Belle Starr, Belle Starr, Tell Me Where You Have Gone

December 27, 2008 1:51 AM

I regard myself as a woman who has seen much of life. Belle Starr, also known as the Bandit Queen, was a well-educated "spoiled, rich girl" who grew up to prefer the company of outlaws. Her unconventional life inspired song lyrics [1, 2, 3, 4], movies [1, 2, 3], even manga [1, 2].
posted by amyms (9 comments total)

I'm disappointed to learn from this that Jesse James looked nothing like Brad Pitt.
posted by twoleftfeet at 2:56 AM on December 27, 2008

Post-punky (? dim recall here) girl band in the 80s too. I presume the name would be related. Thanks for the good read.
posted by Abiezer at 5:20 AM on December 27, 2008

Phoolan Devi, the Bandit Queen
posted by lukemeister at 7:58 AM on December 27, 2008

Belle Starr's death at the hands of Edgar Watson (or not) comes up repeatedly in Peter Matthiessen's Killing Mister Watson trilogy, as well as his recent one-volume revision/redaction/reworking, Shadow Country.
posted by thomas j wise at 8:20 AM on December 27, 2008

Exactly what I was thinking, lukemeister. I wish there were even more.
posted by theefixedstars at 9:53 AM on December 27, 2008

Post-punky (? dim recall here) girl band in the 80s too.

I thought of them too, Abiezer, but I couldn't find anything to verify that their name was indeed inspired by Belle Starr. Love their cover of the Dixie Cups' version of Iko Iko.

Phoolan Devi, the Bandit Queen

Wow, lukemeister, I hadn't heard of her. What a compelling story.
posted by amyms at 10:14 AM on December 27, 2008

Thanks, amyms. I first read of Phoolan Devi in Mary Anne Weaver's Atlantic article.
posted by lukemeister at 11:50 AM on December 27, 2008

I suspect that Pamela Reed's portrayal of Belle in The Long Riders is a little more closer to the truth. And ye gods what a cast.
posted by Ber at 2:21 PM on December 27, 2008

My husband claims that his grandfather danced with Belle Starr...it's possible, he was from out west.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 4:42 PM on December 27, 2008