Indiana Wants Me
Posted in 1960s, Lyrics, Music, Nostalgia, Rock at 19:24 on 3 March 2009
What was it with sixties/seventies song writers and murderers?
The Green, Green Grass Of Home and the Bee Gees’ Gotta Get A Message To You both feature convicts on Death Row and R Dean Taylor’s Indiana Wants Me, someone on the run. Another song occupying this territory is Elton John’s Have Mercy On The Criminal from the Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player album but in that one it’s not clear whether the convict is a murderer or not.
(There are bound to be more examples of this sort of thing but I can’t bring them to mind at the moment.)
Is it just a cheap shot at sentimentality like the use of motor cycle accidents in Twinkle’s Terry and the Shangri-Las’ Leader Of The Pack?
Indiana Wants Me in particular has a shocking first line; by which I do not mean it’s a bad line – on the contrary, it’s a very good first line** – but that the sentiment it expresses is reprehensible; one which no-one ought to think, still less act on.
R Dean Taylor did go in for sound effects, though, didn’t he? There were the tyres in Gotta See Jane, and listen to the howl of the sirens in this one.
R Dean Taylor: Indiana Wants Me
**It was the best of lines, it was the worst of lines.
Tags: Indiana Wants Me, Lyrics, R Dean Taylor
MrH
16 March 2009 at 13:53
Bit slow to reply but I can’t understand a post about convict-related music not even mentioning the man in black.
Mr Cash is rolling in his underground cell…
jackdeighton
16 March 2009 at 18:57
I have a
blinddeaf spot where country music is concerned. Johnny Cash isn’t really on my radar.Friday On My Mind 1. – A Son of the Rock -- Jack Deighton
9 April 2010 at 22:47
[…] Lee Jacksonâs In A Broken Dream, Procol Harumâs Homburg, R Dean Taylorâs Gotta See Jane and Indiana Wants Me. I would also have included Nights In White Satin by The Moody Blues if it hadnât been turned […]
Friday on my Mind 228: Love Child – A Son of the Rock -- Jack Deighton
11 May 2023 at 20:12
[…] *See here and here. […]
Friday On My Mind 1. Friday On My Mind – A Son of the Rock -- Jack Deighton
2 May 2024 at 20:22
[…] In A Broken Dream, Procol Harum’s Homburg, R Dean Taylor’s Gotta See Jane and Indiana Wants Me. I would also have included Nights In White Satin by The Moody Blues if it hadn’t been turned […]
Ed
28 April 2025 at 09:44
Hey, the song was older, and they are not running… yet? but even sweet Olivia Newton-John got in the act with Banks of the Ohio…
jackdeighton
28 April 2025 at 15:24
Ed,
The song was written by Taylor and released in 1970. Part of the lyric says, “I’m scared and tired of running,” so he has stopped.
According to Wiki Banks of the Ohio was originally from the nineteenth century, composer(s) unknown.
Thanks for looking in and commenting.