Ed Gein was another one of those terrible serial killers. Here, we’ve compiled 13 songs that make up a Twisted Soundtrack for the Butcher of Plainfield.
“In the depths of a mind insane / Fantasy and reality are the same!” That must be what was happening in the mind of Ed Gein. By no means was Ed Gein, The Butcher of Plainfield, a prolific serial killer. But, he was definitely mentally unstable. After the death of his mother, Gein seemed to completely lose it. That said, he was always cray cray. Besides being a murderer, he was also a grave robber, exhuming bodies and desecrating the deceased. Famously, Gein repurposed human skin and body parts…we’ll leave that at that.
We won’t spend much time on the backstory, but there’s no shortage of info on Gein. The site House of Horrors is wealth of info, if you desire to know more. NY Daily News has a gallery of the infamous Gein house, where his gruesome crimes were uncovered. We, friends, fiends, and otherwise, offer a 13 songs compilation, making a most Twisted Soundtrack for Ed Gein.
1. Mudvayne, “Nothing to Gein”
💿 L.D. 50 • 🏷 Sony • 📅 2000
“I’m just a soiled dirty boy Sheltered life innocence Insulated memories, spark reflections of my Head Duality in my consciousness Caught in the war of hemispheres.”
Indeed 🎙 Mudvayne, indeed. Ed Gein ranks among the most famous and fascinating serial killers of them all, mainly because of his vast mental issues. Lyrically, Mudvayne nail it, as offensive as it is.
“Aprons of flesh corpse scalped hair with skin upon my face Deliver the remains from her womb of earth Prep the rack and tie up for New love’s rebirth Covert understanding of novice surgery I’ll focus Concentration and only take just what I need For sickness I’m masticating Dancing and masturbating Celebrate in the fields of night with skin upon my Face…”
2. Cannibal Corpse, “Addicted to Vaginal Skin”
💿 Tomb of the Mutilated • 🏷 Metal Blade • 📅 1992
The second Ed Gein entry on this list is far more disgusting and explicit. Cannibal Corpse provide the perfect tone poem to this infamous necrophiliac and cannibal.
“The curse is broken I have a dependence on vaginal skin'It’s become my sexual addiction I must slit, the twitching cl*t Rotted cavity hold the juice...”
3. Slayer, “Dead Skin Mask”
💿 Seasons in the Abyss • 🏷 American • 🗓 1990
Slayer is a veteran metal band, forming in the early 80s. Who better to tackle Gein? They’ve graced our previous serial killer playlists. They describes the mindset of Ed Gein and any number of serial killers best on “Dead Skin Mask.”
“In the depths of a mind insane Fantasy and reality are the same!”
The aforementioned quote fittingly served as an introduction to this most twisted soundtrack for a most twisted individual. At times, Slayer poetically captures the sickness of Gein on “Dead Skin Mask.” At other times, poetic certainly isn’t the right word.
“Dance with the dead in my dreams Listen to their hallowed screams The dead have taken my soul Temptation’s lost all control.”
4. Church of Misery, “Plainfield”
💿 Early Works Compilation • 🏷 Emetic • 🗓 2011
Ah, we love some Church of Misery at The Musical Hype! They’ve appeared on the majority of our serial killer playlists for good reason – they seem to have a song for every killer we’ve profiled. Mr. Gein gets some of their affection as well on “Plainfield.” The lyrics certainly suit Ed to say the least. Like Slayer, Church of Misery couldn’t dare miss an opportunity to mention the dead skin mask. Fittingly, the Japanese metal heads set things up with some background info and an extended, dark, malicious instrumental before the singing commences.
“Lonely old blood farmer / Resides in deserted house / Grave robber, body collector / Fall from sanity’s grace / Digs up a bone and human body… / Put on your ‘Dead skin mask’ / Now’s the time to perform the rite.”
5. The Fiendish Phantoms, “Ed”
The Fiendish Phantoms, 2017
Who are The Fiendish Phantoms? The Fiendish Phantoms are a horror punk, horror rock band. Scary! Anyways, “Ed,” written about Ed Gein, appears on their self-titled Ed Gein. As expected, it’s creepy AF. The capture a number of key characteristics of Gein, including grave digging and his obsession with his late mother.
