My recent Johhny Cash post had me thinking about song categories again...quite a few songs have a psychopathic character or event about a guy or gal that does something really despicable - with no apparent remorse. I'll start off with the Johnny Cash song I mentioned:
Cocaine Blues - but the author is T. J. "Red" Arnall - whose version is a lot more matter-of-fact hillbilly bluegrass - Johnny Cash sounds like a 'baddder' due to me
On the Banks of the Ohio - another guy that is hard to relate to
Nebraska - Bruce Springsteen's character in this song sounds like a guy that deserves no pity either
Who can outdo me for songs about even more despicable characters ? : ) More points if it's your own original !!! :0
Maybe Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley from my childhood? Pretty edgy to sing about at the time, though not so unknown as a crime (if he even committed it).
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The first verse in Riders On The Storm by The Doors is actually about a serial killer:
There's a killer on the road His brain is squirmin' like a toad Take a long holiday Let your children play If you give this man a ride Sweet family will die Killer on the road
The verse is from true life events. Apparently, a psychopath serial killer named Billy Cook killed six people while hitchhiking to California.
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Maybe the Blue Meanies should be considered... As really despicable psychopathic characters ? After all they represented all the music-hating bad people in the world.
Two songs, two such characters. The first writes a letter. The second, stars in a murder drama from centuries ago.
I heard "The Letter" by Don and Dewey only once, as a child rolling newspapers in the middle of the night (when the disc jockeys would play anything they liked).
I never forgot it.
Sonny Bono worked with Don and Dewey, hence this version by Caesar and Cleo (Sonny and Cher) prior to "Sonny and Cher".
It's a very short letter and a very mean letter. This is a different kind of violence than that of previous posts, but it's violence none the less.
"Barbara Allen" is thought to be the oldest English language song, predating Shakespeare by at least a century.
There are apparently thousands of versions of "Barbara Allen"; as it passed from locale to locale, verses were subtracted and added. That practice continued as the song came to America.
The Everly Brothers version is my favorite, recorded with the teenage brothers accompanied only by Don on guitar. It's from the album "Songs Our Daddy Taught Us". It's easy to imagine them singing "Barbara Allen" on their front porch.
It probably would have been my favorite version just because it's the Everlys, but I love it mostly because of the lyrics.
The final two verses of the version that made it to Kentucky elevate the song to masterpiece status.
They encompass everthing I hope for (but will never achieve) in a lyric.
Dolly Parton has a few murder ballads that are outright chilling, and of course I can't remember the names of any of them. I'm sure google would help here.
Tom Dooley Maxwell's Silver Hammer The Night The Lights went out in Georgia I Don't Like Mondays
I forget the name of this song, but the chorus goes - "I swear I left her by the river, I swear I left her safe and sound (I forget the next bit) And leave this cold Nebraska town"
Take murder ballads outa bluegrass and shooting lovers references outa blues and there would a a lot of shorter set lists.
Bud
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Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die
Parchman Farm - Mose Allison's take on a Bukka White song First he says: Well I'm sittin' over here on Parchman Farm And I ain't never done no man no harm And later: Well I'm a gonna be here for the rest of my life And all I did was shoot my wife Technically correct, he didn't harm a man.
Who can outdo me for songs about even more despicable characters ? : ) More points if it's your own original !!! :0
Yeah...I'm not playing. I've heard WAY too many songs that make you want to un-listen to them. I'm not sure anyone would go looking them up for one; and I wouldn't want anyone looking them up for reason number two.
A quick example would be something like "Dead Skin Mask" by Slayer. It's about Ed Gein. The unsettling part is it's from Ed Gein's perspective! No thanks.
If you go into the death/dark metal genre of music, it gets weird quick. A lot about rape, molestation, murder, torture, aborted fetuses...even necrophilia, if that puts it into perspective. That's why I'm not playing. None of us needs the therapy bill that would result from playing this "off topic" game. lol
I'm actually finding this whole "Baby Shark" song to be rather evil.
I actually came here to answer this...
Originally Posted By: Keith from Oz
I forget the name of this song, but the chorus goes - "I swear I left her by the river, I swear I left her safe and sound (I forget the next bit) And leave this cold Nebraska town"
I believe that's "Hazard" from Richard Marx. He actually has many songs much better than that one IMO.
Last edited by HearToLearn; 12/28/1911:00 AM.
Chad (Hope that makes it easier)
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
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202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
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The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
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-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
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Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
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Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
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Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
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