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Murder Ballads

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Murder Ballads is the ninth studio album by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, released in 1996 by Mute Records. The band had already written the first song, O'Malley's Bar, during the recording of Henry's Dream. It did not fit on any record, so Cave conceived a whole album as an environment in which such songs could exist. The recording ran towards the end of the sessions for Let Love In, and there was even brief talk of a film with John Hillcoat.

The album consists of new and traditional murder ballads, in a mixture of blues, country, lounge and jazz. Stagger Lee, based on a traditional song, has been turned into reggae. In Where the Wild Roses Grow, Cave sings a duet with Kylie Minogue, which became a hit. Death Is Not the End, an arrangement of a Bob Dylan song, closes with a verse for each guest, including PJ Harvey and Shane MacGowan. The critical response on release was glowing.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Death Is Not the End. Count how many different singers take over a verse of this Dylan song, and hear how grim or, on the contrary, how light the album ends as a result.

Track list

  1. 1Song of Joy (2011 - Remaster)6:46Apple Music ↗
  2. 2Stagger Lee (2011 - Remaster)5:15Apple Music ↗
  3. 3Henry Lee (feat. PJ Harvey) [2011 - Remaster]3:58Apple Music ↗
  4. 4Lovely Creature (2011 - Remaster)4:14Apple Music ↗
  5. 5Where the Wild Roses Grow (2011 - Remaster)3:57Apple Music ↗
  6. 6The Curse of Millhaven (2011 - Remaster)6:56Apple Music ↗
  7. 7The Kindness of Strangers (2011 - Remaster)4:39Apple Music ↗
  8. 8Crow Jane (2011 - Remaster)4:15Apple Music ↗
  9. 9O'Malley's Bar (2011 - Remaster)14:28Apple Music ↗
  10. 10Death Is Not the End (2011 - Remaster)4:27Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

Categories: Albums and songs