"Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)" by The The (1989)
(Crossposted at "Music For My Daughter," a future conversation with my kid about music that matters to her father)
The The, led by Matt Johnson, made some incredible records, including Mind Bomb, the album from which this track comes. It’s assertive, thought-provoking music that just rocks. Johnny Marr, from The Smiths, plays some really wicked guitar on this album.
I listened to this a lot when I was in the service, in the days leading up to, during, and long after what would be called Desert Storm. A fellow airman I met and initially disliked introduced me to this record. This guy was cynical, sarcastic, and one of the smartest persons in our unit (which is sort of an inside joke). So of course, we hit it off. We’re still friends to this day.
You have to appreciate people who point you to great art and/or new horizons. That’s what friends are for. And you never know where you’ll find them.
This album, along with some others, opened my eyes a little bit to things I hadn’t really thought about before. So I hope that one day you’ll really listen to this, maybe think about what it means to you and your place on this planet.
Consider one line from this song:
"If the real Jesus Christ were to stand up today, he’d be gunned down cold by the CIA."
We desperately need artists like Mr. Johnson to point these things out to us, if only to pose the question, and spark some debate.
(thanks to blackreaperman for the YouTube upload, including some unfortunately apt images)