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    3 Classic Rock Songs That Predict the End of the World

    By Jacob Uitti,

    1 day ago
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3DmWjy_0v2Mbr0900

    As anyone who has turned on the news or social media these days, we’re in trying times. Whether it’s rising global temperatures or politicians dividing us, it’s easy to worry about and even fear that the world is coming to an end. You don’t have to be Chicken Little to wonder if the proverbial (or actual) sky is falling.

    Here below, we thought we would create a mini soundtrack for those to help. Sometimes you need to hear your feelings reflected back to you in order to feel a bit better about them. To hear your thoughts out loud can make them seem a little silly or less scary. Indeed, these are three classic rock songs that predict the end of the world.

    Videos by American Songwriter

    [RELATED: 3 Classic 1990s Disney Songs that Continue to Spread Joy]

    “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine),” by R.E.M. from Document (1987)

    This frantic, motormouth song from the Athens, Georgia-born indie rock band puts a bit of a positive spin on the concept of the end of the world, at least from a sonic perspective. It’s not dour or melancholy. Rather, the band almost seems to celebrate it, as if it’s saying we should throw a party as disaster strikes hits. On the track, which resembles Bob Dylan’s, “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” lead vocalist Michael Stipe offers a giant list of people, places and things, almost as if he’s cataloguing the entire world before an event like an earthquake takes it. On the song he sings,

    That’s great, it starts with an earthquake

    Birds and snakes, and aeroplanes

    And Lenny Bruce is not afraid

    Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn

    World serves its own needs

    Don’t mis-serve your own needs

    Speed it up a notch, speed, grunt, no, strength

    The ladder starts to clatter

    With a fear of height, down, height

    Wire in a fire, represent the seven games

    And a government for hire and a combat site

    Left her, wasn’t coming in a hurry

    With the Furies breathing down your neck

    “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” by Blue Oyster Cult from Agents of Fortune (1976)

    This song, which hit No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, attempts to mark the death of all of us. But looking in the eye of the end, says the band Blue Oyster Cult, we should not be scared. We should not, as frontman Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser sings, fear the reaper. But why? Why should people not fear the one who is set to take us into the afterlife? Well, says Roeser, because love exists and eternal love persists. That is why things like the seasons don’t fear death. Sings Roeser,

    All our times have come

    Here but now they’re gone

    Seasons don’t fear the reaper

    Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain

    We can be like they are

    Come on, baby (don’t fear the reaper)

    Baby, take my hand (don’t fear the reaper)

    We’ll be able to fly (don’t fear the reaper)

    Baby, I’m your man

    “The Four Horsemen,” by Metallica from Kill ‘Em All (1983)

    This hard rock song is about the end of the world and the fabled Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The Bible’s New Testament predicts that when the end of the world is coming, there will be four horsemen who descend upon the world. They represent Conquest, War, Famine and Death. So, of course, the Los Angeles-born heavy metal band took this idea as a theme for a dark song. And on it, lead vocalist James Hetfield offers,

    The horsemen are drawing nearer

    On leather steeds they ride

    They’ve come to take your life

    On through the dead of night

    With the four horsemen ride

    Or choose your fate and die

    Oh, yeah

    You have been dying since the day you were born

    You know it’s all been planned

    The quartet of deliverance rides

    A sinner once, a sinner twice

    No need for confessions now

    ‘Cause now you’ve got the fight of your life

    Photo by Mariscal/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

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