On this day 1967, the Boston Strangler Albert deSalvo was sentenced to life, [news.bbc.co.uk]

Now correct me if Im wrong, but wasnt this the inspiration for Midnight Rambler? I know Mick sings
" Well you heard about the Boston...
Honey, it's not one of those...
But I thought the song was still inspired by the incident.

I had thought the song was inspired by the Boston Strangler as well. Anyone know anything different?

it's a given....

Well, partly, but it was a dark period too as the album reflects - also btw there has been in recent years some question regarding whether deSalvo really was the BS - that the pressure for arrest/prosecution may have led to the wrong guy, or at least in some of the killings he was accused of - there have been news stories, but I haven't really followed it closely

Yes, Midnight Rambler is about the Boston Strangler, Albert DiSalvo, who at that time was convicted of the crimes. Mick made mention of this in the Dick Cavett interview back in 1972.

In that same interview Mick also mentioned that Sweet Black Angel was about Angela Davis from the Black Panthers.

The spoken section in the middle is supposed to be taken word for word from the transcript of Albert de Salvo's confession to the cops according to an NME article I have from the late 70's.

And here he is:

[www.macalester.edu]

Mr Edward

Nope - the line is in the song "you heard about the Boston....honey it's not one of those"

The song is not about a serial killer but a serial rapist. That rapist is the "proud black panther" Eldridge Cleaver. One of the founding members of the panthers in the 60's who bragged about all the white women he had rapped.

The Lyric is

Well he's pouncing like proud black panther

Eldridge Cleaver was a political activist, and The Boston Strangler did in fact sexually molest his victims.

The song is not about Eldridge Cleaver

I read where Mick said it was one of the hardest songs for him to write. He did not specify why but described it as a eulogy to the Boston Strangler.

All I know is that the song has THE absolute best closing lyric in rock history
" I'll shove my knife right down your throat baby and it'll hurt"

It dont get much darker than that.

Milo, NYC
Is there nothing I can say

a quote from the "political activist"

Eldrege Cleaver (former Black Panther leader on why he raped white women): "Rape was an insurrectionary act. It delighted me that I was defying and trampling upon the white man's law, upon his system of values, and that I was defiling his women." [Eldridge Cleaver, Soul on Ice, McGraw-Hill, 1968, p.14.]

Cleaver bragged about his activities the was a "proud black panther" rapist.

I did not know there were so many black panthers still around.

Milo, NYC
The Po-leece in New York City chased a boy right in the park