6. Macabre, “The Geins”
Macabre Minstrels: Morbid Campfire Songs, 2002
Ah, yet another band we love at The Musical Hype. Macabre, like Church of Misery, have rewarded us with a number of songs about these deranged beasts known as serial killers. Naturally, Macabre couldn’t leave out Eddie! What’s interesting about “The Geins” is the fact that Macabre does approach the song like an old-time minstrel. They start at the beginning telling the story, before progressing into the more twisted stuff. And that stuff is hella twisted!
“There’ll be Gein wear that’s made of embalmed ladies / A heart in a frying pan and lips on a string / Some scraps and fats and skeletons and sure as you’re born / The ugliest of all was the oozing corpse.”
7. Blind Melon, “Skinned”
Soup, 1995
“When will I realize that this skin I’m in? Hey, it isn’t mine / And when will the kill be too much meat for me to hide on?” Damn, how can two minutes be so disturbing? Blind Melon finds a way to make the brief “Skinned” just that. From the onset, Blind Melon do Ed Gein justice. But that’s the problem – we know how messed up the Butcher of Plainfield was.
“I’ll make a shoehorn outta your skin / I’ll make a lampshade of durable skin / And, oh, don’t you know what I’m always feeling able / When I’m sitting home and I’m carving out your navel? / I’m just a sitting here carving out your navel.”
Belly button fetish taken WAY too far.
8. Tad, “Nipple Belt”
God’s Balls, 1989
It takes some big balls to name an album God’s Balls. Alas, that’s just what Tad does. It also take some big balls to write and perform a song about a serial killer, particularly one like Ed Gein. Tad come up with the perfect song – “Nipple Belt.” Why? Well, Gein created a belt made of nipples, among other atrocities. It’s actually difficult to decipher the lyrics, but what’s not difficult to discern is the perverseness of which Tad sings.
9. Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Skin”
Kaleidoscope, 1980
“Cover me with skin and accuse me of sin / But you know what I mean, there’s just too many of them / Give me your skin for dancing in / Oh, give me your skin for dancing in.”
Siouxsie and the Banshees nail Ed Gein – understatement. Who exactly is Siouxsie and the Banshees exactly? A British rock band formed in 1976 that included Sid Vicious as a former member. On a number of these playlists, metal bands provide the soundtrack to these serial killers. In this case, it’s an alternative rock band. Despite not having the same jagged quality metal bands possess, Siouxsie achieves an intense, unsettling on “Skin.” This also extends into the lyrics, as aforementioned.
“Hairless and streamline, fits like my own skin / Tattooed and sun-dyed, it’s warm and it’s human / There was too many of them, the animals like them / Shame about the smell but they’re fine, steeped in perfume.”
Gross.
10. Killdozer, “Ed Gein”
Intellectuals are the Shoe Shine Boys of the Ruling Elite, 1984
If it weren’t for the title and the repetition of it, one would be hard pressed to understand what Killdozer was singing. Naturally, the noise rock band, like the other collectives on this list, sing about Ed Gein. Given the style of Killdozer, it makes perfect sense, even if the words are indecipherable. Who needs words when vibe is everything, right?
11. Cornbugs, “Ed Gein”
Rest Home for Robots, 2003
“Ed Gein” is essentially a 39 second twisted poem about Ed Gein (duh), accompanied by a frightening backdrop. According to metal band Cornbugs, The Butcher of Plainfield is misunderstood. Yeah right…totally.
“Ed Gein, he ain’t mean / Just a little bit misunderstood / Dressed up in his mother’s skin / I would if I could / Yellow, brown, white, and black / I’d buy my skin right off the rack.”
12. Lordi, “Deadache”
Deadache, 2008
“The Mad Butcher goes bump in the night / And loneliness / It makes nights endless / The farm bathes in the thumping moonlight / It incubates my grief and madness.”
Lordy do we love Lordi, who grace this hellish playlist with “Deadache!” Has the Butcher of Plainville ever sounded madder?
“She’s over by my place as decoration I preserved her face for inspiration.”
The madness continues, with references to the death of his family, namely his late mom and of course, his insanity.
13. John 5, “Dead Art in Plainfield”
The Devil Knows My Name, 2007
Closing out the madness of Ed Gein is John 5. There are no words on “Dead Art in Plainfield” – it’s instrumental. And honestly, no words are needed. The minor-key, hard-hitting instrumental rock cut serves as a perfect tone poem for Ed, nipple belt and all!
Photo Credits: Sony, Metal Blade, American, Emetic, The Fiendish Phantoms, Decomposed, Capitol, Sub Pop, Geffen, Touch and Go, Rack-O, The End, Mascot
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