10 :: A Terrible Crime :: A Slow Drag with "Let Him Dangle"

Today's slow drag is with "Let Him Dangle," from "Spike," released in 1989. The songwriting is credited to Elvis Costello.

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Show Notes:

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Appreciation written, produced, and narrated by Remedy Robinson, MA/MFA

Twitter: @slowdragremedy

Email: [email protected]

Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com

Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag

References:

Let Him Dangle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-vtA-k2QUU

Elvis Costello Wiki Resource: "Let Him Dangle": http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Let_Him_Dangle 

A learning journal that cites Ben Franklin:  https://wiki.auckland.ac.nz/display/MGMT300/A+man+convinced+against+his+will%2C+is+of+the+same+opinion+still

Benjamin Franklin misquotes from the Franklin institute blog:  https://www.fi.edu/benjamin-franklin/7-things-benjamin-franklin-never-said

Why it’s a waste of time trying to determine who said “a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still”:  https://quotationcelebration.wordpress.com/2017/02/20/a-man-convinced-against-his-will-is-of-the-same-opinion-still-unknown/

Hunting down who coined “writing about music is like dancing about architecture”: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/11/08/writing-about-music/

Derek Bentley, “A Victim of British Justice?” http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/bentley.html

UK Bentley case breakthrough: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/24208.stm

Craig’s Relief at Bentley’s Posthumous Pardon: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/142351.stm

Newsnight – Derek Bentley #1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiy6Dx8DvBw

Linguistic ambiguity: http://michealaxelsen.com/blog/?p=347

Syntactic Ambiguity: https://www.thoughtco.com/syntactic-ambiguity-grammar-1692179

Britain’s last executions:  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/13/britain-last-executions-hanging-criminals-low-key

Derek Bentley’s Headstone: http://veryverybritish.blogspot.com/2014/06/derek-bentley.html

“Let Him Have It” Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7kjmN2SFGo

"Let Him Dangle" Lyrics:

Bentley said to Craig, "Let him have it, Chris"
They still don't know today just what he meant by this
Craig fired the pistol, but was too young to swing
So the police took Bentley and the very next thing
Let him dangle, let him dangle
Let him dangle, let him dangle

Bentley had surrendered, he was under arrest
When he gave Chris Craig that fatal request
Craig shot Sidney Miles, he took Bentley's word
The prosecution claimed as they charged them with murder
Let him dangle, let him dangle
Let him dangle, let him dangle

They say Derek Bentley was easily led
Well what's that to the woman that Sidney Miles wed?
Though guilty was the verdict, and Craig had shot him dead
The gallows were for Bentley and still she never said
Let him dangle, let him dangle
Let him dangle, let him dangle

Well, it's hard to imagine it's the times that have changed
When there's a murder in the kitchen that is brutal and strange
If killing anybody is a terrible crime
Why does this bloodthirsty chorus come 'round from time to time?
Let him dangle

Not many people thought that Bentley would hang
But the word never came, the phone never rang
Outside Wandsworth Prison there was horror and hate
As the hangman shook Bentley's hand to calculate his weight
Let him dangle, let him dangle
Let him dangle, let him dangle

Well, it's hard to imagine it's the times that have changed
When there's a murder in the kitchen that is brutal and strange
If killing anybody is a terrible crime
Why does this bloodthirsty chorus come 'round from time to time?
Let him dangle

From a welfare state to society murder
"Bring back the noose" is always heard
Whenever those swine are under attack
But it won't make you even, it won't bring him back
Let him dangle, let him dangle
Let him dangle, let him dangle

Let him dangle, let him dangle
Let him dangle, let him dangle
String him up...