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Help me with a research project - apocalypse song references?


eternalsummer
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Hey, if any of you can think of any songs that have references to the Apocalypse in them - not necessarily literally, although that is fine too - can you tell me what they are?  I am thinking of things like Britney Spears's "Till the World Ends" but even if it's just a smallish part of a song, that would be great too.  I figure I don't listen to whole genres of music, so I'm probably missing a lot.

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I was curious what songs I’d recognize that were listed as apocalyptic. I tend to only listen to the chorus of a lot of songs and I know I miss out on a lot of meanings. But, I hate poor enunciation in songs and don’t try to figure out the words anymore (ever since Nirvana). 😆

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I was singing along in the car earlier (much to my kids' dismay) to Santa Monica by Everclear and thought of this thread:

 

"We can live beside the ocean,

Leave the fire behind,

Swim out past the breakers,

and watch the world die."

 

Not quite what you were looking for, but still. Love that song. Good memories.

 

The first song that came to mind though was Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden.

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I'd add Radioactive by Imagine Dragons ("this is it , the Apocalypse, whoa-oh")

 

And maybe Pompeii by Bastille:

 

And the walls kept tumbling down
In the city that we love
Grey clouds roll over the hills
Bringing darkness from above

But if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like
Nothing changed at all?

 

 

Old song, Everyday Is Like Sunday:

 

Hide on the promenade
Etch a postcard :
"How I Dearly Wish I Was Not Here"
In the seaside town
That they forgot to bomb
Come, come, come, nuclear bomb

 

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There is a series of video games called Fallout. The game is set in a 1940's/1950's post apocalyptic world.  Anyway there is a playlist on spotify called "Diamond City Radio" that is nothing but apocalyptic songs from the big band era (actual songs, not written for the game). The songs are used as background music in the game and I was shocked when i heard them and learned that they were real songs from the 40s

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Oooh if we go Country, there are a lot more I bet! Genre shift!

 

Does Ghostriders in the Sky count?

 

I grew up listening to Gospel Bluegrass with my Grandmother. I'm feeling like there has to be more. Now I'm wracking my brain for lyrics!

Oh I know there must be ton with classic country and bluegrass. It's my favorite, but I am drawing a complete blank right now.

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After thinking about this thread more, I've decided the vast majority of Jim Morrison's works belong in it. He was pretty death obsessed. I haven't read that whole wikipedia list, so maybe that covers it. 

 

I also always thought Helter Skelter, by the Beatles was about it, but then later read Manson simply hijacked the term. But I've no clue which is true. Forever for me that song will be apocalyptic. 

 

Might be a stretch but Nirvana's cover of Lake of Fire (written by The Meat Puppets I think) could be. Perhaps it's simply death though.

 

Helter Skelter the song is apocolyptic.  But a helter skelter is just an amusement park ride - climb up and slide down on a burlap sack.  Think of a merry go round come crashing down as the inspiration for the song.   (Learned this recently I'm not a Beatles expert!)

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