Homicide Blues

Right around the same time that Levon Helm hosted his last Midnight Ramble I started work on a project to convert 60 songs I had recorded back in the early 90s on a Yamaha 4-track cassette deck to Audacity tracks, tracks I could clean up, embellish and re-mix. Up to now, the only MP3s of them have been low-bit noisy things.

But now, if you join me in Knees Calhoon's Midnight Ramble, you will hear a new song every midnight (or thereabouts). It will be the very latest, most firm and fully packed of any version of the song, mixed for those with two ears (the previous MP3s were all mono), and with less, much less of that tape hiss that used to annoy everyone so much.

So even though you may think you've heard the Knees Calhoon songbook, I suggest you listen to the new version of "Homicide Blues". And keep coming back to the Knees Calhoon Midnight Ramble.

Click on the title to hear the song.

HOMICIDE BLUES

  

Written: Monterey Street, Farmington NM, spring 1964

Knees’ first song with lyrics began as a typical blues put-down song but quickly became a life-threatening anthem to domination when the only lyrics that seemed to fit were “ah’mo killya”. He loved the fact that the phrase “I am going to” could be whittled down to two simple syllables: ah and mo. He was stuck for a rhyme for the last verse and asked his friend Barry for help. Barry came through with the classic, “German’s will look at you and say ‘Nein!’ " line and the rest is history.

Well if you ever, an I mean ever,

Ever try to put me down

Well I’ll kill ya, yeah ah’mo kill ya

Even though you’re the best around

When I get through with ya baby

You’ll be the lowest paid hooker in town.

An if you ever, an I mean ever,

Ever try to make me sad

Well I’ll kill ya, yeah ah’mo kill ya

Even though you’re the best I ever had

When I get through with ya baby

People gonna look at you an feel bad.

 

So if you ever, an I mean ever,

Ever try to feed me a line

Well I’ll kill ya, yeah ah’mo kill ya

Even though yo mighty fine

When I get through with ya baby

German’s will look at you an say “Nein!”

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