Thanks for your post, Brian. Great house concert that you gave as well, by the way (when he was in Batavia, Illinois, sorry for the thread creep). I personally don't recommend violence/murder, etc. But I think the implicit message would be to treat one's old flames decently. In reality no one "has it coming." But I find the ballads sort of ketchup crucifix versions of situations many of us experience. The extra drama makes it memorable.