Identify a song about a blonde woman's hair turned red from blood

June 29, 2009 3:52 PM

I'm trying to find a song I heard a couple of years ago on public radio. All I remember is that it was maybe folk/bluegrass, and it was a guy singing about the red-headed woman that he loved, but in the end he revealed that she was a red-head from all the blood pouring over her blond hair.

So it was a pretty creepy song.


Also, because I researched it for this question, here's a factoid reward.

posted by ictow to media & arts (8 comments total)

probably not the song - but your description got me to (one of the most underrated alt country bands of all time) Slobberbone's (i can tell) your love is waning.

There's a baby in the bedroom -- doesn't know your there
As you're lying in the bathtub with blood all in your hair
And the radio plays so damn loud I can't hear myself think ...
As I wash the blood from my fingers and the knife in the bathroom sink ...
posted by nadawi at 3:58 PM on June 29

I'd suggest Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, they get some exposure on public radio and murdered women are certainly a persistent theme in their songs. I'll hunt around on a few lyrics sites.
posted by Chrishartley at 4:15 PM on June 29

Chrishartley, are you thinking of Nick Cave's version of "Knoxville Girl"?

Snip:

I met a little girl in Knoxville
A town we all know well
And every sunday evening
In her home I'd dwell
We went to take an evening walk
About a mile from town
I picked a stick up off the ground
And I knocked that fair girl down
She fell down on her bended knees
For mercy she did cry
"Oh Willy, dear, don't kill me here
I'm not prepared to die"
She never spoke another word
I only beat her more
Until the ground around me
With her blood did flow
I picked her up by her golden hair
And I dragged her 'round and 'round
I threw her in the river
That flows from Knoxville town
Go down, go down, you Knoxville girl
With your dark and roving eyes
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:34 PM on June 29

I was searching for "Murder Ballad," and blond, and found this: Which had a reference to "Knoxville Girl." Nick Cave does a cover, and I am glad I previewed so I could second MonkeyToes.

Cave has a whole disc of murder ballads.

My favorite: Where The Wild Roses Grow
posted by cjorgensen at 4:43 PM on June 29

Knoxville Girl on youtube (not Cave's version).
posted by cjorgensen at 4:55 PM on June 29

Promising this is my last answer, but you can here a clip of the song in question on amazon. (hope that works)
posted by cjorgensen at 5:10 PM on June 29

Could be Arlene by The Handsome Family. Pretty close to what you describe including the hair being red from blood.
Youtube Video
Lyrics
posted by blisterpack at 7:24 PM on June 29

Might want to check this out: Knoxville Girl.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:43 AM on September 14