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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Death / Song / Zzzzzzzzzzzzz What's the Last Song You Want to Hear Before You Die?

Posted by Dave Segal on Wed, May 2, 2012 at 11:17 AM

This is not a question to be taken lightly. Let’s say you’re on your deathbed. You know the end is near. You want to exit this mortal coil on a momentous note. What song to do you ask your loved ones (best-case scenario: many are by your side) to play? The song ideally will do the following: induce pleasant reveries; make you feel important; inflate your soul (let’s just assume you have one, for efficiency’s sake); and ease your transition into the afterlife. That’s asking a helluva lot of one song. But I think some of ’em can handle the burden.

Here are the candidates for my ultimate swan song, in descending order.

01 Et Cetera- “Raga”**
02 Spiritualized- “Shine a Light”
03 Big Star- “My Life Is Right”
04 The Beatles- “Tomorrow Never Knows”
05 Love- “You Set the Scene”

What are the songs that you would want to segue yourselves into nonexistence?

**This review explains why "Raga" tops my list.

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"And I Bid You Goodnight" by the Pindar Family and Joseph Spence. ("The Real Bahamas" liner notes said that friends and family of someone who was dying would all sit around the deathbed and sing this song to see the person through.)

Posted by maddogm13 on May 2, 2012 at 11:35 AM

"Surrender".

Posted by tallchris

on May 2, 2012 at 11:58 AM

I am pretty infatuated with this song, it'd make an excellent dirge:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilKNAz7O6…

A++, would listen to and die again.

Posted by cosby

on May 2, 2012 at 1:06 PM

"Leave it all behind" - Ride

Posted by pfffter on May 2, 2012 at 1:09 PM

First one that comes to mind: 'Marriage of Days' - Eyvind Kang

Posted by Daily in LA on May 2, 2012 at 1:14 PM

good choice on "you set the scene"...that's up there for me too. i'd say husker du's "terms of psychic warfare"

Posted by danceofdays on May 2, 2012 at 1:16 PM

"spider and I"-Eno

Posted by knobtheunicorn on May 2, 2012 at 1:27 PM

The last two joined tracks on Brian Eno's Here Come the Warm Jets seem like a good sendoff. Maybe segue into Maggot Brain.

Posted by chrisgreen on May 2, 2012 at 1:29 PM

James Taylor, "Fire and Rain". Perhaps it's too obvious, but I truly thought I'd see you again.

Posted by soldia on May 2, 2012 at 1:31 PM

Death with the aid of morphine: the entirety of Jon Hassell's Last night the moon came dropping its clothes in the street. Without: Paul Schutze's Rapture of the Skin.

Posted by wyndel hunt on May 2, 2012 at 1:33 PM

Innerzone Orchestra - At Les
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUzR26NGg…

Posted by Donte Parks on May 2, 2012 at 1:42 PM

Once I though it was Glenn Gould's Goldberg Variations, then Sketches of Spain, now I lean toward American Metaphysical circus. I've died so many times to that record.

Posted by DavidG

on May 2, 2012 at 1:44 PM

To amend myself, "At Les" is what I expect to hear at the pearly gates. As a swan song, Carl Craig's "A Wonderful Life" might be the better choice. Either way, it's love and respect for C2 until the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1E-F4Ul0…

Sparklehorse's "Gold Day" definitely makes the shortlist as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyRPJj6Sb…

Posted by Donte Parks on May 2, 2012 at 1:49 PM

I'll jump on the Eno bandwagon: "On Some Faraway Beach"

Given the chance
I'll die like a baby
On some faraway beach...

Best song ever for a very long nap

Posted by Nezz on May 2, 2012 at 1:54 PM

Lonely Woman -Ornette Coleman
Sue's Last Ride - Dirty Three
Aberdeen Mississippi Blues- Bukka White
Aint Got No Sense -Teenage Head
Wings -The Fall
Saginaw Michigan -Lefty Frizzell
Clean'd Me Out -Silkworm

Any of these would do nicely, thank you. Reminders of all of the 1000's of great songs I cannot imagine living without...but I guess I'll leave behind when I die.

Posted by Chris Jury

on May 2, 2012 at 2:11 PM

"New Grass".

Posted by Keister Button on May 2, 2012 at 2:11 PM

points awarded to donte for "at les". love that song.

i think my eno song would be "julie with..."

but i'm going with "when i'm dead" by quasi.

Posted by deepconcentration on May 2, 2012 at 2:12 PM

Hallelujah, Rufus Wainwrights version. Its just the right feeling of 'everything can go to shit but it will be alright'

Posted by Womyn2me $http://http:\\www.shelleyandlaura.com$ on May 2, 2012 at 3:05 PM

Impressed with the list of "shoegazy" songs so far.
My leanings are in the "electronic moody music" category
1) Brain Eno "Music For Airports" just play the whole thing it might as well be one song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALvc2ivux…

2) Plastikman "Mind In Rewind"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6UUbffL4…

3) U.R. "Transitions"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52q-K7HKu…

Posted by Gconscious on May 2, 2012 at 3:10 PM

"Sea of Smiling Faces" by the Bee Gees.

