https://modestwalrus.com/tags/indie-folk/Recent content in Indie Folk on Modest WalrusHugoen-usFri, 09 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://modestwalrus.com/music/john-wayne-gacy-jr/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://modestwalrus.com/music/john-wayne-gacy-jr/<h2 id="why-i-reacted-to-this-song">Why I Reacted To This Song</h2> <p>That was a horrifying tale, but Sufjan Stevens turned it into something hauntingly beautiful.</p> <h2 id="original-by-artist">Original by Artist</h2> <div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share; fullscreen" loading="eager" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZWpvMm27WIM?autoplay=0&amp;controls=1&amp;end=0&amp;loop=0&amp;mute=0&amp;start=0" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border:0;" title="YouTube video"></iframe> </div> <h2 id="about-this-song">About This Song</h2> <p>&ldquo;John Wayne Gacy, Jr.&rdquo; appears on Sufjan Stevens&rsquo; 2005 album Illinois. The song tells the story of the Chicago-area serial killer through soft vocals and gentle acoustic guitar. The guitar is in standard tuning (E A D G B E) with a capo on the 3rd fret, fingerpicking Dm, Cadd9, Am and F shapes that sound in the key of E flat. It ends with Stevens turning the lens on himself, admitting that in his best behavior he is really just like him.</p>