Bonnie and Clyde

April 24, 2006 3:38 PM

Songs about bad boys and the women who love them.

Help me make a mix CD. I need songs with a "bonnie & clyde" esque feel. Songs about good girl's devotion to a man who is living, for lack of a better term, the "thug life." And songs where both boy and girl are in love and living a life of crime. and So far I've got:

'97 Bonnie & Clyde (Beyonce and Jay-z)
Picture (Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow)
Son's Gonna Rise (Citizen Cope)

posted by skjønn to media & arts (38 comments total)

"Addictive" by Truth Hurts feat. Rakim; specifically Rakim's (excellent) verse:

Thinkin' of a master plan,
You know anything you need baby ask your man.
You was there from a half a grand--
Now it's kilos to C-notes and how fast your grands.
We ball like we own the world;
Your only concern is you my only girl
posted by maxreax at 3:44 PM on April 24, 2006

that's perfect--- I can't believe I forgot that considering that's the song that plays on my myspace!!
posted by skjønn at 3:48 PM on April 24, 2006

Oldies:
"He's a Rebel" by The Crystals
"Leader of the Pack" by the Shangri-Las
posted by needs more cowbell at 3:50 PM on April 24, 2006

Leader of the Pack by the Shangri Las?:

My folks were always putting him down
(Down, down)
The said that he came from
The wrong side of town
(Wrong side of town)
They'd told me he was bad
But I know he was sad
That's why I fell for the leader of the pack

(vroom, vroom!)
posted by penchant at 3:51 PM on April 24, 2006

(derrrrr, too slow.)
posted by penchant at 3:51 PM on April 24, 2006

Unconditional Love (Tupac)

or, the rougher, East Coast version:

Me and My Bitch (Notorious B.I.G.)
posted by dsword at 3:53 PM on April 24, 2006

Vincent Black Lightning, 1952 by Richard Thompson
posted by MsMolly at 3:53 PM on April 24, 2006

Nebraska by Springsteen
Trudy And Dave by John Hiatt
Misguided Angel by the Cowboy Junkies
Almost anything by Lucinda Williams
posted by octothorpe at 3:55 PM on April 24, 2006

How about Steve Earle's "Billy and Bonnie"?

"Billy was 17 and mean as hell
Bonnie said she was 30, it was hard to tell
Billy met Bonnie on a Saturday night
At the dirt track races, it was love at first sight
Bonnie was wilder than the west wind blows
Taught Billy every single thing he knows
But she never told Billy what she left out
The part about the trouble when your times runs out"

Album: "I Feel Alright"
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:58 PM on April 24, 2006

Almost forgot: Travis Tritt's "Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde":

"Well it's a long way to Richmond
Rollin' north on 95
With a redhead ridin' shotgun
And a pistol by my side
Tearin' down that highway
Like a modern day Bonnie and Clyde..."

Album: "Down the Road I Go."
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:59 PM on April 24, 2006

She's a good girl, cares about Elvis...

Bonnie et Clyde
Hang On Bill by Little Lisa
Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul...
posted by klangklangston at 4:26 PM on April 24, 2006

Steve Miller's Take the Money and Run ?

"This here’s a story about billy joe and bobbie sue
Two young lovers with nothin’ better to do
Than sit around the house, get high, and watch the tube
And here is what happened when they decided to cut loose"
posted by terrapin at 4:27 PM on April 24, 2006

“Bonnie & Clyde” by Serge Gainsbourg.
posted by hilker at 4:33 PM on April 24, 2006

"Johnny Feelgood" by Liz Phair, a few years before she completely sold out:

And I never met a man who was so pretty inside
He's got diamonds on the bed of his thumbnails and I
Never realized I was so dirty and dry
Till he knocked me down, started dragging me around
In the back of his convertible car

And I liked it
I liked it more and more

Crimson and clover, soon he's taken over all my senses now

And I never met a man who was so pretty inside
He's got petals on the bed of his sweat sock drawer
And who the fuck am I to criticize him 'cause I really need him now
In fact I'm kinda freaking out
And I'm wondering where the hell you are

Johnny feel good, Johnny right on
Johnny miss you, Johnny light on
Johnny makes me feel strangely good about myself

And I've never met a man I was so crazy about
It kinda has become an obsession to me
I hate him all the time
But I still get up
When he knocks me down
And he orders me around
'Cause it loosens me up
And I can't get enough
And I'd pay to spend the night with him some more
posted by chococat at 4:52 PM on April 24, 2006

