The End of the World Mixtape
Yes. Hanson is included. So what if they're one member short of the horsemen quartet?
Doomsday, the apocalypse, the end of the world, whatever you’d like to
call it, it seems to be popping up in the media and general
conversation lately. With the recent study done in Canada about how
well we’d fair during a zombie apocalypse, to the movie adaptation of
the theory of 2012, the end does in fact seem near. Or maybe we’ve just
gotten tired of talking about the crappy economy and the lack of jobs,
and pretending the end is near seems a bit more plausible or at least
something to distract us from the rest of our worries. This week brings
some of the best songs to end the world with, the tunes that I’ll be
playing when everything comes to a screeching halt. Now excuse me, I’ll
be hiding in my bomb shelter.
David Bowie - Future Legend - When I was little, this song
scared the crap out of me. Bowie eerily reciting his post-apocalyptic
world made me want to hide in a bomb shelter, and to this day if the
sirens were going off and everything was ending, it would probably
start playing in the back of my mind.
The Dandy Warhols - Nietzsche - If for some reason the end of
the modern world happens in slow motion, then I want this song playing
in the background. It also brings up the whole God debate, which is
probably something relevant to discuss if the world is ending.
Radiohead - The National Anthem - In all honesty, you could just put on Kid A,
and that album alone would fit the soundtrack for the apocalypse. It’s
spooky, haunting, and as the four horsemen ride in and the sky turns
orange, I could totally see me running down the street screaming to
this song.
Nine Inch Nails - Survivalism - If for some reason the world
ends in a zombie apocalypse (a hot topic lately), then I’d want to be
killing zombies to the tunes of Nine Inch Nails. It’s hard hitting, it
gets your blood flowing, and it makes me want to fight to stay alive.
Survival of the fittest.
Radiohead - Idioteque - Another spooky gem off Kid A. If
Thom Yorke is the voice that sings me off into death, I’d be totally
fine with that. And the second verse basically describes fear and mass
hysteria. When Yorke points out “we’re not scared,” I’m truly
terrified.
Muse - Hysteria - I once was trapped in a mosh pit under a
throng of people and couldn’t breathe during this song, and I feel like
that fear is similar to the impending doom of the apocalypse (actually
a mosh pit apocalypse wouldn’t be so bad in the grand scheme of ways to
end it), so this track has kind of been tested. And it works perfectly.
If the world ends, and I can only grab one or two artists to play us
off, I’m picking Radiohead or Muse, hands down.
Talking Heads - Burning Down the House - Ok, so the world is
ending, there is nothing you can really do about it, so I say “fuck it”
and try to have some last moments of fun. Please put this song on full
blast, set your house ablaze, and dance in the front yard (possibly
naked, up to you) while cackling with laughter. It’s your last chance
to get all the crazy out, and David Byrne would be a perfect person to
lead that moment.
Hanson - Mmmbop - This one is a bit far fetched, but hear me
out. I think it would be really funny if the world is falling apart all
around you, and this song starts playing. It’s so saccharine sweet, and
it makes you feel hyper, like you’re a kid. Plus it’s technically about
how in a moment you can be gone, which given how pop the song is,
really brings a dark element to the whole thing.Basically I just think
it would be funny for the world to end while “Mmmbop” is playing. It
just makes me laugh.
Posted by Lisa White on Aug 21, 2009 @ 8:00 am
