People Who Died

[Ohio Joe]

Jim Carroll is certainly not the most prolific artist out there but... damn it is powerful stuff. People Who Died is probably his most famous song but really, you should be listening to anything you can get your hands on by this guy, check out his wiki page to see not only what he has done with the Jim Carroll Band but with other artists (not to mention a bit of his bio if you are unaware):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Carroll

Also famous for his book The Basketball Diaries, made into a movie of the same name starring Leonardo DiCaprio before he became a douchebage and forgot how to act... well, until The Departed. This guy defines what it is to have a hard life in New York City. I grew up right outside of the city and we all knew what "could be" long before I ever heard of Jim Carroll and was always glad I never had live that life.

Even if you know this song, follow along. Listen to and appreciate the upbeat music of this song but also follow the lyrics (below), listen to his voice and the raw emotion in it... then realize this song is about real people who he knew and who died. Really... one of the most powerful songs I've ever heard.

Tonight, I present People Who Died by The Jim Carroll Band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQbzGOKb6xg

Teddy sniffing glue, he was 12 years old
Fell from the roof on East Two-nine
Cathy was 11 when she pulled the plug
On 26 reds and a bottle of wine
Bobby got leukemia, 14 years old
He looked like 65 when he died
He was a friend of mine

Those are people who died, died
They were all my friends, and they died

G-berg and Georgie let their gimmicks go rotten
So they died of hepatitis in upper Manhattan
Sly in Vietnam took a bullet in the head
Bobby OD'd on Drano on the night that he was wed
They were two more friends of mine
Two more friends that died

Those are people who died, died
They were all my friends, and they died

Mary took a dry dive from a hotel room
Bobby hung himself from a cell in the tombs
Judy jumped in front of a subway train
Eddie got slit in the jugular vein
And Eddie, I miss you more than all the others
And I salute you brother

Those are people who died, died
They were all my friends, and they died

Herbie pushed Tony from the Boys' Club roof
Tony thought that his rage was just some goof
But Herbie sure gave Tony some bitchen proof
"Hey," Herbie said, "Tony, can you fly?"
But Tony couldn't fly, Tony died

Those are people who died, died
They were all my friends, and they died

Brian got busted on a narco rap
He beat the rap by rattin' on some bikers
He said, "Hey, I know it's dangerous, but it sure beats Riker's"
But the next day he got offed by the very same bikers

Those are people who died, died
They were all my friends, and they died

Teddy sniffing glue, he was 12 years old
Fell from the roof on East Two-nine
Cathy was 11 when she pulled the plug
On 26 reds and a bottle of wine
Bobby got leukemia, 14 years old
He looked like 65 when he died
He was a friend of mine

Those are people who died, died
They were all my friends, and they died

G-berg and Georgie let their gimmicks go rotten
So they died of hepatitis in upper Manhattan
Sly in Vietnam took a bullet in the head
Bobby OD'd on Drano on the night that he was wed
They were two more friends of mine
I miss em. They died

Those are people who died, died
They were all my friends, and they died

Mary took a dry dive from a hotel room
Bobby hung himself from a cell in the tombs
Judy jumped in front of a subway train
Eddie got slit in the jugular vein
And Eddie, I miss you more than all the others
This song is for you my brother

Those are people who died, died
They were all my friends, and they died

[amerikat]

1. I always liked that song and never knew who performed it.

Thanks. Something about that song reminds me of the
Rocky Horror Picture Show. Not sure why I think it's
the baseline.

[Ohio Joe]

2. Yeah... I had not noticed that before but your right

I think it might also be the backing vocals, there is a lot of that in the songs to Rocky Horror.

[amerikat]

3. Maybe the female back-ups. Same pitch or octave.

Magenta and Lil Nell.

[Withywindle]

4. I've always loved this song.

I lost a lot of friends at an early age too. (3 of them to homicides, and that's just the tip of it). It's really powerful. Thanks for posting it.

[Withywindle]

5. OOo, I like this video better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4LqjVtXUvE&feature=related


Ignore the smarmy TV hosts at the beginning. This one has no anime cutesies, and actually has real NYC and Jim Carroll in it! (And Leo DiCaprio, but that can't be helped). Which helps everyone see that not only can the man write and rock, he was also once Patti Smith's boyfriend for good reason. :)

[Ohio Joe]

7. You know...

I've been posting various videos a few nights a week now for a bit but... I can't actually watch any of them :) My current POS PC won't play any of them. I'll bookmark this though and watch when I get a new one, hopefully soon!

[Kat45]

6. Good song. Good book too.

I hadn't thought of Jim Carroll for years. Thanks for the reminder.

[Ohio Joe]

8. No problem

Glad you enjoyed :thumbsup: