Prophetic songs

[HomerJay]

Are there any songs that you feel were so ahead of it's time in terms of reflecting events so perfectly that it's eerie?

During September 11th, 2001 the lyrics from "Land Of Confusion" by Genesis kept entering my head, and then when I actively searched and read the lyrics in their entirety, i got BIG TIME chills:

I must've dreamed a thousand dreams
Been haunted by a million screams
I can hear the marching feet
They're moving into the street

Now did you read the news today
They say the danger's gone away
But I can see the fire's still alight
Burning into the night

Too many men
Too many people
Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go round
Can't you see
This is the land of confusion

This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make is a place worth living in

Oh Superman where are you now
Everything's gone wrong somehow
The men of steel, men of power
Are losing control by the hour

This is the time
This is the place
So we look for the future
But there's not much love to go round
Tell me why, this is a land of confusion

This is the world we live in
And these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make is a place worth living in

I remember long ago -
When the sun was shining
The stars were bright
All through the night
And the sound of your laughter
As I held you tight
So long ago -

I won't be coming home tonight
My generation will put it right
We're not just making promises
That we know, we'll never keep

Too many men
Too many people
Making too many problems
And there's not much love to go round
Can't you see
This is a land of confusion

This is the world we live in
These are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying
To make is a place worth fighting for

This is the world we live in
And these are the names we're given
Stand up and let's start showing
Just where our lives are going to

[Core]

I don't know too many propehtic songs, although the 22 Psalm comes to mind:

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.

I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.

Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.

Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.

For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.

My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations.

All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

[elheffe]

The whole song sounds like a huge goodbye from Kurt, but the "Married, Buried" part of "All Apologies" by Nirvana always gets me.

[Rob Imes]

"Dead Man's Curve" by Jan and Dean. They released the song in early 1964. The song is about two cars drag-racing and then getting into an accident. There is a spoken-word section at the end where one of the drivers is telling a doctor later about the accident.

Two years later, Jan Barry was in a car accident not far from Dead Man's Curve which left him in a coma for awhile. He eventually recovered his ability to sing, but that April 1966 accident marked the end of Jan and Dean's recording career.

[Hiromi]

Street Survivors by Lynyrd Skynyrd

the entire album pretty much, including the Cover Art.

It appeared in stores just days before the touring plane crashed.

[Spike-X]

Bruce Springsteen's "My City Of Ruins", which he played to open the telethon for the victims of 9-11, sounded at the time like it was written as a direct response to that event. It was actually written about a year beforehand.

My City of Ruins


There's a blood red circle
On the cold dark ground
And the rain is falling down
The church door's thrown open
I can hear the organ's song
But the congregation's gone
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Now the sweet bells of mercy
Drift through the evening trees
Young men on the corner
Like scattered leaves,
The boarded up windows,
The empty streets
While my brother's down on his knees
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!
Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!
Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!

Now's there's tears on the pillow
Darlin' where we slept
And you took my heart when you left
Without your sweet kiss
My soul is lost, my friend
Tell me how do I begin again?
My city's in ruins
My city's in ruins

Now with these hands,
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray Lord
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray for the strength, Lord
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray for the faith, Lord
We pray for your love, Lord
We pray for the lost, Lord
We pray for this world, Lord
We pray for the strength, Lord
We pray for the strength, Lord

Come on
Come on
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up

[Shevek]

"Midnight Raver" by the Wailers (written around 1972) is scarily prophetic of 90s goth/crusty/rave culture (and probably inspired by the Book of Revelation or something, given Marley's usual sources of lyrics)...

[Eric D.]

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

the song: "Jesus, Etc."

Though Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was recorded before the 9/11 attacks, critics perceived references in the album to the attacks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee_Hotel_Foxtrot

[jdwrocks]

Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

the song: "Jesus, Etc."

Though Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was recorded before the 9/11 attacks, critics perceived references in the album to the attacks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee_Hotel_Foxtrot

Does that mean "Bombs over Baghdad" by Outkast is prophetic?