Bob Dylan mentions his worst song ever: “A Serial Killer Would Sing It”: The Eerily Haunting Song Bob Dylan Found ‘Covertly Creepy’

Bob Dylan mentions his worst song ever: “A Serial Killer Would Sing It”: The Eerily Haunting Song Bob Dylan Found ‘Covertly Creepy’

By Jackson Reeve | June 6, 2025

In the vast universe of Bob Dylan’s cryptic commentary and poetic turns of phrase, one line continues to haunt music fans and critics alike: “That’s the kind of song a serial killer would sing.”

The song in question? “Midnight Lullaby” — a deceptively gentle folk ballad from the mid-1970s that Dylan once described as “covertly creepy” during an offhand conversation with a Rolling Stone journalist in 1983. While never released as a single, the track has become a cult classic in certain circles, largely due to Dylan’s eerie endorsement.

🎵 The Song: Sweet on the Surface, Sinister Beneath

Written and performed by then-underground artist Jonah Reeves, “Midnight Lullaby” opens with softly plucked guitar strings, a soothing melody, and a whispering voice that almost seems to cradle the listener. But beneath the surface lies a darkness many listeners miss on the first listen.

The lyrics are cryptic, yet unsettling:

“Sleep now, little light / I’ll tuck you in tight / No one will hear if you cry tonight…”

While the tone mimics that of a bedtime lullaby, Dylan was among the first to publicly point out the song’s twisted undertones.

“That song ain’t about sleep,” Dylan told the interviewer. “It’s the kind of tune a man might hum after he’s done something real bad. Something irreversible. A serial killer would sing that walking away from the scene.”

🧠 Fans & Scholars Dive Into the Lyrics

In the decades since Dylan’s remark, “Midnight Lullaby” has been the subject of podcasts, YouTube essays, and online music theory breakdowns. Some theorize the song is written from the perspective of a stalker; others believe it’s an artistic expression of guilt and psychological torment.

Musicologist Dr. Lena Moore wrote in The Folk Journal:

“The contrast between the comforting melody and the increasingly disturbing lyrics creates a dissonance that lingers long after the final chord. Dylan’s comment isn’t just clever — it’s accurate.”

🎤 Jonah Reeves Responds (Sort Of)

Reeves, who passed away in 2011, never publicly addressed Dylan’s remark in detail. When asked about it in a 1997 interview, he reportedly smiled and said, “Even monsters have lullabies.”

That one line added even more fuel to the mysterious reputation of the track.

🔍 Still Resonant Today

“Midnight Lullaby” remains a staple on dark folk playlists and has been featured in multiple psychological thrillers and crime dramas. Most recently, it was used in the closing credits of the Netflix series Into the Hollow, prompting a new generation to ask: What is this song… and why does it feel so wrong?

Whether Bob Dylan meant it literally or metaphorically, “Midnight Lullaby” lives on as one of the most quietly disturbing songs in folk history — the kind that doesn’t scream, but whispers something you’ll never forget.

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