This song is actually about Charlie Starkweather, who did all of the things in this song, including asking that his little girlfriend (Carol Anne Fugate) be allowed to sit on his lap during his execution.
You are absolutely on the money. I can only add a few facts for those interested; Charlie killed a gas station attendant in 1958 in Lincoln. From there, he met Carol, who convinced Charlie to kill her 2 parents and her little brother. From there, they killed 6 more people over 13 months, until they were both caught in Wyoming. He got the death penalty (and was executed) and she got 30 to life. She was released in 1993.
You are absolutely on the money. I can only add a few facts for those interested; Charlie killed a gas station attendant in 1958 in Lincoln. From there, he met Carol, who convinced Charlie to kill her 2 parents and her little brother. From there, they killed 6 more people over 13 months, until they were both caught in Wyoming. He got the death penalty (and was executed) and she got 30 to life. She was released in 1993.
This song is so intense because of the way Springsteen uses the lyrics to put you into Charlie's head ("Well, sir, I guess there's just a meanness...
This song is so intense because of the way Springsteen uses the lyrics to put you into Charlie's head ("Well, sir, I guess there's just a meanness in this world") and paint a picture of how dark and serious the execution is ("midnight in a prison store room with leather straps across my chest"). Haunting, but I think that was Bruce's goal.
This song is actually about Charlie Starkweather, who did all of the things in this song, including asking that his little girlfriend (Carol Anne Fugate) be allowed to sit on his lap during his execution.
You are absolutely on the money. I can only add a few facts for those interested; Charlie killed a gas station attendant in 1958 in Lincoln. From there, he met Carol, who convinced Charlie to kill her 2 parents and her little brother. From there, they killed 6 more people over 13 months, until they were both caught in Wyoming. He got the death penalty (and was executed) and she got 30 to life. She was released in 1993.
You are absolutely on the money. I can only add a few facts for those interested; Charlie killed a gas station attendant in 1958 in Lincoln. From there, he met Carol, who convinced Charlie to kill her 2 parents and her little brother. From there, they killed 6 more people over 13 months, until they were both caught in Wyoming. He got the death penalty (and was executed) and she got 30 to life. She was released in 1993.
This song is so intense because of the way Springsteen uses the lyrics to put you into Charlie's head ("Well, sir, I guess there's just a meanness...
This song is so intense because of the way Springsteen uses the lyrics to put you into Charlie's head ("Well, sir, I guess there's just a meanness in this world") and paint a picture of how dark and serious the execution is ("midnight in a prison store room with leather straps across my chest"). Haunting, but I think that was Bruce's goal.