Best disturbing songs

By stoat on July 17, 2008.

A meme I heard somewhere - I forget where. Likely suspects are welcome to remind me and get credited. The version I didn't see but have just found is by Scott Butki (thats one of those American names like "Peentangler" that sound so funny to us old folks). Anyway, where was I? Oh yes - that one cites a song was going to: "Family Snapshot" by Peter Gabriel. Hung off the shooting of Alabama Governor George Wallace in 1972 (I had always thought it was about the JFK assassination, but apparently not, or maybe, who knows, it doesn't matter, ah well blogging can sometimes be informative), it explores the mindset of an assassin, or perhaps someone who is just dreaming, or its just about the sadness of growing up lonely in a breaking marriage; since its a song so you can't tell. But it is brilliant, lyrically and musically; watch/listen here.

I'm slightly out of order, because first on that album (Melt) is Intruder, smaller scale but well worth a listen though not close to FS in impact. Later comes Not one of us; indeed nearly the entire album is both superb musically and disturbing.

More: The family and the fishing net is bizarre and rather hard to describe.
There is too much other good PG stuff to list much of it; random choices are the rhythm of the heat, lay your hands on me, and... well there are too many and they are all on YouTube. They do make Solsbury Hill look rather lightweight, though it is very cute and fluffy. Just about everything on Mask is excellent.

Closing trivia: what does "has an undocumented power saving mode" mean to you :-)?

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"has an undocumented power saving mode"

An 'Off' switch that no one has ever noticed?

"has an undocumented power saving mode"

Shuts itself off without warning and at random times. The inlaws' TV has one.

Much Nick Cave would qualify, and anything off Murder Ballads. Haven't got time to do the YT links, but try Where The Wild Roses Grow. Even has Kylie as the victim. What's not to, er, like...?

"The Happy Flowers" could be quite disturbing at times.

On the Nick Cave front, I've always found Hallelujah (from No More Shall we Part) to be rather disturbin, particularly the end with the McGarrigle sisters singing.

"House of the Crosses" by Otis Taylor.

What's really disturbing is that cat table thing in the video. Shudder.

You win the obscurity contest for the day!

And i love pretty much each and every Peter Gabriel album for different reasons, but Melt sure is up there for searching the dark side of one's soul. It's one of my favourites to listen to with headphones in bed with the lights off late at night.