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Like a Glove: An Ellen Greene Playlist

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Karen Elson (stay tuned to the end of this post for a great Karen Elson murder ballad)
Ellen Greene

At the end of my interview last week with Chicago-based visual artist, Ellen Greene, I asked her for some of her favorite murder ballads. She provided a short playlist, if you will, of the songs she listens to while working. This Monday, we’ll take a rest from our labors, and feature Greene’s playlist, with a few comments from her here and there. The opening of Greene’s Murder Ballad show takes place Friday, September 5, at the Packer Schopf Gallery in Chicago.

Ellen Greene’s Murder Ballad Playlist
I try to stick with what I like. What can I stand to listen to over and over again while I paint these murder ballad gloves. I try to pick out what can hang together as a playlist. I didn’t want them all to be neutered versions that take out the tough, old stuff.  
 
My artists mainly fall within the time period of 1900-1960s. It’s all historically framed in that time period for me. Those were good years.

“Banks of the Ohio” – Joan Baez.

[Listen to an alternate Joan Baez recording, with harmony vocals, on Spotify here.] Lyrics

The way she sings that song is particularly poignant, without her having to do anything different. She gives it a lot of space and breath. A lot of these songs are sung front to back. There’s a lot of space in her phrasing. It’s really gorgeous.

“Poor Ellen Smith,” by Jimmy Martin

There’s a particular version of “Poor Ellen Smith” by Jimmy Martin with a preamble. In the preamble, he explains that this is his audition song, and that “it made my career.” He makes no acknowledgment of the content of the song. He just sings “Poor Ellen Smith” front to back. I love that aspect of that one. Hilarious.

[The clip below doesn’t have the introduction. You can find it on iTunes here, from the album Don’t Cry to Me. Read our posts on “Poor Ellen Smith”: 1, 2, 3.]

“Delia’s Gone,” by Pete Seeger

I have Pete Seeger’s version of “Delia’s Gone.” [On The Pete Seeger Sampler] Lyrics

I like it better than Johnny Cash’s version. I don’t like that machine gun aspect–

“She was low down and trifling, 
And she was cold and mean, 
Kind of evil make me want to 
Grab my sub machine” 
I’m probably going to get scolded by your readers for that one. His version is a definitive version for quite a few murder ballad/Cash fans. [Greene refers here to Cash’s 1994 version (Spotify), as opposed to his milder 1962 version of “Delia’s Gone” (Spotify). Pat discussed the differences between the early versions and the late a few months ago in his posts on “Delia” here.]
The Everly Brothers

“Down in the Willow Garden,” by the Everly Brothers

I love the Everly Brothers’ “Down in the Willow Garden,” from Songs Our Daddy Taught Us. It’s so sweet, it’s got beautiful harmonies. But it is also so innocent- like two little choir boys are singing. 

[Read our 2012 posts on “Down in the Willow Garden” starting here.] Lyrics

“Knoxville Girl,” by the Louvin Brothers

I love the harmonies here, too.

Lyrics

“Pretty Polly” by John Hammond 

This is a hard one to listen to….

[No luck on a free, streaming version here, but you can listen to Hammond’s 1920s-era recording on iTunes here. Read more about “Pretty Polly” at Planet Slade.]

“Pearl Bryan” by Bradley Kincaid


”

Lyrics

“Molten Light” and “The Ghost Who Walks”

I’ll throw in two modern songs. First, “Molten Light” by Chad Van Gaalen. One of the best modern ones, especially of female revenge.

Lyrics

“The Ghost Who Walks” Karen Elson (ex-wife of Jack White). She did this album The Ghost Who Walks. It has all the classic things in there. Her version is definitely impassioned. You can tell that she was going through heartache when she was writing and recording this song.

Lyrics

Thanks again to Ellen Greene for sharing her art, thoughts, and recommendations with us. Thanks to you, as always, for reading and listening. We’ll be back within the next few weeks with our next regular installment.

Related posts:

  1. Interlude: Ellen Greene

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