--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think tonight's the night I will hang…" description: "\"“I think tonight's the night I will hang Howard W. Campbell Jr., for crimes against himself... They say that a hanging man hears gorgeous music. Too ba..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/kurt-vonnegut-41_hang_i-think-tonight-s-the-night-i-will-hang_563368.jpg" --- # I think tonight's the night I will hang Howard W. Campbell… ![“I think tonight's the night I will hang Howard W. Campbell Jr., for crimes against himself... They say that a hanging man hears gorgeous music. Too bad that I, like my father, unlike my musical mother, am tone-deaf. All the same I hope the tune that I'm about to hear is not Bing Crosby's 'White…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/kurt-vonnegut-41_hang_i-think-tonight-s-the-night-i-will-hang_563368.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/kurt-vonnegut-41_hang_i-think-tonight-s-the-night-i-will-hang_563368.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/kurt-vonnegut-41_hang_i-think-tonight-s-the-night-i-will-hang_563368.jpg) > ““I think tonight's the night I will hang Howard W. Campbell Jr., for crimes against himself... They say that a hanging man hears gorgeous music. Too bad that I, like my father, unlike my musical mother, am tone-deaf. All the same I hope the tune that I'm about to hear is not Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas”” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator contemplates executing a man, reflecting on fate, irony, and the absurdity of violence, while using music as a metaphor for death. **In simple terms:** He muses about killing a man and the music that might accompany it. Key Takeaway Consider the absurdity of violent fantasies. Themes irony absurdity violence music fate Mood dark reflective ironic Type literary philosophical satirical When to use this quote - War crimes - personal vendettas - creative writing - psychological analysis Key Concepts Existentialism dark humor morality Questions to Reflect On - What does the music symbolize in this context? - Does humor diminish the gravity of violence? A Different Perspective The quote mixes dark humor with serious moral reflection, which may trivialize real suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [White christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-christmas/) ## Related quotes > [There is no satisfaction in hanging a man who does not object to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/there-is-no-satisfaction-in-hanging-a-man-who-does-not-object-to-it/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“The year began with the hanging of one man and ended with the drowning of another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-dubosarsky/the-year-began-with-the-hanging-of-one-man-and-ended-with-the/) [Ursula Dubosarsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-dubosarsky/) > [I'll be hanging on every word you say to me. hanging on a feeling that I get, Cause you make me laugh a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james/i-ll-be-hanging-on-every-word-you-say-to-me-hanging-on-a-feeling-that/) [James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james/) > [Some say hanging on to someone is what makes you strong... but sometimes it is letting go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/some-say-hanging-on-to-someone-is-what-makes-you-strong-but-sometimes/) Sharlene05 > [It was her mother, I didn't know what to say, I was hanging by a string. 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I just kind of hang out with girls that I think have a good personality, know how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-sheckler/i-don-t-really-have-a-type-i-just-kind-of-hang-out-with-girls-that-i/) [Ryan Sheckler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-sheckler/) > [“Working late one night in 1940, poolside at the Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, Irving Berlin, Munn Lodge 190, New York City, told his secretary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-harrison/working-late-one-night-in-1940-poolside-at-the-biltmore-hotel-in/) [Steven L. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-harrison/) > [We had our white Christmas. Now the snow can start melting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-had-our-white-christmas-now-the-snow-can-start-melting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love 'White Christmas.' That's one of my favorites just because I love the music. I love the story, Bing Crosby. It's just one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bakula/i-love-white-christmas-that-s-one-of-my-favorites-just-because-i-love/) [Scott Bakula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bakula/) > [Oh I'm dreaming of a white christmas. With every christmas card I write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-belsante/oh-i-m-dreaming-of-a-white-christmas-with-every-christmas-card-i-write/) [Matt Belsante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-belsante/) > ['White Christmas' is one of my favorite movies, so I've always just had a love for that kind of golden era musical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/white-christmas-is-one-of-my-favorite-movies-so-i-ve-always-just-had/) [Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/) > [I would rather have a snow day tomorrow than have had a white Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-rather-have-a-snow-day-tomorrow-than-have-had-a-white/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Then I learnt of “white Christmas”, which again I found very peculiar since we always have a white Christmas at home for it never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-d-gonsalves/then-i-learnt-of-white-christmas-which-again-i-found-very-peculiar/) [Gloria D. Gonsalves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-d-gonsalves/) > [When what's left of you gets around to what's left to be gotten, what's left to be gotten won't be worth getting whatever it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-kaye/when-what-s-left-of-you-gets-around-to-what-s-left-to-be-gotten-what/) [Danny Kaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-kaye/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Hang quotes > [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [In order to find yourself, who you really are, you got to be with yourself; you got to hang out with yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/post-malone/in-order-to-find-yourself-who-you-really-are-you-got-to-be-with/) [Post Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/post-malone/) > [Its really hard to let go of someone you love but there are times that you just have to let go not because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-really-hard-to-let-go-of-someone-you-love-but-there-are-times/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This must be Thursday. 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I like to hang out with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/i-wake-up-at-5-30-6-in-the-morning-but-don-t-head-into-the-office/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [To avoid taking responsibility, I become unresponsive but hang on until the other person leaves me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/to-avoid-taking-responsibility-i-become-unresponsive-but-hang-on/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [If Leonardo DiCaprio calls, I'll hang out with him, sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-o-connor/if-leonardo-dicaprio-calls-i-ll-hang-out-with-him-sure/) [Josh O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-o-connor/) > [It was a dream come true working with Johnny Depp. He's always been my acting idol. Working with him and watching him work taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cook/it-was-a-dream-come-true-working-with-johnny-depp-he-s-always-been-my/) [Mason Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cook/) > [“You become like the people you hang around, and to a great degree, you end up going wherever they’re headed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/you-become-like-the-people-you-hang-around-and-to-a-great-degree-you/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [Everything is going to turn out all right! Hang in there. I'm always here for you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everything-is-going-to-turn-out-all-right-hang-in-there-i-m-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Foolish man, what do you bemoan, and what do you fear? Wherever you look there is an end of evils. 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