My Favorite Mistake - Sheryl Crow
Bad Boys - Gloria Estefan
Flavor of the Week - American Hi-Fi

Foolish - Ashanti
Baby I don't know why ya treatin me so bad
You said you love me, no one above me
And I was all you had
And though my heart is eating for ya
I can't stop crying
I don't know how
I allow you to treat me this way and still i stay

See my days are cold without you
But I'm hurtin while im with you
And though my heart can't take no more
I keep on running back to you
posted by nooneyouknow at 5:13 PM on April 24, 2006

In this song she's not exactly a "good girl", but I think it does fit the theme really well: (Holy Matrimony) Letter To The Firm by Foxy Brown. You can find it on the Jackie Brown soundtrack.

"I mean damn, me and you forever, hand in hand
I'm married to The Firm boo, you got ta understand
I'll die for him, gimme a chair and then I'll fry for em
And if I got ta take the stand, I'ma lie for em"
posted by RoseovSharon at 5:14 PM on April 24, 2006

It's slow and haunting rather than rockin', but I've alway loved
'Misguided Angel'
by the Cowboy Junkies

I said "Mama, he's crazy and he scares me
But I want him by my side
though he's wild and he's bad
and sometimes just plain mad
I need him to keep me satisfied"

I said "Papa, don't cry cause it's alright
And I see you in some of his ways
Though he might not give me the life that you wanted
I'll love him the rest of my days"

Misguided angel hangin' over me
Heart like a Gabriel, pure and white as ivory
Soul like a Lucifer, black and cold like a piece of lead
Misguided angel, love you 'til I'm dead

etc.
posted by tula at 5:21 PM on April 24, 2006

or, what octothorpe said.
posted by tula at 5:23 PM on April 24, 2006

First tune to pop into my head was "Mad About the Boy" by Dinah Washington. Not as obvious as the others, lyrically, but it's a good tune and the naughty-but-nice feeling comes over in the singing.

On the silverscreen
He melts my foolish heart in every single scene
Although I'm quite aware that here and there are traces of the cad
About the boy
posted by ajp at 5:48 PM on April 24, 2006

"free fallin'" by Tom Petty.
"What a Waster" by The Libertines (in fact a lot of the songs from "Up the Bracket" would probably fit well.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 6:12 PM on April 24, 2006

maybe Uptown Girl (billy joel and then westlife). Not so much the thuggish aspect, but a guy from the 'back street/downtown'.
posted by jacalata at 6:15 PM on April 24, 2006

Seconding "Misguided Angel' (beautiful song!) and would also add Concrete Blonde's "Joey."
posted by jenh at 6:43 PM on April 24, 2006

You're the One by Tracy Chapman:

Some say you're crazy
Say that you're no good
Say your family's cursed with bad blood
But I think you're cute and misunderstood
And I wouldn't change you if I could

Let'em talk you down
Call you names
My mind's made up
It ain't gonna change
I'm sure in my heart
Happy and free
You're the one you're the one
You're the one for me

Some say you're bitter
Think you're mean
Uncouth untamed and unrestrained
But I think you're sensitive and sweet
Stay as you are don't change a thing

(Chorus)

Some say you're bawdy
Wicked and wild
A restless useless juvenile
But I think you're funny and I like your smile
Want to be with you want you to stay awhile

(Chorus)

A no count mixed up
Amount to nothing
A day away from a bum on the street
Some low class kind of royalty
That's what they say about you
When they're talking to me

Some say you're bad
A bad bad seed
You love to play with fire you love gambling
But I know what you love and I know what you need
And I like it when you play with me

(Chorus)
posted by headspace at 6:46 PM on April 24, 2006

Stacey Earle : "If it weren't for you"

I'll reach for the knob then I'll walk through the door
And I will feel nothing for you anymore
And if you see someone that you never knew
That's where I'd be if it weren't for you

Cowboy Junkies - "Sun comes up, it's Tuesday Morning"

OK, those are about abusive relationships, not quite what you want but WTF. "Frankie and Johnny"?
posted by Rumple at 6:52 PM on April 24, 2006

