white riot

It has occurred to me that every human catastrophe in recent memory can be described by a song. Now, I'm not talking about songs that describe a particular feeling or emotion associated with an event. Songs like those are personal and moving. They can help us get through troubled times by providing an outlet for our pain and anguish. I remember that the firefighters of New York embraced the song Superman by Five for Fighting after 9-11. Unfortunately songs like that, which sometimes capture a general feeling in the collective unconsciousness, are far too sappy and sentimental for me to listen to. No, the songs that I think about after horrible calamities literally describe an element of the shocking event, either in the title or lyrics of the song. In fact, these normal songs, when thought about in the context of recent tragedies like the WTC bombings can seem quite tactless. So, being the morbid individual that I am, I have created a list of songs that, if this kind of thing catches on, will never be thought of the same way again. They are:

1) Spanish Bombs - The Clash

This song's simple title instantly came to mind after Al Qaeda terrorists destroyed 4 commuter trains in Madrid. Violence like that really did take us back to the days of '39.

2) Wave of Mutilation - The Pixies

In retrospect, this Pixies classic seems destined to have been associated with a killer tidal wave. All the same, it's too bad that this awesome track had to be tarnished by the memory of the worst natural disaster in modern history. I'm sure the Pixies would have avoided this old ditty if they played any relief concerts for the victims of the giant tsunami that killed hundreds of thousands in East Asia.

3) Panic - The Smiths

This track is a little less obvious than the others, but it captures what the streets of London must have felt like after terrorists bombed subway trains and double decker buses during London's rush hour. I'm sure many of England's citizens wondered, "Could life ever be sane again?"

4) New Orleans is Sinking - The Tragically Hip

I guess our boys from Canada had taken some American geography and knew that New Orleans was built below sea level. It's just a pity that members of FEMA and Homeland security didn't possess the same eerie foresight.

I have to thank an equally tasteless friend of mine for thinking of most of these songs. She has a real knack for black humour. Maybe we both need professional help.