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Home / Rotorua Daily Post / Lifestyle

Yeah Nah: Five songs for September 11

Rotorua Daily Post
11 Sep, 2011 01:44 AM4 mins to read

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Ten years to the day after the terror attacks in the US, millions will today reflect on the moment the world changed.  Nearly everyone can tell you where they were when they became aware of what was happening in the skies over New York, or of their reaction when they awoke to the news.

Here are five songs for a September 11 playlist.

New York, New York by Ryan Adams

Dedicated to those who lost their lives, the video was shot four days before September 11, 2001, with the New York skyline, including the Twin Towers as Adams' backdrop.

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With a country twang that's wicked to sing along to, New York, New York shows why Ryan's following blossomed after its release. The timing with the video helped, of course.

And love won't play any games with you

Anymore if you want 'em to

So we better shake this old thing out the door

I'll always be thinkin' of you

I'll always love you though New York

The Argument by Fugazi

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From the album of the same name, which was released a month after 9/11, The Argument is four and a half minutes of quiet fury.

Many thought there was a link between the lyrics and the attacks, but the album was recorded by April that year.

Frontman Ian Mackaye told Guitar World it was an anti-war manifesto. "A main point of the song is that I will not agree with war across the board. It also talks about a greater argument: that these giant airplanes are dropping tons of homicidal weaponry, blowing the shit out of everybody, and guys are running around with guns. And that is an argument of colossal scale."

This was the final album from Fugazi, who used to be emo (punk emo, not goth emo) before finding themselves labelled "post-hardcore".

It turned out to be their goodbye, and they used it to try a few new things, their change in style mirroring a changed new world.

that some punk could argue some moral abc's

when people are catching what bombers release

i'm on a mission to never agree here comes the argument

Heroes by The Wallflowers

Now there's nothing wrong with a bit of Bowie, but we've always liked this version from the band fronted by Bob Dylan's son Jakob.

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We're not drawing any links between Godzilla monstering New York city (see the video) and the September 11 attacks. Rather we think a song entitled Heroes is a fitting one for this list, given the countless examples of bravery on 9/11.

I can remember

Standing by the wall

And the guns, shot above our heads

And we kissed, as though nothing could fall

The Rising by Bruce Springsteen.

What sounds in the chorus like an upbeat song is actually the heartbreaking story of a firefighter climbing one of the Twin Towers after the planes have hit.

Released in 2002, it was the title track to his 12th studio album, and is one of several of his songs said to refer to the attacks.

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With a voice conveying such emotion and authority, you're drawn in and invested in every lyric and thought.

There's a reason he's The Boss.

I make my way through this darkness,

I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me.

Lost track of how far I've gone

How far I've gone, how high I've climbed ...

Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys

Because such a depressing reason for a list of songs needs to end with something to make you smile.

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And Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' collaboration can do that and more. You'll want to stand up, arms up, and spin as if you're in Times Square shouting for joy.

One hand in the air for the big city,

Street lights, big dreams all looking pretty,

no place in the world that can compare,

Put your lighters in the air, everybody say yeaaahh


  • Yeah Nah - putting the cult in pop culture since 2011
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