A Valentines Day Revisit

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As luck would have it, Valentines Day fell on a Tuesday last year, so I had the opportunity to play you a set of songs especially suited to the occasion. We all know what Valentines Day is about, don’t we? Yup: massacre! Just when you thought I was going soft in my old age. This wasn’t a set of gooey love songs which would send you rushing for the sick bag, but a collection of songs around the theme of massacre and murder. I know I’m a day late with this, but I thought I’d share it again for this week’s midweek offering, as I had a lot of fun doing it and the response was good. For those who have joined me since last year, welcome to my sense of humour! At that time Tuesday Tunes posts contained eight songs, before I slimmed them down a bit, so I’m playing a trimmed version to match current numbers. Have fun, while you remember the true spirit of what yesterday was about.

In case you don’t know the story (really?) the St Valentines Day Massacre took place on 14 February 1929: it was the murder of seven members and associates of Chicago’s North Side Gang who were lined up against a wall and shot by unknown assailants, two of whom were dressed as policemen. The North Side Gang’s arch rivals in the battles of Prohibition days were the Chicago Outfit, led by a certain Al Capone, so it has always been considered that this is where responsibility lay. I enjoyed using this as my theme much more than sappy love songs: just don’t shoot me if you disagree, OK? 

The first tune I’m playing today was about a real life event, which you may well recall:

In case you don’t know, the massacre took place on 4 May 1970 at Kent State University in Ohio. Students were protesting about America’s involvement in the Vietnam War and after several hours of engagement the Ohio State Guard opened fire on them, killing four and seriously injuring nine others. CSN&Y’s song was written by Neil Young, who takes lead vocal, just seventeen days later, and was released as a single the following month, reaching #14 in the US but not making the UK chart – I guess we were too insular to notice the significance of the events it described. I think it is one of the most powerful protest songs ever written, and it is still just as valid. Nearly fifty four years on news stories of massacres in the US are a daily event, thanks in no small part to their ridiculous attitude towards guns, and there are far too many instances of murders committed by law enforcement officers, too. The days of the Wild West have never left them, have they? Even as recently as yesterday in Kansas City.

I also delved back into mainstream pop and rock for the next one. You may well remember this, which I think is one of his best:

The Killing of Georgie was a track on Rod Stewart’s album A Night On The Town, released in June 1976, and reaching #1 in the UK and #2 in the US. The song is about a gay friend of Rod and his band The Faces, who was murdered by a New York gang in a robbery that went wrong, after he had attended the opening night of a Broadway musical. The track was released as a single a couple of months later, and peaked at #2 in the UK and #30 in the US. I’ve always thought that amongst all his posturing and preening Rod was best when he wrote from the heart, and this song is testament to that, I believe.

I didn’t think I’d ever played this next song or the band before: I couldn’t find them when I searched previous posts, so this was another first for me. This one belies its bouncy nature by revealing the singer’s guilt in murdering his wife:

A superb song, with an equally good video. The Dead South are a folk-bluegrass band from Canada, who have been together since they were formed by Nate Hilts, their lead vocalist, in 2012. They refer to themselves as ‘Mumford and Sons’ Evil Twins,’ a reference to the dark side of a lot of their lyrics, like this one. In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company was (sort of) the title track of their debut album, Good Company, which was released in 2014. It didn’t make the charts at the time, but after this video was released in October 2016 they gained a lot of interest, and have reached the top 50 in the US and the top 20 on the iTunes chart. The video now has more than 396m views, and has helped cement their reputation as a touring act: they have travelled around Canada and the US, and also made it to the UK and mainland Europe. Check them out if you enjoyed this one: they really are fun to watch and listen to.

For my two final songs I went back to a couple of my usual suspects: kind of appropriate when the theme was murder, don’t you think? I’ve played this next guy a lot, but this song was making its debut here:

The Devil’s Right Hand was a track on what I still think is Steve Earle’s best album, Copperhead Road, which was released in October 1988 and got to #56 in the US and #42 here in the UK. It did best on the US Country chart, where it reached #7. In case you are wondering, the song isn’t praising guns – quite the opposite – and is telling us that our mums may know best in trying to keep us out of trouble. This one was covered by the Highwaymen, the country ‘supergroup’ which comprised Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson, and Cash re-recorded it solo as part of his ‘American’ sessions. I still prefer the original, though.

