Urban Legends
Luke Mordue examines the historical impact of the stories that haunt our society, tales that have gripped towns and cities worldwide for centuries as actual events - Urban Legends. First, hear the tales retold as short stories before delving into the history of the legend, dissecting its cultural significance, factuality, and origins.
Released Fortnightly.
Episodes
61 episodes
Dog Boy [Patreon Teaser]
Three separate stories, one title, but is there any truth?In this chapter, we examine the 'Dog Boy' of Arkansas – tracing the documented history of Gerald Bettis, reports of abuse and cruelty inside the family home, and how that address ...
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2:38
Humans Can Lick Too
In this chapter, we trace the evolution of the haunting ‘Humans can lick too’ Urban Legend. From early cautionary tales about young women alone at night through to its modern form shaped by fears of home invasion, serial killers, and the thin l...
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43:46
Frozen Hill People [Patreon Teaser]
In this chapter, we trace the story of the so called 'Frozen Hill People' from 19th century Vermont newspaper accounts and family scrapbooks to modern retellings in magazines, folklore collections, and online media, asking where it sits between...
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4:16
Skinwalkers
Some stories are kept secret for a reason, and among the Diné, the figures outsiders call 'skinwalkers' is one of them.In this chapter, we examine how this subject sits within Diné teachings about witchcraft rather than monsters, why ma...
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54:58
Dead Children's Playground [Patreon Teaser]
The 'Dead Children’s Playground' urban legend is most often linked to the small play area beside Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville, Alabama. A place where grief and suggestion overlap. Visitors report swings moving on their own, childlike voice...
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3:50
Halloween Hanging
Each Halloween, stories circulate of decorations that look disturbingly real, until someone realises theres a very good reason for that.The 'Halloween Hanging' story is often dismissed as an Urban Legend as scattered reports over the yea...
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58:57
Paul is Dead [Patreon Teaser]
Long before online conspiracies took hold, one of the most famous legends in music history began to circulate claiming that Paul McCartney had died in 1966 and had since been secretly replaced by a double.Known as the 'Paul is Dead
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2:41
Annabelle
In this chapter, we explore a story that’s grown far beyond its origins, from a simple Raggedy Ann doll to a symbol of modern horror. The legend of 'Annabelle'.Join me as we trace her history alongside Ed and Lorraine Warren,...
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1:10:23
Weekly Spooky: The Acid King of Northport [Guest Episode]
Urban Legends returns next week, but today, we’re sharing a guest episode from our friends at Weekly Spooky — one that connects closely to our most recent chapter.____On July 4, 1984, police dogs uncovered a shallow grave i...
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54:32
The Satanic Panic
**Trigger Warning: This chapter involves harm to children.**In this chapter, let's delve into the urban legends that brought forward what is now known as 'The Satanic Panic‘, from the first sensational cases and flawed investigati...
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1:14:04
Killer in the Window [Patreon Teaser]
For decades, stories of an unknown figure staring through bedroom windows have circulated in whispered warnings and late-night news reports, but is there any truth to it?In this chapter, we explore the origins of the 'Killer in the Wind...
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2:28
Mermaids
From ancient carvings and medieval manuscripts to shipwreck songs and seaside myths, 'Mermaids' have haunted human imagination for centuries.Over the years, they have been a symbol of beauty, danger, sin, and even salvation. But where di...
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1:18:30
The Midnight Bus [Patreon Teaser]
In the late hours of the night, a bus winds its way through the quiet streets of Beijing - a vehicle that has given rise to one of China’s most haunting modern legends. Known as the tale of the 'Midnight Bus', it tells of unsuspecting ...
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2:14
Pin Prick Attacks [Patreon Teaser]
In the crowded streets and buzzing venues of modern life, a rumour began to spread of strangers attacking at random with needles, leaving their victims with more than just fear and discomfort. Known as 'Pin Prick Attacks', this urban l...
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2:21
Knife in the Briefcase
In this chapter, we investigate the ‘Knife in the Briefcase’ urban legend, a chilling tale that has circulated in cities across the world. Rooted in warnings about predatory strangers, it tells of women lured into vulnerable situations by a man...
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51:59
The Horseshoe Grave [Patreon Teaser]
In a quiet corner of Perry County, Ohio, lies a grave that’s become the centre of a dark fascination. Marked by a horseshoe carved into stone, this otherwise unassuming headstone has inspired decades of eerie tales, commonly known as 'The Horse...
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1:58
Chupacabra
Livestock found drained of blood. Puncture wounds with no clear cause.In this chapter, we investigate the 'Chupacabra', one of the most infamous cryptids in modern folklore. However, beneath the sensational headlines and pop culture port...
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Season 5
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1:00:33
Electric Birds. Part II. Thunderbird [Patreon Teaser]
The 'Thunderbird' is one of the most enduring figures in Native American folklore. A powerful, electric bird said to summon storms, strike down monsters, and keep balance between worlds. In this episode, I look at where the legend comes ...
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2:48
Banshee
Let's trace the eerie wail of one of Ireland’s most enduring legends, the 'Banshee'.Often dismissed as myth or metaphor, the Banshee is more than just a ghostly woman who cries in the night. Her story shifts across time and region, tangl...
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55:20
Electric Birds. Part I. Impundulu [Patreon Teaser]
In this chapter, we explore the legend of the 'Impundulu', Southern Africa’s lightning bird. A shapeshifting blood-drinker entity that is both feared and revered across generations.We’ll trace the story through Zulu, Xhos...
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2:59
The Pet Snake
**Trigger Warning: This chapter involves harm to children.**Join us as we explore a strange and unsettling tale that slithered its way into urban legend, 'The Pet Snake'.At first glance, it's a strange story of an affection...
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50:15
Nale Ba [Patreon Teaser]
In the 1990s, in the streets of Bangalore, India, a strange phrase began to appear on walls and doorways: 'Nale Ba''Translating as, 'Come Tomorrow.' This was all tied to the legend of a witch who wandered the streets at night, c...
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2:37
Kuchisake-Onna
Today we turn to one of Japan’s most enduring and disturbing legends, 'Kuchisake-onna', also known as 'the Slit-Mouthed Woman'.This tale of a disfigured woman who asks a chilling question has stalked schoolyards, late-night streets, and ...
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48:40
