Death Letter Lyrics
He killed her, right?
@azkm, that's not the impression I get. The girl was somewhere distant when she died - it's not explained. He had to grab his suitcase to go where she was.
@azkm, that's not the impression I get. The girl was somewhere distant when she died - it's not explained. He had to grab his suitcase to go where she was.
The White Stripes cover is less morbid. Makes me like this version more.
I certainly think he killed her because she cheated on him.
"Well, I walked up right close, looked down in her face Said, the good ol' gal got to lay here 'til the Judgment Day"
To me that sounds almost like he's saying it with malice. She's dead and will now have to be judged for her sins (cheating on him). If she was not a sinner then she would be going to heaven.
"Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul I wouldn't mistreat you baby, for my weight in gold"
Now we get a hint that maybe he had something to do with her death. Why is he asking for mercy? Why is he wicked? Unless he killed her...
"Well, I folded up my arms and I slowly walked away I said, "Farewell honey, I'll see you on Judgment Day"
He'll see her on Judgement day because he will be judged for her murder lol...
"You know I didn't feel so bad, 'til the good ol' sun went down I didn't have a soul to throw my arms around I didn't feel so bad, 'til the good ol' sun went down You know, I didn't have nobody to throw my arms around"
He starts feeling regret over his actions.
"I loved you baby, better than I did myself I said now if you don't have me, I didn't want you to have nobody else"
This one almost comes out and says it that he killed her. Either for adultery...or maybe she just broke up with him and he killed her for that.
"Ah, hush, thought I heard her call my name If it wasn't so loud and so nice and plain Ah, yeah Mmmmmm
Well, listen, whatever you do This is one thing, honey, I tried to get along with you Yes, no tellin' what you do I done everything I could, just to try and get along with you"
This is my favorite part of the whole song and it comes out very well in some versions. He gets spooked and think he hears her voice from the dead come back to haunt him. He then goes to explain to the voice/ghost/his imagination that love makes you do strange things and that's why he killed her.
no way the white stripes r the best version, other than this and this song rocks like woah
Aha. I never read the song like that, azkm, but your interpretation works. Good close reading.
"You don't have me, you won't have nobody else/ I loved you baby, better than I did myself/ I said now if you don't have me, I didn't want you to have nobody else..."
"I done everything I could, just to try and get along with you..." "Seems like my good, old gal outta done stopped her low-down ways..." "You know, love's a hard ol' fall, make you do things you don't wanna do.."
She cheated on him, perhaps, and he got his revenge?
He has two versions o the 1965 Album.
One is filled with a more spiteful bitter set of lyrics which depicts his disgust in her. It portrays him harming her some way, but never mentions violence.
The other seems to discribes him loving her and morning for her loss. It also give the feel as she left him against his wishes.
A lot of people seem to read into the "judgement day" lyrics as if he killed her,. Remember Son House most undoubtably believed everyone stands to be judged. Thats the good vs evil battle that makes us all interested in him.
OMG I'm the first to comment??????? this song is so good! Johnny Farmers version is much better tho......lalalala
The White stripes version is practically Noise, This version is Great, There are two version 1960's recording and a 1940's Alan lomax recording.