I've Committed Murder

Album: On How Life Is (1999)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Macy Gray's debut album is best known for the rather benign track "I Try," but it also contains this funky number where she tells a story about killing a woman. In the song, Gray's boyfriend gets fired by a "mean old bitch who degrades him every day," so she confronts the woman, murders her, then heads off to Jamaica with her boyfriend to get married.

    "It's based on a true story, about this boyfriend I had that couldn't keep a job, he was always getting fired," Gray told Mojo. "I just kinda let my imagination go from there."
  • A Gang Starr remix featuring Mos Def and Guru was included on the 2000 compilation album Lyricist Lounge 2. This version expands the story, with the male rappers taking the voice of the boyfriend.
  • The main riff is sampled from "Lovely Is Today," a 1968 track by the saxophone player Eddie Harris. It also samples the theme from the movie Love Story.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

The Fratellis

The FratellisSongwriter Interviews

Jon Fratelli talks about the band's third album, and the five-year break leading up to it.

Rupert Hine

Rupert HineSongwriter Interviews

Producer Rupert Hine talks about crafting hits for Tina Turner, Howard Jones and The Fixx.

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete BlondeSongwriter Interviews

The singer/bassist for Concrete Blonde talks about how her songs come from clairvoyance, and takes us through the making of their hit "Joey."

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust

Lajon Witherspoon of SevendustSongwriter Interviews

The Sevendust frontman talks about the group's songwriting process, and how trips to the Murder Bar helped forge their latest album.

Lori McKenna

Lori McKennaSongwriter Interviews

Lori's songs have been recorded by Faith Hill and Sara Evans. She's performed on the CMAs and on Oprah. She also has five kids.