Sniper Billy

The only box set I own of any artist is Harry Chapin's Story Of A Life. I wasn't even all that familiar with many of the songs when I got it, but I found it used at a decent price and picked it up on the strength of already owning (and loving) Anthology, a chapin collection only ever issued on casette. (I was looking for it on CD until I verified it was never issued in that format so then I eventually made my own personal CD of it anyway because it included the studio version of "30,000 Pounds Of Bananas"—which I actually prefer slightly to the probably more well known live version—and "Song Man," neither of which is on Story Of A Life.)

I highly recommend the box set. It has extensive liner notes and biographical info. There are so many great songs on there, but I always marvel at "Sniper" for the subject matter and its ambitious epic scope (running just shy of 10 minutes). It features multiple perspective shifts between the sniper's own thoughts, recollections of people from the sniper's past being interviewed for the news, and narration of the ongoing incident as it unfolds. I think there are very few composers who ever could have written such a song and still manage to evoke significant empathy for the lead character.

I particularly love the part where the song grows quieter and Chapin sings from the sniper's viewpoint, "Mama, it's getting worse for me." That one short line (for me) just crystallizes the man's inner pain at that point in his life, providing a focus for how he finds himself in his current situation, swept up by the tide of numerous unwanted/uncontrollable life events and not seeing a way out anymore.

"Sniper" was "...inspired by the true story of University of Texas assassin Charles Whitman."

As unique as I consider it to be, whenever I hear "Sniper" I am also immediately reminded of Justin Hayward's "Billy" (The View From The Hill, ©1996 on CMC Records International). It's not nearly as detailed as Chapin's song, but it's likewise very evocative of the "hero's" pain and anguish behind a (possibly) similar incident. Hayward is best known, of course, as a lead singer for The Moody Blues and his solo work usually sounds very reminiscent of the band's work. While "Billy" has a similar enough sound musically the topic is very un-Moody-like. It's not the sort of piece I would ever have expected from Hayward, but from the first time I heard it it immediately grabbed hold of me. (I have no idea if Hayward's song is based on an actual incident or not.)

Hayward introduces the song in the YouTube video simply: "It's about an incident that happened near me one day and why I wrote a song about it, I don't know, but I did and it's called 'Billy'." So it is based on an actual incident, but I have no idea of any specific details.

Chapin's "Sniper" very graphically describes its action whereas Hayward's "Billy" kind of leaves that part mostly offstage and to the imagination. We're not even sure if Billy actually kills anyone below since it's said only that he "took his aim at the people passing by." We don't know if he actually pulled the trigger in those instances or if he was only acting out an inner tortured fantasy, possibly with some intention of carrying it out, but then ultimately deciding on a different deadly alternative. Perhaps it's just as well to leave that part to the imagination anyway.

You can hear "Billy" at LastFM.com or view the live performance on YouTube (though I haven't actually watched it in full myself) by following the links farther below.

All I could find online for "Sniper" was a YouTube video of a live performance on PBS's Soundstage (click the song title below). I haven't I've now watched it all the way through, but being live it's obviously a different feel from the studio version I'm used to hearing (and which I admit I prefer, though the live performance has a palpable raw energy that by default cannot really be captured in a tweaked, polished, and perfected studio take). It definitely gives you the idea though...

---

Sniper
Written and performed by Harry Chapin
(See a live performance from PBS's Soundstage on YouTube)

She said, "Not now"
She said, "Not now"
She said, "Not now"
She said, "Not now"

It is an early Monday morning
The sun is becoming bright on the land
No one is watching as he comes a walking
Two bulky suitcases hang from his hands

He heads towards the tower that stands in the campus
He goes through the door, he starts up the stairs
The sound of his footsteps, the sound of his breathing
The sound of the silence when no one was there

I didn't really know him
He was kind of strange
Always sort of sat there
He never seemed to change
Oh oh, oh oh

He reached the catwalk, he put down his burden
The four-sided clock began to chime
7 AM, the day is beginning
So much to do and so little time

He looks at the city where no one had known him
He looks at the sky where no one looks down
He looks at his life and what it has shown him
He looks for his shadow, it cannot be found

He was such a moody child
Very hard to touch
Even as a baby
He never smiled too much
No no, no no

"You bug me," she said
"You're ugly," she said
"Please hug me," I said
But she just sat there
With the same flat stare
That she saves for me alone
When I'm home
When I'm home
Take me home

He laid out the rifles, he loaded the shotgun
He stacked up the cartridges along the wall
He knew he would need them for his conversation
If it went as he planned then he might use them all

He said "Listen you people, I've got a question
You won't pay attention but I'll ask anyhow
I found a way that will get me an answer
Been waiting to ask you 'til now
Right now!"