The final I’m playing today is another piece of genius from one of the best songwriters there has ever been. I was very torn between two of his songs, but decided on this one, as I hadn’t played it before:

Excitable Boy was the title track of Warren Zevon’s third album, released in January 1978. It peaked at #8 in the US and #9 in Australia, though in common with most of his albums it wasn’t a UK hit. The song is typical of his wry songwriting style, and is another that almost hides murder away in its happy-sounding tune. But it was a perfect fit for the theme. If you are wondering, the other song of his that I decided not to play today is one which became a firm fan favourite, and again it is a fun way to sing about crimes: it is Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner, which was also on that album and you can find it at this link. As I’ve mentioned before, Warren was taken from us at just 56 in September 2003, by a virulent form of cancer. His memory and music live on, though, and there is a long-running campaign to get him inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Last year he was at last put forward, and did well in the fan voting, coming third out of fourteen. But did they nominate him? Of course not: (c)rap and soul acts sell more records these days, and the Hall of Shame stayed true to type. His inclusion is long overdue, in my view, and would be so richly deserved, especially when you consider some of the non-rock rubbish that has been inducted in the past.

That was it for the full set. I aimed at showing that good music can be made around dark themes, and to be honest I wouldn’t have wanted to mark the day in any other way. See you again for Song Lyric Sunday?

41 thoughts on “A Valentines Day Revisit”

  1. Pingback: February | Take It Easy

  5. The day before Valentine’s Day, our TV lineup on the Turner Classic Movie channel was nothing but mob movies, including the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” and ending with the inimitable musical, “Some Like It Hot” with the delicious Marilyn Monroe and the adorable Tony Curtis. “Why?” you might ask. I’ll tell you, in case you don’t already know: Two hapless musicians (Tony Curtis & Jack Lemon) unwittingly witness the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre and hightail it out of town, but not before being noticed by one of the hitmen. Now on the run and hiding out, their only recourse is to go undercover in drag as part of an all-women’s traveling swing band, with the luscious Marilyn as lead singer. Even the girls in the band don’t know Tony & Jack are in drag. Hilarity ensues. It’s great fun if you haven’t seen it. Even if you have, it’s still great fun!
    Thanks for the terrific post and these excellent videos.

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  6. Ooh! Good stuff here!
    Being from Ohio, I remember the Kent State incident. I was in high school, but future husband was in NG and there at the time.
    Rod Stewart – look how young! Never heard the song. It’s good!
    Steve Earle – Good tune, and I’m a big fan of Copperhead Road.
    The Dead South – I am obsessed with these guys. They are my go-to music when I write at night. The reaction videos on YouTube to In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company are funny. Spaghetti is my favorite song of theirs with its spaghetti western vibe. Sometimes I put it on loop.
    Thanks for the murder! I write humorous murder mysteries, so … 🙂

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    • It sounds like I was on a winner with you here, with this subject. I’m glad you enjoyed them. Yes, Rod was that young once upon a time! One of his best songs: I’ve always rated his earlier stuff much more than what he went on to.

      Pleased to hear there’s another Copperhead Road fan out there: superb album.

      And it’s good to know you are a Dead South fan too. A fun band 😊

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  7. Very nice selection, Clive. We’ve got a lot of problems in America, but this ever-present need for guns and violence is baffling to me. What could more critical than finding ways to prevent the loss of life? I guess I’m just naive to think that eventually people will wake up and see the need for some common sense gun reform. The NRA spends millions promoting them and politicians who support their causes.

    I very much liked four of your five choices. I know that I’ve enjoyed some of your Steve Earle selections in the past, but that one is a little bit too country for me, though I can see my musical tastes being more open to that style.

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    • Thank you, Pete, I’m glad you liked them. The need for gun reform is a major issue there, but it is interlinked with the need to reform your political system and parties too. The priorities are all wrong.

      I’ll keep working on you with Steve Earle 😉

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  8. Great musical choices. In my opinion the best that was ever done to remind people of the Valentine’s Massacre was that classic movie with unforgettable stars Some Like It Hot. I have the video and by the time this movie ends I am still dabbing at the tears that sprang out from all the laughter.

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  9. Nice choices! My favourites are the first two. I agree with you and others that Rod’s is a beautifully crafted song. His earlier stuff is definitely the best. I also agree that those gun laws across the pond are ridiculous!

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  10. Good set, as always.
    ‘Georgie’ is Rod at his best, and the Steve Earle number is a well written salutary lesson on gun accessibility. Agree with your thoughts on Zevon too. The Kansas City victory parade shooting is the US’s ‘thinking’ on gun control in a nutshell. (Sigh.)

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  13. I’m glad my Hallmark sappy posts can balance out your murder ones. LOL! 😂
    This was a good post for yes, Valentine’s day was bloody, but you know putting that into a Valentine’s day card doesn’t make it real marketable. LOL!

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  14. Great music, Clive. I really enjoyed this post. Speaking of murder, yesterday shots were fired at the end of the Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade and rally in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. One person was killed, and 21 others were shot, including children. Three people are in custody. Officials say they do not believe the motive was terrorism. SLS March 3, 2024 – Songs based on true events.

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