Marvin Solley - Ode To Mary Jo
On July 18, 1969, Mary Jo Kopechne left a Martha's Vineyard party with Senator Ted Kennedy, who piloted his Oldsmobile 88 off the side of a nearby bridge and into the water below. He managed to escape, but Kopechne drowned in the car. In an act of indefensible cowardice, Kennedy fled the scene and did not get around contacting the police until 10AM the next morning.
It's somewhat amazing, but people were still recording songs about the event 11 years later. Well, maybe not people in general, but Marvin Solley. Solley ratchets up the intensity factor by beginning his song with sound effects of a car skidding out of control and plunging into the water.
A few other songs about this tragedy can be heard in previous BOTB posts.
Mind-boggling. I think it's the honky-tonk piano that puts it over the top in terms of jaw-droppingly ghastly.
Posted by: Listener Rick | August 08, 2012 at 09:31 PM