Apocalyptic Songs

Cafe Society
1

For an ‘End of the World’ party I’m throwing in a few days, in anticipation of the 2012 movie and my own impending doom (I’m turning 35), I’m looking for some good apocalyptic songs. So far I’ve thought of the following:

It’s The End Of The World (and I feel fine) - REM
1999 - Prince
Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire
Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden
Apocalypse, Please - Muse
Eve of the War - Jeff Wayne

I’ve found some others (The End by The Doors), but they’re too depressing. This is still a party afterall. Anyone has some other suggestions? A playlist with only 6 songs is a bit empty.

2

99 Red Balloons (99 Luftballoons)

3

In the Year 2525.

4

Aenima - Tool.

“Eve of Destruction” isn’t too depressing?

5

You absolutely have to have Tom Lehrer’s We Will All Go Together When we Go

It’s upbeat,in the style of Revival Hymns (“This might be more accurately be called a Survival Hymn” – T. Lehrer) You can sing along to it.

6

Every Day Is Like Sunday - Morrissey

Every Day Is Like Sunday - Natalie Merchant
“…and a strange dust lands on your hands…and on your face…”

7

Party at Ground Zero - Fishbone
Armageddon Days Are Here - The The

For Eve of Destruction, try the version by The Dickies (it’s upbeat), and if you go with 99 Luftballoons, try the Goldfinger version!

8

“Christmas at Ground Zero” Wierd Al
“Breathing” Kate Bush

9

It’s not totally on point, but Political Science by Randy Newman is a fun little ditty.

10

I actually have a playlist of armageddon / cold war style songs, but not in front of me. Off the top of my brain pan…

This World Over - XTC
Black Planet - Sisters of Mercy
Sole Survivor - Blue Oyster Cult
Sweethearts - Camper Van Beethoven
Two Suns in the Sunset - Pink Floyd

11

The Future - Leonard Cohen

Upbeat tempo to cover the apocalyptic sounding lyrics.

12

Here are a few from Queen.

Is This TheWorld We Created and The Prophet’s Song

13

You may find this too depressing, too, but I LOVE Nazareth’s Morning Dew.

I plan to make it the official song of the Zompocalypse one day.

14

Arguably, After the Gold Rush, Neil Young.

15

Life During Wartime - Talking Heads

Burning Down the House - Talking Heads (arguably about nuclear conflagration)

Seconds - U2

The Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades - Timbuk 3
**
New Frontier** - Donald Fagen (not exactly about Armageddon - it’s about making out in a bomb shelter “just a shelter that my dad built, in case the Reds decide to push the button down”)

16

Apocalypso and Party At The End Of The World - Jimmy Buffett

Wooden Ships - Jefferson Airplane

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If you’re OK with funny End Of World songs…
**
Re: Your Brains**

18

“Waiting for the End of the World” by Elvis Costello

19

“Five Years” by David Bowie may be too depressing, but you could go with “Future Legend/Diamond Dogs”.

For a historical perspective, “Talkin’ World War III Blues” by Bob Dylan and “Talking Cuban Crisis” by Phil Ochs.

“Political Science” by Randy Newman (“Let’s drop the big one now…”)

“Wooden Ships” by either Crosby Stills Nash & Young or Jefferson Airplane. (Again, maybe a bit of a downer.)

20

In a weird sort of way,

“Brother Can You Spare a Dime” from the 1930s could qualify.