Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife

Vocalist/Guitarist Patterson Hood said in Uncut magazine March 2008: "'Two Daughters And A Beautiful Wife' is about a horrible tragedy, a family we knew who were murdered in their home on New Year's Day. That was one of the first I wrote for this record, trying to make sense of something there's no making sense of."

This song is about Bryan Harvey, singer-guitarist for a number of indie bands, most notably House of Freaks where he teamed up with drummer Johnny Hott. Like the Truckers, House of Freaks were devoted to Southern rock/folk with an emphasis on personal lyrics devoted to family and emotions. The family lived in Richmond, Virginia. The storefront in the lyrics is World of Mirth, a toy shop owned by Bryan's beautiful wife Kathryn. The two daughters were Stella, age 9, and Ruby, age 4. On January 1, 2006, Johnny Hott came to the Harveys' house for a New Year's party and found it burning. The family were found brutally murdered in the basement. The murders were part of the Richmond Spree. The killers were arrested, confessed, and have been convicted. A compilation album of Harvey's music called "Remember Me Well" was released later that year. The Bryan and Kathryn Harvey Family Memorial Endowment provides, among many other things, music scholarships in the Richmond area. Stella's school dedicated a garden to her memory. Children are invited to participate in Ruby's Run which raises money for a scholarship to Ruby's school, Second Presbyterian Child Care Center.