8 Songs That Were Blamed For Terrible Crimes and Tragedies

“Night Prowler”

AC/DC

By 1985, Richard Ramírez was established as one of the era’s most horrific killers. He’d committed over a dozen slayings along with a slew of other violent crimes, earning him the nickname “Night Stalker”. Ramírez was allegedly a fan of AC/DC, particularly a track that happened to be close to his moniker: “Night Prowler”. Although the 1979 tune had nothing to do with his spree, his admittance combined with its seemingly dark lyrics and themes caused a massive controversy. The group was decried by fearful parents, leading them to assert that it was about a boy sneaking into his girlfriend’s room — not murder. Despite their defenses, they still made the call to permanently pull it from their live performances.

“Ronnie”

Metallica

It may have been written with another crime in mind, but the band had no clue what their track would later become associated with. Metallica’s 1996 song “Ronnie” is believed to be about a 1995 shooting in Washington state. Yet, Ronald Pituch claimed he thought it was actually about him after taking the lives of his mother and an unrelated child in 2002. The lyrics are about a boy who keeps to himself before snapping and going on a rampage. Pituch stopped taking his medication after hearing it, and later claimed that it was always in his head leading up to his act. The prosecutors and jury saw through his story, leading to him being sentenced to decades behind bars and the tune being exonerated.

“Exit”

U2

In the late 1980s, actress Rebecca Schaeffer had a bright career ahead of her. That is, until her stalker Robert John Bardo appeared at her door in 1989 and took her life. His defense attorney claimed that he’d been influenced by the song “Exit” by U2. The lyrics depicted thoughts from the mind of a serial killer, and it was taken so seriously at the time that it was played mid-trial. The moment the track began, Bardo began dancing in his seat and bopping along to the music. A mental health professional even argued that Bardo had interpreted it to be about him. Bono has gone on to say that he doesn’t feel guilty — but as a result, they didn’t play “Exit” live for decades.

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“Bodies”

Drowning Pool

No artist writes a song hoping it’ll result in the deaths of multiple people. Drowning Pool is no exception. The musicians have stated that “Bodies” is about mosh pit culture, but that hasn’t stopped the lyrics from being horrifically misinterpreted. In 2003 Joshua Cooke listened to it while shooting his adoptive parents. In 2011, Jared Lee Loughner shot nineteen people and slayed six, in an attack aimed at then-representative Gabby Giffords. The tune was found in his favorites playlist on YouTube, leading to speculation that it influenced his act. The band spoke out against that claim, insisting that it was never meant to be violent. While they aren’t to blame, it proves how entertainers have little control over how their work is taken.

“Better by You, Better Than Me”

Judas Priest

Even when a song isn’t originally by an artist, they can still be accused of nefarious intent. Judas Priest can attest to this, with their 1978 cover of Spooky Tooth’s “Better by You, Better Than Me”, leading to them being accused of influencing a 1990 death pact between James Vance and Raymond Belknap. Their families sued the band for millions, claiming that they had hidden a subliminal message via backmasking, encouraging fans to take their own lives. Vance himself claimed they were murderers. Lead vocalist Rob Halford testified in their defense, and even pointed out that it wouldn’t make any sense for them to convince their listeners to die. Luckily, the judge agreed, and it was ruled that they weren’t responsible for the tragedy.

“Jeremy”

Pearl Jam

Even songs with clear messages can be misinterpreted. Pearl Jam realized this following the release of their 1992 single “Jeremy”. While the track itself was based on two tragedies — a self-inflicted death and a school shooting — and decried violence, the ambiguous video led many to believe that it ended with the subject killing his classmates. It seems Barry Loukaitis was in that group, with the then fourteen-year-old taking the lives of three people in 1996. During the trial, it was claimed that he was influenced by the visual interpretation and used it for ideas on how to carry out the attack. While the band luckily evaded any legal repercussions, Loukaitis was sentenced to life behind bars, which was solidified by a re-sentencing in 2017.

“Suicide Solution”

Ozzy Osbourne

While it’s understandable that a grieving family would want to find any cause for their loved one’s self-inflicted death, blaming art isn’t the way to go about it. On his debut album, Ozzy Osbourne includes this track, which served as a warning to those with self-destructive habits. However, that interpretation was ignored following the 1984 demise of John McCollum. His parents sued, alleging that he’d been listening to the song at the time of his passing and that it encouraged listeners to take their lives. The suit was dismissed, but two more were brought forward in 1990 following the self-driven deaths of two teenagers. Those were also thrown out, making it clear that the law assigned no blame to Osbourne or his piece.

“Helter Skelter”

The Beatles

Who could’ve guessed that a song made with the main goal of not being “soppy” would be associated with one of the most infamous murders of the 20th century? Certainly not the Beatles. They had no idea that Charles Manson told his followers that 1968’s “Helter Skelter” supported a theoretical race war he concocted, or that it’d lead to the brutal deaths of eight people. The words “Helter Skelter” were even written in blood at the scene of one of the crimes. John Lennon and Paul McCartney have both spoken out against Manson, with the latter lamenting that it had inadvertently inspired evil acts. Those involved were sentenced to life in prison, and while the tune bears no responsibility, it’s been permanently linked to that fateful night.

Have any of your favorite songs ever been unfairly blamed for a horrific event? Let us know in the comments below!