The Ballad Of Belle Gunness

Album: Howlin' Wild (2007)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This TJ McFarland composition from his 2007 Howlin' Wild album is not so much a song as a crime report in rhyme focusing on the later life of one of history's most notorious female serial killers. Brynhild Paulsdatter Storseth was born at Selbu, Norway on November 11, 1859. She was declared dead at LaPorte, Indiana, April 28, 1908, though there has been enormous and reasonable speculation about her actual demise.

    Serial killers have long been categorized; female serial killers are usually either angels of death or black widows - Belle was the latter. A big woman, she moved to the United States where she Anglicized her name and worked as a servant before marrying Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson at Chicago in 1884. She is said to have borne him four children, but he didn't live to see them grow up because she poisoned him in July 1900.

    Relocating to LaPorte, Indiana, she didn't grieve for her first husband very long before marrying widow Peter Gunness. He didn't last long, and she collected the insurance money on him as she did on her first husband. After that, she advertised in the lonely hearts columns of newspapers, and her suitors (read victims) were not slow replying.
  • Running to a shade over five minutes, McFarland covers the rest of the story graphically:

    Hell's Belle Gunness
    The black widow of the heartland
    She and love will never be together
    >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Dave Mason

Dave MasonSongwriter Interviews

Dave reveals the inspiration for "Feelin' Alright" and explains how the first song he ever wrote became the biggest hit for his band Traffic.

Peter Lord

Peter LordSongwriter Interviews

You may not recognize his name, but you will certainly recognize Peter Lord's songs. He wrote the bevy of hits from Paula Abdul's second album, Spellbound.

Rock Stars of Horror

Rock Stars of HorrorMusic Quiz

Rock Stars - especially those in the metal realm - are often enlisted for horror movies. See if you know can match the rocker to the role.

Bill Withers

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.