Strange Pulse

I don’t think I’ll ever view Husker Du’s song about a hurricane, “Dead Set on Destruction,” the same way again.

I know 9-11 really changed some song’s meanings for me. “Waitress in the Sky,” by the Replacements, I used to think of as a cute, fun put-down song. But I couldn’t even listen to it for a long time after 9-11.

The song I did listen to, over and over, after 9-11, was Jeff Buckley’s “Eternal Life.” The lyrics just seemed to fit so perfectly. I’ll post all three songs to the radio.blog, but here’s the lyrics to “Eternal Life.”

Eternal Life by Jeff Buckley

Eternal Life is now on my trail
Got my red glitter coffin, man, just need one last nail
While all these ugly gentlemen play out their foolish games
There’s a flaming red horizon that screams our names

And as your fantasies are broken in two
Did you really think this bloody road would
Pave the way for you?
You better turn around
and blow your kiss hello to life eternal, angel

Racist everyman, what have you done?
Man, you’ve made a killer of your unborn son…
Crown my fear your king at the point of a gun
All I want to do is love everyone…

And as your fantasies are broken in two
Did you really think this bloody road would
Pave the way for you?
You better turn around
and blow your kiss hello to life eternal….

There’s no time for hatred, only questions
What is love, where is happiness, what is Life,
where is peace?
When will I find the strength to bring me release?

And tell me where is the love in what your prophet has said?
Man, It sounds to me just like a prison for the walking dead
And I’ve get a message for you and your twisted hell
You better turn around and blow your kiss goodbye
to life eternal angel…