I’ve been challenged by Inquirer columnist Dan Rubin to come up with an End Times playlist (in case you don’t know it, many people believe the world will end next Saturday, or the Rapture’s going to happen, or something). His playlist is here. (He already took all the obvious ones…)
Here’s mine:
Eve of Destruction, Barry McGuire.
Gimme Shelter, Rolling Stones.
Earth Died Screaming, Tom Waits.
Mushroom Clouds, Love.
Five Years, David Bowie.
The End, The Doors.
Beds Are Burning, Midnight Oil.
London Calling, The Clash.
Four Winds, Bright Eyes.
Temptation of Adam, Josh Ritter.
Tables and Chairs, Andrew Bird.
And When I Die, Laura Nyro.
Sons and Daughters, The Decemberists.
The End, The Beatles.
I’ve had this list for years, revised over time:
Jerry Falwell’s God, Roy Zimmerman
Momma Don’t Allow, Austin Lounge Lizards
So Long Mom (A Song For World War III), Tom Lehrer
Watchin’ Joey Glow, Steve Goodman
The Mail Will Go Through, Tom Paxton
The Neutron Bomb, Arlo Guthrie & Pete Seeger
We Will All Go Together When We Go, Tom Lehrer
Evacuation, Tom Paxton
Wernher Von Braun, Tom Lehrer
Sold A Hammer To The Pentagon, Tom Paxton
Who’s Next?, Tom Lehrer
Homeland Security, Tom Paxton
Send The Marines, Tom Lehrer
1984 Blues, Austin Lounge Lizards
John Ashcroft & The Spirit of Justice, Tom Paxton
National Brotherhood Week, Tom Lehrer
Ashcroft’s Army, John McCutcheon
We Are In Control, Austin Lounge Lizards
Duct Tape, John McCutcheon
Election Year Rag, Steve Goodman
The Civilised World, Les Barker
No Mas!, John McCutcheon
I Ain’t Afraid, Holly Near
How about:
“Political Science” by Randy Newman
“Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day” by Jethro Tull.
you did pretty well, given how all the obvious ones have been taken.
I am shocked that no one has included Tom Lehrer’s “Who’s Next?” Although I am gratified to see that Catherine D. has suggested a couple of his other tunes.
@Matt – Oh yes I did 🙂
Give me credit, Dan — you didn’t manage to work in Laura Nyro!
I’d throw in
X-Ray Spex “The Day the World Turned Day-Glo”
The Weirdos “We Got the Neutron Bomb”
No one chose “Five Years” by David Bowie? ! That would be my first pick.
I just added it.
I’m wishing I thought of the Nyro – and not that dreadful David Clayton-Thomas version.