Am I?
I am a lover who's never been kissed
Am I?
I am a fighter who's not made a fist
Am I?
If I'm alive then there's so much I've missed
How do I know I EXIST?
ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?
ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?
AM I?

The first words he spoke took the town by surprise
One got Mrs. Givens above her right eye
It blew her through the window, wedged her against the door
Reality poured from her face, staining the floor

He was kind of creepy
Sort of a dunce
I met him at the corner bar
I only dated the poor boy once
That's all
Just once
That was all

Bill Whedon was questioned as he stepped from his car
Tom Scott ran across the street but he never got that far
The police were there in minutes, they set up barricades
He spoke right on over them in a half-mile circle
In a dumbstruck city his pointed questions were sprayed

He knocked over Danny Tyson as he ran towards the noise
Just about then the answers started coming... sweet, sweet joy
Thudding in the clock face, whining off the walls
Reaching up to where he sat there answering calls
37 people got his message so far
Yes, he was reaching them right where they are

"Not now"
She said, "Not now"
She said, "Not now"

They set up an assault team, they asked for volunteers
They had to go and get him, that much was clear
And the word spread about him on the radios and TV
In appropriately sober tone they asked "Who can it be?"

He was a very dull boy
Very taciturn
Not much of a joiner
He did not want to learn
No no, no no

They're coming to get me, they don't want to let me
Stay in the bright light too long
It's getting on noon now, it's going to be soon now
But oh, what a wonderful song!

Mama, won't you nurse me?
Rain me down the sweet milk of your kindness
Mama, it's getting worse for me
Won't you please make me warm and mindless?
Mama, yes you have cursed me
I never will forgive you for your blindness
I HATE YOU!

The wires are all humming for me
And I can hear them coming for me
Soon they'll be here, but there's nothing to fear
Not any more though they've blasted the door

As the copter dropped the gas he shouted "Who cares?"
They could hear him laughing as they started up the stairs
As they stormed out on the catwalk, blinking at the sun,
With their final fusillade his answer... had come

Am I?
There is no way that you can hide me
Am I?
Though you have put your fire inside me
Am I?
You've given me my answer, can't you see?...
I was!
I am!
And now
I Will Be
I WILL BE!

---

Billy
Written and performed by Justin Hayward
(Listen at Last.FM or see a live performance on YouTube)

Billy left home one morning, he walked right out the door
He said goodbye to his former life and he never came back no more
Oh Billy... there's anger in your heart
Oh Billy... there's madness in your eyes

He took his favorite handgun, with his rifle he felt free
He cleaned them all the night before, he was armed as he could be
Oh Billy... there's anger in your heart
Oh Billy... there's sadness in your eyes

'Cause it's a sad world where there's no one
Who can reach out to the source of your pain
Yes, it's a sad world, such a sad, sad world
When only peace comes at the end of a gun
Whoa... oh

He found the tallest building, like a bird's nest in the sky
He shed a tear as he took his aim at the people passing by
Oh Billy... there's anger in your heart
Oh Billy... there's sadness in your eyes

Well, it's a sad world where there's no one
Who can reach out to the source of your pain
Yes, it's a sad world, such a sad, sad world
When only peace comes at the end of a gun
Whoa... oh

Before he pulled the trigger, he knelt as if to pray
And at the top of the church he will never be found
Since he took his life that day

Oh Billy... there's anger in your heart
Oh Billy... there's sadness in your eyes

But it's a sad world where there's no one
Who can reach out to the source of your pain
Yes, it's a sad world, such a sad, sad world
When only peace comes at the end of a gun

Yes, it's a sad world when there's no one
Who can hold you when you just need to cry
And it's a sad, sad world when there's no one
Who would care if, if you live or you die

And it's a sad world, such a sad, sad world
It's a sad world