Hemp Hop

There aren't any good hanging songs anymore. I just watched "3:10 to Yuma", and in it Ben Wade, (Russell Crowe), sings a song about getting hanged, cheerfully, I might add, and I realized it's been years since I've heard a song like that. Now maybe it's because hanging is not such a popular form of execution anymore, and it's really tough to rhyme "lethal injection" with anything. I don't know what the reason is, but I think it's sad.

The people who wrote such songs were most always the condemned,and that's what makes the lyrics so heartfelt. Nothing gives you focus like imminent death. It does make collecting royalties tough, but it definitely gives your writing punch. In the cowboy era, they wrote songs about damn near anything, so why so skimpy with the "noose" wave music? Maybe hanging songs are unpopular because of the name. How about calling it "Hemp Hop"?


C'mon, you had songs about tumbleweeds, apple pie, John Brown's body(?), and even a bobtail nag. But a dozen or so really strong odes to rope dancing? Neigh! I can't help but feel today's songwriters just aren't living on the edge and their music is getting flabby. Even The Monkees tried to get in the game with "What Am I Doing Hangin' Round?" , but of course the censors wouldn't let them go with the original lyrics. I thought artists were all about the bravery and defying convention, but not lately. If any of you have suggestions on how to turn this situation around and bring back the hanging music, let me know; I'm about at the end of my rope.


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