Country music traditionalist Colter Wall's "Kate McCannon" is a story of love gone wrong and a murder ballad all at once. It shows how the hard-living lower class can sometimes fall into traps of infidelity and violence, as demonstrated by a wayward young couple.
Directors Alexa King and Stephen Kinigopoulos made the video with local friends and family after getting Wall's approval on social media. Their lush mini-movie first hit the web in 2017 but got renewed attention in 2018 after Wall posted it to his YouTube channel.
One thing that always sticks out about Wall's songs is his distinct voice. At first, it sounds put-on, but the Canadian singer really does talk and sing like that. It adds a sense of backwoods wisdom and hard living to this and other songs. In this instance, Wall's voice conveys emotions ranging from the worn-down town drunk to the heavy-hearted local minister through his lyrics and vocal delivery.
"Kate McCannon" Lyrics
Well the raven is a wicked bird
His wings are black as sin
And he floats outside my prison window
Mocking those within
And he sings to me real low
It's hell to where you go
For you did murder Kate McCannon
When I first met Tom McCannon
I was working in the mines
Said he had himself a dark haired daughter
With long, green eyes
When she and I did meet
She was bathing in the creek
Prettiest girl in the whole damn holler
That ain't no lie
So I went a courtin' Kate McCannon
Got me a job and I quit my ramblin'
And every day I'd save
A quarter of my pay
I could buy a diamond ring
Lord and one day I come home to find
My darlin' angel's not inside
So I made for the creek
Where she and I did meet
And found her with some other lover
And I put three rounds into Kate McCannon
