Peppy Songs About Death, Volume 1
4/17 '19
I have 3 CD cases in my car, because apparently I like primitive physical media. Apparently I also like peppy songs about death. Not “death metal” or anything so raucous, just “la la la everyone dies”. So, for your enjoyment and mine, here are Ferret’s music reviews:
Track 1: Thirty-three presumed dead by drowning. ***** Five stars, and the holotype example on this album. It has a very peppy Caribbean beat, and then a shipload of people perish in a hurricane. At least I assume they perish. There’s no explanation for the omniscient third person narration, but that’s the most likely interpretation, I believe.
Track 2: No human deaths, but dead windmills, at least. *
Track 3: Thousands dead at Gallipoli, in this mournful memoir of war. ****
Track 4: No deaths, one possible statutory rape. Zero stars, do not like.
Track 5: Dead father, dead nobleman and henchmen, and peasant heads on pikes by morning. ****
Track 6: Just one dead deputy sheriff, with attending legal consequences. ***
Track 7: One dead knight, with grateful commentary by scavenging birds. ***
Track 8: Most of humanity extinguished when someone pushes the button. Super peppy. *****
Track 9: No immediate deaths, just alcoholism. * One star for amusing ad-lib.
Track 10: No deaths, but some very unfortunate life choices. *
Track 11: No deaths. Beans. Do not want.
Track 12: No deaths, but it’s about sleep, which is somewhat akin. *
Track 13: I have no idea what this song is about, or even what LANGUAGE it is supposed to be. I once put this song on auto-repeat to see how long it would take for a child to figure out that it wasn’t ever going to end. **
Track 14: No deaths, just poor life choices and alcoholism. No thanks.
Track 15: Three dead brothers, and another one heading away to war. Kinda peppy, but missing something. ***
Track 16: Death is only mentioned once, but tyrants who imprison people and then get their comeuppance is something to sing about. I’m quite fond of this one. ****
Track 17: Probably lots of people dead in battle, but the protagonist is only MOSTLY dead. His mortal wounds are healed by a witch when she has her way with him. What’s not to like? *****
Track 18: No reported deaths, but this song is all about the fear of death, and losing one’s loved ones. Be thankful for the time you have. ****
Track 19: Mocking the criminal ancestry of Australians. Meh.
Track 20: Very catchy, even though nobody dies. ***
2. Killing me softly, tilting windmills
3. ... band played waltzing matilda
4. Excitable boy
5. Lawyers, Guns & Money
6. I shot the sheriff
7. These Eyes
8. EOTWAWKI
9. Margaritaville
10. Mr. Bad Example
11.
12. Spiderman, Cure
13. I palidrome I
14. Margaritaville
15. Sounds Irish
16.
17.
18. Cat's Cradle
19. Oh, wait, are these all Monty Python songs?
20. I feel I've missed something important.
And now I have to research all those other guesses.
1. Twenty-nine dead on the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. So close.
2. Nope, the song is actually about windmills, and mentions tilting.
4. It appears there is a death in "Excitable Boy", so that can't be it.
5. Father probably not dead in "Lawyers, Guns & Money", nor do I count any noblemen.
6. Who did shoot the deputy, anyway? Hm.
7. "These Eyes" by the Guess Who? I will definitely need some help finding the dead knight and the scavenging birds.
8. I do love me some "It's the End of the World as We Know It". That was playing in someone's car on my Spring Break 1988. *****
9. I wouldn't be surprised to learn of an ad-libbed "Margaritaville". Are you thinking of a particular one?
10. Mr. Bad Example does have some unfortunate life choices.
12. Wow, the Spiderman of "Lullaby" is not Friendly.
13. "I Palindrome I" seems to contain mostly English lyrics.
14. Nope, still not "Margaritaville". James Whitmore Jr.?
15. Not Irish. Canadian, with antecedents from elsewhere.
18. "Cat's in the Cradle" gets many stars. RIP Harry Chapin.
19. Monty Python?
20. Haven't we all.
Maybe that's not an ad-lib, now that I think about it.