Johnathan's Curse

Robert James

The second of three (so far) songs for the 2019 RPM Challenge with lyrics inspired by a ghost story. This time a woman who was executed for witchcraft (yup, I live in New England) who cursed her accuser. Years later his family built a memorial to him and as it started to erode the clear outline of a woman’s leg appeared. As if she was literally dancing on his grave forever. Take that, you paranoid asshole.

This was a little guitar loop I noodled out and recorded at the same time, with a couple of brief changes edited in after the fact. I didn’t double track the guitar the way I usually do, so I got a little goofy with the panning. Sorry.

The guitars are a Gibson SG into a Wampler Tumnus into a Fender Deluxe Reverb. There’s a little MXR Phase 95 in the solo as well.

Johnathan please listen to these words
the last I will ever say
I will haunt you forever and ever
I will dance upon your grave

Johnathan felt that she had to die
so he hung her in the square
But she laughed as she cursed him forever
It was heard by everyone there.

Right below his name
You can see it plain
A woman’s leg
as if dancing on his grave

https://www.boston.com/culture/history/2017/10/31/4-spooky-new-england-ghost-stories-youve-probably-never-heard