8 O’Clock, Eh? Waiting for the End of the World

How’s “Never”? Is Never Good for You?

Apr 07, 2026

Hi everyone,

I thought we might as well kill some time, before we kill anyone else.

Because the killing hasn’t stopped, whatever the poison.

Sometimes speeches fail me and I’d rather sing, or listen. I put together some songs for us to share, and you’re welcome to lend me yours.

Ali Ghamsari

A musician sitting-in at the Iran Power Plant no matter what

As far as I’m concerned, this Tar musician has as much to do with peace tonight as anyone else. He traveled and squatted with his instruments at the power plant that Trump threatened to blow up, long before there was any reprieve.

My hero. And his music is beautiful. Somewhere Pete Seeger is smiling.

Waiting for the End of the World

(Elvis Costello)

Dear Lord
I sincerely hope you’re coming
‘Cause you
Really started something

Declan MacManus should be better known for his protest songs, they are standards. His “Oliver’s Army” is devastating, too. These songs were “hits” and half the people who danced to them never knew.

Political Science

(Randy Newman)

No one likes us, I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around even our old friends put us down
Let’s drop the big one and see what happens

Out of all the songs about The Big One, Randy Newman’s cheese stands alone. The lyrics only get sharper and sharper. His satire on American death cult narcissism had never been equaled.

Waist Deep in the Big Muddy

(Pete Seeger)

The Captain told us to ford a river.

That’s how it all begun.

We were knee deep in the Big Muddy

And the Big Fool said to push on.

Many of you know that when Pete originally sang this on the Smothers Brothers television variety hour, the CBS executives were so horrified, they cut away, they threatened cancellation, “Seeger is a communist!” The Smothers stood firm, and of course, Pete has been persecuted for years. Modern listeners will be amazed these lyrics provoked such fury. Back then, the “big fool” was Lyndon Johnson, but there is always a new one waiting in the wings.

Handsome Johnny

(Richie Haven)

Hey, here comes a hydrogen bomb
And here comes a guided missile
Here comes a hydrogen bomb
I can almost hear its whistle
I can almost hear its whistle

I’ve watched Haven’s performance at Woodstock dozens of times, and I treasured his original album. He was an “opening act” — a folk music act, not one of the hot rock’n’rollers. But of course he BURNED THE HOUSE DOWN, and Jimi Hendrix and everyone else were like, “Respect the Elder.’

War - What Is It Good For

(Edwin Starr)

I almost posted a performance of Starr’s — it’s lip-synced but very “60s pop TV” enjoyable. Yet I decided, no, I like the lyrics video better because the words are so powerful and he meant every one of them.

War on Japan

(Harry Truman)

I Hate The Capitalist System

(Barbara Dane)

When you’re completely and totally fed up, no one but Barbara will do.

What’s Going On

(Marvin Gaye)

Father, father
We don't need to escalate

Marvin Gaye’s loss: incalculable. Just imagine what he would be saying now.

With God on Our Side

(Neville Brothers, by Bob Dylan)

The First World War
It came and it went
And the reason for fighting
I never did get
But I learned to accept it
Accept it with pride
For you don't count the dead, when
God's on your side

Remember when this album came out? Every cut crystal. Aaron Neville’s voice breaking you with its crying damnation.

Zombie

(Fela Kuti)

Zombie no go go unless you tell am to go (Zombie)
Zombie no go stop unless you tell am to stop (Zombie)
Zombie no go turn unless you tell am to turn (Zombie)
Zombie no go think unless you tell am to think (Zombie)

Kuti’s family lost their lives, as the Nigerian army sought retribution for this song.

And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda

(The Pogues, by Eric Bogle)

And when I saw

what was done

well, I wished I was dead
Never knew there was worse things than dying.

I don’t think most Americans know about Gallipoli. This song will tell you the half of it. An anti-war anthem like few others. So grateful to the Pogues for making it famous.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Pomplamoose (Tears for Fears)

Acting on your best behaviour
Turn your back on Mother Nature
Everybody wants to rule the world

I do truly love the Tears for Fears original— and their recent recording, in as fine fiddle in their senior years as ever! But this touched me.

Feel Like I’m Fixin’ to Die Rag

(Country Joe and the Fish)

“Listen people, I don’t know how you expect to ever stop the war

“If you can’t sing any better than that

“There’s about 300,000 of you fuckers out there and I want you to start singing.”

Joe was a red diaper baby, and always saw his music as an organizing tool. If he didn’t get you off your ass to make a difference, he didn’t feel like he was done!

Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums

(A Perfect Circle)

Counting bodies like sheep

To the rhythm of the war drums

Count the bodies like sheep

The animated feature is as powerful as the song!

For What It’s Worth

(Buffalo Springfield)

There’s a man with a gun over there

Telling me I gotta beware . . .

Stephen Stills somehow became more than the sum of his parts with this song. So affected by Kent State. It’s his mark.

Mosh

(Eminem)

Someone's tryna tell us somethin’—

maybe this is God just
Sayin' we're responsible

for this monster, this coward

Eminem isn’t known for his Detroit working class protest against the Regime, but he should be. Very much in the MC5 tradition, politically, if not musically.

Still Waiting

(Sum 41)

When the President Talks to God

(Bright Eyes)

When the President talks to God
Are the conversations brief or long?
Does he ask to rape our women's rights
And send poor farm kids off to die?
Does God suggest an oil hike?
When the President talks to God

Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos

(Public Enemy)

I got a letter from the government the other day
They wanted me for their army or whatever
Picture me givin' a damn, I said, "Never"
Here is a land that never gave a damn

Public Enemy took the vibe from the Vietnam-era Black GI Movement and pressed it full force.

Final Day Young

(Marble Giants)

When the rich die last
Like the rabbits
Running from a lucky past
Full of shadow cunning

And the world lights up
For the final day

So Long, Mom (A Song for World War III)

(Tom Lehrer)

So long, mom!
I'm off to drop the Bomb
So don't wait up for me
But though I may roam
I'll come back to my home
Although it may be
A pile of debris

Tom Lehrer RIP. He was a mathematics professor at UC Santa Cruz, and as it’s my hometown, you can imagine how much we love him.

Lay Down Your Arms

(Washington Squares)

Talkin’ World War III Blues

(Bob Dylan)

One time ago crazy dream came to me
I dreamt I was walkin' into World War Three
Went to the doctor the very next day
To see what kinda words he could say

My partner Jon just told me… I had no idea… that this song is what made him learn the harmonica.