Songs About Killers
The word “killers” can be interpreted both literally and metaphorically. This is because although there are people in the world who are capable of committing psychopathic murder, there are also people who are capable of killing others by causing them emotional pain.
Killers are widespread around the world and may be found in all walks of life. The music industry witnessed quite several serial killings hence, most of these songs date back to the 1900s when killing was most rampant.
Historically prominent artists have been assassinated in cold blood for reasons of jealousy and greed. Therefore, a great number of songs have been written as a tribute to the perpetrators of these murders or to those who were the masterminds behind them, and most importantly, as a plea for justice to be served until the perpetrators of these murders are arrested and brought to justice. In any case, we will be reviewing some songs about killers. Continue reading and have fun!
1. “Deep Red Bells” by Neko Case
First on our list of songs about killers is “Deep Red Bells”. In this song Case shares his childhood memories of growing up in Tacoma, Washington, during the time that serial rapist and killer Gary Ridgway, also known as “The Green River Killer,” was actively carrying out his atrocities in the nearby region.
He would win over his victims, who were typically prostitutes or young women who had run away from their homes, by first gaining their trust and then showing them a photo of his son.
Only then would he convince them to have sex with him. After that, he would go on to murder them, sometimes even while he was engaged in sexual activities with them.
Ridgway would bury his victims in the area near the Green River, and he would contaminate the burial areas on purpose so that the police would not find them.
He would also occasionally unearth bodies that had been buried and move them to another location. The longer a person is buried, the more quickly nature will grow over it, and animals like young fawns will begin to graze on it.
2. “Suffer The Little Children” by The Smiths
The song “Suffer Little Children” was originally sung by The Smiths. The horrific Moors murders, in which Myra Hindley and Ian Brady were responsible for the deaths of five children between the years 1963 and 1965, are the subject of this song.
The murders took place on Saddleworth Moor, which is close to Manchester, England, which is the city that Morrissey, the vocalist for The Smiths, calls his hometown. Morrissey has stated that he wrote the song as a memorial to all of the children who were killed in the Moors murders.
Whenever this song is played, it will serve as a reminder of the loved ones we lost in this tragedy, and it will also be a means for listeners to express their sympathy and appreciation to The Smiths for making this piece.
3. “Annie Christian” by Prince
The singer Prince draws attention to a number of violent and/or illegal acts that took place in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, during the years 1979 and 1981 in the song “Annie Christian.” Over the course of this time period, it was stated that over 20 African Americans had died, and several others had been injured.
In addition, the singer makes a reference to the assassination of fellow musician John Lennon as well as the attempted assassination of former President of the United States Ronald Reagan. According to the singer, the character of Annie Christian, which he uses in the song, is a reference to the Anti-Christ or Lucifer, who “wanted to be number one,” as the saying goes.
The song goes on to say that because Annie wanted to be famous, she killed innocent people, which is in accordance with a biblical prophecy that states the Antichrist will destroy the souls of many people who do not bow down to him. The song also says that Annie killed people because she wanted to be famous. Truly a magnificent piece
4. “Four Walls (The Ballad of Perry Smith)” by Bastille
The term “Four Walls” as it is used in this song refers to the cells in prisons where criminals are held to prevent them from circumventing justice by fleeing, injuring themselves or others, or committing suicide.
The song discusses the case of Perry Edward Smith, who was found guilty of the murder of four persons and was sentenced to death for his crimes.
The narrator in the chorus, tackles the difficult topic of capital punishments, pondering whether it is morally acceptable to execute murderers in the same manner as their victims.
In the chorus, he also brings up Perry’s fate, wondering whether or not Perry was born a killer or developed into a killer as a result of the traumatic and brutal experiences he had as a child.
The author investigates further how terrible it must be for the criminal to have the guilt of killing innocent people on his conscience while he sits in a prison cell awaiting his death with no possibility of escape.
5. “Night Shift” by Siouxsie and the Banshees
Last on our list of songs about killers is “Night Shift by Siouxsie,” This song is about a man named Peter Sutcliffe, who is better known by his notorious nickname, the Yorkshire Ripper.
These monikers have a tendency to infer that he was a serial murderer, and more especially, one whose crimes were focused in the city of West Yorkshire, which is located in the United Kingdom.
And of course, we have come across songs similar to this one in the past, in which the vocalist assumes the position of a murderer or other type of violent crime and eloquently details the crimes they have committed and the mindset they have while committing them.
In situations like these, another issue that comes to mind is why the person would go through with doing that. It would appear, however, that the actual show “Night Shift” did not give rise to any sort of dispute.
