# Best Songs about the Future **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 29, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144 "2008-07-29T21:12:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/1 "2008-07-29T21:12:45Z")
The greatest song about the future would have to be Leonard Cohen’s [The Future,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_drEFOaPaK8) a fist in the shape of a tune. Another classic, my favorite early Fleetwood Mac song, is Bob Welch’s [Future Games](http://www.lyricstime.com/fleetwood-mac-future-games-lyrics.html). Not all future songs have such obvious titles, so there have to many others. What are your favorites? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/2 "2008-07-29T21:22:16Z")
_Que Sera Sera_ ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/3 "2008-07-29T21:22:11Z")
[In the year 2525.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhNM2K8cmU8) The “MacArthur Park” of future songs. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/4 "2008-07-29T21:24:51Z")
Tom Paxton’s [Whose Garden Was This?](http://www.mydfz.com/Paxton/lyrics/wgwt.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/5 "2008-07-29T21:30:35Z")
Two very different songs with the same title: Sparks: “In the Future” _We’ll need some vintage vino So wash your feet and stamp away_ David Byrne: “In the Future” _In the future, everyone but the wealthy will be very happy. In the future, everyone but the wealthy will be very filthy._ ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/6 "2008-07-29T21:33:44Z")
[The Humans Are Dead](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGoi1MSGu64) ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/7 "2008-07-29T21:34:09Z")
[Eighth Day](http://youtube.com/watch?v=15Ij9Y--dIQ), from the film _Breaking Glass_. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/8 "2008-07-29T22:32:53Z")
IGY “This dreams in sight Youve got to admit it At this point in time that its clear **The future looks bright** On that train all graphite and glitter Undersea by rail” ---
**Author:** ![Monkey\_Chews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Monkey\_Chews](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkey_Chews)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/9 "2008-07-29T23:54:58Z")
“Love In The Year 3000” by **The B-52’s** _Robots, bootybots, erotobots Robots, bootybots, erotobots Tentative tentacles are grabbing me We’re making space love in zero gravity_ Sounds good, count me in! ---
**Author:** ![freekalette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@freekalette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freekalette)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/10 "2008-07-30T01:00:51Z")
[QUOTE=Monkey Chews] “Love In The Year 3000” by **The B-52’s** _Robots, bootybots, erotobots Robots, bootybots, erotobots Tentative tentacles are grabbing me We’re making space love in zero gravity_ Sounds good, count me in! [/QUOTE] Yay, tentacles! Is this where the line starts? My contribution is the Flaming Lips “All We Have is Now” - As logic stands you couldn’t meet a man Who’s from the future But logic broke as he appeared he spoke About the Future\* ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/11 "2008-07-30T01:18:10Z")
The video’s so crap, I gotta wear [shades](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvIAyxpjEuc). ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/12 "2008-07-30T02:09:36Z")
**.905** by The Who ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/13 "2008-07-30T02:21:23Z")
[QUOTE=Icerigger] IGY “This dreams in sight Youve got to admit it At this point in time that its clear **The future looks bright** On that train all graphite and glitter Undersea by rail” [/QUOTE] How could I have forgotten that? Great song, great album, and I just saw the Dan in concert a couple of weeks ago and they did this. Speaking of the B-52s: > [@](#): > > Wanna be the ruler of the galaxy > Wanna be the king of the universe > Let’s meet and have a baby now! ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/14 "2008-07-30T02:21:24Z")
Rush’s “2112” MC Frontalot’s “[Secrets From the Future](http://frontalot.com/index.php/?page=lyrics&lyricid=41)” ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/15 "2008-07-30T03:04:13Z")
Queen’s _'39_ Completely haunting melody. It took me a long time to realize that the song was about the future. It was definitely an :eek: moment that gave it so much more depth. A folk song about space travel. > [@'39](#): > > In the year of '39 came a ship in from the blue > The Volunteers came home that day > And they bring good news of a world so newly born > Oh, their hearts so heavily weigh > > For the earth is old and gray, little darling while away > But my love this cannot be > For so many years have gone, though I’m older but a year > Your mother’s eyes, from your eyes cry to me And then the final, lamenting line, _For my life still ahead, pity me_ Just tragic. [QUOTE=freekalette] Yay, tentacles! Is this where the line starts? [/QUOTE] You, too, **freekalatte**? Have you seen _The Beast With a Billion Backs_? Lots of tentacle goodness there, for us tentacle lovers. ---
**Author:** ![freekalette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@freekalette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freekalette)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/16 "2008-07-30T03:26:45Z")
I’m a terrible Doper, **olives** , I have it but haven’t watched it yet. (Please don’t have me banned!) Will watch it ASAP, okay? Can you ever forgive me? And I have never heard that Queen song, but methinks I need a copy. Off to [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com)! ---
**Author:** ![Grendel\_s\_Father](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grendel\_s\_Father](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grendel_s_Father)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/17 "2008-07-30T08:08:00Z")
[QUOTE=E. Thorp] [The Humans Are Dead](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGoi1MSGu64) [/QUOTE] Came in to post that, should have guessed it would be mentioned within six replies 😉 Also, in a similar vein but without the comedy: “Citizens of Tomorrow” by Tokyo Police Club _See the ruins of the old world below That’s what our ancestors left us. Our robot masters will know How to clean this mess up And build a better world For man and machine alike For the boys and the girls Who are slaves building spaceships at night In the fluorescent light. That’s 2009._ ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/18 "2008-07-30T13:37:33Z")
Damn. The first thing I thought of was The Future by Cohen. And there it is in the OP. How 'bout Oh You Pretty Things? ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/19 "2008-07-30T16:01:22Z")
I’ve always liked “2000 Man” by the Stones on _Their Satanic Majesties Request_. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144/20 "2008-07-30T16:22:08Z")
“We’ll Make Great Pets,” Porno for Pyros [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-songs-about-the-future/458144.md?page=2)