353.) Mon Nov. 20, 2017

Originally Published on Nov. 20, 2017

The Song of the Day is:

The Beatles – “Helter Skelter”

From the album The Beatles (AKA The White Album) (1968)

This is the song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles. We’re stealin’ it back!

-Bono, Rattle & Hum

I don’t think that there has ever been a song that has more unintended tragic consequences than The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter”. The Beatles wrote the song about a slide and had a volume and energy which some say was a precursor to heavy metal. When a young ex-con musician named Charles Manson heard it, his twisted mind thought it was a coded message directed to him participate in an impending apocalyptic race war. As his influence and hallucinations grew, Manson directed his drugged-up followers to pursue violence. Ultimately, this lead to the gruesome murder of a young film star named Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant, along with four others at the house. The next night the Manson family committed two more murders (Leno & Rosemary LaBianca). The family was later arrested and tried. Manson, who didn’t physically take part in the murders, was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole. Yesterday, at age 83, Manson died in prison. Manson was also tied to the music scene as an acquaintance of Beach Boy Dennis Wilson (who eventually grew frightened of Manson and distanced himself prior to the violence) and numerous recording were eventually released after Manson became notorious. Guns N’ Roses, Rob Zombie, The Lemonheads and GG Allin have all released covers of his music. Marilyn Manson, of course adopted his last name to aid his shock rock persona. The Beatles have expressed remorse and regret that their music was tied to these horrific events.