The Femmes performed this in a club in Pittsburgh, 1984. Looked the same. When they came out, Gano didn't have a guitar at first and Brian had a stand-up bass, DeLorenzo had that 3-piece stand-up kit played with brushes and I thought is this a band? What do they do, mime? But it was so tight. Country Death Song shocked us but it's just like an old Cash or Tom Waits tune about going crazy and killing. It was so cool as cool as dry ice or something.
Me too Dennis, Ptown here. Only regret is we didn't have cell phones back then. Would love to have captured shows like this and all my fun times down at the oceanfront!
This is an amazing performance of an amazing song from an amazing album. I need to know where this concert footage comes from so I can get it all! Also, Gordon Gano's vocal abilities and absurd abilities to change tone completely shock me every time I hear a song like Blister in the Sun and then something like What You Really Mean.
Saw them at Duke Ellington Ballroom in Dekalb Illinois in 1989 or 90. Then twice at Tipitina's in New Orleans, and once at the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans (opening for the B-52s of all things.)
I love this live show, but it is during the period where Brian didn't have his Earthwood, and the Martin just could never touch the pure huge tone of the Ernie Ball.
it is a 'muder ballad', nick cave has an entire album of them. from wikipedia: "Murder ballads make up a notable portion of traditional ballads, many of which originated in Scandinavia, England, and lowland Scotland in the premodern era"
I suppose that doesn't answer "why" exactly, but to point out that this is a question that should be directed at a broad subgenre of music and oral tradition that dates back centuries. because it's fun? people like dark things because life is a fucking horror show that nobody escapes alive? I don't know man
He actually wrote it in high school, he wrote each verse in different periods, it’s not based off a true story but things like this have happened in the past
My bf made the mistake if playing this with the 8 year old daughter within earshot. He and i were belting it out in the kitchen, only to find the poor girl crying in living room
