Josh Ritter - Folk Bloodbath

[hamsandwichnation]

i wish i could write like this.

[rhyzorg18]

amazing and so mezmerizing

[bb6640]

From a songwriting point-of-view, this song is the equivalent of achieving a double-pirouette. Ridiculously difficult, bridging centuries of Gothic folk songs into one seamless narrative. Ritter makes it look easy.

[darinfl1]

It is almost ridiculous how Ritter's command of prose makes every lyric sound like the most profound, soulful thing you've ever heard. This is only eclipsed by how topical all of it seems to be. He has the unique ability to stay on topic and spin the words with a dizzying profundity that relates completely to the story he's telling, as well as the "chapter" each line represents. The result is inspirational and disheartening as his mastery makes me want to take flame to my own offerings.

[rtuckerb4]

@SummersBaker, haha, it's not even worth the argument. nice comment.

[SummersBaker]

Ah I love this. It reminds me of Justin Bieber

[curlyQrobin]

every song of his is a profound story that makes me want to live and love more than i ever have before.

[possiblymaybenot]

LOVE.

[dualnerdaction]

I cannot believe how freaking complex and intricate this song is, seems like every other line leads me to some other folk standard

[laschull]

I think the instrument at the beginning is an organ because of the way the tone is consistently wavering a little bit. Harmonia are usually more steady.

heartattackinahero is correct. Stagolee (or whichever spelling you like) is an American folk character that goes back to the 19th century. John Lomax published one in 1910, but it certainly goes back a lot farther. Similarly with murder ballads, Nick Cave certainly didn't make it up in the 90's.

[MegaSeth01]

Does anyone know what the very understated instrument is playing at the very beginning; before even the vocals begin. Is it a harmonium?

[CowboyJack44]

To correct you both, it's "Stagger Lee". This is a tribute to Nick Cave's Murder Ballads, hence the name Folk Bloodbath. He combines themes from the songs Stagger Lee and Where the Wild Roses Grow from that album.

[heartattackinahero]

@CowboyJack44 I would say it's a tribute to a lot of folk songs dating back to the early 1900's from artists like Dylan and Cash to the Clash. The killers name was "Stack Lee" and several versions of the name have been used so I would say versions of the name are up to the artists' discretion. Dylan had a song from his "world gone wrong" album called "Stack-a-lee". Also on that album was a song titled "delia". Cash also has a song titled Delia. Song is called folk blood bath for a reason.

[cardeja12]

tite song

[SuperMarketPunkRock]

just something about how he says angels puts a lump in my throat

[evxdaddy]

one word awesome.

[SuperRockinronnie]

Its Stackalee, not Stacker Lee.

[MrCoketron]

@SuperRockinronnie thanks! corrected!

[lottjn]

The song refers to "Stagger" Lee Shelton (aka StaggaLee and many other variants). He was a black taxi driver and pimp who murdered William Lyons in 1895 in St Louis. Lee was part of a gang of pimps known as "The Macks". He was the subject of many folk legends where he was portrayed as a trickster. His story has been told in song by many artists, but notably by Mississippi John Hurt, Woody Guthrie, and Bob Dylan. Lloyd Price took his song Stagger Lee based on this character to no 1 in 1959.

[BluesBurner]

@SuperRockinronnie Everybody's said it different, some say/spell it Stackalee, Stacker lee, Stack o Lee, Stagger Lee etc. anyway really works.

[Polamaluisraw43]

lol thats where i heard it first was in starbucks, i work there haha.

[loverlei79]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS SONG. tHANK YOU STARBUCKS FOR PLAYING IT NON-STOP!

[ZZBob777]

Best version of this classic I've found on You Tube. Many thanks for posting! ;-)