Ani Difranco: "Gravel"
posted by chicken nuglet at 7:02 PM on April 24, 2006

The Road Goes On Forever by Robert Earl Keen

They left the lawman lyin' and they made their getaway
They got back to the motel just before the break of day
Sonny gave her all the money and he blew her a little kiss
If they ask you how this happened say I forced you into this
She watched him as his taillights disappeared around the bend
The road goes on forever and the party never ends

Its Main Street after midnight just like it was before
21 months later at the local grocery store
Sherry buys a paper and a cold 6-pack of beer
The headlines read that Sonny is goin' to the chair
She pulls back onto Main Street in her new Mercedes Benz
The road goes on forever and the party never ends
posted by SuperSquirrel at 7:20 PM on April 24, 2006

I'va always loved Springsteen's Rosalita -- particularly the part when he mentions the big record company advance. It sounds great on the CD.

Now I know your mama she don't like me 'cause I play in a rock and roll band
And I know your daddy he don't dig me but he never did understand
Papa lowered the boom, he locked you in your room
I'm comin' to lend a hand
I'm comin' to liberate you, confiscate you, I want to be your man
Someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny
But now you're sad, your mama's mad
And your papa says he knows that I don't have any money
Tell him this is last chance to get his daughter in a fine romance
Because a record company, Rosie, just gave me a big advance

posted by bim at 7:31 PM on April 24, 2006

Seconding Serge Gainsbourg's "Bonnie and Clyde".

From the amazing Girls Go Zonk compilation:
The Girls - "Chico's Girl" ("He tries to show/he's as tough as can be/but it ain't so/and nobody knows it but me/no one knows the tender side/Chico hides from the world...)
The Satisfactions - "Daddy You Just Got To Let Him In" ("He's one of Hell's Angels, but everything will be all right...")
The Victorians - "You're Invited to a Party" (about trying to smooth his edges before he meets her parents)

They are exactly about the life of crime, but
Della Humphrey's "Don't Let the Good Girls Go Bad" and Helene Smith's "A Woman Will Do Wrong" might also work.

And of course there's Coolio's "Mama I'm in Love Wit a Gangsta"
posted by hydrophonic at 7:32 PM on April 24, 2006

Why Do Good Girls Like Bad Guys by DMX.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:47 PM on April 24, 2006 [1 favorite]

Space - Me and You vs the World
posted by thirteenkiller at 8:36 PM on April 24, 2006

bim, the moment following the last line of the verse you quoted is perhaps one of the greatest moments in RnR. ROCK!

The Mountain Goats - Jenny (a bit abstract — and not very "hard" — but awesome nonetheless)

you roared into the driveway of our southwestern ranch-style house
on a new kawasaki, all yellow and black
fresh out of the showroom.
our house faced west,
so the big orange sun positioned at your back,
lit up your magnificent silhouette.
how much better?
how much better can my life get?
900 cubic centimeters of raw whining power.
no outstanding warrants for my arrest.
whoa-whoa. whoa whoa.
the pirate's life for me.

i hopped on back of the bike, wrapped my arms around you.
and i sank my face into your hair.
and then i inhaled as deeply as i possibly could.
you were as sweet and delicious as the warm desert air.
and you pointed your headlamp toward the horizon,
we were the one thing in the galaxy god didn't have his eyes on.
900 cc's of raw whining power,
no outstanding warrants for my arrest.
hi diddle dee dee.
god damn!
the pirate's life for me!
posted by drewbeck at 9:16 PM on April 24, 2006

Shane and Dixie (Richard Thompson) is as Bonnie and Clyde as it gets.
posted by teleskiving at 12:25 AM on April 25, 2006

Luna's "Bonnie and Clyde"
posted by tom_g at 4:18 AM on April 25, 2006

"Bad boy Clyde" by Esthero
posted by chunking express at 6:53 AM on April 25, 2006

The Smiths - Girl Afraid
The White Stripes- I Want To Be The Boy (in case the nice girl's mom disapproves)
posted by Sara Anne at 8:33 AM on April 25, 2006

Gun Street Girl, by Tom Waits
posted by Sara Anne at 8:34 AM on April 25, 2006

Supersuckers- Hungover Together
PJ Harvey- Joe (not a genre song, but a good rock clip pace)
posted by Sara Anne at 8:48 AM on April 25, 2006

"The Ballad of Grim and Lily" by Bree Sharp
posted by Trinkers at 9:11 AM on April 25, 2006