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"Death Harvest" is a song by The Residents, from their concept album The Ghost of Hope, released March 24th 2017 by Cherry Red Records, MVD Audio and Psychofon Records. An edit of the second half of the track, titled "Rushing Like a Banshee", was released as a single by Psychofon on October 30th 2016, accompanied by a music video directed by the group with video artist John Sanborn.
The song depicts the various misfortunes of the Winsor family, culminating in the death of a mother and four children, who are hit and killed by a train while on a strawberry picking expedition. The album version features guest vocals from Peter Whitehead, who provides the story's context at the beginning and end of the track.
The single edit was performed live on the In Between Dreams tour between March 2017 and October 2018; a recording from an April 2018 show at the Chapel in San Francisco was released on the album In Between Dreams Live in 2019. To date, the full-length album version of the song has only been performed live once, at the album's premiere party at the Exploratorium in San Francisco on March 30th 2017.
The single version of the song was also included on the retrospective box set 80 Aching Orphans, released in October 2017.
Lyrics[]
Album version[]
Tragedy seems to follow The Winsor family. Once an elder brother Died while pigeon hunting
Then the younger brother Was shot with his own gun.
Also the three year old Daughter of the Winsors Came too close to a campfire And burst into flames.
A mother and four children Were spirited away From pleasures of a picnic day Into eternity The day was to include A strawberry picking Expedition and A picnic dinner, too.
Rushing like a banshee Gliding down the tracks Rushing like a banshee Gliding down the tracks
Rushing like a banshee Rushing like a banshee Rushing like a banshee
Rushing like a banshee Ready to attack The swiftly moving engine Collided with a crack Of thunder as the Buick Crossed the railroad tracks,
Spreading human freight Along the railway grade Leaving fresh strawberries, Scattered in its wake.
William Winsor suffered A fractured skull and hip, A broken kneecap and a Lacerated lip. When found by Roland Butler Who handled him with care His head was in the ground and His feet were in the air.
Single version[]
Rushing like a banshee Gliding down the tracks Rushing like a banshee Gliding down the tracks
Rushing like a banshee Rushing like a banshee Rushing like a banshee
Rushing like a banshee Ready to attack The swiftly moving engine Collided with a crack Of thunder as the Buick Crossed the railroad tracks,
Spreading human freight Along the railway grade Leaving fresh strawberries, Scattered in its wake.
"Rushing Like a Banshee" music video[]
Screenshot from the "Rushing Like a Banshee" music video by The Residents and John Sanborn, 2016
A music video for "Rushing Like a Banshee" by The Residents and video artist John Sanborn was released on the group's official YouTube channel on November 8th 2016. The video is a collage of moving images, separated horizontally into nine strips; The Singing Resident's face can be partially seen mugging for the camera and lip-synching throughout the video.
The video was later screened before the group's performance of The Ghost of Hope at the album's premiere party at the Exploratorium in San Francisco on March 30th 2017.
List of releases[]
- "Rushing Like a Banshee" (2016) [Version 1]
- The Ghost of Hope (2017) [Version 2]
- 80 Aching Orphans (2017) [Version 1]
- In Between Dreams Live (2019) [Version 3]
List of versions[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Studio recording, ca. 2014-2016 ("Rushing Like a Banshee" single edit, 2:08)
- ↑ Studio recording, ca. 2014-2016 ("Death Harvest", 7:23)
- ↑ In Between Dreams live recording, The Chapel, San Francisco, California, April 2018 ("Rushing Like a Banshee", 2:19)
See also[]
- The Ghost of Hope
- "Rushing Like a Banshee" (single)