me
But I was lost like a slave that no man could free
At break of day when that man drove away I was waiting
I crossed the street to her house and she opened the door
She stood there laughing
I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more
My my my Delilah
Why why why Delilah
So before they come to break down the door
Forgive me Delilah I just couldn't take any more
Forgive me Delilah I just couldn't take any more
