True Crime Tuesday: Songs That Inspired Infamy

Dr. Katherine Ramsland joins Kendall and Casey for True Crime Tuesday to discuss famous songs that have allegedly inspired acts of violence.

Charles Manson — Source: Bettmann / Getty

Music has long been a scapegoat for violent crimes that have been committed.

There are several examples of famous songs that have allegedly inspired murders. One that often comes to mind is “Helter Skelter” from The Beatles’ White Album, which cult leader Charles Manson claimed contained lyrics with subliminal messages from The Beatles to him. Manson and the members of his cult embraced these messages and claimed that they inspired them to carry out a string of brutal murders of actress Sharon Tate and four others, including coffee heiress Abigail Folgers, on Aug. 8, 1969.

Dr. Katherine Ramsland joins Kendall and Casey for True Crime Tuesday to discuss the supposed influence that Helter Skelter had on Manson’s cult and others, as well as other cases where popular music allegedly motivated people to commit heinous crimes.

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