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"Jenny Was a Friend  of Mine" by The Killers

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"Jenny Was a Friend  of Mine" by The Killers

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This song is actually the third in The Killer's murder trilogy along with "Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf" and "Midnight Show." Together, these songs tell the story of man who kills a girl after their messy break up, then hides the body, and tries to explain himself to the cops after being caught. This outburst of emotion which caused the boyfriend to kill is similar to the motive revealed in "Little Lady." Therefore, the idea in this song is also supported by Jeffery Dahmer's first murder and implies that the death penalty is ineffective simply because criminals do not think about this consequence in the heat of the moment.

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This song makes the claim that people's past abuse is what leads them to a life of crime. In the case of Perry Smith, this appears to be true. On pages 130 to 147 of In Cold Blood, Truman Capote reveals Smith's childhood; it consisted of watching his parent's marriage dissolve into alcoholism, being torn away from his father and forced to live with his neglectful mother, and being physically and verbally abused in a children's shelter. A life like this is likely to turn many into criminals because without proper conduct and a stable environment, one is not likely to develop sturdy morals. Then when they commit unethical acts, they will probably not take consequences, such as the death penalty, seriously since they have not experienced many before.

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In this song a man breaks into a women's apartment and ends up killing her. When the phrase "I don't know why baby" (Jackson) is sung, it makes it appear as if there was no motive for the crime. This is similar to the murders committed by Perry Smith and Richard Hickock. Even though Smith and Hickock originally entered the Clutter household with the intent of robbing the family's safe, the pair still went through with the massacre after learning the safe was nonexistent. They tied the family up with rope in different parts of the house and then proceeded to shoot each one only inches away from their heads (Capote 232-246). If people kill or commit crimes just for the fun of it, then they most likely do not have much else to live for, so the death penalty will not dissuade them.

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This song is a story about a young girl whose uncle sells her company. One night, the man who she is staying with gets angry and takes it out on her. The next day the girl decides to go to the doctor to get her injuries checked even though she knows her uncle would not be happy about it considering this could ruin his business. Her uncle ends up finding out and then "in the moment of rage, he brutally murders his niece" (Sheeran). This reveals how often times, murderers get caught up in the moment and do not even think about the consequences that could potentially come with their actions. In fact, Jeffery Dahmer's first murder occurred spontaneously; he was driving and saw a hitchhiker who he proceeded to pick up. He did not know that this man was going to be his first victim until his compulsions took over and it was too late ("Jeffery Dahmer's"). In cases like this, the death penalty is powerless because it is not even considered before a deadly crime is committed.

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"Ain't No Rest For the Wicked" by Cage the Elephant

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"Ain't No Rest For the Wicked" by Cage the Elephant

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This song is about a man who gets accosted by criminals, such as a prostitute and a thief. When the narrator asks these delinquents why they chose to live this life of crime, they respond " I got bills to pay/I got mouths to feed/There ain't nothing in this world for free" (Cage the Elephant. This reveals how some people break the law in order to provide for themselves and their family, just like Richard Hickock, who was convicted for the murder of the Clutter family in 1960, started writing fake checks to support his family (Capote 166). It is human nature to want to survive no matter how immoral the means; even the threat of the death penalty is not enough to suppress this desire.

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The purpose of this CD is to answer the question "Is the Death Penalty Beneficial to Society?" Many Americans have the belief that one benefit of the death penalty is crime reduction, but plenty of research actually proves this to be inaccurate. The songs on this CD all imply there is a driving force stronger than fear which perpetuates criminals to commit illegal acts. If criminals are committing crimes for reasons which override their fear of consequences, then it can be assumed that the death penalty is not an effective deterrent of crime and is not an aid to society.