My First Murder Ballad
We thought it might be fun this week to share with you some of why we do what we do in this blog. Â Each of the writers here has their own story about hearing their first murder ballad. Each of … Continue reading →
Ken Bigger
Ken Bigger is a writer based in the Midwest. He co-founded Murder Ballad Monday in 2012.
The Golden Vanity (Child 286)
 Villainy on the Lowland Sea The ship was in a fix. Overtaken by an enemy galley, the captain looked for options to set her free. The cabin boy, at 15 the youngest member of the crew, offers to swim over to … Continue reading →
Bohemian Rhapsody
Prelude: The Ears of Babes âMy class loves this song!â This is my daughter. Sheâs referring to her elementary school class of 10 and 11 year-olds. She says this as we are driving down the highway a few weeks ago, listening to … Continue reading →
While the Whole World Sings
âLike thereâs nothing going wrongâ I first heard Hurray for the Riff Raffâs âThe Body Electricâ through a National Public Radio article by Ann Powers last month: âThe Political Folk Song of the Year.â Â I appear to be rather late … Continue reading →
A Growing Conspiracy
Big news! Weâre on our annual holiday hiatus this month, but wanted to add one more post for 2014 to announce that we are moving! Weâre joining forces with Sing Out! magazine. We are tremendously excited and honored to join Sing Out!. … Continue reading →
Should’ve Been Done Long Ago: “Ohio” Part 4
Neil Young, New York 1970 photo by Joel Bernstein This is the fourth and final post of our initial discussion of Neil Youngâs âOhio.â Here are the first, second, and third posts. I know, I know. On the fourth post … Continue reading →
Get Down to It: “Ohio,” Pt. 3
Crosby, Stills, and Nash perform âOhioâ at a May 4 Commemoration at Kent State University, 1997 (photo: Kent State University archives) This is our third post on Neil Youngâs âOhio.â Read the first here and the second here. In researching … Continue reading →
On Our Own: “Ohio” part 2
Devo from left, Bob Mothersbaugh, Mark Mothersbaugh, Alan Myers, Gerald Casale and Bob Casale This is the second post in our series on Neil Youngâs âOhio.â Read the first post here. âItâs still hard to believe I had to write … Continue reading →
Ohio
John Filoâs Pulitzer Prize winning photograph of the then 14 year old Mary Ann Vecchio kneeling over the body of Jeffrey Miller, one of the four Kent State University students killed by National Guard troops at on May 4, 1970. … Continue reading →
Only Say That You’ll Be Mine – Banks of the Ohio – Part Two
âc u @ the river (Banks of the Ohio)â by Julyan Davis, 2009 Read Part One of our discussion on âThe Banks of the Ohioâ here.I asked my love to take a walkWhen I asked Julyan Davis if I could … Continue reading →