Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)

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Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)
Song
Artist	AURORA
Album	All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend Stories (Acoustic version) For the Metal People (Studio version)
Released	September 4, 2015
Recorded	2015
Genre	Alternative Electropop
Length	3:20 3:28 (Acoustic) 3:17 (Radio Mix) 3:08 (Detour Mix)
Label	Decca Records Glassnote Petroleum Records
Writer(s)	Aurora Aksnes Odd Martin Skålnes
Producer(s)	Magnus Skylstad Odd Martin Skålnes

Singles Chronology
Previous	"Running with the Wolves"
Next	"Half the World Away"

All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend Chronology
Previous	"Warrior"
Next	"Home"

All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend Chronology
Previous	"Half the World Away"
Next	"Nature Boy"

Stories (EP) Chronology
Previous	"Exist for Love"
Next	"Little Boy in the Grass"

For the Metal People (EP) Chronology
Previous	"In Bottles"
Next	"Apple Tree"

"Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)" is the sixth single released by AURORA and the third single from the album All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend. It was written by Aurora and Odd Martin Skålnes and produced by Skålnes and Magnus Skylstad. The "Acoustic" version of the song was initially released as a music video on August 25, 2015. A single with both the studio version and the Acoustic followed on September 4th. The studio version is on all versions of AURORA's debut album and the acoustic version is included on its deluxe editions.

A "Radio Mix" was registered, but not officially released. It leaked on August 16, 2021.

Another version of the song ("Detour Mix") plays during the closing credits of 2016 British thriller film Detour. Besides its appearance there, this version has not been officially released.

Background

Aurora wrote this song when she was 18 years old and wrote both the lyrics and the music very quickly.

The double title of the song stems from its radio premiere on BBC, Aurora told NRK P3 Plateprat:

"Yes, it had to be called that. When it was going on the BBC, on the radio. Because that was such a brutal title, so I had to find another one [...] but of course I didn't want to give in, so it should be called both. I wouldn't change completely."

About the song

The song is about something Aurora heard on the radio, a story that she gave a twist of her own. She has described it as "a very sad" song and "a bloody one". In an interview with The 405, she said about the song:

"It's a tragic love story. Very tragic. The saddest thing is that he really loves her."

In an interview, Aurora was asked if the song was inspired by a personal experience, she said:

"I just think it's fascinating how people can be the same people, how you and I need oxygen, can have children, need to be embraced, we need food, water, that we smile at us... we need the same things because we are people. And it's just fascinating that some people can have in them the desire to kill while some people cannot pick a flower without feeling bad. That's about this I wrote 'Murder Song'. How can a man kill someone he loves and it happens often in the world. But he doesn't really understand what he did, it's a very complicated story. Her, she didn't want to be in this world anymore, and she knew that this man would do anything for her. She asks him to kill her and he said: 'OK, I love you, I would do anything for you.' After he killed her, he became sad because she didn't move anymore and he didn't understand where she went. He didn't understand why she left and he start crying. And it is sad, because for the rest of his life, he will not understand and he will be sad."

In another interview, she said:

"First of all, I have a really vivid imagination. You know that these things may be happening to someone right now. It's kind of a terrifying thought. I just had to get that thought out of my head – and that's why I wrote this song. But the two characters are actually just made up in my head. I've written many songs about them – maybe I'll make a book with them."

Lyrics

• Studio version
• Acoustic version

5, 4, 3, 2, 1
5, 4, 3, 2, 1

He holds the gun against my head
I close my eyes and bang, I am dead
I know he knows that he's killing me for mercy

And here I go
And here I go

He holds my body in his arms
He didn't mean to do no harm
And he holds me tight

He did it all to spare me from
The awful things in life that comes
And he cries and cries
I know he knows that he's killing me for mercy

And here I go
And here I go

He holds my body in his arms
He didn't mean to do no harm
And he cries and cries

He did it all to spare me from
The awful things in life that comes
And he cries and cries

5, 4, 3, 2, 1
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Ahahahah
Ahahahah
Ahahahah
Ahahahah
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
5, 4, 3, 2, 1

The gun is gone
And so am I
And here I go

5, 4, 3, 2, 1
5, 4, 3, 2, 1

He holds the gun against my head
I close my eyes and bang, I am dead
I know he knows that he's killing me for mercy

And here I go
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
And here I go
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh

And he holds my body in his arms
He didn't mean to do no harm
And he holds me tight

Oh, he did it all to spare me from
The awful things in life that comes
And he cries and cries
I know he knows that he's killing me for mercy

And here I go
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
And here I go
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh

He holds my body in his arms
He didn't mean to do no harm
And he holds me tight

Oh, he did it all to spare me from
The awful things in life that comes
And he cries and cries

5, 4, 3, 2, 1
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
5, 4, 3, 2, 1

The gun is gone
And so am I
And here I go

Music video

A music video for the acoustic version was recorded approximately July 13, 2015 and released on August 25, 2015. It was directed by Kenny McCracken.

If the video is not available in your region, you can also watch it here.

Behind the scenes

Photographs by Doug Elliot on set:

Audio

Studio version

Decca Records & Petroleum Records regions

Glassnote regions

Acoustic

Decca Records regions

Detour Mix

Fan repost

Trivia

• When the song is performed live, it is usually the Acoustic arrangement, but there have been several live performances of the 'studio version' as well.
• Aurora had wet hair when she wrote the song.
• The song appears in the short documentary Nothing Is Eternal with footage of Aurora dancing in the streets of Bergen to this song. A clip of the documentary was a popular video on YouTube under the title "Murder song (Alternative version)", however this was not an official video nor title.
• The acoustic version was featured on episode 22, season 3 (2017) of American superhero TV series The Flash and on episode 7, season 6 (2017) of American supernatural teen drama TV series Teen Wolf.