Posted by Christopher Frizzelle on May 2, 2012 at 3:33 PM

Screw that! I want to stick around so I can avenge my death before I go (valhall or bust)! No damn "transitioning into the afterlife" or "walk into the light bullshit" for me! Give me loud and annoying, something that just drives you mental simply by hearing it.

And why do people always bother with the last music they want to hear instead of the first? For the last you want
1) something that will make you NOT die
2) something that will enrage you to revenge death
3) since revenge can take a while something longer than 3 minuter would be good

I think a mix of japanese drums, blenders turned on to full and a medley of smooth jazz - all edited together in one frustrated half-an-hour. Preferrebly ending with that "conan what is best in life?" quote, just to really get me a good table up there.

Posted by JensR

on May 2, 2012 at 3:42 PM

The Chauffeur - Duran Duran. I have no clue why, but that's what my brain says.

Posted by gnarly on May 2, 2012 at 4:15 PM

Pyramid Song - Radiohead

Posted by mozzie on May 2, 2012 at 6:06 PM

Celebrated Summer
Crimson & Clover
The Happening

Posted by julie russell

on May 2, 2012 at 7:22 PM

It would depend on how. And I will join @10 in selecting a slow fade on M. as the choice to go. If so:

1.) "Somebody's Going To Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight," The Rezillos. First music I ever heard as my own voice (April Fool's Day on a Walla Walla radio station, 1979). Want to enter the afterworld amped for action.

2.) "(I Wanna Be) Vaporized," X-15. Because I moved to Seattle in 1981, and this was on Seattle Syndrome V. 1, and I heard this, and I realized both that orgiastic evisceration and a nearness to a regional Bowie-Nomi was a possibility.

3.) "Banging The Door," PiL: Heaven's or hell's, as long as I have a crash corner. This is when you cut your way out of the body-bag. Sleep near the punk rock group house stove.

4.) "One Way Or Another," Blondie. The ontology is a sex demon at the end of the universe never giving up on seducing you (stop before third verse).

5.) Shostakovich, "Symphony No. 5" -- Social realism, enforced by Stalin. Utterly mordant and subversive, as I wished to live my life.

Posted by Estey on May 2, 2012 at 7:23 PM

1.) Pink Floyd - Echoes
2.) Can - Future Days
3.) Yo La Tengo - Let's Be Still
4.) Panda Bear - I'm Not
5.) Sun City Girls - Space Prophet Dogon

Hon Mention:
Jack Nitzsche - Last Dance (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)
George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue
Guided By Voices - Smothered in Hugs
Mr. Bungle - The Holy Filament

Posted by billypilgrim80 on May 2, 2012 at 8:03 PM

If I died right now it'd be
"A Lady of a certain age" - Divine Comedy

or:
Time - David Bowie
Cedar Room - Doves
Don't Leave me now - Micah P Hinson
Goodbye Desolate Railyard - ASMZ
Somebody To Love - Queen
Scott Walker - If you go away
Ship Song - Nick Cave
Something - Coil

I realize I've probably got to this too late for anyone to notice, but at least it's a list of some of my favourite sad songs I can return to some time by clicking on my handle.

Posted by Foonken2

on May 2, 2012 at 8:22 PM

Oh and this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fdbblQ2H…

Posted by Foonken2

on May 2, 2012 at 8:42 PM

This is my favorite thread ever.

Posted by pfffter on May 2, 2012 at 9:32 PM

Nik Bärtsch, either Module 47 or 42. At least if I die in the next week or so.

Posted by Canadian Nurse on May 2, 2012 at 10:49 PM

Just plug in a Nino Rota soundtrack and walk away from me.

Posted by ratzkywatzky on May 3, 2012 at 8:04 AM

"Cristo Redentor" - Donald Byrd

Posted by UnoriginalAndrew on May 3, 2012 at 9:51 PM

After listening to that Love song, could easily add that to the list. Thanks for the intro

Posted by julie russell

on May 4, 2012 at 9:17 AM

"1952 Vincent Black Lightning" by Richard Thompson

Posted by Claypatch on May 4, 2012 at 4:48 PM

@34 That is a great one...saw RT perform it w/ his son on the Mock Tudor tour. One of my face shows to date

Posted by julie russell

on May 4, 2012 at 5:36 PM

pharoah sanders - the creator has a master plan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah3XiTIDH…

Posted by reverend dr dj riz on May 4, 2012 at 5:48 PM

of course since i expect the after part to take awhile .i hope somebody will play the unedited
32:42 version from 'karma'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO9N9TU4u…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHZyxpOAx…

Posted by reverend dr dj riz on May 4, 2012 at 8:09 PM