The Hearse Song

Album: not on an album (1910)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Also known as "The Worms Crawl In," this delightful ditty is thought to have originated from the First World War or earlier. Certainly fragments of the lyrics predate the 20th Century, and although our ancestors lacked the technology that makes possible gory horror films like ...Dream Warriors, they certainly did not lack lurid imaginations.

    Whether or not it is entirely or partly of American origin, it was popularized by the New England author Alvin Schwartz (1927-92), who included the lyrics of what might be called his version in Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark. This 1981 book was written for children, though many people - including those who run the American Library Association - did not consider it entirely suitable for young minds. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.

Ralph Casale  - Session Pro

Ralph Casale - Session ProSongwriter Interviews

A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock."

Rob Halford of Judas Priest

Rob Halford of Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford dives into some of his Judas Priest lyrics, talking about his most personal songs and the message behind "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Incongruent Opening Acts

Incongruent Opening ActsSong Writing

Here's what happens when an opening act is really out of place with the headliner, like when Beastie Boys opened for Madonna.

Edwin McCain

Edwin McCainSongwriter Interviews

"I'll Be" was what Edwin called his "Hail Mary" song. He says it proves "intention of the songwriter is 180 degrees from potential interpretation by an audience."